I've been on the fence about buying a tractor for years, I actually went to a TYM dealer a couple years ago and picked one out, and told them to call me when they had one... *crickets*
Finally this year I had a big row of white pine next to the house taken down and decided it was time to build a timber frame barn to replace the rotting chicken coop. To that end I needed a way to move big logs/beams around when I was milling/framing them. Thus I now own what I think is a 1987 L2850 with a LA650 loader. Pretty much all the labels are missing, the paint ain't great but I *think* it's in pretty good shape mechanically. Everything seems to work, the engine runs well, there's no major leaks and all the maintenance seems to have been kept up with. I'm told it was a farmer's only tractor in southern Maine and he just wanted something bigger with a cab.
Anyway, I'm mostly a car guy, and have never done anything with a diesel (or hydraulics), so I've been learning a lot. I just did a oil/hydraulic fluid/filter swap today and also (once I finally found the damn thing) swapped the fuel filter.
Beyond that I'm seriously considering converting it to SSQA (I have torches and a welder and have done similar projects before) and eventually adding some more hydraulic circuits for a 3rd function and maybe a rear remote for something. Oh, I also need some kind of seat belt.
Here's some pictures of my beautiful acquisition:
And here's the gumbo I pulled out of the hydraulic system earlier:
Finally this year I had a big row of white pine next to the house taken down and decided it was time to build a timber frame barn to replace the rotting chicken coop. To that end I needed a way to move big logs/beams around when I was milling/framing them. Thus I now own what I think is a 1987 L2850 with a LA650 loader. Pretty much all the labels are missing, the paint ain't great but I *think* it's in pretty good shape mechanically. Everything seems to work, the engine runs well, there's no major leaks and all the maintenance seems to have been kept up with. I'm told it was a farmer's only tractor in southern Maine and he just wanted something bigger with a cab.
Anyway, I'm mostly a car guy, and have never done anything with a diesel (or hydraulics), so I've been learning a lot. I just did a oil/hydraulic fluid/filter swap today and also (once I finally found the damn thing) swapped the fuel filter.
Beyond that I'm seriously considering converting it to SSQA (I have torches and a welder and have done similar projects before) and eventually adding some more hydraulic circuits for a 3rd function and maybe a rear remote for something. Oh, I also need some kind of seat belt.
Here's some pictures of my beautiful acquisition:
And here's the gumbo I pulled out of the hydraulic system earlier:
