The cost of maintaining a tractor

Bruce from Can. · May 24, 2019

Did the service and some minor repairs on my 4 main tractors, fuel and oil filters, engine oil, gasket kits to rebuild primer pumps on 930 and 1030. And 1030 also had two fuel injection lines that had cracks and wound leak fuel. Over $900.00 bucks in parts. It cost plenty to buy tractors, but that is just the start, it cost a bundle to maintain them and fuel them too. When I read the post about the cost of custom Ploughing, planting and haying, the prices that most folks are charging is seeing them working for break even, nothing, or a loss. I will not do anything custom, it just doesn?t pencil.

jm. · May 24, 2019

Bruce I see these guys doing custom hay around here by the roll and no way can they make any money, custom bush hogging has to be a looser, I am like you just as soon leave my stuff parked.

BarnyardEngineering · May 24, 2019

It all boils down to "Shaft unto others before they shaft unto you."

The land owner thinks you're trying to shaft them if you quote a price with a fair profit, so they shaft you by lowballing. Other custom operators will shaft you by charging a rate that's break even or a loss just to get the business away from you.

So, you can take what you can get, or nothing at all.

Charlie M · May 24, 2019

Imagine what it would cost if you had to add the cost of labor to the tab. I've been getting some parts for my old Farmalls and even shipping is getting expensive. Cost almost as much to ship a governor spring as it did to buy the spring.

timcasbolt · May 24, 2019

(quoted from post at 13:31:59 05/24/19) It all boils down to "Shaft unto others before they shaft unto you."

The land owner thinks you're trying to shaft them if you quote a price with a fair profit, so they shaft you by lowballing. Other custom operators will shaft you by charging a rate that's break even or a loss just to get the business away from you.

So, you can take what you can get, or nothing at all.

How can the landowner shaft you? You either take the work or you don't. It's your decision.

Traditional Farmer · May 24, 2019

That's less than $250 each so if you put 100 hrs a year on them doing custom work that'd be $2.50 an hour,not much in my opinion hardly be a make or break price figure on custom
work.Of course the big thing is how much you paid for the tractor in the first place.I buy cheap tractors like my Long 460 I do some custom brush hogging with paid $1100 for it back in 2001,have only changed filters and oil in it.Did buy a nice canopy that came with a Hesston parts tractor valued it at $200.Use an Allis Chalmers 6ft pull type cutter
I paid $400 for, tractor uses around 1.5 gal hr fuel.Did put a set of tires on the rear from a 1250 Oliver parts tractor that cost me $500 so I have less than $2,000 in the whole
rig
which is less than $200/year for ownership so far.I charge $50 hr to cut which is mostly horse pastures that only have some weeds growing.So even if I figured $20 hr for
up keep,fuel,original cost,etc I'm still doing pretty good I figure a lot more than I'll make with that rig doing work on my own farm for sure. Plus I do work with it on my farm too.Bought a Long 445 last Fall for $600 for back up to the 460 have spent about $250 getting it up and running ready to use.

DeltaRed · May 24, 2019

Guy I worked for last year charged a flat $100/hr. one hour minimum.Included one way travel. Said it wasn't enough. His equipment was old and worn out. Hate to think if had been 'new'

Case Nutty 1660 · May 24, 2019

I added a trenching biz here when the methane fields were going crazy, I was digging the trenches for the electric wire and backfilling for a 1.00 a foot, I could dig 1500-2700 ft a day depending on conditions, my DH4B Case trencher would use 12-15 gallons of fuel doing that,, if you do not know how to correctly run a trencher they can cost a LOT to maintain,, paid for the trencher in less than 30 hours run time,, and yes I bought it used with 1100 hours on the clock, insurance was UGLY trenching,, I cleared more coin int he year I did that then in many years farming combined,, still have the trencher today but it sits 99% of the time now,, I have no desired to go back to that work even though the pay was Very good, I will farm as long as I can climb in a tractor, as for doing custom work today NOPE it does not happen other than something for a life long neighbor or good friend, I have plenty to do on my farm and FORGET loaning someone something buy your own I always say
cnt

Tx Jim · May 24, 2019

(quoted from post at 08:30:48 05/24/19) Bruce I see these guys doing custom hay around here by the roll and no way can they make any money, custom bush hogging has to be a looser, I am like you just as soon leave my stuff parked.

Jerry
I've been custom baling/farming since '87. I've made a living BUT haven't got rich. All my equipment is paid for along with my house & I have a few $$$$ in bank. As you well know equipment & parts prices have risen dramatically in the last few yrs. I would hate to think about starting out in custom baling business today as I think equip/parts prices will get a considerably higher $$$$$.

Traditional Farmer · May 24, 2019

If they can't make money doing custom work how in the World can they make anything running the same tractors on their own farms? I must be selling my cattle at the wrong places
the custom work I do covers my overhead and more for the equipment/tractors I use in my farming.

chuck machinist · May 24, 2019

You can let another custom operator low ball you, but he can only do that only so long. Ones reputation counts for something yet.CM

moresmoke · May 24, 2019

Not bad for 4 tractors.

A JD 9R series is over $1200 just for a set of filters at the dealer.

jon f mn · May 24, 2019

I used to do a lot if custom work and will do some again once my equipment is in good working order. I used to make a living doing harvesting and side dressing corn with anhydrous. Really liked doing anhydrous at $5.00/acre and using a rented tractor. Could clear $1,000.00/day and no risk. Would need to charge more now tho. But my dad always did a lot too, for him it was also side dressing corn, combining small grains, and chopping corn. He always said the custom work allowed him to have new nice machines than he could afford for just his. If you charge propperly I think there is money in it. No loaning equipment tho, that is a good way to have nothing.

SkipperII · May 24, 2019

I do a lot of the maintenance work on a friends tractors. They are all mid 60s-mid 80s. I charge him about 25% of what he would pay at a shop, quite often don't charge him for all my time, and still feel bad when I hand him the bill. I can't believe the cost of parts, since I retired, as a mechanic. But; He keeps calling me, so I guess he's happy.

Bruce from Can. · May 24, 2019

No question that custom bushoging is custom work if you hire out to another land owner. But is it custom farm work, or does it fall into a different category. , like landscaping or property maintenance? Just as someone with a back hoe , hires themselves and equipment out to dig for paying customers, and some customers may be farmers, this is not a truly Ag production related custom operation. Planting, baling, harvesting, and these sort of things are crop production related custom work which I am referring to. Trimming weeds in a horse pasture isn?t really production oriented, and probably has a much better rate of return than cutting a hay crop.

JK-NY · May 24, 2019

I also do some custom brush hog mowing in my area, have been doing it for over 30 years now. I figured out a long time ago no sense working too cheap. I have also done other things like plowing / fitting small fields , baling hay and York raking . I agree that not having a fortune invested in equipment makes good sense. I always figured that the extra income from the custom work helped me upgrade equipment over the years and help with maintenance costs that I would have anyway just from my own work. Maybe it doesn't pencil out for everyone but it seems like you and me are doing OK with it.

tomstractorsandtoys · May 24, 2019

I farm 80 acres next to mine by the acre. 50 of corn and beans and 30 of hay. I use the money from custom work to maintain my equipment for myself. The $800 planting each year lets me keep both planters in good shape. The spraying paid enough for a complete rebuild on the sprayer along with better controls and a new foam marker. The combine money will put all new gathering chains and sprockets on my machine this fall. Not a big money maker but I will miss it when he quits. I would not go down the road 10 miles for it but right next to my farm with a field lane that connects makes it work good. Tom

Traditional Farmer · May 24, 2019

Guess it'd depend on how much you charge right? I set the price on whatever I do raking,mowing,baling no different from brush hogging really.Mowing and raking by the hour
baling by the bale.Most of which is for small farmers without equipment and they are happy to get anyone to do it for them.Plus most get a kick out of my older tractors and equipment.As far as working for 'regular' farmers no way most are cheap skates,slow pay and will leave the 'dirty' work for the custom operators.I don't 'need' the jobs so I
can pick and choose.Putting in deer/wildlife plots in my area is about as profitable thing as I can do with my tractors and equipment.

Eldon (WA) · May 24, 2019

The tractors I run make all the difference for me. My repairs and expense sheet for last year was way too low (knock on wood).

SVcummins · May 24, 2019

I take home 50% almost every job I do . Yes parts are stupid ridiculous . I had about the same maintenance things as you listed a couple batteries cables filters oil some plow shares and a few things like that 900$ I keep every invoice for everything I buy right down to the a single nut or bolt washer and quart of oil at the end of the year I add up the bills and the customer invoices and aww what it comes to

Fordy20 · May 24, 2019

I noticed a decal for an Automated External Defibrillator by the door of my local John Deere dealer. Had to ask them if that was to rescusicate their customers after presenting them with their bill.

showcrop · May 24, 2019

Don't forget that even if you are losing money that you can make it up in volume.

The cost of maintaining a tractor

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads