What's the best way to learn how to restore tractors?

CertifiedSimp

I'd love to take an old tractor and make it looking really good again, especially the paintwork.

Problem being I don't know much technically about tractors or spraying.

I guess you need to know all the components in a tractor and what their role is to start with. Then you might be able know from trying to start a tractor what could be wrong with it or what needs to be replaced.

Anyone have any tips on where to start?

regulators

CertifiedSimp wrote: »

I'd love to take an old tractor and make it looking really good again, especially the paintwork.

Problem being I don't know much technically about tractors or spraying.

I guess you need to know all the components in a tractor and what their role is to start with. Then you might be able know from trying to start a tractor what could be wrong with it or what needs to be replaced.

Anyone have any tips on where to start?

Youtube

funkey_monkey

Ask greendragon3

emaherx

regulators wrote: »

Youtube

Yes and a workshop manual for the tractor you are working on.

Get an old tractor of low value and just get started. Maybe aim for one with decent engine and gear box but needing a lot of cosmetic work.

There's a series of DVD's for rebuilding 35's and 20's available here. http://vintagetractorengineer.com/

Damo810

Get something that isn't too badly shook is a good start, something common, you wont feel sinking money into one, bought a 784 here and theres a few hundred spent on it already just getting it serviced up and road legal, but it still looks the same as it did the day it landed here, not going to restore it, will be used the way it is for now.

Youtube is a good place to start, although theres no better way to learn than by doing. But do a budget up first, you wont make any money at it and you will spend an awful lot more than you think.

timple23

Start with a car first? Would be much cheaper to buy a banger for 100-200 euro?

emaherx

timple23 wrote: »

Start with a car first? Would be much cheaper to buy a banger for 100-200 euro?

Will cost much more to restore, will be harder to find parts, will need paint finished to a much higher standard.

timple23

emaherx wrote: »

Will cost much more to restore, will be harder to find parts, will need paint finished to a much higher standard.

Doesn't have to be finished to concours standard. A lot more car breakers than tractor breakers around.

If I go out and buy a banger I can take off numerous panels to learn how to paint and try different techniques. Plus if I decide that maybe I've bitten off more than I can chew I won't have sunken much into the project.

Damo810

timple23 wrote: »

Doesn't have to be finished to concours standard. A lot more car breakers than tractor breakers around.

If I go out and buy a banger I can take off numerous panels to learn how to paint and try different techniques. Plus if I decide that maybe I've bitten off more than I can chew I won't have sunken much into the project.

Older tractor would be simpler to work on and easier spray too. Tractors sub 5K sell like hotcakes so no fear of losing out on huge money, even if it'll never pay to restore one fully. A banger of a car will always be a banger of a car.

emaherx

timple23 wrote: »

Doesn't have to be finished to concours standard. A lot more car breakers than tractor breakers around.

If I go out and buy a banger I can take off numerous panels to learn how to paint and try different techniques. Plus if I decide that maybe I've bitten off more than I can chew I won't have sunken much into the project.

There are plenty of tractor breakers and they tend to be huge with plenty of selection. If you take an old MF most mechanical parts are common to several generations of tractors meaning there is no shortage.

Online availability of new spurious parts for tractors is unreal. You can actually build a complete tractor from Clifford's tractor parts catalog. https://www.tractorparts.ie/ and Clifford's did it themselves, it's on display in their shop. https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/trade-focus-the-tractor-trapped-in-kerry-that-trades-parts-to-the-world/

You couldn't go too far wrong with an MF 35, 135 or 240 and they won't loose value if you get bored or feel the project is not for you.

And while a car may not need to be concourse standard it still needs to be to higher standard than a tractor.

CertifiedSimp

Right lads, mainly talking about respraying here.

Been looking at youtube videos (extremely hard to find any how to videos) and google etc.

Let me know if these steps are correct:

1. Sand down with 80 grit

2. Apply filler if needed to smooth out anything

3. Sand down with 120 grit

4. Wipe clean

5. Apply 3 coats of primer

6. Sand down with 180+ grit (can someone explain why primer is applied and then sanded off or maybe you don't sand it all off?)

7. Clean (clean with what? Water?)

8. Apply paint. (How do you know what paint is needed? Seen mentions of hardener and stuff)

_Brian

Start with a simple tractor.

Plenty of online suppliers of manuals etc.

YouTube. Model specific YouTube groups are amazing.

emaherx

CertifiedSimp wrote: »

Right lads, mainly talking about respraying here.

Been looking at youtube videos (extremely hard to find any how to videos) and google etc.

Let me know if these steps are correct:

1. Sand down with 80 grit

2. Apply filler if needed to smooth out anything

3. Sand down with 120 grit

4. Wipe clean

5. Apply 3 coats of primer

6. Sand down with 180+ grit (can someone explain why primer is applied and then sanded off or maybe you don't sand it all off?)

7. Clean (clean with what? Water?)

8. Apply paint. (How do you know what paint is needed? Seen mentions of hardener and stuff)

What tractor are you going to restore?

0. Steam clean, Gettting tractor spotless before starting anything else is so important.

1. you wont sand down a tractor with 80 grit alone, you'd need to consider sand or soda blasting, but if doing yourself by hand then, drills and grinder with wire brush heads and a needle gun are a must followed by sanding,

2. Sure fill as nessacery, but there should not be much if step 1. was done right.

3. ok, sand smooth, you may need a variety of grits where you filled.

4. wipe clean sounds ok, air gun useful for blowing loose stuff off.

5. primer, 3 coats should do.

6. you don't sand the primer off, but a light sanding is needed

7. clean down again, with a fine brush and air gun no water (it should be clean just dusty from sanding)

8. Apply paint, the type is up to you. 2 pack paints with hardners are dangerous if used incorrectly without the propper air fed masks. Personaly if painting something like a MF 35, 135 or Ford Dexta etc, I just use enamel tractor paint. Tractors from the 60's and 70's were not painted with 2 pack anyway.

I'm by no means an expert, but thats the way I've done mine.
https://farmer-eds-shed.com/mf-135-restoration/
https://farmer-eds-shed.com/205-restoration/

CertifiedSimp

emaherx wrote: »

What tractor are you going to restore?

0. Steam clean, Gettting tractor spotless before starting anything else is so important.

1. you wont sand down a tractor with 80 grit alone, you'd need to consider sand or soda blasting, but if doing yourself by hand then, drills and grinder with wire brush heads and a needle gun are a must followed by sanding,

2. Sure fill as nessacery, but there should not be much if step 1. was done right.

3. ok, sand smooth, you may need a variety of grits where you filled.

4. wipe clean sounds ok, air gun useful for blowing loose stuff off.

5. primer, 3 coats should do.

6. you don't sand the primer off, but a light sanding is needed

7. clean down again, with a fine brush and air gun no water (it should be clean just dusty from sanding)

8. Apply paint, the type is up to you. 2 pack paints with hardners are dangerous if used incorrectly without the propper air fed masks. Personaly if painting something like a MF 35, 135 or Ford Dexta etc, I just use enamel tractor paint. Tractors from the 60's and 70's were not painted with 2 pack anyway.

I'm by no means an expert, but thats the way I've done mine.
https://farmer-eds-shed.com/mf-135-restoration/
https://farmer-eds-shed.com/205-restoration/

Thank you sir!

I haven't decided on a tractor yet. I have some old panels from cars and tractors lying around the place I would like to try respraying first.

Regarding point 1.

Wire brush. Is that like the one used in the video here? Wire brushes give me the idea of being very abrasive and leaving scratch marks. Maybe I'm wrong? Would you use that only where there is rust? Or every part of where you want to spray?

Do you need to be down to bare metal anywhere you want to spray?

https://youtu.be/kS4tbanoEZk?t=278

This video of a hedgecutter respray he just says he sanded it down, going to clean and apply primer.

https://youtu.be/khfMUOaywBE?t=451

As for the paints, if it was a newer tractor like a 90's would you use hardner? Is harder just like a powder that's mixed in? Does paint give you the ratios for hardener and thinner?

emaherx

I've a selection of wire brush heads from very abrasive to softer bristles, also various shapes and sizes and needle gun is great for working around corners and awkward details. I find the wire brush heads does less harm than a sanding disk can if used over enthusiastically. Also I'd use harsher ones on the chassis compared to the tin work.


A 90's tractor would be more likely to have left the factory with 2 pack paint, but I'm not sure I'd respray one in 2 pack myself.

If you are only starting and haven't got the tractor yet, I'd go for an older footplate type tractor, get one with a weather cab if you like but a 90's tractor or newer, will have as much work if not more in getting the cab looking right as the rest of the tractor will. Also there isn't a part you can't get easily for an old MF or Ford Tractor.

Donald Trump

emaherx wrote: »

Online availability of new spurious parts for tractors is unreal. You can actually build a complete tractor from Clifford's tractor parts catalog. https://www.tractorparts.ie/ and Clifford's did it themselves, it's on display in their shop. https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/trade-focus-the-tractor-trapped-in-kerry-that-trades-parts-to-the-world/

I wonder do they sell it as a kit?


If you bought one and built it, would you be able to register it for the road? ......maybe you'd have to buy a scrapped one to get a log book.



They make those old masseys in the Netherlands I think. And the Turkish crowd build the knock-offs under licence but I think they cost up to 20k or so.

emaherx

Donald Trump wrote: »

I wonder do they sell it as a kit?


If you bought one and built it, would you be able to register it for the road? ......maybe you'd have to buy a scrapped one to get a log book.



They make those old masseys in the Netherlands I think. And the Turkish crowd build the knock-offs under licence but I think they cost up to 20k or so.

I doubt they could sell it as a kit.

I've no idea about trying to register it in a legitimate way, but just thought it interesting that every part is available from a single catalogue. It's actually the QTP catalogue, so there are other agents around the country.

I think the Turkish crowd do more than just build copies under licence but actually build 240's in MF livery for the African Market for Agco also.

Donald Trump

emaherx wrote: »

I doubt they could sell it as a kit.

I've no idea about trying to register it in a legitimate way, but just thought it interesting that every part is available from a single catalogue. It's actually the QTP catalogue, so there are other agents around the country.

I think the Turkish crowd do more than just build copies under licence but actually build 240's in MF livery for the African Market for Agco also.

I suppose the real question is whether it cost them 12,500 for all the parts or whether it would cost a customer only 12,500 to buy the parts from them.



They probably can't sell it as an official kit alright but it would be helpful to know from the start that it was only going to cost you whatever amount. After that, you could just get the parts over time as you did your "rebuild"

emaherx

Donald Trump wrote: »

I suppose the real question is whether it cost them 12,500 for all the parts or whether it would cost a customer only 12,500 to buy the parts from them.



They probably can't sell it as an official kit alright but it would be helpful to know from the start that it was only going to cost you whatever amount. After that, you could just get the parts over time as you did your "rebuild"

I wondered the same about that price too.

But if you any kind of skid unit of a tractor to start, with a serial number you'd hardly have to buy every part new to have a very decent little tractor.

memorystick

Start with a stationery engine first.

K.G.

What about subscribing to "classic tractor".if you were reading that regularly you would build up a nice few tips and know how.what am i doing ,no better than a drug dealer.next thing you ll have 10 tractors in shed

emaherx

K.G. wrote: »

What about subscribing to "classic tractor".if you were reading that regularly you would build up a nice few tips and know how.what am i doing ,no better than a drug dealer.next thing you ll have 10 tractors in shed

Herself: "Did you get another new tractor?"

Me: "No of course not I always had that one" pointing in some vauge direction

jntsnk

emaherx wrote: »

What tractor are you going to restore?

0. Steam clean, Gettting tractor spotless before starting anything else is so important.

1. you wont sand down a tractor with 80 grit alone, you'd need to consider sand or soda blasting, but if doing yourself by hand then, drills and grinder with wire brush heads and a needle gun are a must followed by sanding,


2. Sure fill as nessacery, but there should not be much if step 1. was done right.

3. ok, sand smooth, you may need a variety of grits where you filled.

4. wipe clean sounds ok, air gun useful for blowing loose stuff off.

5. primer, 3 coats should do.

6. you don't sand the primer off, but a light sanding is needed

7. clean down again, with a fine brush and air gun no water (it should be clean just dusty from sanding)

8. Apply paint, the type is up to you. 2 pack paints with hardners are dangerous if used incorrectly without the propper air fed masks. Personaly if painting something like a MF 35, 135 or Ford Dexta etc, I just use enamel tractor paint. Tractors from the 60's and 70's were not painted with 2 pack anyway.

I'm by no means an expert, but thats the way I've done mine.
https://farmer-eds-shed.com/mf-135-restoration/
https://farmer-eds-shed.com/205-restoration/

Doing up a Ford TW 15.
Do you know anything about the decals. Anything to be sprayed over them to last longer or just leave as is .

emaherx

I've left decals on top, never coated them with anything.

I sprayed the 135 10 years ago and now the red is fading so I'm considering redoing the tinwork, but the decals have weathered well so I wouldn't be to bothered by coating them. The 135 spends 6 months of the year outside just stored in the shed for the winter.

Have you much done on the TW 15? any pictures?

jntsnk

emaherx wrote: »

I've left decals on top, never coated them with anything.

I sprayed the 135 10 years ago and now the red is fading so I'm considering redoing the tinwork, but the decals have weathered well so I wouldn't be to bothered by coating them. The 135 spends 6 months of the year outside just stored in the shed for the winter.

Have you much done on the TW 15? any pictures?

Thanks for that advice.
It’s a project for my 16 yr lad. So no major dismantling of panels or doors. Was his idea so just going along with it., needs a full rear window which isn’t cheap, I only use it for agitating slurry, so any paint job is an improvement. Will put the decals this week and finish painting. Didn’t paint the engine block as it’s full of old oil.

jntsnk

jntsnk wrote: »

Here’s pics

.

jntsnk

jntsnk wrote: »

Here’s pics

. Before we attacked it

timple23

jntsnk wrote: »

.

Depending on how much more you are planning to do, you can get stuff to blacken up the tyres to make them look more fresh. Special heat resistant paint will have to be used on exhaust if doing it.

Re decals, I know some car people sprayed a small bit of water on surface prior to decal to allow some adjustment. A squeegee can be used to queeze out air bubbles.

You'd be surprised what a tw15 is worth these days.

jntsnk

timple23 wrote: »

Depending on how much more you are planning to do, you can get stuff to blacken up the tyres to make them look more fresh. Special heat resistant paint will have to be used on exhaust if doing it.

Re decals, I know some car people sprayed a small bit of water on surface prior to decal to allow some adjustment. A squeegee can be used to queeze out air bubbles.

You'd be surprised what a tw15 is worth these days.

Thanks for the advice .
Paid 5K for it about 7 yrs ago. Ya everything in tractor values have shot up

mickey1985

jntsnk wrote: »

. Before we attacked it

How did ye do the tyres. Looking at doing the same on a Ford here. Did you sand all the white off and respray or did you sandblast?

emaherx

jntsnk wrote: »

Thanks for the advice .
Paid 5K for it about 7 yrs ago. Ya everything in tractor values have shot up

Think you did well at 5K, they would have been a sought after tractor even then.

whisky_galore

timple23 wrote: »

Start with a car first? Would be much cheaper to buy a banger for 100-200 euro?

I wouldn't bother with a car. You'd probably need a pit or a lift to get at everything effectively. At least a tractor is high off the ground to start with.
A tractor could be left 50 or more years out in the open, with a tree growing up through it and still be restorable, a car could be fcuked after a decade lying idle outdoors and end up being a money pit.
Depending what it is, a lot of older tractors with a following have brand new replacement parts you can simply get off the shelf, even tinwork if that's too far gone.

maidhc

whisky_galore wrote: »

I wouldn't bother with a car.

Nor would I. Cars are pigs to work on compared to tractors and a banger is always a banger. At least if you buy a tractor and make it good it will always sell, and always be useful.

I did up a Ford 3600 when I was about 16. My doing up involved a wire brush, a tin of paint and isopon as required, but I was a proud as punch.

20 odd years later I am still at stuff, pretty much the same idea but less Isopon. Still get the same feeling when a machine is done and the added bonus is pretty much all the farming is done now with machines I restored (and it the fact they are working machines gives me the legitimate excuse not to seek out mirror paint finishes!)