I need another project like another hole in my head, but...

A fellow a couple miles down the road has had a MF 20 (?) diesel with loader sitting in the trees beside his driveway for a few years. Never seen it move. Stopped and asked about it last fall, and while he says it will run, he told me the tranny is stuck in gear, rear rims are shot, rear tires about 25%, loader cylinders need work, bucket cylinders were replaced and mountings cobbled so it doesn't tip as it should, etc. I asked what he thought he might want for it, and he said "what does it weigh"? What would be a reasonable "scrap" price for this, providing it does run (or not)?

I dunno... I'm adaquately good with a wrench and a welder, and a tractor with a loader would be mighty handy here, but not if it's going to cost a small fortune to get it working reasonably well.

I have a 65 HiClear sitting in the shop, still picking away at it's issues as time and finances allow, so I suppose the loader could be transfered, but that still begs the question of whether it would just be better/cheaper to find a "good" loader to put on the 65, or to just get this one and save the search to sift through someone else's problem.

What think the experts here?

Maybe the 20 trans is a simple fix if someone tried to speed shift it like other MF tractors do at times. Depends on what trans it has..

You may be able to take the cover plate off by shifter and stick screwdriver between forks with transmission & dual range are in neutral and get unstuck. My 65 gets stuck once in a while. As far as loader, make sure you can turn steering wheel both directions if you plan to put crankshaft front mount hydraulic pump without interfering. Mine had manual steering, and tie rod would get in way of center of crankshaft pulley.

I know the fix for the tranny: pull the cover and build up the worn shift 'blade' with weld, re-grind to shape where it fits in the fork rods and replace the pivot pins. It's just more involved on the Massey than some other tractors because the steering box has to be removed. Needing rims and tires are bigger issues - tough to find anything used but still serviceable locally. Haven't looked at the loader cylinders in daylight, so it might depend on how good or bad the hoses and rods are, and whether rebuild kits are readily available at a reasonable price.

I want to be fair in any offer I make for this, both to me and to him - turns out I used to work with the guy a dozen years back. He had a heart attack a few years ago, so isn't up to making this a usable tractor again.

Also on thinking about it not sure I want to put the loader on the 65, as the center of gravity is higher than the 20 and not much ground around here is "flat". Besides, who couldn't use just one more tractor??

We put a loader on our hi-clear 65, and after breaking 3 spindles, removed it . . . And it was a light loader, not one of the heavier industrial ones.

Well if it is a diesel it is not a 20 (20 has gas engine), may be a 30 or up. Some pictures and serial number would help. Their should be a serial tag on the dashboard. As far as weight the early tractors weight in at a little over 3000 lbs. If you take a look at "Tractor Data" their are spec's and pictures of most models along with serial numbers by year. At today's scrap prices, $120 /ton, that would be about $180, I doubt that will make him happy. Any time I by from the yard, they charge about double what they pay or $ 360, not to impressive either. So if you are serious, suggest to him it has a value, to you of say $ 500 you and let him decide or negotiate from their. He will be happy as he has participated in the process and if he thinks it's worth a million dollars you can walk away happy as well.

A MF20 industrial looks just like a MF135, it will either have the Perkins 3.152 engine (it will either be a gas, or a diesel).

Jack in NB, thanks for the warning!

Jo Bird, I know the 'southern tier' is quite a stretch, but we might be neighbors. I've covered most of it a few dozen times over, from the Catskills to Clymer, so probably have passed within a couple miles of your place. Currently stir mud in the county that bears the name of the Famous Institute.

Thanks for reminding me of TractorData. I just checked there, and according to them the 20 came with the 152cid 3cyl Perkins, choice of gas or diesel. They say weight runs from 3120 to 4255. I'd guess toward the heavy side. They say the 30 is a 4 cyl. I know this one is a 3cyl. I have to go by later today and will check the serial plate, and if I remember to take the camera, will get a picture or two.

The $500 sounds about right to me. I knew the price of scrap was down, but didn't know how low. I didn't want to start out insulting him so needed some facts. At that price, I'd even be willing to take it 'as is' without having him go through the trouble to prove the Perkins will still fire up. If it will roll, and if there isn't water in the fuel system, it should run. I'd want to check the fuel before even cranking it to avoid making more problems, and guessing from what he's told me about it, he probably wouldn't bother.