TO30 at auction

I've been half heartedly looking for a mowing tractor for my pastures, I use a 5' finish mower on a newer small Mahindra with a loader now. Just found out a TO30 is coming up for auction a couple of miles down the road from me. The owner is currently using it to mow about an acre or two with a Woods finish mower. Hard to see condition from a couple of pictures but looks fairly good. It has a "jungle gym" loader on it with no bucket. I'm not interested in the loader, if I buy it I'll be taking it off.

What specific things should I look for that might signal trouble on this model? I have owned an 8N and 9N for many years so this style of tractor is not unfamiliar, but never been around any Fergy. What might it be worth? Is the loader worth anything, assuming it works?

Won't be able to see it until the morning of the auction, but might be able stop down Friday evening to look it over if anyone is around there.

Any advice appreciated!

Being it is currently in use is a good sign.

They were good reliable tractors for their time.

Check the engine oil for coolant, look under the oil cap and at the end of the vent tube. Some condensation is OK, especially if there is no thermostat. But if there is anti freeze, could be a cracked block, had gasket, or cylinder liner orings leaking.

If it lives outside, expect to find water in the gear cases. Good news they are tough, it usually doesn't hurt them, will just need changing.

The 3 point should lift smoothly without jumping. Jumping while going up is a sign of pump problems.

If you can run it long enough to get the engine up to temperature, see if it has oil pressure at idle. It won't need much, but should see something on the gauge. If the engine will idle slow and smooth, the compression is good.

If it's been used for loader work, expect front suspension and steering gear problems. Look at the bolts that hold the front end to the engine, be sure nothing is broken or been run loose.

On something that old, expect the typical, bad wiring, bad radiator, bad gas tank. Unless these things have already been addressed, good chance they will need replacing sooner than later.

But keep an open mind, they are still good tractors, you are just looking at something getting up in years, expect some age related issues. Remember, it does not have live PTO. It will need an overrun clutch for mower use.

Thanks, Steve!

Well, I got it! $1,300. Just me and one other interested, he had one at home with a more modern loader. It had not been used much recently to mow, they were using a Gravely to do most of the mowing in the last couple of years.

Turns out it was better looking than the pictures showed. Been kept in a shed all the time. Tires were like new, very little wear, started right up, no smoke, oil was clean, no obvious oil in the radiator. The Wagner loader workes great but the hoses are worn, one leaks, one had been replaced very recently. There was a bucket for it. They included a front bumper and a drawbar, neither had been on the tractor since the owner bought it, in fact the son had never seen it without the finish mower on it. That sold separately, I had no interest since I had a good one. Came with the operators manual and one for the loader.

I am planning to remove the loader, just don't need it and w/o power steering it is a pain. I want to check it all over and do what ever maintenance is needed and get the mower mounted.