John Deere Trail Buck 500 ???

JDEM · Jun 10, 2019

I did not know such a machine existed until yesterday. Local farmer had a 2005 John Deere 500 cc Trail Buck in his barn. Claimed his brother bought it new in 2005 for near $7000 and never used it. Only 50 miles on it. I looked at it and it looks show-room new. Not a speck of wear or dirt other then storage dust. The owner died a year after buying and this thing sat ever since. The farmer decided to try to get it going and took it to a local Deere dealer. He got charged $200 and told it cannot be fixed. Has no oil pressure and NO new parts available.

I just bought it for $550. I got it home, stuck a new battery in it and tried to start it. Starter would not work because the flywheel had fallen off. Why? I have no idea. German engine with a taper-fit keyless flywheel and the one bolt had fallen out.

So, I got the flywheel torqued on, put a battery in it, and it started right up. Sounds like a brand new engine. But the oil pressure light is on. I can see the Deere dealer put a new oil-pressure sender switch in and then gave up.

I AM surprised to find out that a new oil pump is indeed "obsolete" from either John Deere or Bombardier/Can Am. Kind of odd for a machine that is not all that old. Has an Austrian Rotax engine.

I have no idea what is wrong with this thing. Engine sounds fine. If it really has no oil pressure, I am hoping it is something simple.

JohnV2000 · Jun 10, 2019

Sounds like a great deal for you. Even if it did not run, I would imagine parting it out would get more than $550.

Bob · Jun 10, 2019

(quoted from post at 10:15:46 06/10/19) I did not know such a machine existed until yesterday. Local farmer had a 2005 John Deere 500 cc Trail Buck in his barn. Claimed his brother bought it new in 2005 for near $7000 and never used it. Only 50 miles on it. I looked at it and it looks show-room new. Not a speck of wear or dirt other then storage dust. The owner died a year after buying and this thing sat ever since. The farmer decided to try to get it going and took it to a local Deere dealer. He got charged $200 and told it cannot be fixed. Has no oil pressure and NO new parts available.

I just bought it for $550. I got it home, stuck a new battery in it and tried to start it. Starter would not work because the flywheel had fallen off. Why? I have no idea. German engine with a taper-fit keyless flywheel and the one bolt had fallen out.

So, I got the flywheel torqued on, put a battery in it, and it started right up. Sounds like a brand new engine. But the oil pressure light is on. I can see the Deere dealer put a new oil-pressure sender switch in and then gave up.

I AM surprised to find out that a new oil pump is indeed "obsolete" from either John Deere or Bombardier/Can Am. Kind of odd for a machine that is not all that old. Has an Austrian Rotax engine.

I have no idea what is wrong with this thing. Engine sounds fine. If it really has no oil pressure, I am hoping it is something simple.

<img src="https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cvphotos/cvphoto25880.jpg">

A friend of mine has the Bombardier version, maybe a couple of years older, always had trouble with the shifting mechanism, first under warranty, then a number of $$$$ visits to the dealer, finally parked it and bought a Honda, which he's worked the &%$# out of fencing, etc., with no problems

Speaking of DEERE small engine stuff, our town has a late-model DEERE zero-spin mower. After storage a year ago, carb was dirty, they asked if I would fix it, I told them I was a week behind, so they took it to the dealer, paid $$$$$$$ for a new carb and labor, then it wouldn't idle down, actually RACED. They were told "governor is bad, and we don't do internal engine work on these things", wanted to install a new engine/hydro package for $$$$$$$$$$.

They paid the bill, the better part of a grand, and dropped it off with me to repair the governor.

Governor was fine, insulator plate between duplex carb and manifold had been installed wrong, and was interfering with the throttle mechanism.

I flipped it over, and put the carb back on, and all was well.

Mayor was going to see if the dealership would take some labor off of the bill, I never heard how that turned out.

rndy3788 · Jun 10, 2019

RUN RUN FAST then when you stop and think about it start running again from that POS , I had one with low hours yes same
as Can Am extremly expensive to fix replaced simple temp sending unit 3 times at 80$ plus everytime , special threads so
nothing else would fit other than factory, replaced crank at around 1400 miles for 900 plus$ plus labor and need a lot of
special tools to do that didnt last 200 miles , extremly DID I say extremly expensive parts , curious as to where that one
is ? father inlaw had green and yellow one stolen with low hours /miles lucky him , I am not kidding when I say that is
probably the worst POS i have ever bought and that includes a 750 MF combine in almost fiftyyears of farming

JDEM · Jun 10, 2019

This was sitting in a barn in Hawks, Michigan near the potato farming area of Posen. Funny thing about the possibility of being stolen.

I called the State Police in nearby Alpena. I told them about the purchase and asked if they could check the VIN to verify it is not stolen. NOPE. The officer said they cannot run VINs for private parties. I then asked - why not run it for the State Police then and only get back to me if this thing is stolen. Again, the answer was "no."

I worked for four John Deere dealers in the past (late 60s to early 90s). I used to think Deere was careful about putting their brand name on other makes unless quality and parts support was verified. Now I am wondering if Deere Co. is not what it used to be.

M Nut · Jun 10, 2019

Well, I must be lucky based on the other posts, but I have a 2002 Bombardier with well over 3,000 miles, and it has never left the farm. I use it almost every day, and often border line abuse it, and it just keeps going. Only thing I?ve ever replaced is batteries and tires. If yours lasts like mine has, you?ll be very satisfied.

Kansas4010 · Jun 10, 2019

I have the same luck with my JD Buck. I bought it new and it's never given me any trouble. My cousin has the Bombardier Traxter version as well and it's been trouble free as well.

SVcummins · Jun 10, 2019

I bought a brand new one in 04 and I have beat that thing like a red headed step child for 15 years I did replace the rear diff once I stripped the gears off the pinion shaft got a new used one eBay for under 200$ other than that it has not had a single major problem . My cousin has the same one except red his is the can am and he still runs his and hasn?t had any problems either

SVcummins · Jun 11, 2019

First thing I?d do is put a oil pressure gauge on it and see if it has oil pressure or not the next thing I?d do is order a service manual for it . I paid 7060.00$ for my John buck ex it was cheaper buy about 500$ than the list price of the same one at the bombardier dealer in the same town I know I?m not allowed to say that about John Deere but it was also oil filters were 20$ at John Deere and almost 30$ at the bombardier dealer

John Deere Trail Buck 500 ???

JDEM

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JohnV2000

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Bob

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rndy3788

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JDEM

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M Nut

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Kansas4010

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SVcummins

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SVcummins

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