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Bitten off more than we can chew.


Mindy

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I think we may have made a mistake in our recent purchase. We bought an AC 616, with mower and snow blade, that had been somewhat dismantled (engine was out, 3 pt hitch was off), thinking we could manage to put it back together and fix it up to mow, plow, do some garden work. Well, after a few weeks of trying to figure what went where, we called in the local Simplicity dealer to help us out. His advice, trade it in on a new Legacy, to the tune of $8k. He feels the tractor is too far gone to save. The previous owner did some creative wiring, etc., and it would be very expensive to pay someone to put it back to original. So, what do y'all think? Did we get the shaft? The owner told us it needed work, but he didn't mention how much he had changed it. I really feel like someone who knows what they're doing could get it back together, but I don't think we're the ones for the job. If we trade it, the dealer says he'll use it for parts, and TBH, I'm feeling bad about that. I want someone to fix it up and keep it running. Not to mention we can't afford an $8k tractor. How much would something like this bring if I tried to sell it? Where is the best place to sell it? Ebay? And please don't ask how much we spent on it... Ugh. Mindy
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You didn't explain why you can't put it together too well. Or what you paid for your treasure. Sounds like the dealer is trying to pull a fast one on you but there is some info missing.
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Seems to me I said the same thing on here about 3 years ago. Remember that the manuals are available and boy do they help.. I've gone to my dealer here also asking for parts and had the same thing told to me. You should buy a new tractor. Seems to me that's all some dealers want to do is sell you a new tractor and not help you repair the one you have, in fact the person I talked to had never even heard of a Simplicity 717.LOL You just have to find the right dealer...
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Mindy, you can't give up, you have my youngest daughters name. Besides, I see this is ONLY your 3rd post on a site full of some really fine people more than willing to help you succeed,,sooooo stick around, ask a lot of questions, don't get uptight if we don't understand what your asking and you might just end up with a fine running ole 616. Thier just iron and bolts, get manuals...Hope your still here when I get off work next time...MPH
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Right on. Never give up. One step at a time. Why did the original owner take it apart? Most folks don't take out an engine that works to dust it off. If your mechanically inclined, and you at least felt like you were when you bought it. do a compression test to see if the rods are still at least connected. The original owner may have been thinking of parting the unit out. I am not attempting to discourage you. What you would get these day to replace that 616 would not last as long as this one. The shear enjoyment for haveing done this job your self will outlast the tractor. Most dealers are salesmen. Their profit is not in repairs, they have flooring to pay for. Those who quickly offer a trade in are not the ones to deal with. If you did trade it in, It would be a few weeks later and they would be selling your unit for a hefty price. maybe you have run out of time this year. But the guy that does tilling for hire may be the one who can help you the most on getting your rig understood. Leroy
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One thing about these Simplicity and Allis Chalmers tractors are ease of back yard mechanicking (if thats a word). My Dad bought a mint 4041 from me a while back. When he went to one of the local Simplicity dealers to check on a part, they told him he had bought something that you cannot get parts for. What a joke of a dealer. The wiring is relatively simple, but you do need the parts and repair manuals for guidance. There are several reasons to pull the motor on a 616. The starter could have needed work, the rewiring he did would have required it if it was a major rewiring job, maybe to just clean the gunk out of the engine compartment, ect..... Where are you located? I'd possibly take it as a trade on a good running smaller tractor (7016 with implements). There is a demand for these tractors even if a several members complain about their "deemed" value. Good luck whether you fix it up or sell / trade it to someone else who can.
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That sounds like some of the dealers around here.When I was having problems with my 3410,2 seperate dealers told me to junk it(they wouldn't even take it in trade) and buy a new one.Fortunately,I found this site,and with the great people and knowledge found here, another Simplicity continues to live a productive life. I would find a parts & service manual,before attempting to resurrect this tractor.It's hard to tell what's been modified,without seeing a picture of the original. It's not hard working on old iron,just takes patience,and a little info. good luck! kenny
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Hi Mindy, wiring is a PIA, but patience and the mandatory (model specific) wiring diagram should get you through it. Take it one wire at a time. If it still does not run, obviously there are other problems. The trouble, with selling a tractor that is not running is that you can not demonstrate its ability to run. Not too, many of us are going to be willing to pay top dollar, on a machine that may or may not be ready to fire. But, I would hazard a personal guestimate of $250 to $450 depending on a visual inspection....Art
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Art, if Mindy has the "big" 616 not the "little" running or not it is worth a heckuvalot more than $450. Since Mindy refers to the 3 pt hitch I assume it is the big tractor. I see those tractors on here and elsewhere in running condition w/ a deck anywhere from $2300 to $3500 depending on condition. Dilapidated ones for $1000. Brent
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If you pieced it out on Ebay I think you would see a return of $1200 - $1600 if you are patient enought to remove, see, and ship all the shippable parts one at a time. Heavier stuff would have to be picked up by buyers, but on these things a lot of people ARE willing to drive.
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Boy, you guys are fast! When I realized I was thinking of the wrong machine, I came back to edit.....too late. I wouldn't want to be the one, to cause her to sell it for peanuts. Thanks for the heads-up....Art
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Mindy, I'd offer to visit you and the tractor and offer my advice and assessment of the tractor basket case. I could also help assess your technical/mechanical skills you'll need to continue the "project" or not. I've worked on my brother's 4040, 4041 recently and used to work on them in the 1970's at a dealership. If you're in Westminster, I'm only 1/2 an hour or so away. Regards, Tom(PK)
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Tom, you are truly a CLASS ACT! It's great to see that there are still people like you, and all of the others who offer advice on this great website, out there willing to go above and beyond to help others. DaveM
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There are other alternatives, too! When it comes to just about any kind of home repair, I always do whatever I'm able to do myself, then find someone else inexpensive to do the rest. You can fix what you are comfortable with, then defer the harder stuff to a good backyard small engine mechanic in your area with a good reputation. There are a lot of guys working out of pole buildings in the backyard with pretty good skill. They could handle the things you aren't comfortable with. To emphasize again from my own experience...an older used Simplicity/AC is a beautiful thing compared to a cheapo from Home Depot or spending as much for a tractor as a used car. I just can't justify the prices for a new one. (Of course, I say the same thing about new cars, too!)
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My advice about dealers - Find one where the dealer owner has an old B or an old landlord. When I go into my local dealer I always hear a good story about old tractors. And I have found a lot of parts that I didn't think they would ever carry.
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I know that I will wake up a lot of critics, but the AC 616/620/720/Simplicity Powermax tractors are VERY hard to work on. I know, I had a 720, messed around with it for a year and finally got so disgusted that I sold it. Now I have totally went through an rebuilt a B-210, and two 7100 series Simplicites. These tractors are easy to work on, probably the easiest of all the "premium" brand garden tractors. Deeres' are notoriously hard to work on. In my opinion, having been exactly where you are, you should look for a club member who will trade you a 700/7000 or 900/7100 series tractor for your 616. I am sure that several members would be very interested in a deal like that.
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Mindy, don't get discouraged, I have a 616 and wouldnt trade it for anything. I have a new husqvarna riding mower that hardly gets used since I found my 60" mowing deck from a great guy in this club. My best advice is to buy you a service manual,I got one from YESTERDAYS TRACTORS, 36.95 A Little expensive but money well spent. I believe you can get this thing going and as you see, people here are eager to help. [url][/url]http://www.ytmag.com/manuals.htm
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I will attest to how easy these older machines are to work on........ Then again, I'm probably doing what most would consider a major project rather than just playing with my toys. http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9147
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Thank you to everyone. You have given me hope. We're not going to throw in the towel quite yet. Tom, I would greatly appreciate it if you could come and give us your advice. We are just outside Westminster. I'll send you a message. Thanks for you offer and for the other offers of help from everyone! This really is a great group. I will keep everyone posted on the project.
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