New member, long time reader. I have been looking for a bigger tractor for some time, I have 10 acres wooded with a lot of surface stone, quartz, soapstone in Walton's Mountain... I have been running a small Ford 1310 for the last 12 yrs and I really want something that I can deal with the stumps, move rocks, maintain roads, help neighbors, and for heavy snow. The bigger 4 wd tractors are running $16-28K and they will not come near a TLB in terms of capacity etc… In the end I need a TLB more than a tractor, as I am not a farmer. I have run a friends Case 580 SL, but not for any great length of time. Another friend of mine has offered me a Case 590 from his grandfather for $12K. It is 4WD, 2-stick (he says), open cab / ROPS. My friend says there are two hour meters on it? One says 2000 hrs, the other says 463. Not sure what to make of this. Engine runs strong, no issues that he knows of. My friend has used it a few times on the farm, said his grandfather bought it a couple of years back so we have no long term history on the unit, other than it has been taken care of at present. He will obviously put it through its paces, I hope to get up there to look at it, maybe this weekend. I will try to post pictures. From what the Ser# reads: JJG0207391, I have read from one site that it might be a 590T? 1) S# JJG0205001-JJG0207314: Case 590T, 1990-1994 2) S# Ser I – JJG0208500, Ser II ASN - JJG0212500, 590 Super L, 1995-2000 Both with Cummins 4 cyl 4T390 Carraro Power Shuttle w/ or w/o Powershift I will be checking out all the obvious things I have read from mining all your posts, but in general is this a model to steer clear of and is this price too much based on the model, apparent condition etc.. ? I am not in a rush and can easily pass on it but I wanted to get your opinions as it seems like it could be a good deal. I have a 30x40 shop with 12’ ceilings, so I think I can just get it in with the boom unlocked. It is more than I need, but I am not seeing much around this price. Thanks, Jim
Pictures Not good, he took them in poor light last night. Hopefully we can make an ID.
More Pictures The last that I have right now.
590 ty's have some serious digging power over a 580 looks like the one hr. meter may not have been working so added a second to keep track for servicing?
Billrog, that makes sense. I just asked my friend again and he said the "Case" meter near the tach was at 2463 hrs, and this other one in the image reads 463. It looks weathered so I suspect it has been there a while. He could not get a good picture of the Case meter, he will when he takes it outside. Does this seem like a early model 590?
I have a 580K. Hydraulics are jumpy compared to a similar vintage John Deere. There is no such thing as too big a tractor. I love mine, if I could, I'd go bigger. The 590 says little. The letter suffix means much more. It looks much like My K in age. Carefully inspect the boom. It is made of ductile iron, and can't be dependably welded. If there are cracks anywhere, walk away. Willie
The 590 was a new model so no letter. Would be similar to 580 super K but upsized. I wouldn't be afraid of one. Unless you find a crack on the boom I wouldn't worry... There's mountains of the iron booms out there. My motto for machines is what will do a lot will do a little, but what will do a little won't do a lot.
Lots of the compact diesel tractors fitted with add on backhoes talk of how deep they can dig. They don't mention how long it will take to reach depth. Nor do they address where the spoil pile goes. I once used one to dig a 3' deep hole at the base of a power pole. I had to move the tractor using the front bucket to move the spoil pile 3 times as it had so little reach there was no room to pile the take out. A 6' backhoe with 180 degree swing only has 56 square feet of work area including hole. A 590 likely has more than 20 feet of reach from the pivot pin. It offers more than 650 square feet of work area. My 580K is smaller than the 590. With extend a hoe, I reach far enough to dig 15' of 4' deep power line. Without moving the tractor, I can dig, bed, lay conduit, top bed, and refill ditch. The less the tractor has to move, the less ground disturbance that must be repaired. There is no such thing as too big a backhoe. Willie
Re Thanks Willie, We will be looking over the boom carefully. We plan to spend 4-6 hrs digging a large holes, sweeping the boom, etc...let me know if anyone has a 1-10 list to just walk through, that would make my life easier. From reading the posts here I have gathered these types of comments: 1) look for evidence of greasing 2) slop in the pins: any of them front or rear 3) work all hydraulics to full height 4) work to full heights with loads 5) watch for blow by during all operations 6) watch from engine temperature rises 7) listen to hydraulic pump operation 8) check all fluids, look for water, creamy colors etc... 9) engine should start quickly, check for injector leaks 10) engage the 4wd with loads 11) run through all gears in 4wd/2wd with loads on 12) if possible go up an incline, forward and backwards 13) inspect all loader and hoe sections for cracks and weld plates if previously performed I know my friend said it is raised up off the ground with the front bucket / stabilizer arms for a couple of weeks now with no movement but I am not sure that means much for a piece of equipment like this.
Torque converters are a concern. Run it 'till it has had time to get warm. If you have issues moving a pile of gravel will be difficult. Look for puddles. Generally, this old, anything not leaking is empty. Willie
I've had 5 case backhoes and never had a leak other than blown hoses because we can't have oil puddles on some of the sites where I work or on paved driveways. Every hoe had in excess or 12,000 hrs. other than the one I have now with 6,700. 1st & 2nd gears are the only ones you'll have any power in. The swing is most likely where you'll have some play which is natural but if excessive should be dealt with.
Willie, Billrog, Will do in regards to the TC, gears, and boom play. Figure 45 min to and hour for the TC to be at temps? I am excited to put it through its paces, I might drive up to MD to see run it this weekend.
1/2 hour under load should do it. I had a 580K that only slipped when weather was hot & it was working hard. Travel in high gear is the best wat to warm it up. Remember, it weighs 18000 LBS it won't climb hills like a Ferrari. Willie
$12k for that hoe seems a pretty good deal. Especially since you know the owner, they've had a 2 year road test with it. It's the 'you don't know anything about the machine' that can be a real crap shoot. On acreage bigger is better. I got almost 8 acres with a 700 sized hoe. I rented 500 sized machines and could get about 80% of what I needed done. But breaking up lava flows, lifting 4000 pound boulders and stacking them into walls, and being able to use a 24" bucket, that was the big hoe.
I have to retract my never had a leak statement ops as I was up the mt. today with the backhoe to lift a few large logs onto the trail I recalled when I had a 1981 which I think was a K or a Ck 180 Cummings motor. It got a drip under it while I was working one day it was hard to tell engine or tranny. Knowing Cummings pick-ups had problems with rear crank seals I thought it may be the culprit but I bought an seal for the crank and the transmission. Replaced them both for around 2 to $300 having never done it before took around 3 hrs. & it was the tran seal that had the leak. The reason I couldn't tell by the oil I just remembered is I had just changed fluids and they were both clean and didn't smell any different.
Re Oil Leaking Thanks for all the comments. I appreciate the honesty HeavyEquipmentForums That is still an impressive oil record. I suspect you care for your equipment better than most. I will talk to my friend tonight and depending on how things look, I might make my there tomorrow for an evaluation on Sunday. I think I have a good plan to evaluate between our discussion above and common sense.
Could not arrange it for this weekend but hopefully I will have more general information tonight.