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Opinion On Buying Older Used Legacy w/ FEL

3K views 22 replies 8 participants last post by  jonshonda 
#1 ·
I am looking at finding a SCUT or CUT with FEL for a fair amount of landscaping work around my house. It's not a large property at roughly 1/2 acre, but I plan on adding cement driveway extensions (removing 8" soil, hauling in gravel), regrading 300-400 feet of one side of the property, etc. More then enough work for a SCUT imho. I am looking at a late 90's early 2k's Legacy with 20hp Kawasaki w/ FEL, rear PTO, and 3pt. It has around 1000 hrs. Current owner hasn't had it long and has upgraded to something larger, so it's history is unknown. He said the rear PTO clutch is broken, other then that he said it works fine. He also has a parts tractor that I could have for a little more. He is asking $4750. I included pics of the broken PTO clutch. What do you think caused that and would it be much to fix. What else should I look for when inspecting and testing? It's a few hours away, so I want to be well prepared when I go look at it.

Wondering what opinions are on how much life I should expect to get out of it, and based on it's price relative to age and hours. My other option is renting equipment on and off over the next few years to accomplish my tasks.
 

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#2 · (Edited)
I can't help with the clutch, but I personally put over 2000 hours on my 1977 MF1655/FEL doing everything that you mentioned and a whole lot more.

The Legacy has the same hydro and final drive as the Massey and a longer wheelbase which helps with ballasting, but it is a bit narrower making for less stability on slopes. As a bonus, it also has power steering which will be an asset. Armstrong steering gets old in a hurry with a full payload in the bucket.

While the price mentioned seems a bit high to me, the value is certainly there, especially if a parts tractor comes with it.

Note that a Legacy is a heavy 2wd GT, not a 4wd SCUT, but it is comparable when properly ballasted and equipped with 2-link chains. My MF1655 will outlift my MF GC2310 SCUT and push a bigger bucket through deeper snow. The SCUT has an advantage for doing dirt work with its 4wd and narrower bucket.

The advantage of having your own loader is that you have the opportunity to take on tasks at your discretion as time and weather permits. Renting depends on having enough time available to do the entire job during the rental period, if the weather also cooperates and the machine is actually available. At about $250 per day, 20 days over several years will cost $5000. Its a real bear to line up a full days work for a rental when you have several projects that need doing now. Something is going to be missed that you will remember two days later.

In my case, I have a third of an acre residential property of which I have tilled, excavated, backfilled, or otherwise disturbed over 75% of the surface over the years. In addition, snow removal on occasion absolutely requires a loader. A snow blower will get nowhere moving the 1200 sq-ft of snow that avalanches off of the house roof onto the driveway when the weather turns mild like it did 3 weeks ago. The pile was 3.5' deep for 40' and the full width of the driveway. Without my loader, I'd have to hire a wheel loader and a truck to haul it away instead of just moving it to the pile it in the back yard.

Having your own loader is golden. Mine owes me nothing after using it for 22 years, even after buying a brand new engine for it after 12 years. It has saved me over $10K just in snow removal, never mind redoing the 165' driveway or excavating for the garage and pool.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the insight TUDOR. I messaged a member who is local and he also commented to the fact that GT prices are sky high in our area (there is a XL w/ FEL local with 600hrs and they are asking $13,500 :tango_face_crying:). Looking more into it, this Legacy didn't have a deck on it when the current owner bought it, which makes me think it spent all its time with a loader on the front. Guessing that's not as posh a life as being a dedicated mower it's entire life. Regardless, the parts tractor has no motor, but has a 60" deck.

I do agree that having a loader at my disposal would be ideal, it's just hard to sell that idea to the wife when I have spent a lot of time getting our current lawn tractor equipped to handle the leaf barrage our neighbor casts upon use throughout the year.
 
#5 ·
I'd pass, way too much money for something that is busted. It almost looks to me like the clutch was broken getting it off, and that is troubling.
 
#15 ·
Okay, I knew he had one for sale a few months back new in the crate. How do you the like the diesel compared to the Kawasaki?
 
#19 ·
I think he is way overpriced, unfortunately. They just don't bring that kind of money anymore. Several legacy/loader combos have sold near me in the past year when listed for $3500 or less. They did not necessarily move quickly either. I have had a couple of these, and they are great...BUT...the 4x4 XL is much nicer to use for loader work.

A few weeks back I ran over to northern IL and picked up a 4x4/540PTO diesel XL with loader for $5500. I can't imagine spending nearly as much on a 2wd early legacy. About a year ago I picked up a 4x4/540 diesel XL with loader, deck, vac/bagger, 3pt blade for $6600. I thought that was a bargain at the time, and have since seen better deals. The 4x4 is so very handy for loader work. Any loader is great, and you will wonder how you ever got by without it, but 4x4 adds a lot of versatility to them. The XL loader is also much easier on/off, if you, like me, ditch it to mow a couple acres each week.
 
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