Pre-Owned Farm Equipment Key Terms

Acquaint yourself with pre-owned farm equipment key terms

By Steven A. Ottem

Vendors often sell new farm equipment in a different manner frompre-owned farm equipment. With new equipment, machine manufacturers publish slick blurbs with cutaways to show the latest technologies and beefed-up components. For pre-owned equipment, the seller attempts to put all the attributes of his product within the confines of a want ad or sale bill. Since the used equipment dealer is operating on a limited advertising budget, he will rely on abbreviations to crowd as much information into his ad as possible. The ad will include information on the number of hours of operation for the machine, the condition of parts like the tires, add-ons, such as a front-end loaders, and operator conveniences, such as transmission and hydraulic options.

Nebraska test

Some tractor ads mention the Nebraska test or some similar phrase. The phrase refers to the Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory, which tests new tractors to determine horsepower, fuel use and performance under various conditions.
Try: For the details on the tests and for test results for a specific tractor, visit Nebraska Tractor Test Lab.

CID

CID is the abbreviation for cubic inch displacement, which is a method of sizing an engine. You will want to know the engine size of a used tractor or combine. The calculation for CID includes the size of the cylinder, length of the engine stroke (how far the piston travels in the cylinder) and number of cylinders. The bigger the CID, the bigger the engine.
Try: For a formula and a better understanding of CID, go to Race-Cars.net.

Operator station

Operator station refers to the area the operator of a tractor will occupy when using the tractor. Pre-owned farm equipment sellers will tell you whether the tractor has a cab or roll-over protection system (ROPS). This description could include "HAC" information to show that the tractor cab has heating and air-conditioning systems.
Try: Deere & Company pictures a modern operator station with a cab. An open operator station would have no cab.

Three-point hitch, 3-point hitch

Tractors connect to the implement that they will pull by one of two ways: a draw bar or a three-point hitch. The three-point hitch has two lift arms and a third link. The top link prevents the implement from pivoting, making it possible to raise or lower the entire implement. Pre-owned equipment ads tell whether the tractor has a three-point hitch.
Try: Best Used Tractors shows the components of a three-point hitch prior to attachment.

MFWD

When you see the abbreviation MFWD in the pre-owned farm equipment ad, the tractor referred to is a four-wheel-drive. The letters indicate that the tractor has mechanical front-wheel-drive, which transfers power to the front wheels via gears and shafts rather than by hydraulics. MFWD tractors will have lugged tires on the front as well as the rear.
Try: WebFarmer pictures a typical tractor with MFWD.

PTO 540/1000

PTO stands for power take off. The power take-off shaft usually comes from the back of the tractor and supplies power to an implement such as a mower, baler, pump, snow blower or generator. Some tractors supply a PTO for belly, or front-mounted, implements. The speed of the shaft rates PTO speeds at 540 rpm or 1000 rpm.
Try: Case IH shows a PTO on the back of a new tractor and gives dimensions of the PTO supplied on various models of its tractors.