I think I found a tractor! Anyone near Wausau, Wi

A 1972 International 656 Diesel with a White Quick Attach loader for $5,495.

It is at Swiderski Equip Inc. in Wausau, Wisconsin. It's not perfect and isn't going to win a beauty contest but the loader looks decent and being a QA is a big plus and it being a diesel is a plus too.

They took it in on a trade and don't really know much about it. Tires are poor but will last a little while. The guy wasn't sure if the TA was good or not. He's going to take some more pictures for me and start it up and see if the TA works. I forgot to ask about the brakes.

Here are the pictures I have and the description.

And here is the description from the ad:

1972 INTERNATIONAL 656, S/N: 049557, Stk #: 01IH2444, 4908 hours, 56 hp, 2WD, IH 656 WITH WHITE 1730QA LOADER. 56 HP, 540 PTO, 2 REMOTES, 72" BUCKET $5,495

From talking with them I think I can get it a little cheaper. Hopefully I can get a good hauling price as it is 1,314 miles from me! I've gotten a couple quotes as low as $1.00 a mile from Pennsylvania before but Wisconsin may be a little farther off the beaten track.

Any input or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks, Nathan

Thanks again. I'm trying to get all the input I can!

There were 29 different 656's listed with asking prices from $9,000 to $3,500. The average asking price was $6,416. That was including diesel and gas tractors and most of those did not have a loader. Most of the lower priced ones were gas engines with narrow fronts and fast hitch with no loader. The diesel's seem to go a little higher than the gas versions and the wide front and 3 point hitch seems to add value as well. The quick attach loader for sure adds value to me.

Hopefully I will get someone lined up to inspect it this weekend and I already have a good quote on shipping if I get it.

Thanks again for the input though, I'm trying to factor everything in.

I really have been looking for a while and on the surface this looks like a decent tractor at a decent price.

Maybe some of you haven't been shopping for a tractor in a while?

I asked about the oil on the back end and the guy said it was just built up grease and there wasn't a significant leak but that does seem like a lot of oil. I was wondering why 1 wheel would be turned in and 1 would be turned out. Maybe it does have a axle leak. The bucket does look a little beat up.

I've been looking on the CaseIH used equipment locator site, Ironsearch.com and TraKtorhouse.com (with a C but the YTmag folks don't like that site name).

They quoted me a price that is enough under the listed price that I can make a good dent in the hauling price hopefully.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that they guy looking at it for me will give a thumbs up on it.

Thanks for the input.

Ken Boyles
715-421-3969

I don't want to have you drive 100 mile round trip just to look at the tractor, but if you are heading that way sometime this week (The week of March 6th) I might see about getting you to check on it for me. If you are heading that way let me know. I can pitch in enough to pay your gas and buy you and your wife a good dinner or something.

Thanks, Nathan

I think I already have someone lined up that knows the Salesman there and they were going to talk with him tomorrow maybe. I'm also going to try to get a local equipment man to do an inspection for me. I just posted requesting a hauling quote for it also. Maybe this will work out.

As far as going and looking it over, I don't know if I am technically competent enough to really be able to tell much. I've thought about hiring someone to go look it over for me but not sure how that would work with it being at a dealership. I had someone from a dealership go look over a tractor a guy had for sale in Indiana one time and that seemed to work well, but I would have to hire someone from another dealership to look at it and that could be ackward for everyone.

I do appreciate the input, maybe I'm just looking too hard at price and not at the entire picture.

Thanks, Nathan