# Tractor might be goint to a tropical environment



## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

*Tractor might be going to a tropical environment*

In this not so hypothetical question, suppose I retire in a few years and move to the Philippines to make my pension go further. And I take my Deere 316 with me. What weight oil should I be using in a place where it is always warmer than 80 degrees F, and often approaching 100? And what else should I be thinking about as far as preparation for for the switch in climate? I've thought about piping in an engine oil cooler, and possibly a hydro fluid cooler. Is it worth the expence? And what about the altitude of 5000 feet above sealevel and near 100% humidity during the rainy season (6 months out of the year)? I know I'll be selling the snowblower, probably keep the chains for working in the rice fields, probably get one of those umbrellas for over the seat. Any other suggestions?


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## Chris (Sep 15, 2003)

How much hotter could it be than here? 

From the looks of it, a bit hotter! You are lower towards the equator --- that island region covers an area on the map on average from 8 to 20 degrees north latitude while in Louisiana we are closer to 30. Man, with all of that rain, humidity and everything... I think several coats of Ospho and Rustoleum every year, might be part of your maintenance plan!  I run heavier weight usually straight (since differences in grade 10/30 etc will degrade its overall viscosity at any one temperature) 30wt or higher oil. 

Working the rice fields? Are you going to get one of those hats and retire in a small village raising chickens and goats?


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## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

YEP! Gonna retire in my wife's small and remote village in the mountains of northern Luzon near Baguio City. And it will be chickens and pigs and cows. Not much market for goats. Need to pull a trailer to haul mangos from the orchard to the road about a mile away. The road ends a mile before you get to the village, so it is a hike in across a small cable suspension bridge which my tractor will fit on.


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## Stewart (Sep 17, 2003)

You might want to consider buying a tractor over there. I know they make speciality tractors just for the rice fields. Would the JD fit the bill even after the needed mods?


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## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

Well the folks there are currently using a water buffalo to plow the fields. I don't think I'll be plowing, but it sure would come in handy for mowing off the stubble after harvest and just general hauling. I'm not planning on being a BIG rice farmer, just a small field of maybe 2 acres and my garden. More money in pigs than most anything else, except fighting cocks (chickens for those of you with dirty minds)  I guess you can probably tell that work is getting to me


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## Chris (Sep 15, 2003)

Sounds like an exciting adventure!


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## Stewart (Sep 17, 2003)

The other thing I was thinking about would be parts, I wouldn't imagine ther is a JD dealer at the end of the lane!! Ther is always mail order I guess. :cheers:


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## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

Stewart,
I thought you knew that John Deere was EVERYWHERE!  I've spent some time in this village and there is nothing at the end of the lane except a bar. But Baguio City is less than 2 hours away and everything is available there, including a McDonald's and a Wendy's. Deere is world wide and has several places in Asia including the Philippines. I know I could buy a grey market tractor there (and it is really a grey market as the few dealerships I saw were sales only-no service department at all) but I've been using this old machine since it was new in 1979. I know it and it's quirks and it knows me:lmao:


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## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

I know a fella that has imported (2) John Deere 140H3s to Sweden, the most recent one was last year. Why would someone pay almost $2000 in shipping and customs fees to get a 30 plus year old garden tractor on top of the purchase price? Because they were and still are that good a machine. Only 14 HP then but comparable to the X400s that Deere builds now as far as attachments and versatility.


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## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

Been to the phillipines and you can get by on 30wt oil and no other changes. Our temps in Alabama are similar to the Phillipines in regards to temp and humidity and for the mst part may even get a bit hotter, but their heat seasons is just so much longer.

Equipment we took to the deser the only thing we did was use a straight weight oil instead of multi viscosity oils. MOst everything we had we used 30wt in instead of the 10-30 or 15-40 weight oils, and it all did fine.


YOu might need some ag type tires and chains considering all the rains that Luzon gets, and having turf tires may be kind of slick going... I don't mind riding on my tractor around the house while cutting grass and hauling junk to the back forty, and probably put on a lot more than one mile a day when in use, but I would hate to hink of having to drive a 316 or even larger sized L & G type a mile each way loaded down with a trailer or wagon.........Whats its top speed 6 or 7 mph perhaps........guess it won;t take too long as long as the roads are in pretty decent condition, and you leave your false teeth in your shirt pocket :furious:


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## Neil_nassau (Feb 23, 2004)

> _Originally posted by bontai Joe _
> *Stewart,
> .....  I've spent some time in this village and there is nothing at the end of the lane except a bar....... I know it and it's quirks and it knows me:lmao: *


If there's a bar ............there's hope. . :drinkin:

Old tractors are kinda like your woman huh.


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## Chris (Sep 15, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Neil_nassau _
> *Old tractors are kinda like your woman huh.  *


Cantankerous and expensive to maintain and desperately in the need for an overhaul???? 



-Andy
:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:


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## Chris (Sep 15, 2003)

Seriously, Joe. I have a good friend back from the ole' days who runs a 8N and other equipment over there in the Philippines right now and has lived there for quite some time. I am going to get him to post all of the details of his stay there and effects if any on his tractor. His name is Cargocult. 

HTH,
Andy


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## CARGOCULT (Nov 8, 2003)

Hi There! I'm Cargocult, the guy Andy was referring to! Yep, I've spent some time in the PI. Would love to live there full-time, but due to some problems, I am forced to spend summers here in Va, and winters there! I really love it there, despite the problems in their country. At this point, they still don't know exactly who their president is!! A beautiful land, lovely folks, but not for everybody. And don't get me started on the toilet situation! Suffice it to say, a good rule of thumb is: carry TP everywhere you go!! Nuff Sed! As far as trying to take a John Deere lawnmower over, I would not even consider it! Might take my Ford 8-N in a container, but that is because it was my Dad's tractor, otherwise not worth it. The customs/duties/etc. There is a Yahoo! group, Living in the Philippines, that has much useful info on moving over there! http://www.livinginthephilippines.com/ Check it out, if you have not already! I subscribe to their e-mail service, clogs the inbox, but since I receive several hundred Spam messages each day, it is not so bad, hehehe! But seriously, the PI is a wonderful place, but don't try to get upset because it is not just like it is here! Go with the flow, you'll get along better! You are fortunate in having a Filipina wife..it is harder for single guys, except the Party Animals, ehehe. Wives can run interference for you, get cheaper deals on stuffs, etc. I don't speak the local lingo, because there is a different language on just about every one of the 7,104 (depending on the tide) islands! Exaggeration, yes, but at last count there were over 167 different languages. English (Taglish) is sorta widely spoken, so I have no problem getting along! Some of the places I have gone, I was the first white person some of the local folks had seen! Kids used to follow me around!! (Also get used to being called JOE!!) Fighting COCKS are cool! I have been to sabongs, bet on a few, and like most forms of gambling, lost, hehehe! But, I had fun!! They are the national sport over there!! PETA is not real big over there, but like most bad stuff, they are gaining a foothold! Eating cats & dogs is now illegal! But it is still done! Jeepneys are fun to ride in/on! Fading now, like the calesas, but still many and will be for the duration of our lives! My neighbor here in Virginia had a couple of Jeepneys, I actually saw one get built, took many pictures, rode in it on it's "shakedown Cruise", it is still operating under the Philippines skies! Kinda cool, because one can have custom paint jobs, his had Montross Va on the mudguards, and Stratford Cliffs on the side, with the Great Seal of Virginia on the hood! I had to go on the net to seek out the Seal, print it out, and get it to the painter. He did a wonderful job!! Anyway, I found Ford Tractor Dealer over there on Mindanao, with freshly-painted Ford Tractors from Europe, which looked brand-new! Only thing was the tyres were worn! Unfortunately, No N's! Saw many old tractors, Fords, Internationals, JohnDeeres, Allis-chalmers, etc. In poor shape, but still operating. According to the rumours, there was a load of Ford N's on the way to the PI when the Japs invaded, so they turned around and headed to Australia. Only Ns in the PI were from the old US Naval bases, as far as I can tell! But, it gives me an excuse to return to the place! ;-) Of course, just like over here, the Jap Junk is everywhere! Kubotas, Yamahas, etc. Most of the vehicles are imported from Japan. After the Japs used them up!! Anyway, as you can tell , I really love the Philippines!! Have ever since discovering it back in the early 70's on my way to Nam! (USS KITTY HAWK) Not like it was back then, but what is?? Many years later I returned (After they got rid of Marcos) still a wonderful place! Love it! And yep, it is real cheap to live over there, especially if you don't insist upon Western accomodations! And get out away from the Cities! Pollution is real bad! Manila really sucks, due to the traffic/pollution/heat/etc. Lottsa fine things to see, but it ain't the real PI! Unfortunately, it is one of the few places with an International Airport, so unless you wanna fly into Cebu, it is a "must go" type of place! (And, Cebu is on a different island) Mindanao is real cool, despite the poor rap the US government gives it! I have spent two trips on the Island, have many friends there! Sure, it is dangerous, but so is this country! And I'd rather check out over there than crash over here! Luzon is a fine place! Have not yet been to Baguio, but it is on my list of Tourist Places! Always try to hit one of them, before getting into the Real Philippines! Love the country, hate cities! Foreigners are not permitted to own land. Which is a bummer, but I don't have any objection to it, because otherwise the Yuppies would buy up all the good land, like they are doing over here! ;-( Of course, you can buy land and put it in your wife's name, but that gives her much power over you! See LINP on YAHOO!! Land prices are not real cheap, comparatively expensive, compared to here! But rents are cheap, especially if you bargain well! Look before you leap!! Superferries are really a good deal, despite the fact thet the a***blew up the Superferry 14! Used to ride it on my way to Mindanao, beats the domestic airline service, allows a chance to get over the dreaded Jet Lag, before dealing with folks! Sorry to see it go!! But, there are more of them, ehehe! I'd rather ride a boat than march, eheheh! Of course, if you are not going any farther than Baguio, no ferries are needed! But, is you wanna go to another island, they are the only way to go, if you have the time! From Manila to Mandanao (CDO) it is a two-day trip, thru some of the most wonderfull scenery, like a movie! Yes, it is possible to fly there in a couple of hours, I've done that once, but prefer the Superferries! Of course, there are other ferry companies, of varying states of decrepitude! Remember, over there, practically everything is used/imported from somewhere else! Except for the local fishing-boats/ferries with outriggers! Which are real fun to ride on!! If you like adventure! Anyway, I'm rambling, which is not a cool thing to do on such a fine day....must go outside and attend to business! Hope this has some useful info among the babble!! But, to shuck right down to the cob, as Paul Harvey used to say, Yep, almost everything is available in the PI, and if it ain't, they will manage to make something else work! There are still stuffs from WW2 running around over there still doing useful work! A beautiful country!!


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## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

Welcome CARGOCULT glad to have you aboard hope you stay around when your not doing anything. One day i may make it over there to see what all the fuss is about.


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## Ernie (Mar 18, 2004)

Welcome CARGOCULT 

Sounds beautiful over there:thumbsup:


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## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

Thanks Cargocult for the info! I have spent a fair amount of time in Luzon, having made 5 trips there since 1996 (when I got married). I have also been to Mindanao for business and was a bit frightened by the security taken to get me safely to the factory I was visiting. But their troubles are 700 miles south of my wife's village. 

Ernieg,
It is beautiful in some areas. Manila is a genuine mess, but nearby Makati City is a beautiful commercial business district that would compare well with any other part of the world. Where I'm interested in going in northern Luzon, the Jeepney is still the preferred method of transportation, a Filipino invention made originally by stretching WWII Jeeps into minitrucks, but now built from scratch in small factories all over the islands. Last I heard was you could buy a new Jeepney for around $6000 and get a vehicle that will haul up to 4 tons (overloaded which is the norm) almost anywhere wide enough to get through.


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## Chris (Sep 15, 2003)

Is this your new ride, Bontai Joe?

<center><img src=http://www.tractorforum.com/jeepney3.jpg></center>


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## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

That is what it would look like new. Age it 15 years, strip off all the extras, dent all 4 sides, add some grey primer, bald tires, a sqwealing pig tied to the roof and squeeze 32 villagers inside with 3 babies on laps and that is what I got used to riding around in while in Luzon.


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## CARGOCULT (Nov 8, 2003)

This is Mike's Jeepney. Pic was taken several years ago, but the Jeepney is still running. Happier times! 10-4 on the Mud, 32 passengers, etc. City Jeepneys have it real good, compared to the Provincial ones! Mike's Jeepney does not have the obligatory Roof-rack!

<img src=http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL95/162942/735186/57420041.jpg>


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## CARGOCULT (Nov 8, 2003)

http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL95/162942/735186/57420041.jpg
What Happened to the PIC??


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## CARGOCULT (Nov 8, 2003)

One more time! These Jeepneys are some of the ones that I travelled on out in the Provinces! Note the roof-racks! Many things that won't fit inside are put on top! Bad tyres are essential! Would not be Filipino transport if it didn't break down at least one time per trip!


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