Understanding Tractor Salvage Yards
If you live in an area with a large agricultural community, you've probably come across a tractor salvage yard. A business that buys old tractors and displays dismantled vehicles across acres of property provides products and services for ag professionals. Here are the basic procedures involved with tractor salvage yards:
Who Needs Tractor Parts?
Tractor salvage yards sell parts from their dismantled vehicles to ag workers and hobbyists. Wired suggests antique and outdated tractor parts are popular because people who work with ag equipment like to fix their vehicles themselves.
Newer tractors and equipment involve specialized computer-based parts, so ag workers like to keep older vehicles on their property they can repair themselves. A tractor salvage yard sells parts from older and new vehicles. Ag buyers can compare old pieces and materials from international brands. Customers can talk to mechanics who dismantled the vehicles about different ways to use the parts in their equipment.
Ag salvage yards don't just sell tractor parts, however. They feature a multitude of vehicles and parts used to prepare land and grow crops. People, who don't own or work farms may use ag equipment to maintain their personal property. Tractor salvage yards usually list parts utilized in smaller equipment like lawn mowers, as well. Hobbyists and artists may also frequent salvage yards to find unique parts for projects or art pieces.
People use tractor salvage yards for the unique, antique or international parts they may offer. The ag professionals who work the yard can also offer consumers specialized knowledge.
How Does a Tractor Salvage Yard Operate?
Tractor salvage yards buy equipment from private sellers and ag companies. The salvage businesses are in the market for tractors, mowers, plows, cultivators and rotators. Salvage yards buy retired, damaged and wrecked tractors and vehicles.
If you have a tractor or other piece of ag equipment you would like to sell to a salvage yard, you should shop around for the business that can quote you the best price. Audit the condition of the equipment and list the valuable parts it features to the yard employee you contact. Tractor salvage yards in most states will return requests with a fast bid and provide quick payments for equipment. A proper business should also remove the tractor or vehicle from your property at its expense.
All States Ag Parts describes how you can donate your tractor or ag vehicle. Donating ag equipment is tax deductible and can help a variety of good causes. You should contact your local tractor salvage yard to see what organizations it works with. No matter the condition of your ag equipment, you can donate the vehicle and receive some form of tax credit.
Once the tractor salvage yard acquires a vehicle, it dismantles the ag equipment for parts. Salvage yards almost never try to repair the entire vehicle; instead they work on individual pieces. When the part is ready to sell, the tractor yard will place the materials in an inventory. Most businesses list their available parts online for buyers, or customers can come down to the yard and talk to employees. Unlike auto yards, tractor salvage yards don't typically offer self-service procedures.
Tractor salvage yards use specialized knowledge to rebuild mechanical parts.
What Types of Tractor Parts are Available?
If you want to buy a part from a tractor salvage yard, you should know precisely what type of vehicle you are buying it for. You must also list all the descriptive features you can think of. Tell the yard employees if you want antique, international or customized products. Grit, a rural information blog, says there are three types of customized parts that tractor salvage yards traditionally sell.
Reconditioned Parts - Ag vehicles with dented hoods and fenders need reconditioning. These parts are usually exterior and employees improve their appearance through basic tasks like hammering and painting.
Rebuilt Parts - Sometimes tractor salvage yards use specialized knowledge to rebuild mechanical parts. Mechanics repair defects and get each individual part in working condition.
Reproduction Parts - If the yard mechanics change the performance of a part or use other materials to make new parts, they can sell original products constructed from antique supplies. Customers use reproduction parts to get unique performance from equipment or to perform tasks usually done by parts no longer available.
Where Can I Find a Tractor Salvage Yard?
If you work in the ag industry, you are probably familiar with the locations of local tractor salvage yards in your area. If you want to sell farm equipment, you should compare local options to national yards that buy equipment from all states.
When you want to buy a tractor part, you can browse a salvage yard inventory list online. You don't have to visit a physical yard because modern auto salvage yards sell and ship products to multiple states. If you do want to visit antique or rare international tractors and farm equipment for fun, many tractor salvage yards provide vehicles for museums or outdoor festivals. You can check local event calendars for locations and opportunities.