Zetor 8011 Crystal any good?

[Woodworks]

Just been offered one and not had chance to check over but have been assured it's in good working order and it's certainly tidy outside. It would probably spend a lot of it's life just running the splitter and might add a loader for moving IBCs about.

 

Pros and Cons of these and what's it like on fuel?

 

Thanks

[wrsni]

Assuming it's a decent example of one, they're absolutely brilliant.

 

When I started farming early 80's I hadn't much money and anything I made was going in to stock so on the nod of a local farmer who had a 385 Ursus I bought a Crystal. It done everything, cut silage, carted slurry, fed the cattle with a rear grab, road work, cultivation, the lot, never missed a beat.

 

Needed a bit more power in a couple of years and fell in with an 8011 that'd been turbo charged, same again, went like a train.

 

Worked them both for half a dozen years or more and eventually traded them for a brand new 7745T, which turned out to be an absolute piece of shite.

 

Only potential drawback is it's sheer size, big climb in an out of the cab as well if yer footering aboot. Not too many tidy ones about any more, certainly not over here.

[Michael C]

Great old tractor, they were well ahead of their time with good solid cabs etc.

As said, great yoke to pull too.

The brakes were always the weak link in them, but if its priced right I would get it bought.

[Woodworks]

Thanks

 

What are they like on fuel?

[wrsni]

Wasn't an issue back then so can't really comment. I'd probably have noticed if it had been remarkable one way or the other but that wasn't the case.

[Goaty]

Also they had air compressors built in to them which was handy. Don't know which or if all models had this.

Fuel consumption will not be an issue, old tractors had tiny tanks and lasted all day on them.

Parts would be worth checking out prices and availability.

[bobh]

Good solid tractors, built to last

[Matthew Storrs]

Legendary tractor, Some say the crystals were the best zetors that came out of Brno.

 

Won't be a problem if your splitter is PTO run but the auxilarry hydraulics are generally pretty poor on the ur1 & crystal series Zetors.

 

Parts are cheap but getting hard to get hold of now, there are still a few sources. That said they are pretty robust tractors, my Dads been running them for 40 years or so and iv had two.

 

couple of things which always let them down for me, S**T brakes, the slave cylinders are pretty poor quality it seems and are forever leaking/brakes need bleeding, fairly weak hydraulics as mentioned, and you will probably always have a leak from the tractor somewhere- seals aren't there strong point it seems.

 

However- engine and gearboxes are bulletproof and I mean bulletproof- they take some serious punishment and neglect and yet go on and on.

Also Zetors in general are heavy tractors- they are well constructed and basic, consequently they pull very well, they just seem to grip.

 

Oh yeah, the air compressor comes in handy too, the crystal will have one.

[Woodworks]

Thought you might have a view on them Matt

 

So apart from lousy brakes, weak hydraulics and scarcity of spares a good machine. I will take a good look at it and may even get to borrow it for a few days.

[Matthew Storrs]

The only reason I don't run Zetors any more is because the brakes were so hopeless and I do quite a lot of roadwork- it was an accident waiting to happen. If you were relying on it to get you to a job on a regular basis then I woud say it probably isn't the right tractor- they are slow on the road too!

But for yard/field work were you don't have to worry about the safety issue as much, then definiatly good robust tractors. The old zetors are fetching quite good money (mainly due to demand from the polish) so if its been offered to you at good money and a couple months down the line find it just isn't for you, you'd be able to sell it like hotcakes!