One of my brothers purchased this machine new for his beef cattle operation. I have had several opportunities to operate and evaluate this machine in extreme conditions.

The tractor is a 4WD 50HP naturally aspirated John Deere with an 8x4 sync-reverser transmission.

The machine has the quick-park loader which attaches and detaches in less than 5 minutes, provided you set it on flat ground(preferably a cement pad). The hydraulics are powerful and fast. With the optional bale spear installed, you can make short work out of collecting and stacking round bales. The tractor performs well with drawn and towed implement such as a manure spreader, baler, hay wagon, etc.
The tractor is very sure-footed and feels safe on slopes. The 4WD is great for hauling logs out and piling corn silage. The tractor's 8x4 transmission is a serious limitation for running a rototiller as low gear is simply too fast.

The 5105 is a great primary machine for small farms and an ideal second machine for medium apllications.

Date Purchased: 5/2003
Purchased: New
Price Paid: US$1
Pros: Sync-reverser, large fuel tank, quick-park loader
Cons: 8x4 gear shift:low gear is too fast for certain applications
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