massey ferguson 285

[cowski]

i need a cheap old tractor for some rough bush hogging jobs and to set out hay in out of the way places. i ran across a mf 285.i would steer away from the larger masseys ,but the smaller ones have been ok.is the 285 reliable or does the design have any major faults?

 

[cowski]

surely someone has been around a 285

 

[sweettractors]

We have had one for many years. Strong tractors. Weakest thing on a 285 is blowing a head gasket. We use ours for a loader tractor nowadays and it gets started and stopped maybe a hundred times a day. The tractor did not give the gasket blowing problem when we were farming with it? Ken Sweet

 

[Farmwithjunk]

We have had one for many years. Strong tractors. Weakest thing on a 285 is blowing a head gasket. We use ours for a loader tractor nowadays and it gets started and stopped maybe a hundred times a day. The tractor did not give the gasket blowing problem when we were farming with it? Ken Sweet

The head gasket was the symptom rather than the disease. Problem was solved with retro-fit head stud kit and a redesigned head gasket. (Studs rather than bolts) And those issues were brought out when many original 285/1085 owners juiced up the injector pump to get closer to 100 hp from a tractor that just wasn't intended to be turned up that far.

Most 285's and 1085's were re-fit years ago, or else they're sitting in fence rows now.

I'm kicking myself almost daily for letting a VERY nice 285 w/cab get away a year ago. It had less than 1000hrs, all mowing horse pastures (w 8' mower) It looked BETTER than a new one, and was reasonably priced.

 

[cowski]

thanks for answering, recon how much a retro-fit kit costs.sweettractors does yours have a retro-fit on it.one benefit to the older masseys is they have less stuff to knock off when bush hogging brush.my newer tractors keep getting stuff knocked off.

 

[Rotartiller]

Did Massey correct the head stud problem in later model 285's or was the problem present throughout production? If this problem was corrected by mf what year did they do this?

 

[jlsmith]

I've had my 285 for several years and no problems yet. That thing is a mule. I cut and bale hay with mine and run a 15' batwing with it. Great tractor. :thumbsup:

 

[sweettractors]

I never had a problem with my 285 when farming with it. However, as a loader tractor, it gets a head gasket every year. That is with the factory upgrades. Ken Sweet

 

[jlsmith]

I never had a problem with my 285 when farming with it. However, as a loader tractor, it gets a head gasket every year. That is with the factory upgrades. Ken Sweet

Guess I have been lucky with mine. Going on 4 years with a loader and so far so good, knock on wood.

 

[D7E]

.i would steer away from the larger masseys

What a load of rubbish ..certain models and trannies maybe but no different to any other brand .