Red State
Bronze Member
Greetings, Not sure it there's a specific board for Ford 1700's or not because I'm new to the forum and am still learning my way around. I'm also a NEW and very much pleased owner of a '80 or '81 model 1700 Ford Tractor.
I love the strong, fast lift (up and down), I appreciate the compactness yet the reliable integrity of this fast starting, smooth idling diesel engine. As a large fellow, I'm not as thrilled with the space in which I'm "stuffed" but it is a comfortable tractor and very easy to operate (especially since it is similar to my Ford 600).
The only issue I've noticed with this tractor is in it getting hot (AFTER Bushogging some very tall weeds and small saplings). I'm in the MidSouth area so I attribute much to our heat and the the dry, dustiness we're experiencing. I didn't notice this until getting the tractor over on my hunting grounds and am sure that I need to give it an oil change and clean the breather out. I worked it very hard before putting it on the 5' weeds with a 5' bushog and I've checked for bubbles in the radiator and a milkiness to the oil. I have good clean oil and only a good, steady flow of clean, green coolant. I am also guilty of overflowing the radiator (as a precaution but since then have allowed the radiator to appear LOW....which is just over the radiator cells). I truly believe it will work miracles when the chaff, bugs, seeds and dust are free of the breathing and cooling of this tractor.
I am so thankful that my minor problems are not what I've read in many cases here at TBN and am really looking for wisdom in what kind of oil, oil filter, hydraulics and other things to service this wonderful lil' tractor and/or take precautions in preserving it for a very long time to come. I simply love the array of attachments it can work with and very much like the easy adjuster for the drop-down speed of the lift. I have two 5' bushogs, a 4' box blade/breaking plow combo, a hire, a sod buster, a plow and a hog lift that all came with my Ford 600. It has handle all very well so far (except for the sod buster and plow which I've yet to test on it). They are both larger (large enough for the 600 and I'm reluctant to use them on the smaller 1700.....although it seems stronger than the 600 in some ways).
Any advice, wisdom or experiences with your 1700 will be very much appreciated. I've found some owner's/operator's manuals on line so if I could be directed to some good sources for that, I'd certainly be in your debt. I realize that I'll have to narrow down what model this 1700 actually is so that I can match it to an owner/operator manual but, For now, just some info on what fluids and filters to use on it would help a great deal. I have some Walmart hydraulics that I got for my Ford 600 last year but I'm not sure if I should use it....or mix it with whatever the last owner used. The fluid is clean but it looks to be a bit low (not much just a bit). If anyone knows where I can get some lights for it, that would help as well. I've already found a brand new (FACTORY BLUE) seat for $69.oo so I will order that when I can.
As mentioned above, I'm a proud owner of a 1700 Ford Diesel (my first diesel tractor) and I'm particularly proud of the price for the tractor and 4' finishing mower that came with it. I'm the 3rd owner (three times a charm as it were) and suspect that the doctor and the person he gave it to treated it very well. The blue paint is in surprisingly good shape and the horn still works. Only thing is....the lights don't work and the off-white fenders need repainting. Other than that....she's a beauty and I'm so proud to have her!!!
I left a few questions within my "INTRODUCTION" page/thread but got only welcomes so I'm attempting to post things appropriately this time and have actually figured quite a number of things out for myself since I joined a few days ago (one of which was the adjustment for lowering speeds). Now, I actually seem to feel a LIFT of the tractor when I lower my box blade all the way down.
Thanks all! And thanks again to those who have already welcomed me to this forum.
I love the strong, fast lift (up and down), I appreciate the compactness yet the reliable integrity of this fast starting, smooth idling diesel engine. As a large fellow, I'm not as thrilled with the space in which I'm "stuffed" but it is a comfortable tractor and very easy to operate (especially since it is similar to my Ford 600).
The only issue I've noticed with this tractor is in it getting hot (AFTER Bushogging some very tall weeds and small saplings). I'm in the MidSouth area so I attribute much to our heat and the the dry, dustiness we're experiencing. I didn't notice this until getting the tractor over on my hunting grounds and am sure that I need to give it an oil change and clean the breather out. I worked it very hard before putting it on the 5' weeds with a 5' bushog and I've checked for bubbles in the radiator and a milkiness to the oil. I have good clean oil and only a good, steady flow of clean, green coolant. I am also guilty of overflowing the radiator (as a precaution but since then have allowed the radiator to appear LOW....which is just over the radiator cells). I truly believe it will work miracles when the chaff, bugs, seeds and dust are free of the breathing and cooling of this tractor.
I am so thankful that my minor problems are not what I've read in many cases here at TBN and am really looking for wisdom in what kind of oil, oil filter, hydraulics and other things to service this wonderful lil' tractor and/or take precautions in preserving it for a very long time to come. I simply love the array of attachments it can work with and very much like the easy adjuster for the drop-down speed of the lift. I have two 5' bushogs, a 4' box blade/breaking plow combo, a hire, a sod buster, a plow and a hog lift that all came with my Ford 600. It has handle all very well so far (except for the sod buster and plow which I've yet to test on it). They are both larger (large enough for the 600 and I'm reluctant to use them on the smaller 1700.....although it seems stronger than the 600 in some ways).
Any advice, wisdom or experiences with your 1700 will be very much appreciated. I've found some owner's/operator's manuals on line so if I could be directed to some good sources for that, I'd certainly be in your debt. I realize that I'll have to narrow down what model this 1700 actually is so that I can match it to an owner/operator manual but, For now, just some info on what fluids and filters to use on it would help a great deal. I have some Walmart hydraulics that I got for my Ford 600 last year but I'm not sure if I should use it....or mix it with whatever the last owner used. The fluid is clean but it looks to be a bit low (not much just a bit). If anyone knows where I can get some lights for it, that would help as well. I've already found a brand new (FACTORY BLUE) seat for $69.oo so I will order that when I can.
As mentioned above, I'm a proud owner of a 1700 Ford Diesel (my first diesel tractor) and I'm particularly proud of the price for the tractor and 4' finishing mower that came with it. I'm the 3rd owner (three times a charm as it were) and suspect that the doctor and the person he gave it to treated it very well. The blue paint is in surprisingly good shape and the horn still works. Only thing is....the lights don't work and the off-white fenders need repainting. Other than that....she's a beauty and I'm so proud to have her!!!
I left a few questions within my "INTRODUCTION" page/thread but got only welcomes so I'm attempting to post things appropriately this time and have actually figured quite a number of things out for myself since I joined a few days ago (one of which was the adjustment for lowering speeds). Now, I actually seem to feel a LIFT of the tractor when I lower my box blade all the way down.
Thanks all! And thanks again to those who have already welcomed me to this forum.
