Advice on a older 50hp tractor

[fried1765]

Just bought a 26 acre farm and we are looking for an older tractor around 50 hp. Main usage will be bush hogging, plowing, disking, and planting. I found a local Massey Ferguson 150 Diesel for $2k. Supposedly runs and drives. Owner said his son forced the hydraulics into gear and they are not working anymore. Might be able to get it a little cheaper because of that. It's a pretty old tractor, is it worth buying and fixing? Have a friend to help with the hydraulic repair. Or should I keep looking for something a little newer and more money. Any particular models I should keep an eye out for?
Thank You

Don't buy the MF 150 diesel for 2K!
It will very quickly become a money pit.
Spend 5 - 6K, and get a working tractor, or better yet, spend 10K, and buy a decent tractor with a loader.
Going cheap now, will cost you MORE money over time!

 

[Turbys_1700]

The Massey 35/135 series are as good as it gets in older tractors. I would pass on one with no hydraulics. I bought a Ford 4610 SU couple summers ago with 2900 hours on it's second owner. Look at Craigslist until you are blue in the face and be patient. Get a tractor with live or independent PTO, power steering, wet brakes, and diesel if possible. I like 3000 and 4000 series Fords for those tasks you list.

 

[MikeInEburg]

I can't imagine being in your situation and NOT having a loader. A good 50% of my tractor time involves loader use. As others have already advised, pay a bit more and get a solid machine now.

 

[flusher]

I used to restore old tractors, including a 1964 MF135 diesel. A labor of love, but time-consuming and, at times, expensive. Your go-to tractor should have less than 1000 hours showing on the gauge and should have a front end loader (FEL) and a 40 hp (engine) as a minimum requirement. Plan on spending $10-12K.

Good luck

 

[sandman2234]

I used to restore old tractors, including a 1964 MF135 diesel. A labor of love, but time-consuming and, at times, expensive. Your go-to tractor should have less than 1000 hours showing on the gauge and should have a front end loader (FEL) and a 40 hp (engine) as a minimum requirement. Plan on spending $10-12K.

Good luck

My go-to tractor started out in 2004 without a loader, 70 horsepower, 2 wheel drive, 7000 hours on the clock and is still running perfectly fine. Price was $3500 and on the day purchased, not a single green 2555 could be found online for less than $10K. I know I got a good deal, I knew that it had been up-kept with no maximum budget requirements that most home owners have, compared to a big corporation that owned this one. I also knew the crewleader of the crew that used this tractor and he vouched for it. Does a tractor need to have "less than 1000 hours"... I think not. Is there an advantage to a low hour machine, probably, especially if the owner pushed the tractor to it's limits, failed to provide adequate maintenance in a timely manner. These things were not an issue with my tractor because I knew the crewleader and his distaste for machine abuse. He would fire an employee who abused equipment and everyone knew it.
Do your research, buy bigger than you think you need, make sure of the condition of the machine, and good luck!
David from jax

 

[rScotty]

I used to restore old tractors, including a 1964 MF135 diesel. A labor of love, but time-consuming and, at times, expensive. Your go-to tractor should have less than 1000 hours showing on the gauge and should have a front end loader (FEL) and a 40 hp (engine) as a minimum requirement. Plan on spending $10-12K.
Good luck

Jon1, I got curious about the thread title and read through it. Here you have two pages of replies and all saying essentially the same thing. That may be the first time that has ever happened on this forum! At any rate, it's rare. And this from a whole bunch of older guys who have owned lots and lots of used tractors. And they are guys who generally like older tractors. That includes me, and I find myself agreeing with everything I've heard here.

We did exactly the same thing you are thinking of, and bought a a 30 year old John Deere model 530 to build our house. It had almost 9000 hours, ran fine, and we paid about what you are looking to spend. That was many years ago and it still works the same as it did then. We still have it. It's a family member now.

I think you will find a good used ag tractor for between $4000 and $10,000. For that it should have good everything. Probably a decent loader, definitely good engine, tranny, and hydraulics. It will have a dandy 3pt hitch and I'd be surprised if it didn't come with a basic implement or two. There are a ton of tractors out there just like that. We all follow the market and you are getting good advice so far. So wait for it. Your's will be coming along. Look at used advertisements in feed stores and in smaller farming towns where everyone knows everyone. Tell your story. In the meanwhile, hopefully you can find a local guy who is will help you look. You'll be time and money ahead.
BTW, that guy who told you anything that sounds like his son, "forced the hydraulics into gear"....well, he doesn't sound to me to be the right person to turn to for tractor advice. I've only been a mechanic for 50 plus years and never heard that particular expression. But I think I do know what he is referring to on Masseys. And if I'm right - or anywhere close to right - then you best stay away from both him and that tractor.

You are in a reasonable price range where your money will buy you an excellent older tractor in good working shape. I do hope you get the loader, but it is the tractor that you really need. Oh, and do get a tractor with a wide front. 4wd is not necessary in an old ag tractor, but a wide front is. You do not want to be using a loader with a tractor having a single narrow "row crop" type front wheel set up. We've all done that, and the pity is that there are some darn good row crop tractors out there for even less money. But they are just too unstable.
Good Luck,
rScotty

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Don't buy the MF 150 diesel for 2K!
It will very quickly become a money pit.
Spend 5 - 6K, and get a working tractor, or better yet, spend 10K, and buy a decent tractor with a loader.
Going cheap now, will cost you MORE money over time!

There's the RIGHT answer.

SR

 

[rScotty]

There's the RIGHT answer.
SR

Well said.
rScotty

 

[jon1matt74]

Thank You everyone for the advice and info!!! I think I will indeed pass on the MF 150. After reading all the responses and really studying my needs. I think I need a 4x4 tractor and a loader. I've got about 10 acres of pasture that is very steep, I wouldn't dare get on it with a 2wd tractor. I have always been of the mind-set of buy once and cry once, get what you want and you will be happy. I do realize that is going to push my budget up a bit to probably around 15k. I would like to find something in the mid 2000 year range.

 

[rScotty]

Thank You everyone for the advice and info!!! I think I will indeed pass on the MF 150. After reading all the responses and really studying my needs. I think I need a 4x4 tractor and a loader. I've got about 10 acres of pasture that is very steep, I wouldn't dare get on it with a 2wd tractor. I have always been of the mind-set of buy once and cry once, get what you want and you will be happy. I do realize that is going to push my budget up a bit to probably around 15k. I would like to find something in the mid 2000 year range.

And in a way, that's a shame about the MF 150. Because they really were a dandy tractor - and still are. Expecially so (in my opinion) when they were coupled with that wonderful Continental 4 cylinder industrial gas engine. In fact, that whole series of MF utility tractors the 135, 150. 235, 160 - were were all just excellent machines. Good looking, too. For example, if that were a low hour or well preserved example, and you were a good hand at mechanical work, then it would be easy enough to fit that tractor with repairs, a really fine loader, and some implements into your original budget. That's what many of us old-timers would do...but it would depend on it being an excellent condition tractor in ALL other respects, and your having the time to spend on initial repairs. If you are already building a house this probably isn't the time to do that. Like I said, a shame in some ways...

Things to consider: Many of those older tractors had such good balance and traction coupled with a convenient differential lock that in any soil except the most slippery clays their 2wd will give you as much traction as you need without 4WD. I'd bet that what you will value more than 4wd is low center of gravity and the resulting side-hill stability. And for that, you may find that older tractors are more likely to have adjustable width tire than most modern ones. If so, and you have 10 acres of sloping land that side-hill stability will be very important. And especially with a loader. You will probably eventually want a loader. BTW, those older tractors were heavy and didn't always come with power steering - which is difficult to add. If you go older, make sure you get power steering.
luck, rScotty