case ih farmall 55a

[CantonHayGuy]

Teaspoon, I too have the 55A. On occassion I have had to move 1600 lb bales of hay. I have 2 weights on each rear wheel and no liquid in the tubes. When moving anything over 1000 lb bales with this set-up I keep the bale just above the ground and my turns are as gradual as I can make them; this tractor is only about 5500 lbs by itself.
You can't stack bales more than two high, but when you are stacking or unstacking bales over 1000 lbs do it slowly. In the winter, I typically have the 75" snowblower hooked up on the back for added ballast. During the summer, I have rigged up a way to put 110 lbs on the drawbar. I chose the 55A because it's height and width works best in & around the animal buildings we have and it does just fine. I am waiting to get new belts on my 8430 4x4 baler so I can see how well the 55A does with baling. I'm going to speculate that most 5x6 grass hay bales will be in that 1100-1300 lb range; I don't get too nervous moving those around. It's those 1600 lb'ers that make my navel pucker when those front wheels get turned too much.

I do A LOT with the loader and I think the shuttle shift works great. As mentioned already, shifting on-the-fly while in high gear is no problem; but then, niether is it in low gear. I agree, the engine is pretty quiet; the most annoying noise coming from the engine compartment is that danged beeping whenever ya get up out of the seat without putting the parking brake on. Duct tape fixed that though.

Having said this, if my animal buildings were big enough to get the 65A in or around, I would have spent another 1 or 2 k to get it instead so there wouldn't be an issue with the bales.

 

[CantonHayGuy]

BTW, as far as the whining from the transmission - yes, there is some whine; it's sure not as noticeable as the loud gas motor of the 706 I traded in for the 55A.

 

[onceacop]

Some trans. whine yes, especially in 4WD. Had a NSS go out and one small oil leak on the small o-ring atop the Hyd fluid filter housing. Tractor is fast and sips fuel. I wanted a good roading tractor as I drive sometimes 10 miles for firewood way back into no mans land. Shuttle works as I hoped, quick direction changes. Temperature gauge surges up and down a little once the engine is warm and operating. I do not shift on the fly as I had hoped. I get by sometimes and then sometimes I grind it so quit altogether. Superb traction. Turning radius is one of my disappointments. Comfotable seat and station. Wished it had hydrostatic but then It wouldn't be a $20000 tractor.. Some movie clips and pics

 

[dieseljay]

I too was disappointed in the turning radius but saw that the steering bottom on the stops before the cylinder was at the end of stroke. I adjusted the steering stops in making sure that the cylinder still wasn't at the end of stroke. It still doesn't turn on the proverbial dime but much better than it was. I took measurements before and after so if needed the stops could be turned back out to the original depth. I believe something like 33mm stock to 28mm after adjusted. I have it written down some where and will post if I find the actual measurements. Just need to watch that the tires don't contact the hood/loader at full oscillation and lock to lock turning and that the cylinder isn't bottoming before the knuckles hit the stops.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Unfortunately it is hard to get a standard FWA utility tractor to turn sharp. New Holland had the supersteer front axle ($$$) and Kubota has the bi-speed front axle (I'm not a big fan of that and never use it). Turning radius was a big factor in my going with a 2wd 45A. I needed to be able to turn extremely sharp and the only way you can do that is with 2wd tractors.

So far I have just over 140 hours on mine and I still love it. Been trouble free so far. Just finished planting with it Monday morning and washed it up and put it in the barn today. Won't need it now till hay season starts in a week or two.

 

[Cbawolf]

Does any one know if you can get a front Hyd remote for a 55a? I would like to get a grapple bucket for stacking timbers.