I hope I'm posting this in the right area, but I'm new to farming. It's always been a love of mine, but I didn't grow up on a farm. I grew up next to a big dairy farm and worked there until I went to college, but I did mostly milking hauling chopper boxes, raking hay, and some tilling. I now am grown up and make enough money to maybe start playing around on my own. I have about 5 tilable acres where I live and maybe another 25 that I can rent. I only have two tractors and H and an M, but I think I need a bigger one. I was at an auction lately and bought a 800 cyclo international 4-row planter that works. I got a great deal on it in my opinion. It's old, but it everything seems to work. I'm not sure, but will my M pull this. I could borrow my neighbors 766, but I would like to do everything myself and with my own stuff, a pride thing I guess. I'm wondering if it will, and if it doesn't what would be the best fit as far as a tractor. I would like to stick to using older tractors and equipment, but what is anyone's opinion on this. The planter is set for 30 inch rows and is hydrolic, but will the M's hydrolics work on this planter and will it pull it is what I'm asking I guess???? Thank you
New Farmer
- Thread starter Hirev8
- Start date
Barry Bowen
Gold Member
Your M, may or may not depending on hills and the condition of the tractor. You should be able to hook up and try any way, and see how it does.
The old letter series farmalls were great tractors in their day, but if you are going to really try to do something with the ground, maybe you should step up a little. Finding an old 400 or 450 IH steps up the features on the tractor a good bit. You should get a T/A (non hold back going down hill ) independent pto, usually had a fast hitch, independent live hydraulics, and possibly power steering. The draw back is that those tractor REALLY REALLY suck down the fuel when you put them to work. A little newer, 460 and 560, little bigger, but still real fuel pigs. When IH came out with the 06 series in the early 60's, it was a game changer for farming all together. The 06's first were bigger tractors, the 706 is around 70 HP, the 806 was pushing 100 HP. They were availalble as full diesels, and had all the basic features you still want in a tractor today. (3pt or 2 pt otion on hitches, independent hydraulics and pto, standard draw bar set ups, power steering and brakes, and optional wide fronts) Parts are still readily available for theses machines as used or new. The tractors stayed very similar through the 66 series before any really big changes were made. Look around and you can find 06's, 26's, 56's, and 66's all over the place. Personally I have a 706 and a 1066 that I farm with. Super tractors, excellent engineering, dependable, relatively easy to work on, and very reliable. I could go on but others will have stuff to add I am sure.
The old letter series farmalls were great tractors in their day, but if you are going to really try to do something with the ground, maybe you should step up a little. Finding an old 400 or 450 IH steps up the features on the tractor a good bit. You should get a T/A (non hold back going down hill ) independent pto, usually had a fast hitch, independent live hydraulics, and possibly power steering. The draw back is that those tractor REALLY REALLY suck down the fuel when you put them to work. A little newer, 460 and 560, little bigger, but still real fuel pigs. When IH came out with the 06 series in the early 60's, it was a game changer for farming all together. The 06's first were bigger tractors, the 706 is around 70 HP, the 806 was pushing 100 HP. They were availalble as full diesels, and had all the basic features you still want in a tractor today. (3pt or 2 pt otion on hitches, independent hydraulics and pto, standard draw bar set ups, power steering and brakes, and optional wide fronts) Parts are still readily available for theses machines as used or new. The tractors stayed very similar through the 66 series before any really big changes were made. Look around and you can find 06's, 26's, 56's, and 66's all over the place. Personally I have a 706 and a 1066 that I farm with. Super tractors, excellent engineering, dependable, relatively easy to work on, and very reliable. I could go on but others will have stuff to add I am sure.
blueriver
Super Member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2007
- Messages
- 5,025
- Location
- S.E.Oklahoma
- Tractor
- JD 5520 Montana 4340 Farmall Super A Montana 5720C
That M Farmall is and was a good tractor. Dad planted alot of ground with a 4 row planter and cultivated the same ... it was a job to mount the front mounted 4 row cultivator.
He bought the M new and was awfull proud of it.
He bought the M new and was awfull proud of it.
Thank you guys very much, I think for now I'll try out my M and if I need more power I'll borrow the neighbor's tractor, but I'll start looking around for something a little more powerful. I'd like to buy some more land around me and I'll need to step up more anyway. I love using these old tractors, it's so much fun. I love using all the old implements for them. I've never planted with it before, but can't wait to try. Thanks for the help and I'd love some more advice and opinions. It's fun just to talk about it too.
art
Super Member
On the 800 you have a pto pump to run the hydraulics so yu should be fine there but to have to depress the clutch you will be in trouble unless you have a working M&W clutch system on it. You might be a little light on hydraulics to raise and lower as well. I can't remember anyone trying what you are doing.
Great planter, good for no-till as well as regular planting.
Great planter, good for no-till as well as regular planting.