Tillage Question (for the big tractors)

MHarryE · Jan 5, 2012

Somebody mentioned the IVT, and I was wondering about the reliability. We have a 7720, 2004 if I remember right. It's got the 20 speed transmission, electric shift 4 speeds, lever ranges A through E. thinking of trading for new, but when checking TractorHouse to get an idea of what retail used prices are I find almost all 7720's listed have IVT. Are they trying to get rid of them or are they so popular that is what most bought? I'm new to this having retired a few years back and joined my cousin who bought the equipment just going by what the dealer had to sell him.

Illinoisdmax · Jan 6, 2012

This thread is really goin off topic. Not tryin to be an ***, just sayin.

Farmwithjunk · Jan 6, 2012

MHarryE said:
Somebody mentioned the IVT, and I was wondering about the reliability. We have a 7720, 2004 if I remember right. It's got the 20 speed transmission, electric shift 4 speeds, lever ranges A through E. thinking of trading for new, but when checking TractorHouse to get an idea of what retail used prices are I find almost all 7720's listed have IVT. Are they trying to get rid of them or are they so popular that is what most bought? I'm new to this having retired a few years back and joined my cousin who bought the equipment just going by what the dealer had to sell him.

IVT's are stone reliable. I'd take one in a heartbeat OVER a hydro. I've got 3 IVT tranny equipped tractors in my mowing fleet. One has over 8000 hours already with NO issues under some very tough use. The one we had problems with was a bearing failure that was a manufacturing defect. There's getting to be quite a few on the USED market simply because there were a lot of them sold since the day they came available. They're very effective transmissions for planter tractors, hay tractors, or any use where the ability to vary ground speeds is critical.

cowski · Jan 7, 2012

illonisdmax i really need more info to answer? i used 3 150 horse power tractors to farm 1300 acres for years, conventional tillage .my neighbor uses a 90 horse to notill about 600 acres.we both also have a 60 horsepower tractor for haying and utility work.a small tractor on a row cropping farm is useful.are you any closer to deciding whether to crop or hay ,notill or conventional and for how many acres?if i had these answers i could make you a better recommendation .

Illinoisdmax · Jan 8, 2012

cowski said:
illonisdmax i really need more info to answer? i used 3 150 horse power tractors to farm 1300 acres for years, conventional tillage .my neighbor uses a 90 horse to notill about 600 acres.we both also have a 60 horsepower tractor for haying and utility work.a small tractor on a row cropping farm is useful.are you any closer to deciding whether to crop or hay ,notill or conventional and for how many acres?if i had these answers i could make you a better recommendation .

I've decided to go with crops. In not starting it all my own at once though. I'm gonna work my way into it. Im in the process of paying someone to come do custom planting and harvesting. Instead of leasing out my land by the acre, ill be the one to buy the seed pay for the spraying and setting everything up. I have a buddy down the road who's startin out also but he's got all the equipment to do it. That way ill pocket more $ and work my way into eventually doin it all on my own. I'd like to do the plowin and discing myself just to cut down on one less operating fee though.

cowski · Jan 11, 2012

the most useful farm implement i have is a cutting disk.i would recommend you to get a 12 to 14 ft jd 1635 cutting disc.it will take between 90 and 150 horse tractor to work it.how much do you want to spend on a tractor?

Illinoisdmax · Jan 11, 2012

cowski said:
the most useful farm implement i have is a cutting disk.i would recommend you to get a 12 to 14 ft jd 1635 cutting disc.it will take between 90 and 150 horse tractor to work it.how much do you want to spend on a tractor?

Thanks for the advice, is a cutting disc just like a regular disk or does it serve as more of a dual purpose ripper? And I'm lookin to spend about 30k.

flusher · Jan 12, 2012

Illinoisdmax said:
Thanks for the advice, is a cutting disc just like a regular disk or does it serve as more of a dual purpose ripper? And I'm lookin to spend about 30k.

You can find used wheel discs (aka transport discs) pretty cheap. Mine is an old 13-ft Minneapolis Moline KS1300 (made by Krause) that I got for $600. It's too large for my Mahindra 5525 (54 hp engine) so I cut it down to about 7 feet.