Which Older Tractor - A Few Options I've Found

[super55]

I might be a little biased because I own one but keep your eye out for an old Oliver Super 55. They have live hydraulics and live PTO and a wide gear selection. You can usually pick one up for about 2500-3500 bucks with out a loader.

Don't be afraid of old tractors. Sure most will leak around the seals and such but if you can do basic automotive skills like change plugs/fluids, rebuild/clean carbs and set points (which all can be found on the internet) many of them are very simplistic dependable tractors. I've actually had more hours finding a faulty safety switch on my 2004 JD than I have had keeping my 60 year old Oliver going.

If you can't find a tractor with a loader. An attachment like PATs Easy Mover or some other type of carry all might fill that missing void for moving firewood and other odd jobs that a loader would typically fill.

 

[Soundguy]

I might be a little biased because I own one but keep your eye out for an old Oliver Super 55. They have live hydraulics and live PTO and a wide gear selection. You can usually pick one up for about 2500-3500 bucks with out a loader.

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Hmm... might be harder to find parts for...

 

[Soundguy]

I might be a little biased because I own one but keep your eye out for an old Oliver Super 55. They have live hydraulics and live PTO and a wide gear selection. You can usually pick one up for about 2500-3500 bucks with out a loader.

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Hmm... might be harder to find parts for...

 

[super55]

Hmm... might be harder to find parts for...

Most of the typical parts that need replacing such seals, electrical, clutches and brake disc are pretty easy to find online or from Steiner tractor parts but no where near the availability of Ford N parts. There's still quite a few Olivers around.

I have an old Avery Model V that I recently just reconditioned back to field status and finding parts for that darn thing was difficult at best.

 

[bspeedy]

I would recommend looking out for a Ford compact in the 00 series. 1500, 1700, 1900. I have a 1700 and my dad has had a 1900 since the 80's. Nearly bullet-proof machines. Parts are available from Messicks or your NH dealer. In my area a 1700 4wd with a ford loader just went for around 5 grand. Looked decent with 1500 hours or so. I've seen xx20 series Fords with loaders go for cheap, too, but that is rare. Also the John Deere xx70 series are great, no frills, bullet proof tractors. 870, 970, 1070 - great equipment. As you can probably tell, I am biased towards compacts and away from full size tractors. They work well for me, but YMMV.

Someone mentioned but it bears repeating - be ready to buy NOW. When the right deal hits the classifieds, you need to be able to get the cash from the safe, hitch up the trailer and go. If it's 8:30 pm and you will get there at 11, do it. If they'll meet you at 7 am, do it. That's how the good deals are gotten.

 

[Texasmark]

Not on your list but the 3000 Ford Diesel at just under 40 hp is a good, reliable, inexpensive to buy and operate, choice too. I've had most all the colors over the years and a used Ford or MF are hard to beat. Had a little MF 35 with a little 3 cyl Perkie in it and it was a little 35 hp honey. It and the Fords are a lot alike. Only reason I sold it was a stiff clutch and I had a bad left knee at the time and was hard to push down.....but nothing wrong with the operation. Lots of after market Ford and JD parts houses out there. MF not as much at least what I have seen when looking. Thing I found out about a diesel is that you get them in shape and keep the fuel clean and they just run and run with little or no maint. I keep fuel additives in mine and seldom if ever have to do anything fuel related and since there is no spark, no sparkie maintenance, plus they are all sealed up and wet weather doesn't make them cantankerous and all.

Oh and on the other comments about things like loaders needing and not needing and being in the way when not needed and all, don't be surprised if one day you find that you have half a dozen tractors, each function specific, and half of them that remain connected to a certain implement because it was just too much of a PIA to hook it up every time you wanted to use it.

Good luck.

 

[Creamer]

I will go against the crowd here but the JD with the loader is nice machine. Gas works fine for a lot of things and starts a lot better in the northern climate in the winter - especially on older machines. The 148 loader was state of the art at that time. If that tractor is in good shape it will do fine. Won't run quite as cheaply as a diesel but if you are not pulling it hard like fieldwork it is fine.

Can't see what model of Deere this is but looks to be in generally good shape. I would take it over the Massey for two reasons - much more comfortable modern type tractor, i.e. better hydraulics, power steering, controls location, etc. and a great loader that rivals modern loaders in that it is a quick-tach as well as very solid and smooth motions.

I say this and I am far from being a green paint guy. I would definitely take a look.

 

[LD1]

I don't think that 148 is a QA loader. At least not in the modern sense.

301a is not as common of a tractor.

But the real reasons I didn't reccomend it is because the price and hours don't seem to jive. Hours are too high for the price or the price is too high for the hours...however you want to say it.

 

[jenkinsph]

I don't think 4300 hours is too high on the Deere 301A. ZI suggested the MF because it was below the $5000 budget and seemed to be in decent shape.

If the OP can afford a little more the Deere 301A might be a better loader tractor. Similar to the 1020 which is a good tractor. If it has the power shuttle transmission it would be the easiest to use for loader work. Parts should be available without many issues too. Buying an older tractor on gas has its advantages in that it is easier to start in Wisconsin winters. I would have to look but think the front axle on these industrial models would be better for fel work too.


If it were me I would have to look at the Massey and Deere 301a to see what kind of shape they are in. If they are in good shape most tractors sell quickly.

Rather than looking for a specific tractor model when you have a tight budget it is better to canvass the area and look at everything you can find . Then pick the best tractor for you budget, We can all sit here and suggest specific models to look for but what is available for sale that you can go look at is what matters.

 

[California]

We just bought a place with 20 acres of land. I'm looking for a tractor so I can brush hog and do some work around the land. I really would like a front end loader on it as well. I'll be using it to move firewood, assist in getting our .5acre garden ready, move snow in the winter etc.

With a new place, we have PLENTY of other things to spend money on. So, I really want to keep it to around $5,000. So, that pretty much means an older ag tractor

I originally was thinking of just getting a Ford 8n and finding a brush hog for it. But, with no live pto and a lot of people say underpowered I decided to look elsewhere.

Getting back to what the OP intends to use it for - I think any of those four ag tractors are larger than needed. Somebody mentioned handling like a school bus at that size and I think that's a valid concern. You don't need a monster tractor in this application.

IMHO - for this application a loader and brush hog are essential. Plus for the garden prep, a rototiller ideally, or some less expensive old tillage implement(s). Then look for some kind of tractor that's just big enough. I would consider something newer, power steering, 4x4 if possible, and it doesn't have to be physically larger than an 8N. Stepping down under 30 hp might be a reasonable compromise of features/limited budget. Anything claimed to run a 5 ft brush hog is a decent compromise of tasks / budget.

For anything as thrashed as these four examples I would consider a $1500 fixup estimate to be an essential part of your purchase/setup price. You might gamble and not need it, but if the budget really is limited you don't want to be down for months while you accumulate funds for an expensive repair. Any of these four take for granted you can read the shop manual and do repairs yourself. The cost to trailer one into a Deere etc shop for professional-cost repairs will kill your budget.

If it were me - I would stay under 25 years old maximum, loader and power steering are essential, hopefully 4x4. You will likely break over $6,000 with implements but you will likely have a rig you can just operate rather than spend all your time tinkering with it. If you just bought that place you need reliability even if the tractor's capability is limited.


Take a look at my sig photo below. This orchard is contracted to a neighbor to disc/spray/harvest, while I maintain new trees, backhoe out stumps, and generally maintain the smaller stuff he he doesn't do with his larger equipment - the water system, perimeter mowing, etc. Plus our family gardening type tasks. I started with 24hp but now need that one only to carry around the 3-point backhoe, and occasionally for its lift capacity using the loader forks. The little 18 hp Yanmar with loader, power steering, powershift, and 4x4 (essential) does 90% of my work here, towing a watering trailer, rototilling with a $200 54" tiller, running a 4 ft brush hog. (I've read that others run a 5 ft brush hog with these). In my case I went from lightweight to really small primarily to fit under the orchard trees. Now I believe the small one would be sufficient if I only had one tractor. For your case, I don't think you are giving up much if a fixed budget limits you to the 25hp class of newer tractors.