Buying Advice 1965-1980 - 2 Wheel Drive - 40/60hp Suggestions??

[Farmer495]

Doncaster built IH utility tractors are notorious for short clutch life, especially as hp and loader use increases. Clutch diameter is smaller than many competitors. Your experience is to be commended. That kind of clutch life is indicative of conscientious operation.

Hmm, that's on a 11" clutch too, 12" was option, but 12" standard on the bigger ones. What diameter do the MF and Ford of the same power and age use?

The ones I understood were hardest on clutches were the later FWA with the 8x8 shuttle, hyd clutch pack F/R but dry clutch, I knew one of those in a C60 that got ate in a 200-300 hundred hours from brand new, scraper/feed tractor on a dairy. Being able to easily use high range and 4x4 traction plus all loader work can kill a clutch.

 

[Texasmark]

I had 3 Masseys: TO-20, MF 35 gas, MF 35 Perkie 3 cyl.....lower than your requested HP area but great reliable tractors. Don't know about parts availability and price as it's been quite awhile since they were in my corral, buttttt with them advertising to be the largest volume badge in the world, surely after market guys have picked up on this and covered the bases. My dislikes were heavy clutch springs and cramped operators station...sit "in" a MF and then get ON a Ford and night and day.

 

[RickB]

Ford used 11” on most 3 cylinders which made up to 52 PTO hp. Above that the 4 cylinder tractors used 12” and 13” discs. An inch of diameter makes a fair difference in square inches of friction surface.

 

[65plymouth]

Interesting stuff guys thank you. I did just find a decent looking IH 584 with brush hog for 5k. It is about 5.5 hours away from me though. I am in really no rush but figured I would get my feelers out there and see what was available. Plus, I figured I could probably pick something up cheaper now, than waiting until spring.

I don't plan on buying a tractor with a loader or adding one in the future. I know how useful loaders are (and 4x4 for that matter), I just don't feel like I need either. I am looking for something for general use to plow, disk, till, brushog, and posiibly put up fence posts and skid some logs. I want to use it for food plots and possibly running a box blade or york rake as well.

Honestly, I could probably get away with a massey 135 or smaller Ford but I am 6'2" and find the small utility tractors...well.....small....lol.