About to buy my first tractor!

BattalionChief · Jun 2, 2006

New to the forum..

I am looking at tractors (new and used) and have a few in mind..

I would like to ask about one of them: A 1984 IH 584.

This tractor is in decent condition with a loader, (a loader is a must for me)... I don't necessarily need that much HP (54) on a consistent basis but it would come in handy at times.

1) This tractor is not 4WD. But I have heard that since it weighs so much (8000 lbs), that the 2WD will do pretty well.. I will be moving dirt/materials on terrain with elevation changes.. caring for 25 acres.. with a creek bed, fields, etc.. With the diff lock and such HP and weight, will the 2WD get traction enough?

2) The parking brake does not function (I heard about the problems with this model and the brake). The current owner has used it four years this way just dropping the bucket for a brake. Using the bucket as a brake sounds reasonable to me.. is it?

Other than the brake this tractor only needs a few minor repairs to be in pretty good shape (fuel line leak, actuator seal, small weld repair needed on loader frame).

I should be able to pick this tractor up for just under $8000 and he'll throw in a 6 ft brush hog.. .

How would you answer my questions .. What do you all think?

thanks so much, and I am looking forward to my first tractor!!!

I forgot to mention: I really like the rough and tough look of this old red tractor... should that play a part in my purchase? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

__________________
And you think all this "just happened?" ... good one..

BattalionChief · Jun 2, 2006

New to the forum..

I am looking at tractors (new and used) and have a few in mind..

I would like to ask about one of them: A 1984 IH 584.

This tractor is in decent condition with a loader, (a loader is a must for me)... I don't necessarily need that much HP (54) on a consistent basis but it would come in handy at times.

1) This tractor is not 4WD. But I have heard that since it weighs so much (8000 lbs), that the 2WD will do pretty well.. I will be moving dirt/materials on terrain with elevation changes.. caring for 25 acres.. with a creek bed, fields, etc.. With the diff lock and such HP and weight, will the 2WD get traction enough?

2) The parking brake does not function (I heard about the problems with this model and the brake). The current owner has used it four years this way just dropping the bucket for a brake. Using the bucket as a brake sounds reasonable to me.. is it?

Other than the brake this tractor only needs a few minor repairs to be in pretty good shape (fuel line leak, actuator seal, small weld repair needed on loader frame).

I should be able to pick this tractor up for just under $8000 and he'll throw in a 6 ft brush hog.. .

How would you answer my questions .. What do you all think?

thanks so much, and I am looking forward to my first tractor!!!

I forgot to mention: I really like the rough and tough look of this old red tractor... should that play a part in my purchase? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

__________________
And you think all this "just happened?" ... good one..

scott_vt · Jun 2, 2006

Welcome to the TBN community. The IH 584 is a nice lookin tractor, and should have plenty of HP for what your planning on using it for. You dont say where you are from, so its a little difficult to answer the FWD question. If your property is not really hilly a,d you dont get huge amounts of snow and ice you probablly should be OK. You can always load the tires and use a counter weight on your 3pt hitch for extra weight and traction. If snow snd ice is a problem, chains can make the difference. As far as using the loader as a brake, I dont think too many guys on this forum would endorse that method. I have a parking brake on my Massey and when Im on the flat or slight incline I put the front loader down turn off the tractor and leave it in gear. Its not going anywhere. But if on an incline and you have the tractor running, by just putting the bucket down is not a good practice !

I did see a couple of those tractors advertised on Wengers in PA, but they were FWD, and also considerably more money ! $15,000 comes to mind and maybe it was more than that.

If your serious about the tractor, get someone to come with you that knows something about them and have him go over the machine and run it!

Maybe others can offer some other thoughts.

scott_vt · Jun 2, 2006

Welcome to the TBN community. The IH 584 is a nice lookin tractor, and should have plenty of HP for what your planning on using it for. You dont say where you are from, so its a little difficult to answer the FWD question. If your property is not really hilly a,d you dont get huge amounts of snow and ice you probablly should be OK. You can always load the tires and use a counter weight on your 3pt hitch for extra weight and traction. If snow snd ice is a problem, chains can make the difference. As far as using the loader as a brake, I dont think too many guys on this forum would endorse that method. I have a parking brake on my Massey and when Im on the flat or slight incline I put the front loader down turn off the tractor and leave it in gear. Its not going anywhere. But if on an incline and you have the tractor running, by just putting the bucket down is not a good practice !

I did see a couple of those tractors advertised on Wengers in PA, but they were FWD, and also considerably more money ! $15,000 comes to mind and maybe it was more than that.

If your serious about the tractor, get someone to come with you that knows something about them and have him go over the machine and run it!

Maybe others can offer some other thoughts.

Bird · Jun 2, 2006

On the smaller compact tractors, I feel that 4WD is essential with a front end loader, but on that tractor, I think it'll do just fine with 2WD. ( Purely personal opinion, of course, so take it for what it's worth. ) I had a neighbor who had an old International 2WD with a loader, but I can't remember whether it was that same model or not. I know he only got stuck one time and that was when he picked up a big round bale of hay with the loader and the front wheels sunk right to the hubs in soft mud. The back wheels were on solid, but wet, ground so they would just spin. Instead of setting the hay bale down in the mud, he just got his son to pull him out with another tractor.

Bird · Jun 2, 2006

On the smaller compact tractors, I feel that 4WD is essential with a front end loader, but on that tractor, I think it'll do just fine with 2WD. ( Purely personal opinion, of course, so take it for what it's worth. ) I had a neighbor who had an old International 2WD with a loader, but I can't remember whether it was that same model or not. I know he only got stuck one time and that was when he picked up a big round bale of hay with the loader and the front wheels sunk right to the hubs in soft mud. The back wheels were on solid, but wet, ground so they would just spin. Instead of setting the hay bale down in the mud, he just got his son to pull him out with another tractor.

BattalionChief · Jun 2, 2006

Appreciate the insight Scott and Bird.

I live in Central Texas (no snow/ice). I do have some hills (slight grades I would be on).

You guys have echoed what I am hearing by some local "tractor users," and that is that this heavy tractor with 50 plus horsepower is not likely to lose traction very often while using the loader..

BattalionChief · Jun 2, 2006

Appreciate the insight Scott and Bird.

I live in Central Texas (no snow/ice). I do have some hills (slight grades I would be on).

You guys have echoed what I am hearing by some local "tractor users," and that is that this heavy tractor with 50 plus horsepower is not likely to lose traction very often while using the loader..

Farmwithjunk · Jun 2, 2006

An uncle of mine has a 574. Very solid tractor. His parking brake has been out so long I forgot it had one. They make good loader platforms with all the built in weight.

Go for it!

Farmwithjunk · Jun 2, 2006

An uncle of mine has a 574. Very solid tractor. His parking brake has been out so long I forgot it had one. They make good loader platforms with all the built in weight.

Go for it!