I own a NH tc30 with 30 hp and want to upgrade to something in the 35 to 40 hp range. I have about 10 miles between food plots and I don't want to buy a trailer. Which compact tractor has the highest top speed ? It woud be nice to find one that would go 20 plus mph. Thanks !
Compact tractor with highest road speed ?
- Thread starter wbyman
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I'm not aware of any late model compact tractors that have 20 + MPH capabilities. I think some of the older Minneapolis Molines would do that. The Ford 8N or 9N with a Sherman overdrive would do better than 20 MPH. We called the fords with the overdrive "Amish Ferarris". Either one of the above mentioned machines would be a considerable downgrade from present.
A good tow bar might do the job after verifying no damage to your drive train with towing. If HST, tow bar is out. I sure wouldn't want to go fast with a tow bar, but I would think 20+ would be achievable.
A good tow bar might do the job after verifying no damage to your drive train with towing. If HST, tow bar is out. I sure wouldn't want to go fast with a tow bar, but I would think 20+ would be achievable.
whodat526
Veteran Member
i would wont to tow any tractor down the road behind a pick to much to can go wrong that could cost more to fix than a trailer would cost
TripleR
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When I was growing up on the farm, we often had no truck or trailer to haul a broken tractor, so towing was the only way to get them to the shop. I sure won't recommend it and won't do it now.
CompactTractorFan
Super Member
Just get a trailer. Even getting a cheep trailer would be better than driving it...
brin
Super Member
I use my NH tC- 29 to bush hog on my farm and it is a 5 mile ride ..I average 12 to 13 MPH and it takes me 20 minutes. I will not buy a trailer since it would take me 20 minutes by the time I hooked the trailer up to my truck and chianed it down..by that time I would already be at the farm and working...I don't like the 20 min. ride but it beats wasting the money and time with a trailer ..JMO
Yea, I drove mine 5 miles instead of putting it on a trailer. It was fine except for 0.2 miles, I worried about dieing in a wreck... too many trucks on that section. If it was all back roads, that would be different.
A farmer got hit by a car with a trailer... car came up on the tractor too fast and he didn't think about the extra weight of the trailer... the farmer was fine, he had a big sub-soiler on the back which destroyed the drivers radiator... Could have easily been a death.
A farmer got hit by a car with a trailer... car came up on the tractor too fast and he didn't think about the extra weight of the trailer... the farmer was fine, he had a big sub-soiler on the back which destroyed the drivers radiator... Could have easily been a death.
CinderSchnauzer
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The JD 3x20 series with R1 - AGs or large R4 or R3 Turf seems to have a top speed of 18 - 19 mph.
I do not know your situation,but if you have just home owners insurance on that tractor,you may not be covered if you have an accident. I gave up my farm insurance when I retired. I save a lot of money,unless I have an accident off of my property.
As far as your question,my Montana U4984 according to the specs goes just a little over 19 MPH.
As far as your question,my Montana U4984 according to the specs goes just a little over 19 MPH.
RobertN
Super Member
My NH TC40D is listed for 13.6mph top speed.
I have drivien it 3 miles. It was interesting hugging the side of the road, staying out of traffice on one road, and going 13.5mph. It was, easier than going home and getting the trailer. Needless to say, I brought it home from the same property yesterday. I trailered it. Even though it definitley took longer to get the trailer, go over, load the trailer, get home, unload the trailer, put the trailer away...
This tractor, my previous one, and even my old Farmall-A, were a handfull at top speed.
Seriously, get a trailer. Besides, the trailer will become one of you best tools; I use mine all the time. I get probably a 10:1 ratio, of using the trailer for other stuff(hauled car, Bronco, hay, pipe, lumber, concrete block, firewood ect ect ect...).
The route from my freinds to home, where I was yesterday, has about a mile of busy road. When that first big rig goes by you, it'll make you think twice. Especiallt at 50-55mph...
The other thing, when I got this newer tractor(got it used), I asked the shop guy how much my rear tires would cost. He said they start at about $600/ea...
I have drivien it 3 miles. It was interesting hugging the side of the road, staying out of traffice on one road, and going 13.5mph. It was, easier than going home and getting the trailer. Needless to say, I brought it home from the same property yesterday. I trailered it. Even though it definitley took longer to get the trailer, go over, load the trailer, get home, unload the trailer, put the trailer away...
This tractor, my previous one, and even my old Farmall-A, were a handfull at top speed.
Seriously, get a trailer. Besides, the trailer will become one of you best tools; I use mine all the time. I get probably a 10:1 ratio, of using the trailer for other stuff(hauled car, Bronco, hay, pipe, lumber, concrete block, firewood ect ect ect...).
The route from my freinds to home, where I was yesterday, has about a mile of busy road. When that first big rig goes by you, it'll make you think twice. Especiallt at 50-55mph...
The other thing, when I got this newer tractor(got it used), I asked the shop guy how much my rear tires would cost. He said they start at about $600/ea...
Mace Canute
Elite Member
Back when I was a teen on the farm I got to drive our 1850 Cockshutt about 85 miles @ the breathaking speed of 15.6 mph. Long trip!
The TC30 weighs 2200 lbs per specs I read. When in Hi school I towed a Ford 8N all summer behind a 1/2 ton pick-up to do mowing on township roads. It was an easy tow. Had a strong solid tow bar complete with safety chains. Probably accumulated 500 miles. The 8N weighs more than the TC30. (about 2400 lbs) I had a 5' bushog on the back for 500 more pounds. Add a mid mount sickle mower for another 400 lbs. Granted I wouldn't get on major roads, not because I would be afraid of the tow, but because of the other crazy bastards running 75 & 80 MPH and me running 25-30.
Add 12-1500 lbs for a trailer and now you are pulling and stopping 3500 lbs. If a tractor won't pull straight, adjust it so it will. If a tractor won't go straight down the road at 25 MPH, I would rather be in the cab of my pick up pulling it than driving the tractor.
My experience is from late 50's and early 60's and things have changed a lot with liabilities and etc. The reason we did business as we did was purely economics.
I probably read something into the original post that I shouldn't have. The original post stated he did not want a trailer. I would not want to trade tractors to get another 10 MPH, but if the poster wants a different/new tractor, I guess that reason is as good as any.
gregsons
Silver Member
I am pretty sure my IH goes 20 MPH.
my father told me years ago that he would put a FEL bucket in the back of a small dump body and then lift the front end of the tractor off the ground. Strap the bucket down and tow it that way. This was before i was around not sure how safe that was.
I think the money you save you will spend on new tires on that tractor.
my father told me years ago that he would put a FEL bucket in the back of a small dump body and then lift the front end of the tractor off the ground. Strap the bucket down and tow it that way. This was before i was around not sure how safe that was.
I think the money you save you will spend on new tires on that tractor.
That's a poor boy 5th wheel.
Those trailers have tires too. I seem to have more trouble with trailer tires than tractor tires. At least they are cheaper. Maybe I should have said less expensive or maybe cheap is my real problem.
Soundguy
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i routinely road my ford 5000 or NH 7610s ( 70 and 95 hp tractors ) down the road with 10' and 15' mowers on them... however these are larger tractors with rops and all.. I feel fairly safe as I'm bigger than most passanger traffic... I'm not sure if I'd want to do it with a small CUT.
I have a 4000 4 cyl with a sherman overdrive and I've had her near 20 using my wifes gps as a speedo. was white knuckly a bit... metal pan seat, no rops.. and no foot throttle, plus 'steering brakes'
I run probably 18mph down the road inthe larger ones. kinda a nice drive if you don't do it often
soundguy
I have a 4000 4 cyl with a sherman overdrive and I've had her near 20 using my wifes gps as a speedo. was white knuckly a bit... metal pan seat, no rops.. and no foot throttle, plus 'steering brakes'
I run probably 18mph down the road inthe larger ones. kinda a nice drive if you don't do it often
soundguy
Gary Fowler
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My new LS P7010 will do more than 20 MPH on the road but it is not a compact. I have only had it on the road once just to see how fast it would go. The roads at my farm are rather narrow for 2 cars to pass and lots of curves and narrow bridges. I would not want to drive far at all on those roads with my tractor. I would not like for someone to run into me even though I think they would suffer most of the damage.
sixdogs
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Too many little things can go wrong at higher speeds---14MPH +) that get magnified on a tractor. High probability of an unhappy and likely uninsured ending. Go to Plan B. Could even be a drive-on trailer with a tilt bed that drops down when you drive on it to make it real simple.
