Farm tractor models to avoid

[foggy1111]

The early Ford 6000 tractors were all recalled with a complete campaign to rebuild them - engine, tranny, and hydraulics. To me....this model was the Edsel of the tractor business. Many of these early ones were red and grey....and were repainted to the then new blue and grey upon being rebuilt.

This model cost Ford allot of business. Although the later 6000 "Commander" models were good tractors....the word was out and many people would not touch these tractors. IMO the lack of a "big" tractor cost Ford market share around our parts as they stayed primarily in the utility biz for too long.

As was stated the SelectoSpeed trannys had their share of problems too with some people. Others had "0" problems. It was a revolutionary tranny at the time.

 

[WarrenF]

I guess I should have made it clear that you have to know what your talking about and not post something you read on the back of a bathroom urinal. IH made some really good models and so did MF not sure why you two posted what you did. I was hoping to make this a serious thread to help people and not have people who didn't know what they were talking about or were biased towards a particular brand post. Next think all green, blue, and red tractors are junk. Thanks.

You know the old saying, you can't make a silk purse from a Sow's ear....and you expected more from this forum??? Heck with all the combined ego's and self professed experts here, the results would have been a sure bet in Vegas.

 

[foggy1111]

You know the old saying, you can't make a silk purse from a Sow's ear....and you expected more from this forum??? Heck with all the combined ego's and self professed experts here, the results would have been a sure bet in Vegas.

HEY!!! I resemble that remark!.

 

[Baranx4]

You know the old saying, you can't make a silk purse from a Sow's ear....and you expected more from this forum??? Heck with all the combined ego's and self professed experts here, the results would have been a sure bet in Vegas.

Your 100% right. I should have also asked that people who have never owned or regularly run a tractor with more than 30 h.p. not reply. Back in the 90's I recall picking up parts for my 555 backhoe at the dealer with a salesman and another guy joining in talking to me about my interest in upgrading to a just returned lease. While I wasn't interested this guy is still talking to me about how much better and easier to use his new tractor was. After a few minutes of this guy still talking I asked what he owned. Turns out it was basically a lawn mower. Sometimes you have to just consider the source.

 

[WarrenF]

Your 100% right. I should have also asked that people who have never owned or regularly run a tractor with more than 30 h.p. not reply. Back in the 90's I recall picking up parts for my 555 backhoe at the dealer with a salesman and another guy joining in talking to me about my interest in upgrading to a just returned lease. While I wasn't interested this guy is still talking to me about how much better and easier to use his new tractor was. After a few minutes of this guy still talking I asked what he owned. Turns out it was basically a lawn mower. Sometimes you have to just consider the source.

You said it well!!! Now ask a question pertaining something you know about. You know ask how to do something, and then sit back and watch all of the self proclaimed experts.....those running overblown lawn mowers.....tell you how to do it. Then disagree with them just a little bit and watch even more self proclaimed experts come out of the wood works and tell you how wrong you are.

 

[CTW]

Your 100% right. I should have also asked that people who have never owned or regularly run a tractor with more than 30 h.p. not reply. Back in the 90's I recall picking up parts for my 555 backhoe at the dealer with a salesman and another guy joining in talking to me about my interest in upgrading to a just returned lease. While I wasn't interested this guy is still talking to me about how much better and easier to use his new tractor was. After a few minutes of this guy still talking I asked what he owned. Turns out it was basically a lawn mower. Sometimes you have to just consider the source.

Maybe a better approach would to decide what type of tractor you're looking for and then you might be able to narrow your hitlist on which ones to stay away from. Once you have a specific model(s), you can research the heck out of it here, google, yahoo, dogpile, local folks, etc. Best of luck.

 

[D7E]

In the 80's Massey Ferguson went from the 1100 series tractors (which by the way are great tractors) to the 2000 series. The Perkins engines in the 1100 series were great, except in the 1085 which were bad to blow head gaskets due to a lack of bolts. Once Massey switched over to those square cab 2000 series tractors they started having problems due to bad parts in the 24 speed power shift transmission. The 2000 series were still equipped with the reliable Perkins engines but had ALOT of problems with the transmissions. The seals need replacing every couple of years in the powershift transmission. From personal experience I have found that pound for pound the 135 massey ferguson is an extremely strong tractor and gives very few problems. It also has a fantastic draft control for cultivating and moldboard plowing operations.

I've never seen a powershift in a 2000 seies, We had 2640,2680,2685,2725,2745 and all were dual power or electric high/low in manual boxes. Never had a problem with any of them .We found far more trouble with the 32 speed in the 3000 series,far better with the 16 speed .

 

[Steve_Miller]

Your 100% right. I should have also asked that people who have never owned or regularly run a tractor with more than 30 h.p. not reply. Back in the 90's I recall picking up parts for my 555 backhoe at the dealer with a salesman and another guy joining in talking to me about my interest in upgrading to a just returned lease. While I wasn't interested this guy is still talking to me about how much better and easier to use his new tractor was. After a few minutes of this guy still talking I asked what he owned. Turns out it was basically a lawn mower. Sometimes you have to just consider the source.

This forum is probably made up of 60 to 70% or more of compact owners as this is one of the reasons the forum was started. As for the replies, there are always going to be posts that you will not agree with or did not intend to get from your question but you did ask for responses on an open forum that is moderated very well I might add. It does no good to offend anyone other than to get even more unwanted responses. Take them with a grain of salt and move on. This was not meant to offend in any way, just past experience on my part.


Steve

 

[Oleozz]

The older IH tractors (I have an IH 1066) were noted for having TA problems. Most need replaced and it's an expensive job to get it done. The TA is the torque amplifier, doubles the number of gears that you have. Mine went out and will probably have it repaired this spring.
ALSO cavitation problems were quite common, I have first hand experience with that, had to have a complete out of frame overhaul on the 414 engine a year ago. Again, not cheap!

 

[RickB]

The older IH tractors (I have an IH 1066) were noted for having TA problems. Most need replaced and it's an expensive job to get it done. The TA is the torque amplifier, doubles the number of gears that you have. Mine went out and will probably have it repaired this spring.
ALSO cavitation problems were quite common, I have first hand experience with that, had to have a complete out of frame overhaul on the 414 engine a year ago. Again, not cheap!

Cavitation erosion and electrolysis damage to parent bore and wet sleeved engines are maintainence problems, not engine problems. Both are preventable situations that can affect any engine of those construction types regardless of brand or paint color.

 

[Duffster]

Cavitation erosion and electrolysis damage to parent bore and wet sleeved engines are maintainence problems, not engine problems. Both are preventable situations that can affect any engine of those construction types regardless of brand or paint color.

Is it not true that certain models are much more prone to this?

 

[Baranx4]

Thanks to all that posted, I'm looking for an older tractor 60-90 hp maybe more for occasional use in the fields, maybe 30-50 hrs a year tops. Probably close to 20-30 hrs. just for plowing and disking if I find a nice disk for a fair price.

I've been looking at a few 86 series IH tractors and there's a 986 with a new ta for sale local for a fair price. My young son 5yrs old wants daddy to buy green, thanks to my neighbor. Maybe I should buy an Oliver

I do see a few Whites around but don't know much about them other than their oliver connection there's always an old 2-70 through 105 for sale and they don't seem to have a large used following as other models do. Is there a reason other than it being agco?

 

[DSteiner]

Having put on over 2000hrs on a White 2-105 I'll give you my opinion. The Perkins engine had a different -# then the Massey's and was hard to start. Replaced it with a Cummins 5.9. The brakes left lots to be desired and the noise in the cab was loud. Put in new interior to quiet things down but it was the loudest cab afterwards too. The John Deere and Ford cabs of the same era were much quieter. I only used the 2-105 when the other colors were busy.

 

[Egon]

Cavitation erosion and electrolysis damage to parent bore and wet sleeved engines are maintenance problems, not engine problems.

In some cases they are poor quality casting problems conveniently hidden under the Cavitation designation.

 

[Taylortractornut]

Theres a man redoing some gas stations here and he has a Long. Good looking tractor just stays a the hydraulics shop or an auto electric shop nearby. Heard both good and bad about the Belarus. Leary of Farmtracs, neigbor sold them. He sold some Lenars and a Jinma dozer, they are the bad pennies over the rest he keeps getting them back. On industrial tractors, had heck with an International swing motor on a 260 Backhoe, But most makers that time used a swing motor. IH had a backhoe ahead of its time but minor things killed them. Had some problems with a mans oliver I worked on, it was a Same tractor rebadged, The Companies that sell parts in Italy refused to sell me one clutch assembly and an alternator.

I worked for a company that had some older Long TLBs Parts were obsolete for them.

 

[flusher]

In the 80's Massey Ferguson went from the 1100 series tractors (which by the way are great tractors) to the 2000 series. The Perkins engines in the 1100 series were great, except in the 1085 which were bad to blow head gaskets due to a lack of bolts. Once Massey switched over to those square cab 2000 series tractors they started having problems due to bad parts in the 24 speed power shift transmission. The 2000 series were still equipped with the reliable Perkins engines but had ALOT of problems with the transmissions. The seals need replacing every couple of years in the powershift transmission. From personal experience I have found that pound for pound the 135 massey ferguson is an extremely strong tractor and gives very few problems. It also has a fantastic draft control for cultivating and moldboard plowing operations.

My 1964 MF-135 diesel is the Deluxe model with MultiPower (changes the 6F/2R tranny into a 12F/4R). My MP is acting up. I probably will have to split the tractor to fix it along with the clutch pack (the pto clutch is not engaging properly). Just a heads up if you're thinking about 1960s MF tractors.

 

[Baranx4]

Theres a man redoing some gas stations here and he has a Long. Good looking tractor just stays a the hydraulics shop or an auto electric shop nearby. Heard both good and bad about the Belarus. Leary of Farmtracs, neigbor sold them. He sold some Lenars and a Jinma dozer, they are the bad pennies over the rest he keeps getting them back. On industrial tractors, had heck with an International swing motor on a 260 Backhoe, But most makers that time used a swing motor. IH had a backhoe ahead of its time but minor things killed them. Had some problems with a mans oliver I worked on, it was a Same tractor rebadged, The Companies that sell parts in Italy refused to sell me one clutch assembly and an alternator.

I worked for a company that had some older Long TLBs Parts were obsolete for them.

I think that long became farmtrac sometime in the late 90's, before that they used to sell a Romanian tractor. I found a 4wd 610 long a few years ago that I put a deposit on and when I went to pick it up the seller said he was keeping it. I later found that he got asking price.

We still have a dealer up the road that sold long and then farmtrac and now you guessed it, he's a LS dealer. Not sure how supplies are for getting long parts though.

 

[wolc123]

I would avoid the Ford Jubilee. In their rush to get an overhead valve engine, they took a step backwards in fuel economy and power/weight ratio from the later, flat-head 8n's. Also, this, Ford's first attempt at live hydraulics, was problematic and it is tough to find a Jubilee today with properly functioning hydraulics. Eventially they figured it out and the later 600-800 series tractors were ok. The n's were the last tractors designed while Henry was alive, and no Ford tractor designed since his passing has so dominated the competition. I was never real fond of the gas Ford 3000's, and it seemed my Ford diesel 2000 had more power on both the drawbar and pto, and was way less thirsty on fuel. I have owned Fords, Allis Chalmers, IH, and JD tractors. Of these, I have only had bad experiences with Fords, but also some of the best (on tractors designed prior to 1952). One thing I have always avoided is tractors manufactured or assembled overseas or by a foreign-owned company. That pretty much leaves me with just one choice when it comes to new tractors. Luckily there are still lots of good used ones out there.

 

[8404]

Is there any tractor entirely made in the USA ?? I always thought John deere was but i was wrong.

 

[wolc123]

I doubt any are entirely made in USA, but JD is about as close as you can get. The 4000 series CUT's are assembled in GA and use a North-American JD Powertech engine. As far as I know, the company has never had foreign ownership.