JD790 vs. Ford 1920...Help?

[cuzncletus]

I've been suddenly and inadvertently launched into a new career as a "real estate developer". I have 25 acres of partially wooded, partial former field which hasn't been bushhogged in 7 or 8 years. I need to bushhog/clear the field for lots and then start clearing out saplings in woods which had been formerly kept clean, again 7 or 8 years ago. This tractor will be depreciated for tax purposes against the sale of property.

I've shopped tractors for about three months. I've never owned and had no ideas about tractors, though I am pretty handy mechanically and understand many of the engineering features new tractors. I recently found a 1995 Ford 1920 4X4 with FEL, 800 hours, well maintained, for $11000. I operated it and it seemed to perform beautifully. I thought the price was high, but its a nice tractor. Then I started thinking that was close to new prices on some smaller tractors. Shopping new, I've liked the JD 790, though the dealers have always tried to steer me to the 4000 series.
I can get a 790 4X4 with loader for 13,600, 0% financing.

Now this I know. HP ratings are close, but the Ford seems to be larger, tho I haven't seen them side by side. After I bushhog up the smaller maples, myrtles, and rattlesnakes, I won't have much need for a larger tractor but I've found if you've got the choice, bigger is usually better.

Any input would be appreciated, and that includes from Kubota/NH fans. For service purposes, I'm leary of Longs, Kiotis, and grey market small tractors.

 

[JohnMiller3]

<font color="blue">...I need to bushhog/clear the field ... </font>

No comparison... JD790 vs. Ford/NH 1920... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

The 1920 uses the same diesel powerplant as the New Holland TC40 (just derated PTO hp)...

You're trying to compare:
JD790 vs. NH1920
81 cid vs. 122 cid ( 1 ½ times the size=vastly increased torque)

Brushhogging loves torque... the more the easier to chop up bigger stuff...

I'll try to come up later with current 1920 used prices... but $11k. appears to be on the high end for 800 hrs...

Now... if this was the 2120... then we're talking a different story... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif (Perhaps, Ford/NH BEST compact/small utility they've made to date...)

 

[Ledgemere Farm]

Go with the Ford. The 1920 will do circles around a 790. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Magruder]

One of the other posts makes a good point that the Ford is a bigger tractor. So it should handle tasks better. But it is also a used machine.

I have a used Ford and a used IH 384 for sale. After years of starting fluid, jumper cables etc, I gave in to the fever and bought a new 790. <font color="green"> </font> I have a pretty good local dealer and so far it has worked like a charm.

Know anybody looking for a used tractor..........

 

[DK35vince]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( For service purposes, I'm leary of Longs, Kiotis, and grey market small tractors. )</font>

I Don't know about parts and service for Long or gray market tractors, but I can tell you I own a John Deere and a Kioti tractor.
The sevice and parts for my Kioti are just as good and easy to get as for my John Deere.

 

[Chief]

I think a more accurate comparison would be the 1920 and the John Deere 990. The 990 would probably be a little better suited to your application and is not that much more than the 790. I would suggest you go with the 990.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

$11k isn't too bad for the 1920. I gave $16 for a 1920 MFWD with curtis cab, 7308 loader, Curtis hydraulic blade for the loader, 5' brush chopper, 5' rear finish mower and 5 foot snowblower. The tractor is in excellent shape and looks almost new. The loader was bought in 2002 the tractor is a 1992 or 93 model as I can't remember the SN right now. The tractor had 770 hours on it. The closest I could find around here was a 1920, MFWD, 7308 loader and an aftermarket cab (can't remember the brand) Had over 1000 hours and the dealer wanted $15,500.

Go for the 1920 and see if you can get the price down any lower.

 

[jmc]

Ford 1920 vs. neglected farm

cuzncletus,

In the fall of 1988, I bought 187 acres of multifloral rose, johnson grass, 16 foot tall horseweeds, thorntrees and woods, about 200 miles away. It looked manageable.

The following summer, once I saw it grown up, I bought a 1920 with a 5 foot ford rotary cutter. Several years later, a local oldtimer, who had rented that ground off and on for 50 years, said it was the best he'd ever seen that farm. Of course it was because of that incredible tractor/cutter and a lot of seat time.

Take the 20 acres of bottom ground- the most fertile part of the farm. The horseweeds were so tall that on the first pass through, the tops of the weeds on either side of the pass would reclose to form a tunnel you could drive thru! Hidden in that mess were downed trees, washed up logs, and eroded groundhog holes. I learned to resist the temptation of mowing in 4x4 because it would climb up on those obstacles before you could react. Never the less, the 1920 would grind all that up at a slow walking speed, all day long. You just had to stop and clear the radiator screen once in a while.

I've also hit many solid limestone outcroppings and stumps, wrapped up wire fence in the cutter and there is no apparent damage. That farm is gone but I've still got the tractor.

John

 

[cuzncletus]

Re: Ford 1920 vs. neglected farm

jmc;

That's the kind of abuse I'm talking about. Got the dealer down to $10,500, out the door with "Bushhog" brand bushhog with stumpjumper and a box blade at $11,700. I'm very close. Thanks to all for the input.

 

[frank_f15]

Re: Ford 1920 vs. neglected farm

JUST IN CASE U NEED ANOTHER OPINION go with the ford!