Comparison Need a ~65-85hp tractor, looking at several options, not sure which is best

[Siorus]

So, right now I have a Kubota BX2200 that I bought last year, with about 400 hours on it. When I bought it, I'd just moved to 40 acres, I needed a tractor right then (my grass was closing in on 3ft tall),and it was the best option I could find at the time. I used it most of last spring and summer, mainly for mowing the ~8 acres of clear space around the house. It's a fine machine, but I'm finding that it doesn't have the ground clearance, the traction, or the power that I need.

So, I'm looking to supplant it with something larger, in the 65-85hp (pto, not crank) range. Looking at what's available for sale locally-ish to me right now, my options are:

• Allis Chalmers 185
• Allis Chalmers 6080
• Case 1490
• Ford 5600
• Ford 5610
• Ford 6610
• Ford 7710
• IH 684
• John Deere 2440
• John Deere 2640
• White 2-75

What's your opinion of those specific tractors?

90% of what the machine gets used for will be mowing; both the area around the house and another ~10 or so cleared acres that I can't get the BX2200 to (due to the aforementioned ground clearance and traction issues). I'll be running a 72"+ (ideally a 96" or larger) flail mower and/or rotary cutter. Other than that, I'll be asking it to run a PTO chipper, maybe a splitter, and drag some logs around for processing into firewood. I may throw tillers/plows/whatever at it later, but not in the immediate future.

Now, I grew up in the city; I hadn't been within probably 300ft of a tractor of any type until I bought the BX. So, I don't really have a good feel for who made good equipment, or if there are any specific models, eras or features that are particularly good or particularly bad. I'm aware these are all older machines that are going to need some work; I'm ok with getting my hands dirty, but I'm not sure what parts availability is going to be like on a 30-50 year old tractor.

Given that these are all older machines, how many hours can I expect these things to do between engine rebuilds, transmission rebuilds, etc.? Obviously it's highly variable based on use/abuse, maintenance, etc., but as a very general guideline? Is it safe to assume that a tractor with 5,000hrs on it is probably worn out? 10k? 20k?

That all being said, if you guys have ideas for something newer/better that would probably run me $15k or so, I'm open to suggestions if you think it'd be materially better than spending ~$10k on one of these, but I kinda need to get this going in the next couple weeks and I'm not driving 1000 miles or something to buy a tractor, so that option is also going to be limited to what I can find locally.

How useful do you find having a bucket loader on a tractor to be? As I understand it, they don't really have the weight or the structural integrity to do any serious digging, and I can only think of a handful of use cases (light duty forklift, handling hay bales if I get cows/horses, hauling gravel for my driveway, that's about it) for one. I'm trying to decide how important having one is to me (if it is at all), and I want to make sure I'm not overlooking some uses for it.

And lastly, what is the availability of aftermarket ROPS like, in general? My property is fairly hilly, and several of the tractors I have in mind are open stations with no rollover protection, which kinda gives me the heebie jeebies.

Thanks guys.

 

[deserteagle71]

I would never EVER never have a tractor without a front end loader. Seems like that's the one thing I use the most...handiest thing in the world. Once you have one you'll wonder how you ever lived without one. My John Deere was down for several months having the engine rebuilt and not having the front end loader was the thing I missed the most!
Far as old tractors...my John Deere is 50 years old and had a very hard life. I knew that when I bought it. You could get a 50 year old tractor with few hours, or one that has been meticulously cared for - and get many more years of trouble free use out of it.

 

[jeff9366]

Deere is the one tractor brand on your list which has not be pushed into a dilutive merger with other tractor brands.

Deere is well known for maintaining parts inventory for older models. Maintaining low volume parts inventory for older models is expensive ~~~ expect to pay.

The two most ordered options for compact tractors are the FEL and 4-WD.

All things being equal, which they seldom are, a diesel tractor engine requires less service and has a longer service life than a gas tractor engine. Diesel consumes 1/3 less fuel.

I would not own/operate a tractor without power steering.

Look for one owner.

Look for barn stored, not stored in the open. Paint will tell you. Rodents chew wires.

NOT having an FEL decreases probability of tractor rollover but does not eliminate possibility.

 

[Siorus]

Interesting. I assume aftermarket loaders are readily available for anything that was relatively common/popular? If I want something now, local, and in this power range I'm going to be forced to choose between a cab and a loader. I'd kinda rather the cab, mainly so I don't have to steer with one hand and swat horseflies with the other come August; if I can go back and add a FEL to one of the Fords or something later, that would be workable. I'd guess about $3-6k for something like that, assuming it exists?

 

[jeff9366]

Last year, I moved to 40 acres.

90% of tractor use will be mowing; eight acres around the house and ~ten~ or so cleared acres that I can't get the BX2200 to (due to the aforementioned ground clearance and traction issues). I'll be running a 72"+ (ideally a 96" or larger) flail mower and/or rotary cutter.
(Eighteen acres to be mowed)

If you guys have ideas for something newer/better that would probably run me $15k or so, I'm open to suggestions if you think it'd be materially better than spending ~$10k on one of these.

Here are used tractors available on eBay, near Zip Code 63101.
Tractors | eBay


I like the Kubota 'Grand L' @ $14,000. Perhaps not enough power for you.
Kubota L324 Farm Tractor. 4x4. Loader. Shuttle Trans. 15 Hours. Quick Bucket | eBay

Relatively low price because it is shuttle shift, not HST/PLUS transmission.



New Holland has more horsepower @ $15,500:
NewHolland 463 Farm Tractor. W/ Front End Loader. Fancy As They Come!!!! | eBay

Inquire: 2-WD or 4-WD?

 

[jeff9366]

Interesting. I assume aftermarket loaders are readily available for anything that was relatively common/popular? If I want something now, local, and in this power range I'm going to be forced to choose between a cab and a loader. I'd kinda rather the cab, mainly so I don't have to steer with one hand and swat horseflies with the other come August; if I can go back and add a FEL to one of the Fords or something later, that would be workable. I'd guess about $3-6k for something like that, assuming it exists?

Contemporary loaders are much, much better than old loaders. I would not add an old model loader to an old tractor.

FEL for a 65-85 horsepower tractor more like $7,500. I would not add an old model loader to an old tractor.

I operate in Floriida with an open station tractor. Seven months of the year I spray skin, shirt, straw hat and socks with 40% Deet. During 2017 I did not have a single winged insect bite. I did receive numerous spider bites mowing through woodland.

 

[deserteagle71]

You can have an aftermarket front end loader added easily to any of the tractors you've mentioned.

As far as a cab on a tractor that old...make sure it has good air conditioning! My first experience with a cab tractor is the Kubota I got only a month ago and I didn't realize how hot it gets in that little glass cubicle even on a cold day. I put about 4 hours on the Kubota today with temperatures only in the 50s and I had to run the a/c the whole time. Opening the windows was not an option because of the dust I was raising but the sun shining in through all that glass made it a sauna! I only hope that in August, with the temperatures hovering around 100 degrees, that the a/c will be able to keep up.

 

[TheMadOne]

With all other things being equal, which I'm sure they're not, I'd go for the Ford XX10 that's in the best shape.

As much as I love them, I'd avoid the Allis tractors, as parts are getting hard to come by. The White is the same story but worse. The IH and Case are both old, so expect to pay a premium for parts. The same is true of the JDs, but old JDs typically have a fan following that has a wealth of knowledge to mine.

 

[Siorus]

I would not add an old model loader to an old tractor.

Nah, I'd see about attaching a new one if it came to that. Doing some googling, it looks like Westendorf offers loaders for most/all of these tractors still, and I think(?) they make good stuff. But for $7500 it'd be better to find a tractor with one already, for sure.

As far as a cab on a tractor that old...make sure it has good air conditioning

Oh a/c is a must, yeah. I figure that if it's not equipped (although I'd expect most tractors with cabs to have it), one of the universal vintage air systems should be able to be half@ss-mounted in a weekend. If nothing else, I'd bolt it into the roof. I'd anticipate an a/c compressor bracket to be the biggest problem there, but an hour of measuring, 20 minutes in solidworks and an e-mail to a local company with a waterjet should resolve that.

With all other things being equal, which I'm sure they're not, I'd go for the Ford XX10 that's in the best shape.

As much as I love them, I'd avoid the Allis tractors, as parts are getting hard to come by. The White is the same story but worse. The IH and Case are both old, so expect to pay a premium for parts. The same is true of the JDs, but old JDs typically have a fan following that has a wealth of knowledge to mine.

This seems to be the general consensus here and on a couple of other forums I asked. Are the older, larger Whites (e.g. the 2-85/105) any better for parts? I know the 2-75 is a Japanese tractor, so. The Case worries me because it's English; I'm not sure if it's a David Brown design rebadged as a Case or if the David Browns were Cases that were rebadged. I have enough experience with English cars to be wary of their tractors, but I'm not sure if that wariness is misplaced or not.

It's a shame parts on the Allis equipment are getting difficult to come by; I have a real problem with 3 and 4 cylinder engines and it'd be really, really nice to pick up that 185 since it has an i6. That won't do me any good if I can't restore/repair it as required, though. The Fords seem like the most logical choice.

 

[TheMadOne]

David Browns were great tractors in their day. I know a few of the local farmers had them and used them to row crop with. They had less to go wrong than British cars or bikes. Also the bigger something is, the better the Brits could build it. Look at their shipyards in the early 1900s for examples. There's a reason Dreadnought is a common word.

Going older wouldn't solve the problem with the Whites. It's a dead brand and was very short lived. Only lasted 19 years. Oliver parts are easier to come by in some instances, and they became White. I don't know their lineup well enough to speak to it, but if you could find a White that's a rebadged Oliver, then you might have something.