I have a 65 hp moline tractor that I paid 2k for. It is a good machine but finding parts is very difficult and I have decided to get something that I can just go to town and get parts for. I don't need anything fancy just something to plow and plant my 5 acres with and more importantly to pull out our vehicles when it rains and we get stuck on the county road. I figure I use my tractor about 20 times a year to pull out stuck vehicles and I need something that is reliable and that if it breaks down I don't have to wait a month on parts I ordered from some other state. Please give me any advice you can. I am looking for something under 5K. Even something from the 60's or 70's would be fine if it was a JD or the like where I could get parts.
Need advice on good cheap tractor
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GRUMPA
Gold Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I need something that is reliable and that if it breaks down I don't have to wait a month on parts I ordered from some other state. )</font>
First bit of advise would be to fill out your personal information like what state you live in and so on, so all these nice folks can at least get you started in the right direction.
First bit of advise would be to fill out your personal information like what state you live in and so on, so all these nice folks can at least get you started in the right direction.
Bob_Skurka
Super Member
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And older Ford N series is smaller than your current tractor, but parts are available at places like NAPA, TSC, or a New Holland dealership. They are simple, cheap and easy to fix with parts available from many sources.
CMunger
Gold Member
Something from the 60's or 70's should be Massey or Ford, these two companies were the dominate brands in under 100 pto hp, parts are easy, and price is right, for parts, from more than one supplier.
Chuck M.
Chuck M.
Soory about not having more info. I am in the Texas Panhandle. I looked at a ford tractor a while back but it was very small, I think a model 8 n? One thing my tractor has is hydraulic hookups which I need for my disc and drill. Do the older Fords and Masseys have these? Any particular model I should be looking for?
Soundguy
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You want something smaller.. easier to get parts for, under 5k, but with lots of options.
Somewhere you may have to compromise a tad.
The ford N series was a decent 26ish hp tractor. If you are creative, you can plumb a hyd remote off the belly pump via the test port, and chain the lift arms down to the axle. This will give you a fixed 3pt drawbar, and a single acting remote.
If you wanted more power.. move up to a NAA or hundred series. 33ish hp pluss live hyds which you could also tap for a remote. Depending on the specific model.. the remote tap will either be easy, or just a bit of work.
While it may be hard to find.. there was a remote that fit on the top cover of the NAA.. and it is a bit easier to find on the hundred series. Or you could always tap the high pressure line off the hyd pump and add your own diverter/spool setup.
Depending on what hundred series you got would depend on the options.
For the 5k you might find a ford 3000 or 4000 which would be a great beefy machine.. lotsa surplus power.. and better provisions for remotes.
All those fords I mentioned are great on parts availability.
massey ferguson.. like 135 / 165 would probably fit the bill as well. Some of the bigger farmall like M and H should be beefy enough, and also have provisions for tappig the hyd pump. i see lots of discs and othe rsingle acting hyd setup on the farmalls internal hyds.
Parts are not as easy.. but are by no means scarce. Lots of these mid size farmalls were trikes... choose according to your property, and needs.
I'd stay away from some of the early model JD's.. like A's and B's. While the external remotes are easy.. the parts aren't as easy..
Soundguy
Somewhere you may have to compromise a tad.
The ford N series was a decent 26ish hp tractor. If you are creative, you can plumb a hyd remote off the belly pump via the test port, and chain the lift arms down to the axle. This will give you a fixed 3pt drawbar, and a single acting remote.
If you wanted more power.. move up to a NAA or hundred series. 33ish hp pluss live hyds which you could also tap for a remote. Depending on the specific model.. the remote tap will either be easy, or just a bit of work.
While it may be hard to find.. there was a remote that fit on the top cover of the NAA.. and it is a bit easier to find on the hundred series. Or you could always tap the high pressure line off the hyd pump and add your own diverter/spool setup.
Depending on what hundred series you got would depend on the options.
For the 5k you might find a ford 3000 or 4000 which would be a great beefy machine.. lotsa surplus power.. and better provisions for remotes.
All those fords I mentioned are great on parts availability.
massey ferguson.. like 135 / 165 would probably fit the bill as well. Some of the bigger farmall like M and H should be beefy enough, and also have provisions for tappig the hyd pump. i see lots of discs and othe rsingle acting hyd setup on the farmalls internal hyds.
Parts are not as easy.. but are by no means scarce. Lots of these mid size farmalls were trikes... choose according to your property, and needs.
I'd stay away from some of the early model JD's.. like A's and B's. While the external remotes are easy.. the parts aren't as easy..
Soundguy