Dirt Moving Old work horse 60’s , 70’s

[Gale Hawkins]

Both tractors are in about the same condition the case probably in a little better shape. Case is 3500$ John Deere is 6500$. I will be doing the repairs either or.

The better shape 930 Case is looking better and better. I know a guy looking at a $7K bill to replace clutch packs in a 4020 that ran it 10 gallons low on fluid from a leak over time. I do not know the complexity of the Case.

 

[D2Cat]

I've got a diesel 730 Case Comfort King, 1966 model. I am the second owner. Has about 4000 hours. I put a Westendorf loader on it, and it weighs enough to do some work. Easy on fuel, and virtually no repairs required.

Have a Deutz 6206 that is a bit lighter, air cooled diesel, REAL economical, differential lock. Use them both for haying, and mowing pasture.

 

[searcyfarms]

well heck if you are a repairman then the 930 seems like a no brainer - they sound like a good tractor - never been around one - I know the next gen 870/970/1070 my cousin swears by but he has had issues getting someone to work on the power shift - he tried fixing his 970 and still has some kind of issue with not all ranges/gears working - thinks he pinched an oring on reassembly so he just uses the gears that work ;-) the engines I have heard are bulletproof pretty much.

 

[rScotty]

The better shape 930 Case is looking better and better. I know a guy looking at a $7K bill to replace clutch packs in a 4020 that ran it 10 gallons low on fluid from a leak over time. I do not know the complexity of the Case.

Those old Case tractors were beauties - they had real stye. Although here in the Western US there are more resources for older JDs and that keeps their used price higher.
It sounds to me like you are looking at two excellent old tractors.
If it was me trying to decide, I'd go with whichever one is in the best shape/has had the best care. I don't mean things like tire condition, but rather owner care. It might come down to something like maintenance records/one owner/pride of ownership.

If knew there was something about those JD transmissions that I should have remembered, so I looked them up. The JD 4020 came with either of two types of transmission. The basic was a 4 range standard shift transmission with clutchless High/low on each range.
The other was a completely clutchless powershift with 4 reverse gears. I would guess it was the powershift that had clutch packs since that is how most powershifts work. What I remember now is that both of those transmissions represented a huge dashboard change from the older lever-shifts.
rScotty

 

[Mugeye]

A little off of what I’m looking for MF 1080 come up for sale for a good price . Any one have good or bad thoughts about them ?

 

[searcyfarms]

here is some reading for you

MF 1 history and problems - Massey Harris & Massey Ferguson

quoted from redtractorforum.com

on the 1080/1085

I worked for a MF dealer for a little while, and I got tired of working on 10xx series MF's! We had a LOT of clutch problems out of them, and the hydraulics were...well pretty much junk. The perkins motors maybe decent on fuel, but they make up for it in oil leaks. You've heard of Detroits leaking oil? These little perkins can give them a run for their money. The smaller tractors(10xx series) were not, and as far as Im concerned are not worth there weight in gold. The ones around here are used only for haying and bush hogging. So heres what I think about them...

Slow hydraulics

Oil/fuel leaking 4 cylinder engines

Low torque rise

Weak clutch

Pisspoor cab

Over weight and underpowered.

Now as far as the 11xx series, they seem to be pretty solid. They dont have the best hydraulics, but will get the job done. Again, they have the oil leaking perkins. We had alot of problems out the pto's on the these, and many other MF tractors.

Around here you can buy a 10xx MF with cab for about 5K, and an 11xx for about 7 or 8k.

Also, there Multi-power's are pretty much a t/a in an IH, just not as good, and they are pretty expensive to put in.

If I were you, and needed a cheap tractor I too would lean toward an Allis. The MF dealer was also an AC dealer, and we had alot better luck out of them.

The 180/185 were pretty much bullet proof. They used the D301, which is the same engine used in the 190's, 200's, 7000's, 7010's, and 7020's. The only difference in engines between models, were N/A, turbo, or turbo and intercooled. The 185 offers you large frame performance in a small frame package. They have ok hdraulics, hyd. 2 speed(power directer) and hyd pto clutch.

If you want a row crop tractor with a decent cab, I would go for a 200 or 7000. I ran a 200 for quite a few years, and really liked that tractor, but it just got to small for my operation. A 7000 is a 200 in the 7000 series sheet metal. But it does have the Accoustic Cab on it,unless you get a black belly(only made one from 78-79) then it has the Accoustic Cab II. Those a really quite cabs but not for some one's that cluasterphobic. If you have any more questions feel free to PM me and Ill try and answere them as best as I can.

I basically searched google for 1080 MF reviews and that is where this info came from

lots more to read but from my quick look, sounds like there are other masseys that would be much better choices if you are looking to go massey - I have heard the White 2-85s are good tractors they have a 3 speed partial power shift in them, my friend has a white 2-105 and I think it has been a descent tractor its just been abused and not cared for well -