Tractor News Row Crop vs Utility

[Creamer]

Check your info. Snapshot of the JD site today. These are all listed as utilities on JD's own website. Thanks though! :thumbsup:
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They are a little confusing on their website. The listing of utility tractors shows all the 5 and 6 series models but then the name on the 6D is utility whereas the 6M and 6R do not have 'utility' after the name. The 6M and 6R also have taller tires and more ground clearance like a row crop stye tractor. Also, if you include the 6M and 6R in the "utility" group then Deere has no Row Crop tractors under 140 Hp which doesn't make sense either. It seems to me that they have blurred the definitions greatly from what they have been in the past. Of course when they advertise a 1 Family and then I saw an ad for a 3 Family tractor I had to scratch my head a while to figure out what they meant. I know it is all a marketing thing but They certainly have a lot of numbers and a lot more confusion with their latest breakdowns.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

They are a little confusing on their website. The listing of utility tractors shows all the 5 and 6 series models but then the name on the 6D is utility whereas the 6M and 6R do not have 'utility' after the name. The 6M and 6R also have taller tires and more ground clearance like a row crop stye tractor. Also, if you include the 6M and 6R in the "utility" group then Deere has no Row Crop tractors under 140 Hp which doesn't make sense either. It seems to me that they have blurred the definitions greatly from what they have been in the past. Of course when they advertise a 1 Family and then I saw an ad for a 3 Family tractor I had to scratch my head a while to figure out what they meant. I know it is all a marketing thing but They certainly have a lot of numbers and a lot more confusion with their latest breakdowns.

Well, thats partially what I was getting at. The 6R is def a row crop tractor. The 5E and 6D are definitely a utility tractor. To me, the difference would be the wheel adjustment in the rear. If it has infinitely adjustable rear axles, its in the row crop family for a new machine. If you have to flip tires to get your width, that's more of a utility in my mind. The M's are in the middle somewhere.

 

[MORRISONSTEEL]

You are pretty modern in your description. There have probably been more row crop tractors built without 3 pt than with when you think of all the Farmalls (F-series, A, B, C, H, M, 300, 400, 350, 450, etc.) as well as Deeres, Cases, Minneapolis Molines, Coops, Cockshutts, Olivers, Allis Chalmers, Porshces, Massey Harris, etc. that were built until the late 50s. Of course back then it took a lot more tractors than it does now because they were not quite as powerful. Hydraulics were not a lot of consideration these models either, if they had hydraulics they were typically single action with the sole purpose to lift the machine.

I guess everyone's perception is different on what is considered modern. I was referencing tractors from approx. mid 1960's and up. The op did not really state what vintage machines they where comparing I just didn't figure it was from the johnny popper era all of those machines where highly configurable.

 

[Creamer]

I guess everyone's perception is different on what is considered modern. I was referencing tractors from approx. mid 1960's and up. The op did not really state what vintage machines they where comparing I just didn't figure it was from the johnny popper era all of those machines where highly configurable.

In the 60's the 3 pt became almost standard on all equipment except very large purely pull tractors (wheatlands or articulated 4WD) - they certainly were not a differentiator between utility and row crop. Hydraulics were similar as well in that they became standard and did not vary in type or general configuration between say a John Deere 2630 utility and a 3020/4020 row crop so again not a differentiator between utility and row crop.

 

[Creamer]

Just in case you want to see 110 Hp steam engine pull. (pun intended)
110HP Case Steam Tractor Pull ? 2014 | Farming Videos

 

[oldpilgrim]

Row crop tractor: tricycle wheel arrangement, high ground clearance, adjustable track width on the rear wheels, 3 pt hitch, capability to accommodate mid-mount implements (seeders, cultivators).

Generally do not have a front end loader.

Some row crop tractors have a pair of tanks mounted on the sides of the engine compartment for liquid fertilizer, herbicide and mid-mount or rear mount spray bars to dispense the liquid.

this is what I've always thought fit the definition, too.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

this is what I've always thought fit the definition, too.

Row crop doesn't necessarily mean a tricycle front end, but I think it does necessarily require the adjustable track width.

We used to have a Farmall 450 row crop with the tricycle front end, but we also had the wide track front end for it. It was quite simple to jack up the front of the tractor and slip the tricycle front end off and slip the other one on. Like the ones on this page: TractorData.com Farmall 450 tractor photos information

Dang I wish I still had that old tractor.

 

[Creamer]

Really? It was no big deal to change from narrow to wide front end. I grew up with a Super MTA, 300, 350, and a 400. All were very reliable tractors. I believe the M, 300 and 400 are still around the farm but not used very often. We had wide front ends on all of them - Dad wouldn't have a narrow on the place. The 300 & 400 were loader tractors (F10 Farmhand loaders) and the M was the everything tractor - feeder wagon, silage wagons, haying, spring tooth harrow, etc. It ran everyday for something. I can't remember it ever failing us. My butt spent a lot of hours in that seat!

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

No, it was an easy job. I don't remember exactly the procedure; I just remember it was no big deal to do it.

 

[Creamer]

Maybe it was because we had access to my uncle's M and 300 that when we wanted to mount the corn picker we borrowed one of his narrow front end tractors. I had always assumed it was a big job.