Vintage tractor options for 3-bottom plow pulling

[flusher]

Which 1950s and 1960s vintage tractors would you be looking at to handle a 14- or 16-inch triple bottom plow?

My soil is kinda gravely with occasional potato size rocks. For these conditions any reason to prefer a 3-pt plow setup to a pull-type rig? In other words, how important is draft control in this kind of soil?

Any favorite triple bottom plow models?

 

[ToadHill]

I pulled a 3 bottom with my MF85.

 

[ToadHill]

I pulled a 3 bottom with my MF85.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

My favorite tractor of all time, an Allis Chalmers WD45. You can find them in either gas or diesel and they are amazing tractors to run. Just the way the seat is mounted makes the experience so much more fun. You can get a 3 bottom snap coupler plow that Allis Chalmers made for these tractors and have a great setup. I have regretted selling mine ever since I said I would sell it

This WD45 is a gasser, you can tell the gas from the diesel as the diesel engine is longer and comes out to the front of the frame.

Here you can see the AC plow for the WD45

Or you can go to FWJ's house and borrow one of his Masseys and if he doesn't have a MF 3 bottom plow you can come to my house and borrow my MF 82 4-14, drop the 4th bottom, restore the plow and bring it back when you are done plowing

Yesterday Tractors site has some great pictures

 

[flusher]

My favorite tractor of all time, an Allis Chalmers WD45. You can find them in either gas or diesel and they are amazing tractors to run. Just the way the seat is mounted makes the experience so much more fun. You can get a 3 bottom snap coupler plow that Allis Chalmers made for these tractors and have a great setup. I have regretted selling mine ever since I said I would sell it

This WD45 is a gasser, you can tell the gas from the diesel as the diesel engine is longer and comes out to the front of the frame.

Here you can see the AC plow for the WD45

Or you can go to FWJ's house and borrow one of his Masseys and if he doesn't have a MF 3 bottom plow you can come to my house and borrow my MF 82 4-14, drop the 4th bottom, restore the plow and bring it back when you are done plowing

Yesterday Tractors site has some great pictures

Your WD45 is one sweet looking machine.

I checked the specs on that tractor and thought it was too small to pull a 3-14 plow. According to TractorData the WD45 is rated at 23-30 hp and 39hp max on the drawbar. I assume that's Nebraska test data.

I understand that the rule of thumb is 1 drawbar hp per inch of plow cut--so three 14" plows would cut a 42" wide path through the soil and would take around 40-45 drawbar hp. So wouldn't your WD45 pretty much be maxed out pulling a 3-14 plow? Looks from your photos that your 45 is handling that load OK. Maybe my rule of thumb needs modification. Any suggestions?

I penciled in the AC D-17 on my short list since its has 36 rated and 48 max drawbar hp and seemed to me to be the AC tractor I would need for this size plow.

AC made a ton of D-17s (~85,000) and WD-45s (~90,000) so I figure I'd have a good shot at finding one.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I wish those were my tractors but they were from YT's site. I never understood the drawbar hp number but I do know the WD45 gasser I had was a beast for pulling and the diesel should be as good if not better. With the snap coupler 3 bottom plow you should be good to go and have a great looking show rig also.

 

[flusher]

I pulled a 3 bottom with my MF85.

That's good to know.

The MF85 is on my short list of tractors to handle a 3-14 plow. Its rated at 55 hp on the drawbar, so I could probably handle a 3-16 plow without difficulty.

A MF85 would look real nice parked next to my 1964 MF-135 diesel.

A few months before I bought the MF-135 I had a chance to pick up a MF-90 locally (rated 60hp on the drawbar). It needed rewiring so I passed on it. Two months later I bought the 135 and a few months after that I completely replaced the gauges and wiring on that tractor. Go figure. Now I'm suffering regret that I didn't try harder to make a deal on that MF-90. Oh well, there's always another tractor deal coming down the road. Patience.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Some of my favorite 3-plow tractors of the 60's and 70's. Massey 165/255/265. Ford 4000/4600. Deere 2520/2030/2440. IH574. Allis Chalmers 170/175. Oliver 1550/1555. Personal favorites, MF165, Ford 4000.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

You could always look for a MF 180, that would look even better next to the 135. Hook the 180 to a MF 82 plow and go to town.

Plus the MF180 having a standard 3pt hitch would be more useful as it can accept other 3pt equipment.

The WD45 is just a personal favorite of mine and if you ever meet someone who has one ask to take it for a spin. They are a lot of fun to operate as you sit so far back and you look down that long hood it is just a great time. Plus it is easy to hook up implements as you sit right over the drawbar.

This picture from TractorData.com kind of shows you just where the seat sits compared to the rear wheels.

Most of these old tractors are a lot of fun if you fix them up good and match them up to a good plow you can work them or show them and have fun doing either. Most of the main line companies made or had plows made for them so you can match your rig together so it looks like it was meant to be.

Are you going to use this rig just for work or for show also?

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Some of my favorite 3-plow tractors of the 60's and 70's. Massey 165/255/265. Ford 4000/4600. Deere 2520/2030/2440. IH574. Allis Chalmers 170/175. Oliver 1550/1555. Personal favorites, MF165, Ford 4000.

But Bill, he was looking for tractors from the 50's and 60's. You need to update your list now

I wish I was in the position to buy another WD45 as I miss mine even more now that I am thinking about it. Maybe if I sell the AC B.....

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Dad had a WD (model before WD45) It was our hay mowing tractor with a mid-mounted sickle bar. It was a NF. The seat was almost lethal. I HATED that tractor! The WD45 was a major step up.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

But Bill, he was looking for tractors from the 50's and 60's. You need to update your list now

I wish I was in the position to buy another WD45 as I miss mine even more now that I am thinking about it. Maybe if I sell the AC B.....

The salesman is coming out in me! Gotta sell the next step up the ladder when I can

'50's 3-plow tractors. MF65, 901 Ford, IH M/460

Don't forget the Allis D17.

Never a huge fan of 2-cylinder Deere's even though they were good tractors. Guess I have to throw in a Deere 630.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

The salesman is coming out in me! Gotta sell the next step up the ladder when I can

'50's 3-plow tractors. MF65, 901 Ford, IH M/460

Don't forget the Allis D17.

Never a huge fan of 2-cylinder Deere's even though they were good tractors. Guess I have to throw in a Deere 630.

I know what you mean about the Deere tractors from the 50's. I like the M but other then that the only tractor that really grabs my attention is the 830 (well the Wheatland versions are great looking tractors). Deere's problem is all their tractors looked the same and unless you grew up with those tractors I find it hard to get interested in collecting them.

 

[flusher]

You could always look for a MF 180, that would look even better next to the 135. Hook the 180 to a MF 82 plow and go to town.

Plus the MF180 having a standard 3pt hitch would be more useful as it can accept other 3pt equipment.

The WD45 is just a personal favorite of mine and if you ever meet someone who has one ask to take it for a spin. They are a lot of fun to operate as you sit so far back and you look down that long hood it is just a great time. Plus it is easy to hook up implements as you sit right over the drawbar.

This picture from TractorData.com kind of shows you just where the seat sits compared to the rear wheels.

Most of these old tractors are a lot of fun if you fix them up good and match them up to a good plow you can work them or show them and have fun doing either. Most of the main line companies made or had plows made for them so you can match your rig together so it looks like it was meant to be.

Are you going to use this rig just for work or for show also?

Work, right now. But if I can clean it up enough, there are a few Spring parades around here. At ~4000 lb hauling a WD45 gives me an excuse to get a larger trailer, maybe a gooseneck.

 

[flusher]

The salesman is coming out in me! Gotta sell the next step up the ladder when I can

'50's 3-plow tractors. MF65, 901 Ford, IH M/460

Don't forget the Allis D17.

Never a huge fan of 2-cylinder Deere's even though they were good tractors. Guess I have to throw in a Deere 630.

Oops, missed putting the MF65 on the list. Definitely. See quite a few on eBay.

900 series Fords-OK, but I have trouble figuring out the code they use for their model numbers.

Farmall M: yep.

IH460: definitely

Allis D-17 is on the list.

JD 630: possible.

I'm heading for an auction next Sat where there's several interesting selections:

JD 60
Farmall 560

May take a stab at one of these if they check out OK.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Work, right now. But if I can clean it up enough, there are a few Spring parades around here. At ~4000 lb hauling a WD45 gives me an excuse to get a larger trailer, maybe a gooseneck.

Most 3 plow tractors should be around the 2+ ton mark so if you are going to get a 3 plow tractor it looks like you will get your bigger trailer anyway

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Deere's problem is all their tractors looked the same and unless you grew up with those tractors I find it hard to get interested in collecting them.

I find it hard to get interested in older Deere's because I'm CHEAP and they ain't There's still a few cheap "B"'s around but anything else is just overpriced as far as I'm concerned.

 

[flusher]

I find it hard to get interested in older Deere's because I'm CHEAP and they ain't There's still a few cheap "B"'s around but anything else is just overpriced as far as I'm concerned.

I hear you. That's why I keep sniffing around things like Case and IH/Farmall tractors hoping to hit paydirt one of these days.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Here is a good one, it should pull a 3 bottom plow and will sound great doing it.

MF 98 with the Detroit Diesel

 

[Soundguy]

I'd go with a ford 5000

soundguy