Who makes MF?

[the old grind]

Howdy folks, .. I don't know much about Massey and I'm trying to determine where those tractors are built. Thanks, Mike

Before New Holland switched sources to LS their CUTs AND SCUTs came from Shibaura in Japan. This includes Ford/NH's excellent 00, 10, and 20 series and most early TCs. Some early Millennium Case/NH small tractors are also Shibaura, built. I'm enjoying my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of them as detailed to the left of this post. I prefer them to all but Branson and Kioti, but esp in the 'lighter duty' models I operate.

I see that Massey is sourcing CUTs from Shibaura and was able to examine several along with Kioti CK2610HST last Summer ('19) when I cheaped-out and went for an '04 NH/Shibaura TC33DA. I looked them over well, and I'd have one heck of a time choosing between the red and orange ones.

 

[sashooter]

Before New Holland switched sources to LS their CUTs AND SCUTs came from Shibaura in Japan. This includes Ford/NH's excellent 00, 10, and 20 series and most early TCs. Some early Millennium Case/NH small tractors are also Shibaura, built. I'm enjoying my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of them as detailed to the left of this post. I prefer them to all but Branson and Kioti, but esp in the 'lighter duty' models I operate.

I see that Massey is sourcing CUTs from Shibaura and was able to examine several along with Kioti CK2610HST last Summer ('19) when I cheaped-out and went for an '04 NH/Shibaura TC33DA. I looked them over well, and I'd have one heck of a time choosing between the red and orange ones.

Massey I guess is stoping the manufacturing of the 1700M series. There doing away with the shibaura engine for them. Those seemed to be decent engines. Uncle had one in his 80's built ford. Couldn't kill the thing. I shouldn't say massey is discontinuing them, but is having the Iseki built engine in them. I hear they are going to be available in August.

 

[workinonit]

Good point.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

LS uses their own engines...
Massey is using Iseki
I’m leaning toward a Massey myself due to dealer proximity and value in the 2850E model. I’ve heard good things about the Iseki tractors.

 

[Doorman63]

Good morning,

Yes, we do have a Kubota dealer in the vicinity. We spend a couple hours there eyeballing their smaller machines and got a price quote on what appears to meet my neighbor's needs. He has all the paperwork, so I don't recall the model number. It is a tractor under 30 hp with FEL and a hydrostat drive. Nothing luxurious on this one. I believe the dealer described it as a "value" tractor. It was more than Mike can spend on this purchase, so we moved to other brands.

We have LS dealers in the area too and plan on visiting the more established one soon as our schedules permit. I like the MT225HE on the literature. That one has very good FEL capacity and I believe is under the HP requirement for Tier 4 emissions equipment. Anyway, once we have opportunity, we'll check that one out.

And back to the genesis of this post, we have still not visited our local MF dealer either.

The search continues! Fun when I'm not spending MY money...

Carters turf and tractor in Fairfield?
That’s where I bought my L2501

Salem Illinois has a place called ATVs and More. I believe they sell Kioti and Mahindra. Lot was full a couple weeks ago.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Massey Ferguson is an old, old tractor company currently owned by AGCO who invented the three-point hitch. They are an international company that manufactures around the world, and here in Minnesota, too. although originally from the States, they have focused on mid to high horsepower tractors.

Corporate website.

Massey Ferguson - Born to Farm | AGCO Corporation

Experience the Massey Ferguson difference: empowering farmers with essential knowledge and efficient solutions to simplify farming anywhere in the world.

www.agcocorp.com

Six-month-old video with 1.7M views.

 

[WandaH]

I have a Kubota BX and highly recommend it. It's very strong for a compact tractor, easy to operate, and has plenty of attachments to do almost anything a bigger one can do although it has some weight limits. If it's not for big construction, it will do what you need of it. I have had it for over 2 years now and so far, haven't had absolutely any issues with it.

 

[BOB_UK]

Massey Ferguson is an old, old tractor company currently owned by AGCO who invented the three-point hitch. They are an international company that manufactures around the world, and here in Minnesota, too. although originally from the States, they have focused on mid to high horsepower tractors.

Corporate website.

Massey Ferguson - Born to Farm | AGCO Corporation

Experience the Massey Ferguson difference: empowering farmers with essential knowledge and efficient solutions to simplify farming anywhere in the world.

www.agcocorp.com

Six-month-old video with 1.7M views.

This is the early history of Massey Ferguson

Ferguson History​

The Ferguson tractor was part of a comprehensive farming system, including a full range of implements, equipment and accessories that were designed to meet the farmer’s every need. The system was the brainchild of Ulsterman, Harry Ferguson, and under his guidance it evolved into a complete plan for farm mechanisation. At the heart of the plan was the Ferguson System of hydraulic lift, automatic depth control and three-point linkage. Harry Ferguson’s first tractor, the Type A (Ferguson-Brown), was manufactured for him by David Brown at its Park Works factory in Huddersfield from 1936-39. Early models had a Coventry Climax Type E engine, but later tractors were fitted with DB’s own power unit, which was similar but with minor design differences. After splitting with David Brown, Ferguson moved to the USA to build tractors with Henry Ford. The Ford-Ferguson, more properly known as the ‘Ford Tractor with Ferguson System’, was launched in 1939. The first version, the Ford 9N (‘N’ being Ford’s tractor designation and ‘9’ signifying its year of introduction), remained in production until 1942 when it was replaced by the 2N with minor changes to address wartime material shortages. Ferguson’s arrangement with Ford ended in an even more acrimonious split in 1946. The fallout from this was the famous legal battle in which Ferguson sued Ford for patent infringement over the subsequent 8N tractor and was eventually awarded an out-of-court settlement of $9.25 million. After returning to England, Ferguson entered into a manufacturing agreement with the Standard Motor Company to build his tractor at Banner Lane in Coventry. The tractor, designated TE-20 (Tractor England 20hp) had similar dimensions and layout to the American Ford-Ferguson models. As Standard’s engine was not yet ready for production, an American Continental Z120 power unit was temporarily adopted for production to begin on 6 July 1946. Priced at £343, the TE-20 was an enormous success. It was the tractor that finally ousted the horse on smaller farms while on marginal land the TE-20’s inherent stability on hillsides made it an indispensable tool. The Standard Motor Company’s own petrol engine came online during 1948. Tractors fitted with the Standard engine, which had similar dimensions to the Continental unit, were designated TE-A20. A petrol/TVO version, the TE-D20, arrived the following year with the diesel TE-F20 model introduced in 1951. Narrow and vineyard versions of the agricultural tractors were also produced, as was a lamp oil model for burning low octane distillates in countries where TVO wasn’t available. Industrial and semi-industrial variants of the TE-20 series tractors were very popular with building trades and municipal corporations. Councils and local authorities found the economical Ferguson tractor the ideal machine for general transport, refuse collection, mowing roadsides and maintaining parks and playing fields. Meanwhile, Ferguson tractors were being manufactured at satellite plants in France, the USA and elsewhere. The American range, built in Detroit, included the TO-20, TO-30, TO-35 and TO-40 models. In 1953, Harry Ferguson sold his tractor business to the Canadian Massey-Harris Company. The two companies were merged into Massey-Harris-Ferguson, which came into being on 30 January 1954. The last of the TE-20 series was built at Banner Lane in October 1957 following the launch of its replacement √ the Ferguson FE-35. Finished in a distinctive grey and bronze livery, the FE-35 inherited the TE-20’s DNA, but incorporated a number of new and more modern features including a six-speed gearbox, two-speed and ‘live’ power take-off, and a more sensitive hydraulic system controlled by two quadrants. Engines were again sourced from the Standard Motor Company with petrol, TVO, lamp oil and diesel versions offered. Eventually, the logistics of running two separate ranges (Massey-Harris and Ferguson) began to put a financial burden on the company, so the decision was taken to rationalise the product lines into one corporate identity. In December 1957, the board of Massey-Harris Ferguson Ltd sanctioned the renaming of the company as Massey Ferguson. The same month, the FE-35 was re-launched at the Smithfield Show as the MF 35 tractor in the new corporate red and grey livery. It was joined by the new Massey Ferguson 65 model fitted with a 50hp Perkins A4.192 diesel engine. In January 1959, MF acquired F Perkins Ltd of Peterborough for almost £4.5 million. As a result of this, Massey Ferguson reintroduced the MF 35 with a 40hp Perkins A3.152 diesel engine at that year’s Smithfield Show. In November 1960, it was the Massey Ferguson 65 tractor’s turn for a revamp. The MF 65 Mark ll offered minor styling changes and the differential lock, previously optional, was now standard. From May 1962, the MF 35 was offered with optional differential lock and PAVT rear wheels. Massey Ferguson also introduced its new Multi-Power transmission as an option on the MF 65. This turned the 6 x 2 gearbox (six forward and two reverse) into a 12 x 4 transmission with the change between ratios in each gear being made by the flick of a switch. December 1962 saw the launch of the MF 35X model, which had an up-rated version of the A3.152 diesel engine, delivering 44.5hp, and the option of Multi-Power. Production of the MF 35 and 65 models at Banner Lane eventually peaked at 375 tractors per day. But greater things were to come with the arrival of the 100 Series ‘Red Giants’ at the end of 1964. The 100 Series, which included the MF 130 from Beauvais in France and the 135, 165 and 175 models from Banner Lane, was shipped to 140 different countries. This new range inherited the MF 35 and 65’s lineage, but was part of an entirely more modern era of tractors. The 100 Series, which remained in production with various upgrades and model changes until 1976, was a huge success. On some days, as many as 16 tractors an hour were rolling off the assembly line at the Coventry factory

 

[redman135]

Hello Southerniltractor, A trap to be aware of in loader capacity is WHERE the capasity measure is made. If the measure point is at the bucket pins, this gives an artificially high capacity. Measuring from approx 500mm/ 20" in front of the bucket pins gives a lower but (real world) accurate lift capacity.

 

[WilliamBos]

LS uses their own engines...
Massey is using Iseki
I’m leaning toward a Massey myself due to dealer proximity and value in the 2850E model. I’ve heard good things about the Iseki tractors.

You wont regret that purchase - awesome tractor.