Good morning, I have a 7700 with around 9000 hours on probably just the rear end basically. The motor, dual power and hyd pump have been gone thru or replaced in last 500 hrs. The motor is new ts110 motor, dual power was rebuilt and revealed. The ford has 16.9 38 that need replacing. Cab is fair. Runs good and everything works. My other tractor is a white 2-85 with a just installed 2-105 motor. The white 18.4 38 good tread. Runs and moves good. No cab all I do is hay so cab is no big deal white has 4900 hrs.. I can't keep both. They about have the same hp now . The over under is nice. I just do hay so there's no tillage work.the white has more comfortable features than the ford. Over under and tilt. Just looking for other people thoughts. Remember the ford has the newer motor and it pulls like a 120hp tractor. Thanks.
I don't think you can go wrong with either. I'd be the odd one out and keep the Ford, but I recognize most of my bias is personal preference, because I grew up with and love that series of Ford and hate out 105. Someone asked about the pros/cons of a 2-85 a while ago on here, and here was my (rather lengthy) response. Much of it won't apply to you or you'll already know:
I have a 2-105, which is really just a 2-85 with a turbo. Before I give my thoughts, I'll make these points:
i) Most folks absolutely love these tractors; you'll get loads of responses from people who use these as their primary work-horses.
ii) I have loads of seat time on older Olivers, but my only experience with Whites and Olivers built after the merger is limited to our 105, helping a neighbour fix his two 2-85's and some time on an Uncle's 1855. So my opinion doesn't count for much.
iii) I absolutely HATE the 2-105. But about 95% of my complaints are entirely personal preference, so don't judge based off what I say, and I'm aware I'm going to catch heck from what I write hereafter:
My biggest bone of contention with these tractors is the hydraulic pumps. These tractors used a Vickers PVE closed-centre pump, which should have only been used on industrial, stationary HPU's with completely closed circuits and excellent filtration systems. They did NOT belong on tractors operating in Ag environments and subject to occasional dirt, dust, and cross-contamination when implements were swapped between tractors. There are loads of these pumps still operating just fine, especially when owned by folks who've had them for decades and have thus been able to maintain their hydraulic system properly. Unfortunately if (like me) you buy it used, you have no idea what kind of goofballery has been done before, and if the fluid/filters have ever been changed, or whether the PO has taken care to keep all dust/dirt out of the system. The pumps can wear out, bypass, and essentially render the tractor useless because so much depends on good and consistent hydraulic pressure. Thankfully a lot of the time the problem isn't the pump, but a tiny bit of dirt in the compensator or priority valve, which can be cleaned up and put back into service. But the pumps do wear out unless the system is meticulously maintained. Search these (and other) forums for 2-85 and 2-105 hydraulic pump issues and you'll find oodles and oodles of threads where people have had the pumps go, and the cost of a new pump (if you can find one) is more than it's worth to repair the tractor. If yours has a good, working hydraulic system and you take exceptional care with it you'll probably be ok. And if you can turn down the compensator a little to have the pump de-stroke at a lower pressure, you'll also add some longevity. I have ours set to about 1300 PSI, which is about as low as I can have it to operate my JD 435 baler. Just be sure to check it: Let it run for at least 10 minutes, listen to the pump and feel for excess heat. I'd say that all hydraulic pumps on the 85'/105's are ticking time-bombs. But if you're lucky ad take good care, they tick very slowly.
The cab is another thing I hate about ours, but I've deleted my former rant about it because you don't have one.
I've spent lots of time on the two-digit and three-digit Olivers and have gotten to love the H-pattern transmission. On the White, however, I've grown to hate it. It feels like some engineers took the wonderful Oliver pedigree and butchered it. The stroke of the shifter, ease of shifting, and buttery feel of the old Olivers is all gone. It wouldn't be an issue on flat-land farming, but up in the rough and steep hills of the Canadian shield, you end up having to shift on-the-go occasionally. Try as you might, there will always be some time you'll be pulling a hefty load and have gauged your gearing a little wrong, and want to shift. Bringing ten tons of tractor and implement to a halt on our steep hills is something of a no-no. Put me in any indestructible Ford or IH, or even my old Allis, and within a few hours I can double clutch and rev match to shift at speed without any grinding. You can't on the White, especially if you have to cross the centre neutral. Very irksome when going from 5th to 6th on the road. A lot of this is mitigated with the three-speed over/under, but in some steep hills that's not enough.
Speaking of the over-under: The Whites have one of the most robust systems I'm told they very rarely cause any issue. So I can't complain about them too much. The only think I dont like is that they freewheel in low range. Knowing how they work I understand why they do this, but it's a little irksome for us. Once again: On flat land it wouldnt be an issue, but on our hills, it means you can't really ever use low range: Going down an exceptionally steep hills in low range means you'll be taken for quite the ride, unless you want to ride the brakes constantly. But even if you wanted to ride the brakes, you can't: I'm really splitting hairs here, but the brakes on our 105 are almost 'too good'. Even the slightest bit of foot pressure causes both wheels to lock up. Until driving the White I would have thought your brakes can never be 'too good', but on the 105 it makes creeping or inching a pain. I suspect this might be unique to ours, however; I just havent had time to look into.
I don't like the control layout at all. The throttle has a very small throw from low idle to max RPM. You get used to it, but if you're used to other tractors its irksome until you get accustomed to. All the hydraulic and PTO controls being on one side is also a little frustrating; you can't use two hands to do things simultaneously. And you have to be careful with the PTO: Lever forward is engaged, lever in its mid positions is off and freewheeling, and lever all the way back is hydraulically-locked. I've heard you can really do some damage if you leave it in the locked position indefinitely excessive heat/wear in the pump and damage to the seals in the PTO unit.
I will say that the 354 Perkins is superb. Starts up instantly in all weather, uses surprisingly little fuel for a 105 HP tractor, runs smoothly and has lots of torque. The only problems I've had with 354's are not on tractors, but on sawmill power units where the injection pump drive gears get a little worn and have some backlash: they don't idle nicely and start to surge.
Just my thoughts. Now I'll brace myself for the oncoming tide of hatred from the White fans.
