Tillage tractor recommendations

[GermantownGreen]

Oliver 1650 or 1655 with the Over and Under would be a great tractor. For somebody starting up, dealer support should be considered. Although if you have a good mechanic in the area he can get a lot of parts using the internet. Oliver's have some really great online sources, Korves, Maibach, Zimmerman's, etc.

Yes above. Stay away from the 1800, parts getting scarce. We're Oliver fans, but a new user isn't gonna be super crazy about working on an Oliver.
Ford 4000 family.... 4610 etc. get into more modern machines, for parts sake....
Just my thoughts. GG Wes

 

[ed12345]

IH 656 hydro would cover the slow ground speed needed for transplanting and a 3 bottom plow should not be over taxing the transmission.

You couldn’t have a better tractor for harvesting and transplanting. Slow or variable ground speed at a constant pto speed is its speciality.

Had a 826 hydro and it didn’t hold up with tillage.

You also loose close to 30 percent of the drawbar hp.

Oliver 1650 or 1655 with the Over and Under would be a great tractor. For somebody starting up, dealer support should be considered. Although if you have a good mechanic in the area he can get a lot of parts using the internet. Oliver's have some really great online sources, Korves, Maibach, Zimmerman's, etc.

Was thinking a Oliver 165x would be close to a 686 in pulling power and have a slow enough low gear. it might come down to whats available at the time.

 

[EFV]

Never heard that the finger lakes region was the cabbage capital of the US. I'll have to use that one when I'm traveling!!

California is biggest producer of cabbage, 5.6 million CWT(hundred weight) NY produces 3 million
and Minnesota right behind at 2.8 . Florida produces 2.4 million CWT. Northern grown cabbage is
preferred by makers of egg rolls because of crunchy texture.

 

[NY 986]

You couldn’t have a better tractor for harvesting and transplanting. Slow or variable ground speed at a constant pto speed is its speciality.

Had a 826 hydro and it didn’t hold up with tillage.

You also loose close to 30 percent of the drawbar hp.

Was thinking a Oliver 165x would be close to a 686 in pulling power and have a slow enough low gear. it might come down to whats available at the time.

On ground typically used to grow vegetables the pulling load is lighter because the soil is typically lighter. A 656 would usually pull a 4 bottom plow but with a 3 bottom plow the load will be 75 percent of the 4 bottom or 25 percent less which is in line with your 30 percent. My recommendation was made on the implication that the tractor budget was limited and the ability to do certain jobs was mandatory. A 666 Hydro or Hydro 70 would offer more power and more torque (312 CID versus 282 CID in the 656 both being diesel powered) but the budget would rise dramatically. Not sure how slow a 1655 could go. A smaller outside diameter rear wheel(s) would help reduce ground speed.

 

[flying belgian]

Start up small farm down the street is starting up and in need of a general tillage tractor.

I'm thinking a IH 966 as the starting point for a 3 bottom plow, and 8 FT transport disc, and water wheel transplanter, 2 or 4 row corn planter, plastic layer. My first thought was a 686 but its a little fast for transplanting.

Medium-large frame 7,000 lbs+ and 65-110hp 966 is a little big but would work. Others would be a IH 686, Ford 7000, Oliver 1655, Oliver 1800, JD 4020. Looking for a 7,000+ frame and 65+ hp.

Looking for the least expensive tractor and repair cost with the best durability as these will all be higher hour tractors.

Let the color wars start --- Thanks

I think least expensive that would work and slow 1st gear might be a 700 Case. 8 speeds, power steering, live pto and hydraulic. That was our “big” tractor on 260 acre farm for a lot of years. When I moved away Pa added a 4230 JD.

 

[NY 986]

California is biggest producer of cabbage, 5.6 million CWT(hundred weight) NY produces 3 million
and Minnesota right behind at 2.8 . Florida produces 2.4 million CWT. Northern grown cabbage is
preferred by makers of egg rolls because of crunchy texture.

California's production is spread over a much greater area than NY. While NY has several areas noted for cabbage production it is thought that most of it is grown in the Finger Lakes region. Counties include Onondaga, Cayuga, Ontario, Yates, Livingston, and Monroe. Probably some in Wayne County but on a very small scale.

 

[ss55]

Start up small farm down the street is starting up and in need of a general tillage tractor.

I'm thinking a IH 966 as the starting point for a 3 bottom plow, and 8 FT transport disc, and water wheel transplanter, 2 or 4 row corn planter, plastic layer. My first thought was a 686 but its a little fast for transplanting.

Medium-large frame 7,000 lbs+ and 65-110hp 966 is a little big but would work. Others would be a IH 686, Ford 7000, Oliver 1655, Oliver 1800, JD 4020. Looking for a 7,000+ frame and 65+ hp.

Looking for the least expensive tractor and repair cost with the best durability as these will all be higher hour tractors.

Let the color wars start --- Thanks

Might help if you gave us the actual speeds that are needed in Miles Per Hour and if at engine idle or PTO speed.

Utility tractors with 28 or 24 inch rear tires tend to have slow gears, they were designed to give field work speeds with 38 inch tires. Tractor specs are available online from a number of sources. For older tractors look up their Nebraska Tractor Test.

 

[paul]

The difficulty is he asked for a tillage tractor which needs to be beefy, strong, hold up to long hours at high power.

Then he threw in the transplanter, which has entirely different needs.

So now he needs two tractors, or a compromise to make one more rare tractor do both jobs half as good.

Paul

 

[tom upton]

Transplanting cabbage reminded me of when I worked on the cabbage farm next to us back in the late 70,s. They had 2 main tractors at that time a 656 hydro and a 970 Case. I remember taking the 710 JD over to run the transplanter when the 656 was broke down or maybe needed at there other farm in Markam. I dont remember a problem with the 710 being slow enough, in fact I doubt I would have ran 1 and 1, probably either slow 1 and 2 or fast 1 and 2. Ran out of water at the wrong end of the row once and while traveling back for water one of the owners wives was riding the outside seat on the 4 person transplanter. I guess I was going a little fast returning back and it was bouncing her up and down to the point were the tube top she was wearing ended up down around her waist. Best scenery I saw that day! As far as 1 tractor to do everything I am with paul above you need 2 . For pulling transplanter you want something that is geared slow yes, but just as important it needs to be nimble if thats the right word? A smaller framed tractor that turns short, starts and stops smoothly, and is easy on fuel as it does not take any sort of power to pull transplanter.

 

[ss55]

Transplanting cabbage reminded me of when I worked on the cabbage farm next to us back in the late 70,s. They had 2 main tractors at that time a 656 hydro and a 970 Case. I remember taking the 710 JD over to run the transplanter when the 656 was broke down or maybe needed at there other farm in Markam. I dont remember a problem with the 710 being slow enough, in fact I doubt I would have ran 1 and 1, probably either slow 1 and 2 or fast 1 and 2. Ran out of water at the wrong end of the row once and while traveling back for water one of the owners wives was riding the outside seat on the 4 person transplanter. I guess I was going a little fast returning back and it was bouncing her up and down to the point were the tube top she was wearing ended up down around her waist. Best scenery I saw that day! As far as 1 tractor to do everything I am with paul above you need 2 . For pulling transplanter you want something that is geared slow yes, but just as important it needs to be nimble if thats the right word? A smaller framed tractor that turns short, starts and stops smoothly, and is easy on fuel as it does not take any sort of power to pull transplanter.

Acres to till are probably low, under 40?. Would a 50 to 75 HP utility tractor fit both needs? Many are slow enough to run a rototiller at PTO speed, yet can handle a 3 bottom plow and a 10 or 12 foot finishing disk.

 

[Bruce from Can.]

I vote for a Ford, in the 60-70 hp range. 5610-5640 are very good tractors. Personally I would go for a 4wd tractor. I had a 966, and they are a great tractor but built to be put into the field in gear and left in that gear for the next 4 hours while you plough or cultivate or run a forage harvester. Not hand in confined areas and not handy to shift.
I have a 5640 Ford that I bought new in the early 90’s, 12 forward gears, and 12 reverse gears on a reverser (which means you clutch to change direction, not a shuttle)
I traded it off once and bought it back years later, such a handy tractor. And I used to use it on a transplanter.
I included a picture of my 966 chopping corn. The 966 used to pull a 5 bottom plough and a 18’ cultivator

 

[Mrfred54]

I vote for a Ford, in the 60-70 hp range. 5610-5640 are very good tractors. Personally I would go for a 4wd tractor. I had a 966, and they are a great tractor but built to be put into the field in gear and left in that gear for the next 4 hours while you plough or cultivate or run a forage harvester. Not hand in confined areas and not handy to shift.
I have a 5640 Ford that I bought new in the early 90’s, 12 forward gears, and 12 reverse gears on a reverser (which means you clutch to change direction, not a shuttle)
I traded it off once and bought it back years later, such a handy tractor. And I used to use it on a transplanter.
I included a picture of my 966 chopping corn. The 966 used to pull a 5 bottom plough and a 18’ cultivator

Is that 966 a true black stripe? If so bet you still had it, they are bringing crazy money, usually about $3-5000 more than the regular ones.

 

[Bruce from Can.]

Is that 966 a true black stripe? If so bet you still had it, they are bringing crazy money, usually about $3-5000 more than the regular ones.

Yes it is a 1976 Black Stripe. I actually sold it, probably 3 years ago now, to the son of a close friend.
I should mention that the value of all useable tractors, meaning tractors that can still fit into jobs on modern farms, have all increased in value. As the cost of new tractors has gone stratospheric. If you could spend 10-20 Grand on a older 100-125 hp tractor from the late 70’s or early 80’s that can do the very same work as a newer late model tractor , that could cost 150 Grand, it makes the older tractor look like a deal. You can even have a couple of older tractors, and just have one as a back up.
While I like antique tractors, they have become all but useless on a modern farm. No one is going to pull a discmower, or a big round baler with a IH M or a Ford 8N but, a 966 can do both of those jobs with ease, and neither of those implements were even available on the mainstream market when that tractor was new. So I agree, they have still held their value well for a 50 year old tractor

 

[TomBexley]

Sounds like you're trying to make one tractor do two jobs that want almost opposite things. The plow and disc want weight and power, while the cabbage transplanter mostly needs a tractor that can crawl slow enough without riding the clutch. Figure out the actual ground speed you need for planting first and start eliminating tractors that can't get there in low gear. You might even come out cheaper with an old heavy tractor for tillage and a smaller slow tractor for planting rather than hunting for one machine that's perfect at both.

 

[ss55]

Sounds like you're trying to make one tractor do two jobs that want almost opposite things. The plow and disc want weight and power, while the cabbage transplanter mostly needs a tractor that can crawl slow enough without riding the clutch. Figure out the actual ground speed you need for planting first and start eliminating tractors that can't get there in low gear. You might even come out cheaper with an old heavy tractor for tillage and a smaller slow tractor for planting rather than hunting for one machine that's perfect at both.

Agreed. That is why I asked about the acreage involved. The tractor power required to tilling 5 acres is much different than to till 240 or 5000 acres.

 

[cjunrau]

Yes it is a 1976 Black Stripe. I actually sold it, probably 3 years ago now, to the son of a close friend.
I should mention that the value of all useable tractors, meaning tractors that can still fit into jobs on modern farms, have all increased in value. As the cost of new tractors has gone stratospheric. If you could spend 10-20 Grand on a older 100-125 hp tractor from the late 70’s or early 80’s that can do the very same work as a newer late model tractor , that could cost 150 Grand, it makes the older tractor look like a deal. You can even have a couple of older tractors, and just have one as a back up.
While I like antique tractors, they have become all but useless on a modern farm. No one is going to pull a discmower, or a big round baler with a IH M or a Ford 8N but, a 966 can do both of those jobs with ease, and neither of those implements were even available on the mainstream market when that tractor was new. So I agree, they have still held their value well for a 50 year old tractor

And you can over haul the whole thing for $20-30 grand and have an almost new drivetrain that will outlast the computer on the $150,000 tractor. I know a guy that spent 40grand and had a Jd tractor with front assist. I thought it was a 4440 but they didn't come front assist to my knowledge. rebuilt front to back. said that was his last tractor he would ever buy. Figured it would last another 20-25 years and he would be 75 then.