Tillage tractor recommendations

[ed12345]

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

 

[Destroked 450]

What kind of start up? Transplanter sounds like produce, corn planter can be field corn or sweet corn
966 is over kill for a 3 bottom plow and 8 ft wheel disc, I pull those with a much smaller 4000 Ford, just worked up 10 acres for hay pulling a 12 ft Oliver disc with my 6600 Ford
Tractor data shows 966 and 686 to have the same operating speeds

 

[NY 986]

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

 

[a49deere]

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

Why is the "start-up farm" not asking this question??

 

[Vito]

Ford 5000.

Vito

 

[flying belgian]

Why is the "start-up farm" not asking this question??

I believe he is "asking for a friend"

 

[ed12345]

What kind of start up? Transplanter sounds like produce, corn planter can be field corn or sweet corn
966 is over kill for a 3 bottom plow and 8 ft wheel disc, I pull those with a much smaller 4000 Ford, just worked up 10 acres for hay pulling a 12 ft Oliver disc with my 6600 Ford
Tractor data shows 966 and 686 to have the same operating speeds

Yea I see they list them as the same speed but it’s wrong. Owned both and the 966 is definitely much slower at idle. 686 is too fast for transplanting cabbage

 

[Big massey]

I'm a massey guy but a IH 684 is hard to beat for that system.

 

[farmersamm]

Tillage tractor is sort of an open question. It ALL depends on the ground(shrug)

 

[Ray,IN]

I get a kick out of tractor size questions. When Harry Ferguson began marketing the TO 20/ TEA 20 it was the appropriate size to farm 80 acres. Now the talk is 80-100 HP is needed.

 

[Absent Minded Farmer]

I get a kick out of tractor size questions. When Harry Ferguson began marketing the TO 20/ TEA 20 it was the appropriate size to farm 80 acres. Now the talk is 80-100 HP is needed.

And every last comfort for a Cadillac.

Mike

 

[ss55]

I get a kick out of tractor size questions. When Harry Ferguson began marketing the TO 20/ TEA 20 it was the appropriate size to farm 80 acres. Now the talk is 80-100 HP is needed.

Seventy years ago farming 80 to 240 acres could be a full time job, so 2000 plus hours per year of labor were available. Today that is a weekend/evenings side hustle or hobby while holding a full time job off-farm, only a low few hundred hours of labor are available to do the same work now.

 

[Jim.ME]

Soil conditions? Number of acres in production? What crops are planned?

 

[Princeton Bill]

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.