4610 ford information

[Graveyard1984]

I am looking at 4610 ford tractor with
a loader.
Are these good tractors?
Are parts available for them?
Please share the good and bad

Thanks

 

[Bern]

A 4610 is one of the best tractors Ford ever made, unless it's a "SU" model.

 

[RickB]

A 4610 is one of the best 50 horse tractors anyone ever made unless it is an SU model.

 

[Graveyard1984]

How do you know if it is a "su"?



How are the hydraulics will it handle rolls of hay?

 

[woodbutcher]

About twenty years ago, I went looking for a 4610 because I had heard and read comments about them similar to what RickB and Bern are saying. I especially wanted a tractor that would be economical, and the 3-cylinder diesel fits that bill. I bought a 4000 that was dressed up like a 4610, and it turned out to be the best tractor I had ever owned up to that time. But I have since bought a 5610, and I'd have to say the improvements probably made the 4610 a better tractor than the 4000 was.

Butch

 

[woodbutcher]

Mine was not an SU, but I bought both tractors to handle the largest round bales a John Deere baler will make. I never had any problems with the hydraulics until I took the FEL off of the 5610 and capped the two lines that ran into it. I couldn't get the 3-point to lift. Then I realized the system needed a circuit and plumber the lines together, and it has worked great ever since.
Butch

 

[stevob671]

Unless it's been mutted, should say SU on the lower hood sides. Also sits lower to the ground with 24" rear rims. Built on the 3610 frame with a 4610 engine, hence dependability long term doing heavy work will suffer.

 

[Sean in PA]

How do you know if it is a "su"?

An SU model will have two steering arms and pitman rods, one each on each side of the tractor. A regular 4610 will have a single steering arm and rod on the loft side only.

And I'm not sure why the others are badmouthing the SU, other then it is designed for a different workload. I think that it is every bit as good a tractor as the regular 4610 as long as your workload matches what it is deigned for. The SU has a shorter wheelbase and tighter turning radius so it can maneuver in spaces that the regular 4610 cannot while still providing the higher hp of the 4xxx series, but it has a weaker front axle overall that cannot handle things like heavy loader work as well as the regular 4610.

 

[Ultradog MN]

Then there are those of us who don't want the extra height and length of an AP and would be much happier with an SU.

 

[Bern]

A SU tractor essentially has an 8N/3000 front axle with two steering arms coming off of the steering box. It will be "OK" as long as you never put any weight on the front end, like a loader.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I don't know so am asking...
The 4000 and 4600 SUs were built on the heavier platform with 201, IPTO and double reduction rear. They just had the light weight front end from the corresponding 3000, 3600 on them.
I always assumed the 4610 SUs were built the same way with a 36/3910 front end.
Aside from doing loader work why would dependability suffer?
I also thought the SUs came standard with 14.9-28s and 16.9-24s as optional

 

[David G]

What rolls of hay are you planning to move>

If 1800-2000 pound round bales, I think it is a too small.

 

[Fordfarmer]

That is correct - its a 4610 - same 201, IPTO, and double reduction rear end - with 24 or 28 rears, and the lightweight front axle.

 

[Fordfarmer]

Agreed, but since he mentioned a loader, gotta stick with the non-SU version.

 

[Fordfarmer]

My 4600 is basically the same thing, but a series older. I have a Westendorf TA26 loader on it, and handle hundreds of round bales per year... 4x6 or 5x5 dry and wet, wrapped bales up to 4x5. Ballast and counterweight is a must. I have fluid in the rear tires, and usually have a 3-point fork and bale on the back. A 4610 will have more hydraulic flow than my 4600.

 

[Destroked 450]

4610SU is built on the 3910 frame with the larger 201 engine, 3610 is a updated version of the 3000-3600.

4610 AP is a updated 4000-4600, has heavy duty front axle and bolster along with 30" tires and wheels.
I have the older 4000 that I've had nearly 30 years, if I had to go back to one tractor the 4000, 4600, 4610, 4630 chassis would be my choice.

SU is for Special Utility, same engine, trans, rear axle as the AP but has the sweep back front axle and steering of the smaller 3000, 3600, 3610, 3910 tractors along with 28" tires and wheels.
I've had my 4000SU for 11 years, it's smaller size makes it handy for close quarters working in and around our poultry barns while having the pto hp to operate the same equipment as my 4000. It's inboard wet disc brakes are far superior to the drum brakes on smaller models

 

[Bern]

The front axle/steering is THE major weak link on a SU tractor. Everything else is just fine. And, as I've stated before, a SU axle might be just fine if there is no loader on the machine.

 

[sotxbill]

(quoted from post at 09:00:18 12/19/18) What rolls of hay are you planning to move>

If 1800-2000 pound round bales, I think it is a too small.

With the new tighter and heavier bales today, even a 7710 will have problems picking them up when freshly bailed. But you can wait a couple of weeks and then you can pick up the bales easily. SO.. if 5x6' bales, and fresh, a 4610 with a ford loader will not pick them up. I dont know what the new bales are weighing but they keep the safety valve squealing when trying to pick up the bales with my 7710. A week later and all is fine. Bigger lift cyls would help stop this, but would then slow down the loader lift. And by feeding time in the winter, all is fine. We pick up our hay in the field, usually withing 2 to 3 days of it being bailed. We load it there with a 6 cyl tractor and all it well. Get home and totally different story unloading.

As mentioned, su tractors are great tractors but have the lighter 2000/3000 series front end that does not like heavy weight. I replace the front bolster on my 3000 with a 730 loader, twice over 15 years due to wearing the pivot pin mounts out. SU tractors excel in running on sides of hills and are the best for shredding sides of the expressways. The 4000 su had the extra hp but also had the low center of gravity, making it a favorite for highway departments for years and years.. A 4000 su also excels as a replacement for a 3000 on a farm as it has the power to do a lot but is nimble and gets into tight areas well. We had one at the ranch for years and it was the goto tractor for most chores, especially in the brush and trees, posthole digging, road blading, light shredding with an 8 foot shredder, pulling trailers with supplies and fencing materials, etc. Later with the kawasaki mules, lots of small chores got moved over to them.

 

[sunbeam]

Of all the Ford tractors I've owned a 4600 was my favorite mine had 16.9-30 loaded tires and weight worked fine after larger front tires with a loader.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I missed the part about the loader so no argument from me that he doesn't want the girlie SU front end.
I wouldn't mind having a dedicated loader tractor - some day. But something with a 201 would be big enough for my purposes.
This thing would do the job.

 

[David G]

My 6610 gets a little light in the rear with ballast, weights and cast centers on heavy bales.

 

[RickB]

30? rear rubber will pull better than 24? rubber in most conditions. That?s another consideration when deciding between an AP and SU.

 

[Lizer]

I know this is a 5 year old thread, but on the internet things are eternal, and this thread will continue to come up in searches. I wanted to add my two cents (I know this is well past relevant to the OP).

I have a 4610 and it has been such a perfect tractor for me. It has tons of power, has been extremely reliable, and is a simple machine. I use it to farm 40 acres of hay. Mine has a Westendorf TA26 loader on it. I don't worry about power of the loader, my bigger concern is always overloading the front spindles.

Parts are very abundant both from New Holland and the aftermarket, and they're inexpensive too.

I have three main gripes. The first is that the hydraulics for a loader are sllllloooooowwww! Very low hydraulic pump flow rate. This is frustrating when you have to do loader work.

The second grip is the control layout. If you need to engage the PTO, engage the hydraulics, or use the 3 point arm you're going to be leaning forward and over. That's not a huge gripe and I'm used to it.

The third is the speeds. There are 8 forward gears, but no fast field gears. 6th gear is about 6 mph and that's about the fastest field gear. 7th gear is 12 mph and I don't use that for anything, and 8th gear is road gear at 16 mph. I wish it had a slightly faster field gear for raking and tedding hay. Reverse gear in low range is painfully slow, and reverse gear in high range is almost painfully fast, so you get used to the foot throttle real quick.

All that being said I would absolutely buy a second 4610, or even 5610, 6610, or 7610. It's reliability, power, and simplicity makes up for its short comings. Here's a review I did on my 4610.
Ford 4610 Review: A great haying and small farm tractor