544 International questions

[JimmyDean]

Hope everyone had a safe harvest ! Checking into a 544 gas tractor, wonder what the pros and cons are on this little guy, owner says it shifts good and has working TA, there s an International loader on it and looks to have good rubber all the way a around, do they have a good hydraulic system are they similar to a 574 ? Thanks !

 

[caterpillar guy]

I think the 544 is a model or 2 older than the 574. As for hydraulics. I never thought IHC made big enough pump volumes for any of their tractors. Puny little 12 gallon per minute pump then steal 3 gallon to use for steering and trans lube. Should have been more like 30 GPM then if you stole 5 or 10 gallon for the other uses it would still have some volume for lifting with. the pressure should have been higher also. More like the 574 at 2500PSI. I guess I got spoiled with 50 GPM and 2000 PSI on the old Cat traxcavator. Would make a plow jump out of the ground if not careful.

 

[Mrfred54]

They are nice tractors. We used to have one with a loader on it. Dad bought it new.
They actually have two hyd. pumps, one for steering and one for hitch and hyd.
outlets. When steering is satisfied then that return oil joins with the rest of
hyds.to increase flow for the outlets. The C200 engine is very gutsy. Very good
tractor, just a smaller version of the 656

 

[JIM MN]

Good older tractor; dependable; was trouble free. Had a utility, gas, hydro, with a dunham-lehr 22 loader.. Ran for many years with no engine or transmission problems.. Always started good summer and winter.. Do your yearly maintenance, and it will give you good service...

 

[farmallsandcoops]

Utility or row crop? We have a utility, 1968 model which makes it have a unique manifold that is NLA. Exhaust exit it off the front of 1st cyl but only ones
available now are exhaust coming off between 2 and 3 cyl. Have a 69 sales catalog and the manifold shift was in place by 69 model year. Exhaust and air
cleaner inlet on ours are pretty much in line, but not on the 69 and beyond. The utility is a handy little tractor. Can handle large round bales with three
point. Our has an IH loader on it. Replaced the front spindles and steering arms and now it steers where and when you steer it! Also scoots right down the
road in 5th.

 

[BonaparteSouth]

have a farmall 544 with c200. bought it with bad engine, lower end is NO GOOD due to balancer ring gear came loose on crank to run counter-
balancer. that can be a PROBLEM. installing D239 in its place. rest of tractor is pretty much a 656-666 tractor. not your best choice for a
loader tractor due to 1 rev gear that is slow