5600 Ford-Good or Bad?

[Jason In IL]

I am looking at a 5600 diesel with a Ford loader on it. It has low hours. Just wondering how good or bad of tractor they are? Thanks for any input.

 

[souNdguy]

5000 series tractors are real work horses.. 5600, 5610, II and S models.

good for say a 10' mower too.

what ya got in mind?

soundguy

 

[RickB]

Great tractor with limited hydraulic flow for a loader application if it relies on the rear axle mounted hyd pump.

 

[jbp]

Been farming for almost 50 years and a 5600 was the best, most trouble free tractor I ever owned. Like a durned fool I traded it off after 16 years of use. Been kicking myself ever since, but new tractor fever is a serious disease to overcome.
Joe

 

[Jason In IL]

I am just looking to replace another loader tractor I don't like. Will use it mainly to load round bales of hay and I have a 9 ft sickle bar mower we use to trim back the creek banks. Might use it on a 7 ft shredder also. I was just curios about the hydraulic system. What kind of pressure do they normally have? The loader is hooked into the regular remotes operated by the 2 levers under the seat.

 

[souNdguy]

2250-2500 is pretty much standard ag psi range...

am guessing about 7gpm on that machine.. what are you using now?

soundguy

 

[Bern]

GPM on that pump is closer to 10, but that's at rated engine speed of I believe 2100 RPM. Pretty slow for most loaders.

 

[Fordfarmer]

While not as fast as a newer series or front-pump loader, you'll do OK with that set up. I have a 4600 that I load bales with. A 5600 would be a little better - more weight and h.p., longer wheelbase. That would be a hard tractor to beat in it's size class.

 

[Brian in MA]

Great tractor. It's my favorite. I have a 5600, 4600 and 4000 (along with other older red gas toys) and whenever possible I use the 5600. Mine too has the loader run from tractor hydraulics and it's very slow compared with the 4000 I have with a stinger pump on the front, but there is plenty of power with the arrangement on the 5600 and it is a very stable tractor for loader work given the weight and wheel base as Fordfarmer indicates below.

 

[Jason In IL]

I have a 1755 Oliver gasser. I did have a 1655 diesel and for some reason thought this tractor would be better. I miss the 1655, it was smaller and I could get into our smaller sheds with it. The 1755 is just too tall and the 1655 was more fuel effficient. That is one reason why I am looking at this 5600. It being smaller I can get into our smaller sheds with it. We used to have some Fords when I was a kid. We had two 9600's and a 7000, all were good tractors.

 

[Fordfarmer]

If you had a 7000, a 5600 should be very familiar to you. Same transmission options, both 4-cylinders, (7000 is 256 c.i. turbo, 5600 is 233 c.i. or 256 c.i., depending on the year)...essentially the same physical size, except the 5600 would have smaller tires.

 

[Shetland Sheepdog]

I agree with what the others have said! It will make you an excellent tractor! While the loader may be a little slow, it will get the job done. If the loader's main job is going to be handling round bales, slow is not necessarily bad! My brother has a 5000 with a 772 loader operated with the 2 spool "quik-drop" valve under the seat. It is slow, but we get along just fine with it.
JMHO, HTH, Dave

 

[Jason In IL]

Thanks for all the input. We are working on a trade with the dealer. I think it should be a good tractor, only has 1500 hrs on it. A small town bought it new and didn't use it much.