970

[ozarks]

How does everyone feel about a decent looking 970 Diesel with cab--8 speed--4000 hours, and everything works-- Westendorf loader---nothing missing--nothing bent-- needs rear tires soon--

 

[tomturkey]

I think it would LOOK good in your shed. Would not fit in mine, and probably too complicated for me to work on. gobble

 

[Determined]

I have a 970 and a 1070.
970 good workhorse, fairly easy to work on and get parts for.

All depends what you want to use it for.
My 970 powershift makes for a good feeding/loader tractor but I found mine a little lacking on power pulling a baler on hilly fields.

The extra few HP on my 1070 8 speed make a big difference for what I do.

 

[ss55]

Good tractors. The Westendorf loader should be easy to remove and re-attach whenever you like, great when pulling wagons or for field work.

A power shift would be much handier if you use the loader a lot, more reverse speeds to choose from, easier shifting between forward speeds and easier direction changes. Shifting an 8 speed through nearly 45 year old shift cables could be clumsy and get old fast. Test stopping and changing directions from forward to reverse a number of times to see how well it works for you. The slow reverse in low range could be a handicap.

 

[RGMartin]

(quoted from post at 12:32:45 03/24/18) Shifting an 8 speed through nearly 45 year old shift cables could be clumsy and get old fast.

Cables on an 8 speed????

Try solid steel linkage.

Powershifts have a cable.

 

[Adirondack case guy]

As Rich said, 8spds had mechanical shift linkage, 3/8" rods from quadrants to shift levers in tranny cover. I have seen those rods bent from "cowboy operators, and seen the cast aluminum quadrants get loose and sloppy, but there is an adjustment to tighten them, and I have thickened the shift lever where it engages the quadrants so It can not slide between them. Nothing that is more than a simple easy fix.
The 970s were a bit heavy for their HP, but very dependable.
Loren

 

[ozarks]

(quoted from post at 07:02:16 03/25/18) As Rich said, 8spds had mechanical shift linkage, 3/8" rods from quadrants to shift levers in tranny cover. I have seen those rods bent from "cowboy operators, and seen the cast aluminum quadrants get loose and sloppy, but there is an adjustment to tighten them, and I have thickened the shift lever where it engages the quadrants so It can not slide between them. Nothing that is more than a simple easy fix.
The 970s were a bit heavy for their HP, but very dependable.
Loren

Dependable is the key for the guy that is looking at it--It looks well cared for to me and has not been abused--he will mainly brush hog with it and do some loader work--80 acres approx.--

 

[ss55]

I stand corrected that no cables were used on 70 series shifters. I drove a new 1175 and was not impressed with changing directions with the R-1-2-3-4 shifter on the eight speed compared to the 3-2-1-R power shift on the 1070. The clumsy R-1-2-3-4 and 1-2-3-4 shifters always reminded me of shifting a combine, so I incorrectly assumed they were cable shifters.

Again, the buyer should drive the tractor to see is if works for him. IMHO, the eight speed would be fine for occasional loader use, but for daily loader work like feeding silage or loading manure a power shift would be a much better choice.