MF 1085 opinions

[matt illinois]

There is a 1975 1085 close by me with less than 4000 hrs. What is pros and cons on this tractor and would it make a good haying tractor?

 

[Welding man]

Don't hear too much good about them in my neck of the woods. Old 318 is bad about popping head gaskets between cylinders.

 

[grs0820]

welding man is correct, Even though it is a perkins engine, one of the best engine manufactures in the world, they were built to MF spec"s and they didn"t put enough head bolts (studs) many updates, different nuts , studs, torques but you can"t fix stupid..or junk...

 

[Anonymous-0]

Our experience with 1085's is very positive. No engine problems, lots of balanced power and weight. We have had one for several years and as a result of our good experience, we also have an 1135 that is used daily.

 

[Don-Wi]

We've got a 78 285, which is the utility version (same engine, trans, etc..., just shorter.

It's been a great tractor and it ran for over 6000 hours before Dad had an inframe done on it. Still running the original clutch and it's now well over 7000, although the tach's been replaced so I don't know exactly how many hours are on it. We use ours as almost our exclusive haying tractor. I'll rake once in a while with another tractor, or if we need the 285 for another job or it's down (not too often, even for a 35 year old tractor) we can cut/bale with something else.

We also use it for hauling wagons while chopping. Enough power to get an 18' loaded chopper box moving (22,000 lbs or so) and has enough weight to control it and stop.

We've never had the head gasket issue with ours. It does however need some injector work at some point.

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[Roy in UK]

Both The 1080 and the 595 Mk1 used the same engine, Perkins 318 and as others have said, they were notorious for blowing head gaskets or worse. I even know of 1 595 owner who had an engine blow up at 2000 hours and MF replaced his engine F.O.C! I seem to remember they had sorted the engine problems out by the time the 595 Mk.2 came out but even then, the replacement model, the 698 was not in production long, MF ditched the engine and replaced it with a 236 Turbo in the 698T

 

[jogl]

Our 285 has lasted pretty well. It is at 6000 hrs., no engine work (knock on wood). Put a clutch in. The jobs that we use it for are all hard working, no idling around with a cultivator for that tractor.

We like the transmission, steering is good, the hydraulics and 3ph are good, and the 318 has good low rev torque.

JP.

 

[JWalker]

Run from that tractor. Do not walk. I had one and it was the worst pile of junk I ever owned. I replaced 2 hydro pumps, a ring gear a head and two head gaskets.

 

[BigMarv1085]

I have had one for over 25 years. It has pulled balers,4 bottom plow, 14 foot disc. I have replaced the head gasket and bolts once. I had to replace the hyd pump and pto clutches a few years ago. I have had a problem for awhile with hyd slow at start up and still have never figured that one out.