MF 150 vs IH 444

[Massey_165]

I have an IH 444 gas, a buddy has a MF 150 gas for sell for $1,500, booth have power steering. Which tractor would make a better loader tractor? I have a MF 135 diesel with a loader but no PS, and seems to lack power.

 

[harhal]

I WOULD BUY THE 150 AND THE LOADER ON 135 WILL SWITCH .

 

[Absent Minded Farmer]

I have an IH 444 gas, a buddy has a MF 150 gas for sell for $1,500, booth have power steering. Which tractor would make a better loader tractor? I have a MF 135 diesel with a loader but no PS, and seems to lack power.

My diesel 2444 has a tired engine & still has plenty enough beans to get a lot of loader work done. It just can't get out of it's own way on the road. It is also weighed down with a heavy ROPS & trencher too, besides the loader. Power steering is single finger with a bucket load of manure. Great machine that has certainly paid for itself in the few years I've had it.

Mike

 

[Farmall m farmer]

Me I would keep the international but I have no experience with either of them

 

[wh]

You should already have the150 in the barn and started switching the loader from the 135. Then KEEP the 135 for everyday use when you do not need the loader.

 

[jwal10]

The 150 was longer than the 135 being it was a 135 rear with 165 front clip. 7" longer wheelbase, a heavier front axle, more fuel and cooling capacity, better power steering, about 750lbs more weight, and mounting points for mid-mount equipment. Or is that just the row crop models? The 135 and 150 had the same engines. Came in standard, row crop wide front and tricycle front axle. Doesn't the 150 use the same 235 loader as the 165 and the 135 use the 225 loader?

....James

 

[jwal10]

At the time the 150 Massey was the most fuel efficient diesel in the Nebraska test....James

 

[wore out]

At the time the 150 Massey was the most fuel efficient diesel in the Nebraska test....James

https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/...useumlit{/url} IMPRESSIVE numbers, for sure!

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Normally I'm an IH guy but my vote is for the Massey.

Any length issue can be easily overcome with spacer blocks at the rear axle housings if the front mounts don't give you enough wiggle room. Usually the loader will slide back and forth some on the front mounts to account for different length tractors.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Never thought much of the front axles on most of the Masseys I saw around for loaders so I would probably keep the IH and either get the massey as an increase in non loader HP or send the 135 down the road if not needed.

 

[Dieseltech]

Never thought much of the front axles on most of the Masseys I saw around for loaders so I would probably keep the IH and either get the massey as an increase in non loader HP or send the 135 down the road if not needed.

What I'd want for any loader use is a straight front axle instead of the swept back/shorter wheelbase style like the MF 135 and some later IH US built utility models have. At least the two Hydro 84 tractors I have both use a straight front axle, BUT one has VERTICLE mounting bolts and the other has HORIZONTAL axle bolts.

 

[Fritz Maurer]

What I'd want for any loader use is a straight front axle instead of the swept back/shorter wheelbase style like the MF 135 and some later IH US built utility models have. At least the two Hydro 84 tractors I have both use a straight front axle, BUT one has VERTICLE mounting bolts and the other has HORIZONTAL axle bolts.

That never occurred to me before but I think you're right. I most often see the 424s with the swept-back axle having their thrust bearings gone on the spindles when used for loader work. Conversely, the 434 with a straight axle don't seem to fall as much.

 

[Larry986]

What I'd want for any loader use is a straight front axle instead of the swept back/shorter wheelbase style like the MF 135 and some later IH US built utility models have. At least the two Hydro 84 tractors I have both use a straight front axle, BUT one has VERTICLE mounting bolts and the other has HORIZONTAL axle bolts.

For those who may not know, the axles with vertical bolts are lighter duty and the ones with horizontal bolts are heavy duty.

 

[JimB2]

What I'd want for any loader use is a straight front axle instead of the swept back/shorter wheelbase style like the MF 135 and some later IH US built utility models have. At least the two Hydro 84 tractors I have both use a straight front axle, BUT one has VERTICLE mounting bolts and the other has HORIZONTAL axle bolts.

@Dieseltech , yes those IH 54/74/84/85/95/32XX/42XX with the Vertical front axle mounting bolts were a PITA to keep tight with a loader on the tractor, some farmers fixed that by welding the two sections of the front axle together as they never adjusted the width anyways. I remember when I was young my Dad had a Farmall SC for cultivating 36" row corn, every spring after the crop was planted it was change the wide front end to narrow front end and slide the rear wheels out on the axle and then in the fall it was the reverse as the narrow front end was not good going through snow.

RE MF 150 vs IH 444, I would take the 444 as the 444s delivered here in Canada had the dual hydraulic pumps, one for 3PT and one for PS giving them better hydraulic flow than MF. The 444 crate units to Louisville, KY, USA only had one hydraulic pump with a splitter for PS flow so I cannot comment on their hydraulic flow. The only plus for the MF 150 is the OP already has a loader on the MF 135 that should also fit the MF 150.

 

[Dieseltech]

@Dieseltech , yes those IH 54/74/84/85/95/32XX/42XX with the Vertical front axle mounting bolts were a PITA to keep tight with a loader on the tractor, some farmers fixed that by welding the two sections of the front axle together as they never adjusted the width anyways. I remember when I was young my Dad had a Farmall SC for cultivating 36" row corn, every spring after the crop was planted it was change the wide front end to narrow front end and slide the rear wheels out on the axle and then in the fall it was the reverse as the narrow front end was not good going through snow.

RE MF 150 vs IH 444, I would take the 444 as the 444s delivered here in Canada had the dual hydraulic pumps, one for 3PT and one for PS giving them better hydraulic flow than MF. The 444 crate units to Louisville, KY, USA only had one hydraulic pump with a splitter for PS flow so I cannot comment on their hydraulic flow. The only plus for the MF 150 is the OP already has a loader on the MF 135 that should also fit the MF 150.

SOME late MF models had three pumps, a separate PS pump, and in the rear a three point pump, and a two stage auxiliary pump for the MP/PTO clutches and one or two stage auxiliary valve. All depends how tractor is equipped whether it's a good choice for loader use.

 

[tractornate]

I have an IH 444 gas, a buddy has a MF 150 gas for sell for $1,500, booth have power steering. Which tractor would make a better loader tractor? I have a MF 135 diesel with a loader but no PS, and seems to lack power.

I’d buy the MF 150. But…. I’ve always wanted one! And I already have a loader tractor so I don’t know how they would for a loader

 

[jwal10]

The 150 would be a better loader tractor, longer wheelbase and the heavier 165 front axle. I have several IH utility tractors and I would want the straight axle for a loader. I use the industrial 2400 straight axle on 454 IHC's with a loader. I like the 2400 tractors better because they have more hyd's and are heavier built than the 454/464. I have light loaders on 2 IHC 300 utilities with the swept back front axles. They ride pretty rough. For a loader tractor, I would start with an industrial tractor with the purpose built loader. Loader is built for the tractor and is properly set up. If you need PTO, make sure it has one. Same with 3pt....James

 

[dhermesc]

I have an IH 444 gas, a buddy has a MF 150 gas for sell for $1,500, booth have power steering. Which tractor would make a better loader tractor? I have a MF 135 diesel with a loader but no PS, and seems to lack power.

An MF 150 in decent condition for $1500 is a steal. I am surprised you are even bothering to post the question here before buying it.

 

[Massey_165]

An MF 150 in decent condition for $1500 is a steal. I am surprised you are even bothering to post the question here before buying it.

It is in good condition but the pto is slipping. He is wanting to sell a Belarus 505 with it together, $3,000 for both, won’t sell just the massy, I may just end up getting both though.