More on the Case-IH 895

[Texasmark1]

Sometimes sitting on the fence get the privates irritated and you have to do something........ I've been checking around and the 895 is new enough and as the X95 seems to be, very reliable and lots of beef in the components.....the 395 I bought last year is a testament to that and one of the reasons the 895 caught my eye. Another plus is that parts are readily available.

Going to see it tomorrow and probably close the deal but current knowledge is that the power steering hydraulic cylinder needs to be replaced and the AC needs some work. In www searches today I found out that the freon is 134A by design since it's a 1991 thru 94 production product, so that solves a lot of potential issues with the AC. I've located both steering and AC compressor by actual OEM model number, at very reasonable prices and also other AC components, basically all of the system if needed. Since this probably will pull my baler the AC is going to work.

I'm tossing this out for anything anybody has to say about this series of tractors and responses are welcomed.

 

[495man]

Good tractor. If you like your 395, 895 with AC cab will be nice.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

The Doncaster Utility tractors, 1970-2002, from the 574 through the CX series. That's how long that platform was produced.

The only design that CaseIH kept producing virtually unchanged after the merger. Something to be said about that. They just kept putting different hoods on them up until the C/CX series when they repowered them with Perkins engines.

 

[Texasmark]

I went to see it yesterday. It was a total disaster. The answer to the first few questions....like looking in the radiator for proper coolant and finding it empty, was a flat negative. Second question, pulled the dip stick and the oil looked like a black magic marker. Hydraulic oil filter was covered in rust. AC didn't work, seat was torn up big time but couldn't check operating hours because the wiring harness was messed up..... I quit counting, thanked the guy who came over and opened his dealership for me and apologizing for wasting his time. Just another example of needing to see and drive used equipment before you plunk down your money.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

I went to see it yesterday. It was a total disaster. The answer to the first few questions....like looking in the radiator for proper coolant and finding it empty, was a flat negative. Second question, pulled the dip stick and the oil looked like a black magic marker. Hydraulic oil filter was covered in rust. AC didn't work, seat was torn up big time but couldn't check operating hours because the wiring harness was messed up..... I quit counting, thanked the guy who came over and opened his dealership for me and apologizing for wasting his time. Just another example of needing to see and drive used equipment before you plunk down your money.

That sucks, but if anything it's a testament to how tough those tractors are, to put up with that kind of abuse and still be running.

At an auction you probably could pick it up cheap enough to make it worth your while to put some money into it, but no doubt that dealer thinks he has a golden shoebox there and his idea of "aggressive negotiation" is knocking $50 off his asking price.

 

[495man]

I went to see it yesterday. It was a total disaster. The answer to the first few questions....like looking in the radiator for proper coolant and finding it empty, was a flat negative. Second question, pulled the dip stick and the oil looked like a black magic marker. Hydraulic oil filter was covered in rust. AC didn't work, seat was torn up big time but couldn't check operating hours because the wiring harness was messed up..... I quit counting, thanked the guy who came over and opened his dealership for me and apologizing for wasting his time. Just another example of needing to see and drive used equipment before you plunk down your money.

Not what you want at all. Too bad.

 

[Texasmark]

That sucks, but if anything it's a testament to how tough those tractors are, to put up with that kind of abuse and still be running.

At an auction you probably could pick it up cheap enough to make it worth your while to put some money into it, but no doubt that dealer thinks he has a golden shoebox there and his idea of "aggressive negotiation" is knocking $50 off his asking price.

Well the thing that got my attention was the ruggedness of the 395 I acquired last year. Then in trying to get an idea as to what parts would cost to fix some problems, I found that the X95 series had a very large HP range and lots of common components. I was really looking forward to the purchase.

 

[urbancase]

i have both a 584 and a c80, different motors but a lot is still the same. good tractors for making hay and running grain augers and pulling wagons. if the right 895 would cross my path i buy it. i don't think you could go wrong on it good simple tractors.

 

[Texasmark]

Update on the 895:

I bought it after some serious soul searching. Had the guy take the loader off and deliver it for 10k. No idea as to the hours but the rears are original Good Years and have probably 70% tread, few cracks. Fronts are new. So even though the oil was black, not black but black, it apparently didn't have enough wear on the engine to matter....if it were used for heavy plowing, rather than haying, then it would surely have been a different story.

I started with the steering by jacking up the front end and running the steering lock to lock. Problem was that the PO didn't know what a grease gun was, especially on a front end with a loader and it didn't hit the stop in one direction. It took awhile but I got the steering lock to lock up against the stops, took nearly a whole tube of grease and lots of back and forth movement....no problems.

I replaced the alternator, dealer had installed a new battery, added a new analog fuel and temp gauges, fixed the oil pressure light with a new switch, new thermostat, radiator cap, and temp sensor, with HD 50-50 AF. Did the fluid thing. The AC would have been a big expense with an iffy outcome so I just got a couple of 8" 12v fans, installed one on each side of the instrument housing and put a new cover on the seat.

I hooked it to my JD roller and have had it in the field, working with the baler on my spring hay crop. Zero problems, everything works, doesn't burn oil, starts immediately, good on fuel, doesn't overheat and bales the best bales I ever made with that baler....much roomier cab too...more convenient that the one I had before.......I lucked out.