Oliver 77 VS Farmall MD

[Doug N]

I was at my old man's today and was doing some plowing with the MD and the Oliver 3 bottom plow. I decided to hook the 77 to it since it hasn't been worked in a few years. Well it went about 10 feet after I triped the plow, and just started spinning it's wheels. I was braking to keep wheels even, but it didn't help.

The MD has NO wheel weights, and NO fluid in tires. The 77 has 2 wheel weights on each back wheel, and no fluid.

Now I know tractor data is not the best for information. That's why I'm asking you guys. Both tractors are very close in HP. But what do they weigh?

According to tractor data the MD is 4858 LBS, and the 77 is 4700 LBS. Like I said, I know tractor data is off on alot of info. But why would the MD plow all day without spinning, and the 77 just dig the tires in the ground. Is there that much weight difference? Thanks, Doug N

 

[Doug N]

The 77's tires aren't that bad. The left one is much worse than the right one.

 

[Donnie Baker]

Looks like you have pressed steel wheels from a Cockshutt on the rear so even with the wheel weights you are probably looking at 4000 lbs. worth of tractor an 88 Oliver is a much closer match to an MD

 

[Donnie Baker]

PS, I'd say your MD is closer to 5800 lbs. I gotta go

 

[Doug N]

Really? 5800 lbs? I beleive it, cause like I said, the MD doesn't want to spin and just takes that plow and goes. I just can't beleive the difference.

Guess I'll just have to make a weight rack for on the axle of the 77 and hang our JD suitcase weights on it. We have 6 @ 100 lbs each. Doug N

 

[Billpa]

Donnie You have very good eyes the wheels and centers are off of a Shappard diesel

 

[georgeky]

Cause it's red. Just kidding. My straight M weighs a shade less than 4900, so I would assume the diesel will be at least 200 heavier than that. I don't think it will be 1000 pounds difference. I pull 3 X 14's with my M, but have to put weights on the back most the time. Check the air pressure on the Oliver. Try them at 8 pounds and see what it does.

 

[Tom43]

The Farmall M was the standard by which other tractors were measured. In their day they had no equal.

 

[Doug N]

I'll give that a try tommorrow.

"Cause it's red" Yeah, tell me about it. I plowed darn near all day with the MD. It was nice, but I'll tell you, that Oliver is a comfortable tractor. Smooth, powerful, quiet, just seems like it glides across the field. Doug N

 

[John S-B]

I think the M has more weight on the rear than the oliver. Looks like there's more steel in the tranny.

 

[Hugh MacKay]

Doug: To start with the MD has a lot more rubber on the ground, and in a field situation that may work out the same as 1,000# advantage. I can't see the sizes on those tires however the MD tires look a good 3 to 4 inches wider than the Oliver.

I plowed for a number of years with 560D and No. 60, 4x16 plow. I bought a neighbors farm with equipment and he plowed with 656D and No.60, 4x16 plow. Both those tractors at that time had 15.5x38 tires and the No.60 plows were a load from a traction point of view. Both tractors at that time had tires loaded, and ocasionally those No.60 plows were to much load. Later I put 16.9x38 on both tractors did away with calcium chloride. Still later I bought a No. 510, 5x16 semi-mounted plow thinking I'd use it behind my 1066. I once hooked 656D to that plow, never plowed with 1066 again. The 656D handled that plow so well, I never went back to plowing with 1066.

Rubber my friend, give the Oliver same weight and rubber, it will pull the plow about the same as MD.

 

[kyplowboy]

Hey Donnie, Randy said you need to get back to work.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Them rear weights look like they are off DC Case. Maybe thats the prob. Case never got along with Oliver.

 

[HAPPY DEERE]

just put buckshot in your pockets and youll be ok but the only problem i know of is the oliver has 4 cylinders extra as the md only has two extra cylinders so the closer you can get to two cylinders the better off you are

 

[RAB]

Even though one might think a trailed plough is a trailed plough is a trailed plough....... you may find that you can not just yock it up and go. The drawbar height may have a significant difference, for instance. The inside bottom might be taking too much of a bite. The plough might be pulling to one side. The tractor tyres may not have the correct pressure, tread or be of a different type.
One should set them up properly to compare, as 3 metres is not really a fair comparison if all those differences happen to be against one tractor or the other. Some analysis of why the tractor dug in might have been enough to demonstrate that a post on the board was not necessary and simple conclusions are often flawed.
It is crazy, in my opinion, to draw any conclusions with a 'test' like that
RAB

 

[Doug N]

LOL, yeah, there ya go. Doug N

 

[Doug N]

If this post wasn't needed then why did you waste your time and reply. Plow is adjusted and running straight. Not everyone knows as much as you THINK you do, that's why people post on here to learn. Doug N

 

[Anonymous-0]

I remember back in the mid-50's when my uncle was looking for a second tractor. It had to be able to pull that big heavy Fox chopperover the hills around here. Didn't need to pull a wagon as the chopper blew the corn into the trucks travelling along beside. He tried out an Olver 77 and a Massey Harris 44. He went with the 44 because he said that the Oliver just didn't have the traction needed.

 

[RAB]

To draw attention to the potential unfairness of the 'test' so that others, who might otherwise be impressed by your findings, are made aware of its shortcomings.