Thinking about purchasing a loader tractor

[Shetland Sheepdog]

My wish list would go something like this:
1970 -1990 vintage Light industrial or similar
201 engine
Planetary rear end
3 pt hitch
at least 1 remote
industrial loader
solid front axle
8/2 or 6/4 transmission
independent PTO
a 515 comes to mind!

 

[Ultradog MN]

My friend Kenny bought a loader last weekend and the seller used a 545D to load it onto the trailer.
Man that was a great tractor!
About the same as the one in this photo but had a full cab.

 

[Fordfarmer]

I'd add fwa to your wish list, especially if it will
have industrial-type tires.

 

[Shetland Sheepdog]

FWA would be nice, but with my budget, prolly ain't gonna happen!

 

[RodinNS]

Go with the 545 (D if possible). Later ones will have an 8x8 syncro shuttle with a torque... and all other features you seek.

Rod

 

[Billy NY]

545D's C's, an all time favorite, man I was really contemplating one 2 years ago, was thinking of selling my 96 mustang cobra conv. was a nice one for sale locally, $10,000, 62 HP, FWA, pto 3 pt orops, cab would be nice, have been wondering how they hold up, and or how the FWA is to work on, beefy industrial, with 62 HP proportionate to the size, sure makes me want one LOL !!!

 

[Shetland Sheepdog]

Hi Rod,
I'm kinda thinking 8/2 or 6/4 Transmission, I don't think I want a Torque Convertor drive! For my use, I could even live with "transmission" PTO, but would want a PTO, so that prolly rules out TC anyways, if I understand correctly.
I'm also limiting myself to a $10,000.00 budget (+/-), which may limit my options such as FWA.
Farm I usta work for has a 515 which is a light industrial with most everything I'm looking for! Maybe I'll ask them if they're ready to trade up! LOL
Dave

 

[RodinNS]

I used a 545D once about 15 years ago to unload a piece of equipment at a customer's farm... and as I recall it had a very low stall torque and an 8 speed with the hydraulic reverser. I know it also had a PTO. I do not know if it was independant or not...
That said... a cab model MFWD 545D is getting to be about in your price range around here.
I suspect you're going to find that unless you go back to a 4500 vintage tractor... they're either going to have an 8x2 crashbox or a TC variant of a 4 speed or the 8 speed syncro. For a loader I would go with the TC model that has a reverser...

Rod

 

[Ecnerwal]

4500 is on the older end of your spectrum (and have usually been used, heavily), has a great loader, marginal power steering, and good luck finding one with PTO (I have one with 3-point, but still no PTO.) The 6/4 manual is one standard tranny. PTO was offered - it's just that I've never seen one in the wild.

I think people have swapped in a 4000 ag back end to get ag gearing and PTO, but it's a lot of work (or looks like it to me.) I don't know if you could get the same result with adding parts to the 4500 rear end, or if there's bits that were not machined to take PTO parts on non-PTO rear ends. I'm pretty sure it's incompatible with the 4 speed power reverse tranny, but you don't want that anyway. Likely the ag rear end is the cheapest/easiest way to get all the parts you'd need to make the conversion...

 

[RodinNS]

Probably too far away for you... but VanOostrum's have a 545 listed on Kijiji Halifax at the moment. Asking 8K. It appears to be early 80's vintage, 8x2, PTO, one remote, loader/bucket/forks. Tires fair... ~4000 some hours. Only a 2WD but I suspect the price to be somewhat negociable as well.... It's also got a Laurin cab... which is somewhat more than a tin can with a windsheild.

Rod

 

[Stevel]

I would look for a 4400, 515, 540A or 540B. You might possibly even find a 260C in that price range, all of which could have independent PTO and definitely would be 201ci, wet disk brakes, power steering and be considered light industrials. I would not rule out a 545(A) though. Many of them had the 8x2 or 6x4 and most 545(A) with manual transmissions I've ever seen had independent PTO. A 540 (not A or B) would also fit your criteria but I'm not a huge fan of it's cast I beam axle with radius rods. Don't fixate on finding a tractor with a remote. That is easily added to any above mentioned units. Keep in mind that anything after about 1981 has hydrostatic power steering which is superior to the earlier set ups in my opinion.

 

[Shetland Sheepdog]

Found an ad for a 2110 (compact, not LCG) While not what I was originally looking for, prolly a good replacement for the Kubota L3410!

 

[Shetland Sheepdog]

Well, back to square one! After reading the posts on a 2110 compact, I pretty much ruled that out! Stopped in to check on the 515 I mentioned earlier, and found out that they traded it off over a year ago! I think that it went to Burkholder Brothers in PA. Oh well, like I said ---