Tractors....which were the All Stars?

[modirt]

Got to thinking about this a while back when I was looking at a tractor to buy for where I'm living now. Each brand has it's own loyal following, but within each brand which were the all stars?

Era I'm thinking of is from early 60's until around 2000 or so, when computers and electronics started showing up. HP range being 50 or 60 on the low end, and perhaps topping out at 90 to 100 at the top.

Other criteria is a general purpose tractor......expected to do it all from row crops to all manner of utility use. If you only got to pick one, which would it be and why?

I grew up on JD, so my short list would include a 3020 or 4020 diesel. Part of my bias comes from running that 3020, which showed up in 1964 and is still on the farm today and still gets used all the time. In it's entire lifetime, it has rarely had anything done to it but general maintenance. And a good straight one that has been taken care of still brings a lot of money, so I guess I'm not alone in my assessment.

Others????

 

[tomstractorsandtoys]

You can't go wrong with a good 3020 or 4020 diesel. I have four of each right now. Tom

 

[NY 986]

IH 806/856 for the HP size you list and that 3020/4020 have already been mentioned.

 

[INCase]

White 2-105, 2-70/Olie 1655

Case 970

 

[JD Seller]

Well I will nominate:
John Deere 4020
IH 806
AC 185
MF 275
Ford 5000
Oliver 1850
White 2-105

These are all good tractors that have stood the test of time. Anyone of them in good condition will do a lot of trouble free work.

 

[modirt]

That 3020 is still one of the best I've been on, but I've not been on that many others. Of the 6 tractors dad owned when he retired, the two he kept were the 3020 and a 4430. Both were bought new and both are still there.

I know as a kid growing up, 50% of what ran in our neck of the woods was JD, about 30% IH, and the rest being farmed by Massey (1), Moline/AC (1), Oliver (1) and Ford (1). All were devoted to their brands.

The one big Oliver guy I've met......family claims to have 100 of them stashed in a barn loves his 1650.

An AC guy I know, if asked to pick between his wife and kids or his AC 190XT would ask for time to think about it.

 

[Al Baker(pumpman)]

JD, what did you like about a AC185 over the 190XT? I have been around both and thought they both were respectable in their own right. Just curious what you think. Al

 

[JD Seller]

Al I really did not like the AC 185 I owned mainly due to the PTO setup. I am just going on what the guys that own them tell me. The AC 185 was much more reliable than the XT 190. The XT190 was pushing the old 301 design towards its limits. So the engines where not long life, 2500-3500 hours seen a lot of them needing overhauled. The XT190 also had clutch and final drive issues in the early series.

I just know the serious AC guys consider the AC 185 to be the jewel of that era.

 

[Philip d]

I second all JD?s picks!

 

[sotxbill]

small to medium.. ford 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, & 7000through 2610,3610,4610,5610,6610,7710 so 28 pto hp to 93 pto hp.. Sold worldwide, with 4 factories and super aftermarket parts availability. Later was 6 factories worldwide, selling 730,000 units a year.

It was the movement to one 265hp-300hp tractor replacing 3 or 4 135hp tractors that changed the world and greatly reduced sales numbers for all.

 

[flying belgian]

I'm going with the 3020-4020. Oliver 1650, Case 870,

 

[modirt]

(quoted from post at 15:18:05 01/02/19)
small to medium.. ford 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, & 7000through 2610,3610,4610,[color=blue:5c8b78ed38]5610[/color:5c8b78ed38],6610,7710 so 28 pto hp to 93 pto hp.. Sold worldwide, with 4 factories and super aftermarket parts availability. Later was 6 factories worldwide, selling 730,000 units a year.

It was the movement to one 265hp-300hp tractor replacing 3 or 4 135hp tractors that changed the world and greatly reduced sales numbers for all.

Hope you are right about the 5610. I'd heard they were one of Ford's best efforts. My search ended when I found a nice one owner, low hours 1991 unit with loader. Reputation, parts and dealer support were some of my reasons why.That plus it was nearly 30 years newer than our old 3020. So far, so good!

I also notice most of everyone's pick are from the 60's....some 70's. I guess trouble started in the hard times of the 80's and what came out of that wasn't as good?

 

[Al Baker(pumpman)]

OK I know I am about to open a BIG Can of worms, but here it goes. I nominate the Deutz D100 06 as a home run of a tractor. I am the first to admit the brakes were less than good, but the rest of that tractor was bomb proof. There were MANY sold around here and I serviced many so I can speak with experience. Mine is 4WD. With the hydrostatic steering option it steers as nice as any JD I own. It has a 12 speed fully synchronized trans. You can shift up, or down while moving and never grind a gear. It will let you shift from forward to reverse while still rolling. This nice when plowing snow, or pushing silage. It also has a deep reduction that gives a hole bunch of gears below 1 mile an hour. This for slow vegetable harvesting using the Pto. The front wheel assist can be engaged while spinning if needed. It is a hand operated wet type clutch pack. All these options were standard Equipment. The 6 cylinder Air cooled engine is heavily used world wide and known for being powerful with low lugging and long life. The trans, rear end and front axle was built by ZF in Germany. This company well known world wide for mining and construction equipment drivelines. I have torn down many of these tractor with 10,000 hours and over to find very little wear and never knew ANY owner who treated them nice. Including me. I installed a turbo on mine and have Pounded and pulled its guts out and it is still here asking to go to work when ever I ask it to. In Europe these tractors were considered some of the best built.

 

[ajl]

Most of the tractors recommended so far are clunkers. If I were in your position, I would be looking for a front wheel assist with a loader
if I could have only one tractor. So that would eliminate quite a few. Make hay with a 4020 Deere and it is OK for running the 14' swing
tongue haybine but not as a loader tractor. Next priorities would be power in a compact maneuverable size. For this type of duty I prefer a
4 cyl motor over a 6 because easier to start in the cold. The suggestion of the 5610 Ford as a 4 x 4 with loader is one tractor I would
consider. Personally I have a FIAT built New Holland 7635 4x4 with loader and it has been a great tractor. Little trouble in 5000 hrs,
compact, and works as hard as rented mule. Will pull 20 feet of no till seed drills up hill. I would look at Allis 6080, White 2-60, the 10
series Fords, JD 1840, 2550, 35 series New Holland (good luck with mine, knock wood)685 IHC. Kubotas etc all 4x4 with loader. Can't really
go wrong here but find some prospects and do some research on the specific model.

 

[chuck from neb]

4020

3010

856 806 all diesels I Know some didn't
care for the 3010 but I grew up on it was
the main tractor in the sixties for us
for five years. 5 600 hours a year didn't
let us down.

 

[SVcummins]

3020 - 4020 good hydraulics good brakes good
transmissions and controls in one spot not scattered
between your legs and down both sides of the seat
so you can?t get on and off . . Stay away from the
new tin foil And plastic junk not will they not be
running in 50 years but they?re not built for doing
tractor work maybe mowing lawns and moving snow
if it?s light snow at that . International of the same
era Oliver 1650 . And I didn?t know this but ford
made an improved 5000 with a flat floor board but
I?d imagine the controls are still between your legs
and both sides of the seat does anyone have an
improved ford 5000 and do they still have the
whooping 7 Gpm gear type hydraulic pump and the
hydraulic filter under the rockshaft housing ? So
maybe it?s still of the list

 

[Greg NE]

I have a 74 model. Still has the shifters between the legs but still plenty of room to move around at least on the rowcrop model, which is the one with the flat platform. Even for a one legged fat guy like me!! Plus it still shifts like a new one, no linkage to wear out and then get stuck in two gears like a lot of the other colors! The shorter or all purpose model it is a lil tight getting on and off of. Not sure on hyd. pump but it wouldn't hurt to be a lil faster. They did add an external filter to them by then tho. I have 3 of them, 2 all purpose and 1 rowcrop and love each one for different reasons.

 

[modirt]

(quoted from post at 17:09:04 01/02/19) Most of the tractors recommended so far are clunkers. If I were in your position, I would be looking for a front wheel assist with a loader
if I could have only one tractor. So that would eliminate quite a few. Make hay with a 4020 Deere and it is OK for running the 14' swing
tongue haybine but not as a loader tractor. Next priorities would be power in a compact maneuverable size. For this type of duty I prefer a
4 cyl motor over a 6 because easier to start in the cold. The suggestion of the 5610 Ford as a 4 x 4 with loader is one tractor I would
consider. Personally I have a FIAT built New Holland 7635 4x4 with loader and it has been a great tractor. Little trouble in 5000 hrs,
compact, and works as hard as rented mule. Will pull 20 feet of no till seed drills up hill. I would look at Allis 6080, White 2-60, the 10
series Fords, [b:503ae2567c][color=green:503ae2567c]JD 1840, 2550[/color:503ae2567c][/b:503ae2567c], 35 series New Holland (good luck with mine, knock wood)685 IHC. Kubotas etc all 4x4 with loader. Can't really
go wrong here but find some prospects and do some research on the specific model.

color=green:503ae2567c][/color:503ae2567c]

Interesting that the two JD models you mentioned are Mannheim built tractors. I've been told to stay far away from those?

As for the 4020 and a loader, the old 3020 has had a Koyker loader on it since around 1986. It seemed so handy we used to joke that you couldn't go to the bathroom around that place without using the loader to help. It was always being used for something. 3rd gear......forward and back.....no grinding of gears. Of course adding a loader to a 2wd tractor is a good way to tear up front ends......if you abuse them. We have been careful not to. But no argument from me.......a 4x4 makes for a better loader tractor if it's being used hard.

Never been on one, but a JD 4030 seems to be the little brother of our bigger 4430.....the other tractor dad kept after his sale. It has seen steady use since 1973 and as far as I know, the engine and tranny have never been touched. Don't know if the 4030 is as good, but I'd put it on my list if it is.