What makes a tractor old? Years of age, or features?

[Bruce from Can.]

When I was a kid of say 10, in 1971, the VA Case my dad had seemed like a old tractor, compared to the latest models available. Even though it was only 21 years old. Likewise our next door neighbor had a McCormack W6 and it also seemed old fashioned, without 3pth or live power, but it wasn?t even 20 years old yet at that time. Mean while, any tractors 20-25 years older than these were so old and out dated, few were actually used anymore. Fast forward to 2020. A 40 year old tractor is still very useful, and a twenty year old tractor, built in 2000, looks and works just as well as new tractors. Few would hesitate to jump on a 25 year old JD or CaseIH in 2020, and go work in the field all day, but I doubt many would have been eager to hop on a 25 year old tractor in 1950 , like a 25 Fordson and go ride it all day. Guess I am saying, old tractors don?t seem to appear old and out dated at even 40 years of age, as the tractors we grew up with did

 

[NY 986]

Probably both. I remember guys dumping on the 30 series 2 cylinder when I was a kid around 1970. Those tractors were no more than a dozen years old but yet incorporated features that dated back to 1918. Some guys back in the day also considered any tractor more than several years old as being old even though they themselves did not have money to replace tractors every 5-6-7 years.

 

[Goose]

I don't have numbers for proof, but I read an article the other day to the effect that 40 year old tractors from the 1980's are in great demand and bringing premium prices because a farmer can still service them and repair them himself.

In other words, they don't have all of the high tech, computerized stuff that dictates a tractor be returned to the dealer for simple servicing, or for problem diagnosis.

Makes sense to me, in other areas, too. I realized this several years ago when I installed a CB radio in a Dodge minivan and realized there was no way I could permanently hard wire it, all I could do was plug it into a lighter socket. So, I guess the question is, if a farmer wanted to install a couple of extra lights, or other accessory on a new, state of the art, farm tractor, could he do it himself? Could it even be done?

 

[Janicholson]

Thinking of the things the "old" tractor is made from, all tractors are new. Jim

 

[tractorsam]

For me I think ?old? or ?antique? tractors peaked with the 60 series Farmalls (460, 560) etc for several reasons. They are still fully mechanical, the gear shift goes directly into the transmission, there is a mechanical link in the steering. Yet they have a TA, power assisted steering, good hydraulics, and an independent PTO. I find once you lose those things you could be sat on a 60?s IH or a 90?s version and other than the window dressing not much changed. Newer than that and I consider them to be ?classic? rather than ?antique?. On the other hand I haven?t found too many tractors that I wouldn?t let in the yard, new or old

 

[David G]

My guess would be features.

A lot changed in the 60s, a 50s tractor was old, just based on obsoletion.

 

[Adirondack case guy]

An old fuzzy faced guy like you and me driving them. HeHe. Sorry Bruce, I couldn't resist the comment.----------------------Loren

 

[Ken Macfarlane]

Was thinking the other day my ?brand new tractor? was built 18 years ago. I have another one that?s a 2004 but it came to our farm in 2009 with over 4000 hours off a dairy farm in rough shape. I guess the answer is I still tend to think of how ?new? a tractor is by how worn out it is rather than the year.

 

[olgentdc]

Relax ... Just avoid getting stuck with a tractor with alot of modern b/s that no one knows how to fix . You will end up spending more than what a couple running and working DC Case tractors are valued in todays yuppi market .

 

[tomstractorsandtoys]

The basic tractor design has not changed much in last few years. Better power shifts and more and faster hyd,s have been added and they are important if you need them. Mainly big tillage and planting but most of us do not need them. We can easily complete our work with an older tractor. My 3020's and 4020's steer as nice and fast as any new one and have plenty of hyd's for my jobs. I do not think I would gain anything by replacing them with new tractors of the same size and features. If I had a new planter with all the toys my old tractors would quickly become a farmyard misfit but at this point there is nothing I need done that they do not do. I do have a 4230 with a nice cab and have been thinking about a 5410 or something like that mainly for the nice cab. Just my thoughts. Tom

 

[David G]

My new one is 32 years old.

I am planning to replace it with 8 year old one.

 

[Bruce from Can.]

Your probably right Loren. My 1030 looks much more youthful and appealing with Genevieve holding the wheel, then it ever could with me in the picture

Heck, it ever look like fun raking hay , 50 year old tractor or otherwise

 

[Dave H (MI)]

Old references time. Obsolete references features.

 

[moresmoke]

It can be done, but you can?t just splice into the existing harness. It will cause the computer to be unhappy if you do that. Most of the Ag manufacturers do provide a number of power supply terminals.

 

[rustyfarmall]

Around here, a tractor never got traded in just because it had some age on it. The only reason to trade was because the farming operation had grown, and you simply needed more power to handle the bigger equipment. Even then, the old tractor may have been kept for use as a chore tractor.

 

[BillinCentralMO]

Very interesting observation you have made. I have yet to own a ?new? tractor. But the difference between my 36 JD A and my JD 70 gas is just like you say. You can actually use the 70 for some modern tasks. I think the three point hitch is the biggest difference for my uses anyway.

 

[Ellis Kinney]

I hop on a 75 and 73 year old Farmall M or 65 year old Super MTA and work all day or until the hay is raked, or the field is mowed. I never really consider the age of the tractor until someone asks. My neighbor loaned me his new Kubota with all the modern features on it and I really didn't like the transmission and throttle controls. My friend who was working with me told me he thought I was much more efficient on the M. Ellis

 

[Ken Macfarlane]

Our most heavily used tractor at the moment is a 1998 or so Kubota M120. Its in the poorest shape of the fleet cosmetically but the power shift was rebuilt 1000 hours ago and she starts all winter. Also importantly it was used in salt for years and the cab is already rotten so running it down the salt covered highway all winter saves one of the better tractors from the same fate.

Some day I'll find a nice clean cab to stick on it.

 

[Bob N.Y.]

The same thought crossed my mind a few years ago when my MF 65 was 40 years old. My father's first tractor was a 1927 Fordson. Plowing was about the only field work it did. It spent most of the time doing belt work. We last used it in 1967 when it was 40 years old. It just wasn't useful anymore. I am still using the 65 to move snow, mow the lawn and assorted other chores. It has power steering, live PTO, live hydraulics and 3 point hitch. Those features make it very useful and usable.

 

[MtMan]

I don't do any plowing or Harrowing or cultivating anymore, so my 88 year old Farmall mostly just sits in the barn all covered up. It still runs though.

 

[RLA]

Old or still use full?? All of ours are OLD. One day the Local J/D dealer showed up at chore time. We had just moved all the equipment home from the upper farm & finished square & round baling hay. In the barn yard sat a 730 diesel hooked to a 1219 hay bine, 530 hooked to 640 hay rake, the Old B J/D had the Kuhn tedd'er
one of the J/D 60 had 2 loads of square bales behind my 620 had the 337 baler + a load of hay hooked to it, the 630 had 2 loads square bales behind it, 2750 with loader had load of round bales & the other 60 had load of round bales & the 3255 hooked to 367 round baler. The dealer said we needed more Tractors, we said we more tractors just ran out of hitch pins. My little M was going to be used to move the elevator & the other 730 was hooked to the feed grinder. The old 1944 A that I resurrected for about 6 different tractor wasn't hooked to anything, because since it has a push bar on the from to push loads of hay into the barn. At our place Old is Good.

 

[kcm.MN]

Yesterday's Tractor Pic was an Allis-Chalmers D-21. If I wanted to buy a new tractor, I'd much prefer one like that. It looks new (maybe better than new), and likely runs and operated just like new. Last year made was 1969. Far as I'm concerned the pictured machine is brand spanking new. How much would it cost to buy that machine in that condition vs. a comparable modern model?!?!? How much would parts cost for the older machine vs. the newer one? What about ease of service?

Would there be ANY benefits to a newer machine, other than a warranty??

 

[super99]

My opinion, that don't make it right, it's just how I look at it. Early tractors replaced the horse, some people still used horses into the late 40's or early 50's. All the tractor had to do was more work than a team or 2 of horses and it was a big improvement. Operator comfort and convience wasn't considered. After WW2, hydraulics made a drastic improvements to the tractors usefullness. Implements could be raised and lowered with hydraulics instead of a hand lever or trip rope. In early days, operator comfort and ease of use was kind of looked down on, if you aren't doing it the hard way, you are doing it wrong! Tractor improvements made it possible for 1 man to farm more acres, so manufacturers started adding conviences to tractors, live pto, most all of them had some kind of rear lift for implements; 3pt hitch, fast hitch, snap coupler, eagle hitch, etc that made the work faster and easier. Along came the late 50's, early 60's and everyone had power steering and 3pt hitch, most had dual hydraulics, most had some sort of 2 speed affair on them, torque amplifier, ampli torque, multi power, hydra power, etc. Most all of this vintage tractor were easy to operate and could do a fair days work. On to the 70's and 80's, tractors got bigger and the necessities of the tractors from the 60's and 70's were improved on but still basically the same units. The tractors of today are light years ahead of the old technology, GPS, guidance systems and more stuff that I don't have a clue how to use have made it to the point that about all you can do is add oil and change it when the computer tells you to. So, back to the original question, when is a tractor old? I guess that is up to the individual. My 1850's are old, but to me they are still functional, my 88 and Farmall 400 are old tractors with limited use, but still good to have around. To someone else, the 4020's, 856's, 190XT's etc and simple chore tractors or only used for augers while they need Bigger, newer tractors with all the bells and whistles to be useful. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the same could be said for the age of a tractor, it's up to the guy that owns it. Chris

 

[caterpillar guy]

I believe old is a out look on things. Another words the tractors without live hyrdualics,power steering,live or independent PTO and such are old due to features the ones with those bells and whistles mentioned are old by time or age since they are still for the most part useful for a lot of jobs. We still use a total of a dozen different tractors though out the year. Plant with 7140, work ground with one of the following 2 Stiegers and 1466, run seed with either 674 or truck spread fertilizer with either the 674 or the 806or 856. Put up hay with the 806,856,674,574,H baler, mower, rake,load and haul. Plant wheat with any of the 806,856,2940. Spray with 856or 806. Haul wagons with the 806,856,2940,1466 depending on conditions and size. 7140 on Grain cart.

 

[Fawteen]

Features, definitely. My 1988 John Deere 750 was only 27 years old when I sold it, but it didn't have power steering, synchro trans or live pto. Due more to the choice of model at the time than the age as all of that stuff was available on other tractors in that size range.

 

[495man]

If I can still use it to run current implements, it's not "old"

Run one 30 year old tractor, still gets a pile of hours, the 70 year old one is completely retired.

 

[Traditional Farmer]

When I think of old tractors I'm thinking of well built reliable machines built with lots of cast iron and steel,way over built machines that were made to be repaired and used about indefinitely.They are my type of machine.I don't care for the later ones with lots of fiberglass, plastic,gadgets,complicated electronics etc.

 

[fixerupper]

Features-wise the period between 1949 and 1956 or thereabouts saw the biggest jump in modernization in farm tractors ever. Live power, three point hitch or something similar and power steering all came in full force during that era. After that all of those new features were merely improved on.

Age wise it depends on the age of the observer And the locale. To me at 68 years old a real old tractor is the F20, to guys my son s age an ancient tractor is something from the late 50 s and an old tractor is late 60s vintage. To someone my grandchildren s age an old tractor might be something like a 1066, 1070 Case, 4430 Deere. In my area nobody uses even an 86 series IH for field work. Even my 4650 Deere is an old field tractor.

 

[James Howell]

If you and your tractor are the same age, then your tractor is old.