Which 90 hp Ford/NH?

[lfc]

Sorry in advance for the long post.....

I do some haying as a hobby/side business. My main tractor is an open station 7710 FWA that I've had since almost new (3k hours now). However, I would like to someday get a cab tractor. I run a 10' Discbine so I need to stay in the 90 hp range. Since its main use will be for mowing and baling, I want to go with 2wd for cost.
I've spent little time in cab tractors, so I don't know enough about the cabs to know which I should look for. Is the Super Q in the Series II much better than the old bubble top cab? Are the 40 series much better than the Super Q? Primary thing for me would be good A/C and low noise.

Although I can shift the 16x4 on the 7710 with no problem, I occasionly have other help who struggle with it. I really like the Dual Power for slowing down when going over bumpy spots, etc. and would hate to give that up. A reasonable choice then would be the syncro 16x8 on the 10 series. Are these fairly reliable? After that would be the 12x12 on the SL 40 series, but then I wouldn't have the Dual Power. I know they did make a 24x24 with DP, but I don't see many of them out there. The ulitimate would be the 16x16 Pulse Command on the SLE's, but I'm affraid that may be getting a bit out of my price range and I get concerned with whar repair costs could run if it needs syncros. maybe it is worth it though?

Bottom line I guess then is should I look for a 76/7710, a 76/7710-II, or a 7740 SL or SLE? I suppose an 8210 or 7840 would also be an option as would an 8530 with the Funk PS, but an 8530 seems to be really rare. What would you choose?

 

[RodinNS]

The 40/TS series tractors will have a bit nicer cab than the 10 series but not a lot nicer. There's no functional difference between a 'Q' and 'Super Q' other than the roof and lighting. Few little things were moved around in the cab but it's otherwise the same size, layout, noise level, etc.
I don't believe you'll find an 8530 with a Funk. It was the one model left out and it only had the 16x4. Personally I'd stay with a 4 cylinder chassis tractor... which is to say any 10 series or 40/TS on your list including those with 6 cylinder engines... Even those retain the 4 cylinder chassis components except the 8530 which was derived from the TW series.
The 12x12 is a transmission that has a lot of gears and probably never the right gear... I orefer the 16x8 for most things. The 24x24 with the dual power should be good though I've never driven one.
Any of them will be expensive to fix if you get into it. 10 grand or more if it needs a bunch of syncros. They're all reasonably reliable transmissions as far as that goes tho.
I'd pick which ever one I could get the best value from. I wouldn't rule out MFWD either... as around here at least, there are many more with it that without. Personally I'd not want one without it...

Rod

 

[lfc]

Thanks Rod - I was hoping you would respond as I know you have a few of these models. Looks like the cab series then doesn't really matter.
On the 16x4, I wish it had a gear between 6th and 7th for mowing, but other than that it works well for me.
Do you have any reason to stay away from the 40 series transmissions over the 16x8? I've read that the syncros (mostly on the F/R shuttle?)can be an issue in the 40, but never heard much about the 16x8. What is your thought of the 40 series in general over the 10 series? Electrical gremlins?
MFWD would certainly be best, but I figured that what I could save with 2wd would get me a series newer. I'll still have the 7710 for tillage where I need the FWD, and to be honest most of the problems we've had with the 7710 have been with the MFWD system. In its defense, ours has the early 325 axle and I think some of the issues we had with the drop box going out were caused by grass wrapping on the drive shaft while mowing. After getting tired of removing the drive shaft while mowing, I finally built a shield out of PVC pipe that seems to have done the trick.
Thanks again for the good advice.

 

[RodinNS]

The 16x8 seems to work good for mowing here. I'll go in either 6 high or 7 low depending on conditions...
The main problem I find with the 12 speed is that it's a three range transmission... and the ranges overlap by quite a bit. It's good in some ways but a pain in other ways, particularly with road work as you're always changing ranges on hard pulls... and it take some time to get the sequence down so that you don't lose momentum. It's also a case where I find it lacks the 'right' gear for a lot of jobs... particularly tillage. There's a jump from about 4 mph right up to about 5.75 mph unless you went to low range to close that gap. With dual power it wouldn't be too bad. Mine is a TS and thus far I've not had any major issues with that tractor in ~3500 hours. Just some wires here and there mostly. Transmission seems fine other than it will lock in low range sometimes... and that's an external problem with the shift linkage. Seems many 12x12's around here suffered from that to some extent... but so did many 16x8's that got used hard.
As far as 40 over 10 series... I think it would come down to dollars and the individual tractor. There's things I like about both and things I dislike about both. The Genesis engines are a bit more efficient. They make a bit more torque in some ways... they lug better... but they don't have the extremly broad torque band that the older engines have. Overall I probably have gotten to like the genesis engine a bit better but still have a lot of respect for the older ones. A 1985, round roof, 7710 MFWD with 16x8 transmission is still my main tractor at 7500 hours... and it still works circles around the TS90 when it comes down to top end power.

I'd almost suggest... if you were handy... that you could go to a salvage yard and get an age appropriate cab for you 7710 and slap that on there if all you're looking for is a cab on an otherwise appropriate tractor... Probably one good day would do the swap.

Rod

 

[lfc]

I looked in a 40 series brochure I have, and I see what you mean about the overlaps with the 12x12. Looks like 3rd is almost identical to 5th, and 4th is very close to 6th. Same problem in M-H range with 7-9 and 8-10.
I've thought about a 276 or 9030, but other than the hydro I'm not sure how convenient they'd be. Plus, all the ones I see listed are way up there on hours and price.
I hadn't thought about putting a cab on my 7710. I'll make some calls to see what a used cab would run. Still, I'd like to have a backup tractor just in case. My other tractors are a 4610-II and a 2000, and while I can bale with the 4610 mowing with it is a challenge.
I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out here.