Which Older Tractor - A Few Options I've Found

[clayrogers]

I'm new here, hi guys!

We just bought a place with 20 acres of land. I'm looking for a tractor so I can brush hog and do some work around the land. I really would like a front end loader on it as well. I'll be using it to move firewood, assist in getting our .5acre garden ready, move snow in the winter etc.

With a new place, we have PLENTY of other things to spend money on. So, I really want to keep it to around $5,000. So, that pretty much means an older ag tractor I'm thinking. Here are a few I'm considering:

Massey furgeson 175 diesel w loader

Allis Chalmers D17 loader tractor

John Deere Tractor/Loader

1961 JOHN DEERE 2010

I have never owned a tractor before though so I really have a lot to learn. What do you guys think of those? Is there something else I should be looking at?

I originally was thinking of just getting a Ford 8n and finding a brush hog for it. But, with no live pto and a lot of people say underpowered I decided to look elsewhere.

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[4570Man]

Id get the massy simply because it is diesel. It also says the loader is equipped with SSQA ( skid steer quick attach ) which is a big plus. The Massey also appears to have been barn kept. The tires, paint, hoses, and everything else will be in better shape because of this. One problem I see is only the $6500 deer have ROPS ( roll over protection system). 4wd would be great, but I doubt you will find a tractor with a loader and 4wd for 5k.b

 

[4570Man]

Just a warning. These old tractors will take some maintenance to keep running. Some might require immediate work before you can even use it.

 

[stuckmotor]

My thinking: If you get a tractor without a 3ph, you'll wish you had one. If you get a tractor without a loader, you'll wish you had one. If you get a loader without SSQA you'll wish you had it. Attachments to fit a SSQA are everywhere attachments to fit a specific loader are usually more expensive and harder to find.

 

[stuckmotor]

4570man makes good sense. A tractor repair fund is a good thing to have.

Just a warning. These old tractors will take some maintenance to keep running. Some might require immediate work before you can even use it.

 

[jenkinsph]

I would get the Massey Ferguson 175 and plan on spending a little to fix it up.

 

[roadhunter]

Just a warning. These old tractors will take some maintenance to keep running. Some might require immediate work before you can even use it.

This ^^^^. Factor in the time spent fixing things and getting parts and the older tractors are not as "cheap" as they appear to be. That being said working on them is fairly straightforward compared to the new ones and most parts are available. Just be prepared to be broke down on a regular basis from my experience. Busted hoses are something that comes to mind. Issues with rust in fuel tank are another I've spent time working on. Lots of leaks. Just part of the fun.

 

[2458n]

So I believe the old 175 wins this round. You will find out if there are standard problems to look for -search the heck out of this tractor. Check the rear tires as they are expensive. Depending on your use you can run around on half used tires for 30 years ;or you can cut one down on a "t" type fence post when plowing snow. If you find someone who has one in your area make sure you get and remember their name. You will become a member of a club owning the same tractor. Stay on this site and you will learn many things that you did not even consider.

 

[PHPaul]

Of the ones listed, the Massey stands out.

The $6500 John Deere is WAY overpriced, especially since it's gas. If it was a diesel and $1000 or $1500 cheaper, maybe.

The 2010 is not much tractor for the money and the 10 series wasn't John Deere's best effort.

The Allis is a lot of tractor but I'm assuming it's gas and it may have the goofy snap-coupler hitch system that isn't compatible with much.

 

[LD1]

Agree with above poster, the massey stands out. And it is way more tractor than the rest. More power, bigger and heavier. And the perkins diesel engine is a beast. But it worries me they dont list the hours. If pushing 6000-7000 hrs, its either nearing a rebuild or just had one done.

The D17 dont say gas or diesel and dont say 3PH, so assuming gas and snap coupler as well. Wont be as handy, and have a feeling parts for those old AC tractors are gonna be a bit harder to find and more $$

The 301a @ 4400 hours is pretty high for a gas motor, not to mention out of your budget. It does have a nice loader and bushhog though, if the guy would be willing to negotiate 4500-5000 wouldnt be a bad buy for that tractor. And its the smallest of the lot.

The 2010 is is a tad bigger than the 301a, but that thing looks rough. Tires are nearly bald and thats not a good combo with a loader on a 2wd tractor. Gonna be about worthless without something on the back. Tires will set you back $800 right from the start. Perks are it does have a rebuilt motor, but who did it? Was it a half @$$ job to slap some new bearings in there and get it ready to sell? or did they do it right. I would want to see some receipts for both parts and machine work before I would even consider.

You need to make some phone calls to get some more info before you can make an informed decision.

Massey....how many hours?
D17, Hours, Gas or diesel, 3PH or snap coupler
301a negotiable. $6500 is too high.
2010..full overhaul or in-frame? Who did the work? receipts?Etc.

 

[Budweiser John]

Of the ones listed, the Massey stands out.

The $6500 John Deere is WAY overpriced, especially since it's gas. If it was a diesel and $1000 or $1500 cheaper, maybe.

The 2010 is not much tractor for the money and the 10 series wasn't John Deere's best effort.

The Allis is a lot of tractor but I'm assuming it's gas and it may have the goofy snap-coupler hitch system that isn't compatible with much.

The Massy is a good tractor.
Equipped with a loader, take a close look at the front wheel spindles. If the tires toe in at the top the front axel has been overloaded and the spindles bent. In extreme cases the inside wall of front tires will rub on the steering assembly.
B John

 

[LD1]

Forgot to mention....

The massey and 301a are listed as power steering

The other two power steering was optional. With a loader, if it aint got power steering, walk away

 

[GManBart]

Welcome to TBN!

Of those, the Massey is probably the best bet. One thing to know about the Massey is that the front axle on that series is pretty light for any sort of FEL work. That means you have to use some care, and hope that the previous owners did as well, which would concern me with the looks of that loader. Just going off the pictures you're going to have to buy new front tires, and keep in mind that something as simple as one hose on the loader can easily be $100 to fix, so there are a lot of potential expenses when you get into an older machine.

I'm not one to usually suggest going with a smaller tractor, but with new property that's going to take up a lot of time (I'm sort of in that situation) stopping work for a day or two to fix a broken tractor may get old quickly, and that's almost certainly going to happen with older machines. It sounds like you could easily do your tasks with a smaller, much newer machine that isn't likely to require anything other than basic oil/filter changes for quite some time.

Something like this LS might be worth considering...new, 5yr warranty, and a size that always seems to sell quickly if you decide to go larger in the future.

XJ2025 LS Tractor & Loader 25-hp Hydro-New

 

[jenkinsph]

Several posters have commented on repairs of the older tractors. I would pick the best tractor I could find and expect to spend a week at least fixing it up. This way you get to know more about the tractor you have and address the weak points. I have bought them for $3500 and put $1500 in them plus my labor then had a good tractor that I used for years afterwards. Looking a he MF 175 you will have to spend money for fix ups and I would budget $1500 as a very rough guess. That should get you a pretty good tractor though.

I usually like to use them for a season after mechanical repairs then if it proves to be a good tractor I will consider painting it and installing new seats and tires as needed. Afterwards you should be able to use it for a few years and get most of your money back when you sell it to trade up.

 

[kevin37b]

Stay as far away from a 2010 JD as you can . One of JD worst tractors .

 

[DJ54]

It would be great if the Massey had a straight transmission, without multi-power. They can be a very handy option, but very expensive to fix on the Massey's. On the other hand, if it does need a rebuild, the kits for the Perkins are way less expensive than the others.

 

[4570Man]

Welcome to TBN! Of those, the Massey is probably the best bet. One thing to know about the Massey is that the front axle on that series is pretty light for any sort of FEL work. That means you have to use some care, and hope that the previous owners did as well, which would concern me with the looks of that loader. Just going off the pictures you're going to have to buy new front tires, and keep in mind that something as simple as one hose on the loader can easily be $100 to fix, so there are a lot of potential expenses when you get into an older machine. I'm not one to usually suggest going with a smaller tractor, but with new property that's going to take up a lot of time (I'm sort of in that situation) stopping work for a day or two to fix a broken tractor may get old quickly, and that's almost certainly going to happen with older machines. It sounds like you could easily do your tasks with a smaller, much newer machine that isn't likely to require anything other than basic oil/filter changes for quite some time. Something like this LS might be worth considering...new, 5yr warranty, and a size that always seems to sell quickly if you decide to go larger in the future. XJ2025 LS Tractor & Loader 25-hp Hydro-New

That tractor is more than double his budget.

 

[bspeedy]

If it were me, I would vote 'None of the Above'. Sorry, but I would choose a 25-30 hp CUT with 4x4 over any of these big old beasts. Scrounge up two grand more for a $7K budget and you'll be surprised what you can find. Within the last three years, three friends of mine found machines under 7 grand that required minimal attention (less than 500 bucks) and were great tractors. All were 4wd, all had loaders, all had under 2K hours. One JD, one NH, one Ford/NH. Lowest paid was 4900, highest was 6900.

Maintenance on the big old tractors will break you. Running and operating them anywhere but an open field is like trying to drive a school bus in the Indy 500.

Good luck.

 

[whizdbiz2]

I won't comment on your potential choices as I have no experience with them, other than when growing up with a D17 that a neighbor had as his primary tractor, this when it was nearly new however (fine tractor, very smooth running and strong).

My experience was similar to yours, had some acreage, needed a tractor to do some mowing and dirt and snow moving. I got a 9N from the guy that built my house and it served me well for many years, this was about 25 yrs ago. I bought an 8N at a sale about 13 yrs. ago because when the 9N was down I was done and I had pastures to mow and manure to spread at a new place. At least I'd have a backup while the other one was worked on. For small acreage I never felt I didn't have enough power to do what I had to do, it just happened slower than with bigger tractors. My thinking was exactly where yours is (at least when you wrote the post) but after looking around was uneasy about potentially buying someone's problems. So last year I bought my first new tractor, I was joining the ranks of senior citizens and wanted a FEL and something that was very reliable to help with things around the place (and the car was finally paid off!). I stayed small (22 hp) in order to move in and out of the barn and yet do mowing and lifting. So I got what I needed and no more. My experience and my planned usage said the Mahindra eMax 22 was plenty of tractor and in the budget , even the wife agreed due to the price and financing, 5 yr. warranty and all the things I promised we could now do. But that's me...

We tend on this forum to gleefully spend other peoples money for the bigger and fancier tractors. If this thread grows we'll insist that you need a 40 - 50 hp tractor, maybe with a cab, grapple on the FEL, full complement of front and rear hydraulic outlets, oh, yea, A/C for that cab, maybe a snow thrower/blower, front mount of course. Nothing but a Kubota/New Holland/Kioti/LS/Case IH/Mahindra/Massey/you name it will do. In the end only you know what you can spend and how you can handle maintenance and repairs... some good advice already given on that aspect. If you can see clear to afford something a bit newer and more compatible for FEL use I'd give that some serious thought, although maybe you would be excited about replacing broken or bent spindles or an axle pivot pin. If you really aren't sure, start out with a very reasonable price Ford N, Ford 100 series or Massey 35, a used "bush hog" mower and a back blade, maybe a 3pt scoop and have at it. You'll soon learn what you want and need and can make the best decision for you when you get ready to move up, if you want to at all. Good luck.

 

[4570Man]

That 40 hp cab tractor is pretty small. He better shell out 70k for a new M69. Don't forget to add a hydraulic thumb on the hoe, and a grapple, and a front mount snow blower. Then you will need hydraulics to run the snow blower and grapple. Now, you are going to need a F-350 diesel, and a 20k axel gooseneck to haul it with.