How old a tractor would you go if you require a front end loader?

[Learning2Tractor]

If the OP is looking for a compact tractor in the 40hp range with a loader then yes 4 wheel drive is very important for getting things done hassle free , I have had both 2 wheel and 4 wheel drive loader tractors for a long time and the two wheel drives are fine for some things but stink at others, Get the right tractor the first time and you wont be dissapointed.

How would you factor in MFWD? Do you think it would be ok? AWD is the only reference I can think of, but AWD is different across manufacturers in cars. Subaru Foresters have pretty good off road capability. Other AWD cars not so much. Tractors I don't know.

 

[npalen]

Older tractors can have a narrow front axle with the tire spacing very close together or a wide front axle. The narrow front imparts instability when a front end loader is attached. Some older tractors even have a single front wheel and not a pair. See post number 7 top understand what a narrow front is...

Seems like a narrow front end would be as stable as a wide front end until the end of pivot travel is reached with a wide front.

 

[ovrszd]

Seems like a narrow front end would be as stable as a wide front end until the end of pivot travel is reached with a wide front.

Yep. Then it goes bad real quick with no "catch" in sight.......

 

[ovrszd]

How would you factor in MFWD? Do you think it would be ok? AWD is the only reference I can think of, but AWD is different across manufacturers in cars. Subaru Foresters have pretty good off road capability. Other AWD cars not so much. Tractors I don't know.

In the small class tractors you will be looking at it's pretty simple. No fancy AWD or anything similar.

If the tractor is designed with a powered front axle it will only have two selections. 2wd. MFWD. It's engaged or it isn't. Controlled by a simple two position lever.

As someone mentioned, you'll want MFWD in a tractor that size with a loader (FEL).

 

[bmaverick]

I've seen some of the older tractors with a front loader. They look rickety. I don't expect old to look brand new, but since I require a front loader, how old a tractor with a loader would you consider. For the sake of argument, please suppose the tractor itself is in good working condition. Weight capacity doesn't matter a whole lot. I'm only guessing but same 700+ is ok.

In my area, I have dealers for New Holland, Kubota, John Deere, and Yanmar. Atlanta GA area.

Thanks for advice. Like I said. I've seen older loaders, but they don't look sturdy.

Edit: this is for 40hp or less. I need it to move dirt and compost, lots of wood chips. I'm sure I would eventually "cut" in the ground a little here and there but no major excavation. Things like a foot plus of wood chips are, I am hoping, easy to dig up than shovel and wheelbarrow. The chips are from removed trees, so on top of the ground, but they've been there a while. They're kind of difficult to dig up by hand after they are wet and decaying for a year or so.

How about a 1981 Yanmar YM2610D,

A 1981 YM2420D,

1983 Yanmar YM1500D,

1984 Mitsubishi MT17,

1980s MT3201 Mitsubishi,

I'd say the 80s til now is a safe bet for a loader on a compact utility tractor.

 

[rodneyn]

Seems like a narrow front end would be as stable as a wide front end until the end of pivot travel is reached with a wide front.

Your assumption is correct in 1966 my grandfather was using 450 farmall narrow front end with IH trip bucket. Like a loader but uses trip lever over hydraulic to dump. He was moving fairly good size rock in the bucket. Bucket height from the ground was three feet. The rock shifted as he was driving to the far end of the bucket. The momentum was enough to flip the tractor over onto him breaking his neck.

Remember in 1958 tractors were not equipped with roll bar. Roll bar did not come to be until early 70’s then it was not predominant on compact tractors until the 80’s.

Seat belt was not thought about on compact tractor until early 90’s.

Any front end loader even on wide front tractor requires common since and counter weight. If the loader is above the hood on a compact tractor with full load and you are traversing the ground, uneven terrain. you may find your bottom side sucking up the seat. Moving heavy loads keep the loader close to the ground where possible if running on ground, especially in uneven ground. Use common sense it will save your life.

Tricycle front end tractors were key for fast turn around in the field. Excellent with cultivator not good using front end loader.

 

[mo1]

I've seen some of the older tractors with a front loader. They look rickety. I don't expect old to look brand new, but since I require a front loader, how old a tractor with a loader would you consider. For the sake of argument, please suppose the tractor itself is in good working condition. Weight capacity doesn't matter a whole lot. I'm only guessing but same 700+ is ok.

In my area, I have dealers for New Holland, Kubota, John Deere, and Yanmar. Atlanta GA area.

Thanks for advice. Like I said. I've seen older loaders, but they don't look sturdy.

Edit: this is for 40hp or less. I need it to move dirt and compost, lots of wood chips. I'm sure I would eventually "cut" in the ground a little here and there but no major excavation. Things like a foot plus of wood chips are, I am hoping, easy to dig up than shovel and wheelbarrow. The chips are from removed trees, so on top of the ground, but they've been there a while. They're kind of difficult to dig up by hand after they are wet and decaying for a year or so.

I would feel comfortable using about any wide front end tractor made in the last 60 years or so as you would have live hydraulics on the tractor and two bucket cylinders rather than a trip bucket on the loader or a single bucket cylinder. At least to me, the real rinky dink-looking loaders were the trip bucket loaders and the spindly looking loaders put on narrow front end tractors. A loader on a '60s wide front end tractor with two bucket hydraulic cylinders looks pretty much like a current loader on a current tractor.

The front axles on '60s and '70s and in some cases 1980s tractors aren't nearly as strong as what we have on tractors made since the 1990s but then again the loaders original to that era of tractor weren't as strong as the loaders on tractors today either. I would be a bit careful with putting a modern-sized aftermarket loader on a 1960s tractor though, for that reason.

A 2WD dry clutch (not a hydraulic reverser) gear transmission tractor is perfectly useful and safe to use with a loader. I've put plenty of hours on that kind of machine doing loader work, and also done that with MFWD machines and ones with hydraulic reversers. Use the recommended ballast, which you should be using anyway regardless of the type of tractor, and you will be fine with a 2WD machine and a loader. To be honest, I actually prefer a dry clutch as it's easier to feather a dry clutch smoothly to creep forward that half an inch doing loader work than it is to have the transmission computer try to smoothly engage a wet clutch pack on a hydraulic reverser transmission.

 

[tmcj]

I grew up using a Farmall Super C and a Farmall M (both narrow front end) for all kinds of chores. The M had the trip bucket with the gravity down loader. In the midst of a project I borrowed a friend's 4wd Kubota with backhoe and it was obviously 10x easier to work with. That convinced me that it was time for a major upgrade to a newer tractor.

My best advice would simply be to set a budget and get the newest, best featured tractor you can within your budget. They sure don't build them like they used to; the M will soon be 70 years old and still runs fine. I seriously doubt that will be the case with my 2016 Mahindra. But the ease of use and versatility makes it worth it. Old tractors are great but it's hard to beat a modern CUT for a hobby farmer or homeowner with projects.

 

[Learning2Tractor]

I grew up using a Farmall Super C and a Farmall M (both narrow front end) for all kinds of chores. The M had the trip bucket with the gravity down loader. In the midst of a project I borrowed a friend's 4wd Kubota with backhoe and it was obviously 10x easier to work with. That convinced me that it was time for a major upgrade to a newer tractor.

My best advice would simply be to set a budget and get the newest, best featured tractor you can within your budget. They sure don't build them like they used to; the M will soon be 70 years old and still runs fine. I seriously doubt that will be the case with my 2016 Mahindra. But the ease of use and versatility makes it worth it. Old tractors are great but it's hard to beat a modern CUT for a hobby farmer or homeowner with projects.

Tbh, I actually found several Ford 5610 models for sale with loader. All 2wd is what I found, but it weighs almost 6k pounds. I don't know who'd work on it, but I sure do like the look of it. I know it's a big tractor and all but the tractor police won't come get me or anything.

 

[bmaverick]

Tbh, I actually found several Ford 5610 models for sale with loader. All 2wd is what I found, but it weighs almost 6k pounds. I don't know who'd work on it, but I sure do like the look of it. I know it's a big tractor and all but the tractor police won't come get me or anything.

There are a few UTDA dealers in your GA state to offer restored and upgraded YM Yanmars with loaders. The price is very attractive and they have either a full 1 year warranty or full 6 month warranty. Many of them are in the pixs I had posted prior.

Fredricks Importing

Fredricks Importing is the best source for grey market Yanmar Tractors and Yanmar Tractor Parts. Call us at 256-751-3555 and we'll get you everything you need. Dealer inquiries welcome!

www.fredricksimporting.com

Not only can they restore Yanmars to their 120% state (extra 20% has all new ROPS, seatbelts, PTO shields, etc that were not OE back in the day.) They also do John Deere's made by Yanmar too. Here is a 1984 JD950 4WD and loader made by Yanmar for Deere fully restored in 2014.

 

[Learning2Tractor]

There are a few UTDA dealers in your GA state to offer restored and upgraded YM Yanmars with loaders. The price is very attractive and they have either a full 1 year warranty or full 6 month warranty. Many of them are in the pixs I had posted prior.

Fredricks Importing

Fredricks Importing is the best source for grey market Yanmar Tractors and Yanmar Tractor Parts. Call us at 256-751-3555 and we'll get you everything you need. Dealer inquiries welcome!

www.fredricksimporting.com

Not only can they restore Yanmars to their 120% state (extra 20% has all new ROPS, seatbelts, PTO shields, etc that were not OE back in the day.) They also do John Deere's made by Yanmar too. Here is a 1984 JD950 4WD and loader made by Yanmar for Deere fully restored in 2014.

View attachment 772571

That makes sense. I saw references to Fredericks Yanmar on tractorhouse and wondered what that was. Thanks!

 

[sd455dan]

Tbh, I actually found several Ford 5610 models for sale with loader. All 2wd is what I found, but it weighs almost 6k pounds. I don't know who'd work on it, but I sure do like the look of it. I know it's a big tractor and all but the tractor police won't come get me or anything.

Those Ford tractors will do a Lot with the FEL but you need weight in the rear. I had a 3000 and it had loaded 14.9 28 R1s and I would usually use the Gannon box blade as a 3 point weight. In the winter heavy duty chains and I never got it stuck.
Plus you could also use the locking rear diff for more push.
I paid $3800 iirc mainly because it had the SOS 10 speed power shift transmission and the loader would lift 2000lb to 120 inches at the pins.

Hard to buy more tractor for less money and as much as I like the Yanmars, I ended up with good heavy duty implements for cheap or free because the smaller Kubotas or Yanmars 3 points would not lift them, No Joke. A free 6 foot disc and the Gannon box for cheap because he was tired of people buying it and then unable to lift or use it so they brought it back twice.

 

[ovrszd]

Tbh, I actually found several Ford 5610 models for sale with loader. All 2wd is what I found, but it weighs almost 6k pounds. I don't know who'd work on it, but I sure do like the look of it. I know it's a big tractor and all but the tractor police won't come get me or anything.

My 3910 is the handiest tractor I own. No FEL though.

 

[deezler]

My first CUT was a 2001 Cub Cadet 7305, got a smokin deal at $10,000 with only 107 easy hours. It was truly amazing at first, but gradually began to feel like a dinosaur.

Front loader was weak, relief valve was always squealing away if you tried to curl the bucket. Could maybe lift 1000 lbs. No SSQA, so I had to use clamp-on forks (barf). Loader joystick was mounted up high and in the way. Engine (mitsu 3-cyl diesel 30HP) was powerful, but noisy and still didn't like doing much except flat-land cruising when in high range.

So I upgraded, and my new tractor is like a powerful space ship in comparison.

The question is not "how old would you go/tolerate"; it should be "what is your budget"? You can still find something fairly modern for 15k.

 

[bmaverick]

Those Ford tractors will do a Lot with the FEL but you need weight in the rear. I had a 3000 and it had loaded 14.9 28 R1s and I would usually use the Gannon box blade as a 3 point weight. In the winter heavy duty chains and I never got it stuck.
Plus you could also use the locking rear diff for more push.
I paid $3800 iirc mainly because it had the SOS 10 speed power shift transmission and the loader would lift 2000lb to 120 inches at the pins.

Hard to buy more tractor for less money and as much as I like the Yanmars, I ended up with good heavy duty implements for cheap or free because the smaller Kubotas or Yanmars 3 points would not lift them, No Joke. A free 6 foot disc and the Gannon box for cheap because he was tired of people buying it and then unable to lift or use it so they brought it back twice.

I would agree too! Don't go to any SCUT Yanmar, Kubota, Mitsubishi, Hinomoto, Iskei, etc. Look for Ford 3000 or a Ford 8N or JD850 sized tractor frame size in any compact. This includes the rear tire sizing. Small tires limit the 3PT lift for tillers and PHD augers. This way the implements across CAT-0, CAT-1 and some CAT-2 would all work on the 3PT.

My neighbor has a Ford 1500. He can't use any of my implements because his machine is small tires and a tiny 2-cly. He can only use the rear straight blade. Not the disc harrow, nor PHD auger, nor tiller, nor box blade, nor the 6ft brush mower. If he had a Ford 2000, just maybe a few more items could be used.

All the machines in my prior posting with pixs are the larger frame and tires suitable for the OPs needs, with the exception of the tiny Yanmar YM1500 SCUT.

 

[toolslinger]

... Look for Ford 3000 or a Ford 8N or JD850 sized tractor frame size in any compact. This includes the rear tire sizing. Small tires limit the 3PT lift for tillers and PHD augers. This way the implements across CAT-0, CAT-1 and some CAT-2 would all work on the 3PT....

I'd say don't look for an 8N... I love mine, I doubt I'd ever get rid of it, but it would make for a lousy loader tractor regardless of how many you see out there... It'll mow fields all day, or plow the field, and handles snow with the back blade just fine, but it's just not a good basis for a loader, and you can get a much better platform for similar money. Agree with the others, though...

 

[bmaverick]

I'd say don't look for an 8N... I love mine, I doubt I'd ever get rid of it, but it would make for a lousy loader tractor regardless of how many you see out there... It'll mow fields all day, or plow the field, and handles snow with the back blade just fine, but it's just not a good basis for a loader, and you can get a much better platform for similar money. Agree with the others, though...

Yeah, my Yanmar of the same size runs circles around a Ford 8N. The diesel has plenty of torque too. The other neighbor with the 8N and I were clearing the treed property line. Pulling out the massive diameter trees were no problem for the Yanmar. The 8N only took diameters under 10 inches. His IH was big, but no 3PT lift. The front has the sawmill blade to make everything into stackable cords. We did the job really well over all.

If the Ford 8N was a Funk conversion to double the Hp, it may of been practical to do much more.

 

[deezler]

Crazy suggestions. You need four wheel drive. Otherwise you can't back up a gentle slippery hill with a loaded bucket. Or with an empty bucket, for that matter.

 

[toolslinger]

...you can't back up a gentle slippery hill with a loaded bucket. Or with an empty bucket, for that matter.

My place is on the side of a mountain... We have nothing but 2WD, and old... Amazingly, none of the equipment has slid to the bottom of the mountain to be abandoned because we can't drive it around regardless of the weather being wet, or icy.
Yes, 4WD would be nice, but seriously, it isn't the end of the world without it. Heck, I'd love a cab too, but sun, rain or snow, the open station machines continue to run, and do what needs to be done.

 

[Farmer495]

Tbh, I actually found several Ford 5610 models for sale with loader. All 2wd is what I found, but it weighs almost 6k pounds. I don't know who'd work on it, but I sure do like the look of it. I know it's a big tractor and all but the tractor police won't come get me or anything.

There are several versions of the 5610: 5610, 5610II and 5610S

The 5610S is the newest, solid blue and New Holland decals, "S" on the radiator side panels. It was a very basic 2wd, 8x2 manual trans 70 PTO HP tractor. (The older ones had a smaller engine and 62 PTO HP, but could have manual shuttle, 4wd, factory cab etc.)

Almost any tractor mechanic could work on that, simple tractor.

4wd is not an absolute need, does make the job easier if you are on soft or slippery ground.

I run both 2wd and 4wd utility size loader tractors. Both can do the same work really, but the 4wd can always do it easily, the 2wd requires weather planning (wet/dry) and additional ballast/chains at times.

Personally I'd go no older than 1980s to ensure you get a full hydraulic loader (down pressure and hyd bucket) The tractor wearing the loader is much nicer with power steering, and differential lock.

Basic manual trans works, but is tiring using it for hours on end day after day, especially if non shuttle and a center shift model with limited reverse speeds. I've done many days work with manual trans loader.

No question a modern model with powershuttle or hydrostatic and 4wd is way nicer to use. Depends on what you want to spend!