Buying Advice Have idea of specs, need suggestions of tractors to buy

[Joe Cowboy]

I currently have a JD5510 90hp 4wd with FEL and almost 6000 hours. It meets or exceeds most of my needs, but has some drawbacks and a few mechanical issues that have me thinking it's time to trade it off.

First, the clutch is wearing out my bum knee, especially the last couple days plowing out a 32" blizzard.
Second, cab is cramped. I'm 6'4" 250#. Every inch counts. The seat adjustment knobs cost about 4" of space behind the seat that could translate into leg room. Also, the hump up the center really eats into the little bit of room it's got.

I've always been surprised that the bucket doesn't have more lifting power than it does, but it's not a deal breaker. I use the bucket hard and will continue to. Small/medium trees, damming creeks, holes, hay, plowing.

I could probably work comfortably with anything from 75-90hp, 4wd, cab, quick detach loader. Removable loader arms a plus. I've never had HST. It would be nice, but I don't know a ton about it. Just a less brutal clutch could work. This one is tight. Extra hydro remotes would be nice. Also, easily removable cab doors would be nice. I spray a lot and use a hand held gun in addition to the big boom sprayer. It's helpful to be able to pull the doors as running with them open around obstacles is just inviting disaster.

I'm open to any brand and okay with a little bit older to keep price down. Probably looking in the max $30k range.

Any ideas will be appreciated.

 

[jenkinsph]

Look for a tractor with a power reverser and left hand column lever. You won't have to shift all the time to change directions. Try to find one with a cab that you can fit in. Lots of good brands to choose from, so pick one that works for you.

 

[motownbrowne]

Look for a tractor with a power reverser and left hand column lever. You won't have to shift all the time to change directions. Try to find one with a cab that you can fit in. Lots of good brands to choose from, so pick one that works for you.

To the best of my knowledge, no one's making a tractor over 65 HP with a hydrostatic transmission. So, that would limit you to a power shuttle (aka hydraulic shuttle or power reverser) transmission. Plenty of options out there, just about every manufacturers makes a utility model that meets your specs. I'd probably figure out which dealers you have near by and then try to find a used model that you would have good support for. You should be able to find something in your price range pretty easily. It seems most buyers are looking for large CUTs these days, so larger utility tractors have fewer potential buyers.

 

[jenkinsph]

Ergonomics are improving on a constant basis from what I see. Most of the new tractors I see have a flat platform with very little in the way. Some of the larger and older tractors had good sized cabs but were filled with transmission sticks and levers making them a pain to get in and out of. I would suggest you pay attention to which models will allow moving the seat mounts farther back to allow more leg room.

Lately I have been looking at some of the older Case IH 94 series and they seem to have more room for your feet and all shifting is in the right hand console. The only issue I have heard with these is they are not a good choice if you need to run reverse and pto simultaneously.

You really have to get in the cabs and try them out no matter the brand.

 

[Joe Cowboy]

Look for a tractor with a power reverser and left hand column lever. You won't have to shift all the time to change directions. Try to find one with a cab that you can fit in. Lots of good brands to choose from, so pick one that works for you.

Thank you. I'm going to show my lack of knowledge. Can you explain the power reverser?

 

[terryknight]

power reverser - is the john deere name fro hydraulic shuttle. you move a lever on left side of the wheel forwards/backwards to go forward/backwards without clutching

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou3YTy2iKm4

watching the video watch him shift forwards/backwards without the clutch just using the lever on the left

 

[Joe Cowboy]

power reverser - is the john deere name fro hydraulic shuttle. you move a lever on left side of the wheel forwards/backwards to go forward/backwards without clutching

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou3YTy2iKm4

watching the video watch him shift forwards/backwards without the clutch just using the lever on the left

Thanks a lot. That would do the trick. I must have clutched mine a thousand times through this last storm. It really wears on the knee and leg after a while. Also, in my 5510, I may be going forward in 1st gear for the range I'm in, but reverse is always top speed for that range. Many times that can be more than what's safe for the terrain and implement, so I end up having to down shift range and gear on each reverse and then upshifting both to go forward.

Something like this with a loader and a cab would definitely be on the short list.

Does anyone have any suggestions of brands/models somewhat similar?

 

[jenkinsph]

Joe,
Most of these reverser/shuttle transmissions allow you to select a gear and range then select forward or reverse in that gear. So a 12 speed reverser would yield 12 forward and 12 reverse. Other transmissions such as the Power Quad allow you to select a range gear with clutch and the have 3 or 4 forward and one reverse gear that are hydraulically actuated. The full power shift transmission allows shifting through all the gears with a popular one having 15 forward and 4 reverse IIRC. All without clutching the pedal.

As I remember the 2240 a 50 hp utility tractor was one of the first small Deere models available with the option for either a hydraulic hi/lo or the direction reverser (power shuttle). The larger 3020 and 4020 were available with the powershift transmissions and my dad bought one of these new in 1972.
My point is there have been many of these deluxe (for lack of a better term) transmissions available for the last forty to fifty years. Nothing new really, that is good since you can find these options on lots of older tractors in your price range.

You may find stepping up in frame size allows more room in the cab. Instead of a 5000 series maybe a 6000 series will have more room. It would allow a larger loader anyway.