Buying Advice JD 655

ducks13 · Oct 9, 2010

Looked at a 655 with a 70 loader on it today. Whats $5350 for it with almost 1200 hours and a new Howse 4' box blade. The loader seems to be in good shape, the bucket may have been replaced or at least the edge recently.

A couple of things I could use some information on. In high range when you give it full hydro the engine bogs and dies unless you let off the hydro and let the engine clear up and give it hydro much more slowely. Doesn't seem to have a problem in low range. I presume this isn't normal and I am not much of a diesel mechanic, anyone have a guess?

Other than that I can't seem to figure out how to make the parking brake work and don't know what the other knob above the parking brake handle that has a C on it.

It is also missing the seat belt and it has a seat that the bushing seem to be badly worn out on, the seat has a suspension system, it this the stock seat?

Tractor Data.com say these came with 60 loader, this clearly has a 70 loader on it. Any pros or cons on that?

Thanks for any information or insight it to any of my unknowns.

beenthere · Oct 9, 2010

I presume this isn't normal and I am not much of a diesel mechanic, anyone have a guess?

That is very normal. Tromping on the pedal for full hydro is akin to shifting into a higher gear. And there are real limits to power as we go up in gears.

Sounds like you found a good tractor at a reasonable price.

JD755 · Oct 10, 2010

Parking brake: Step on the common brake pedal above the hydro pedals. Raise the lower red knob while holding the brake pedal down. Then release the brake pedal while holding the lower red knob up. Then release the lower red knob. It will stay in the up position and the brakes will be locked. When ready to move again, just press on that common brake pedal and the park feature will release.

Upper red knob: This is a mechanical cruise lock. While traveling with the hydro pedal pushed, raise that red knob and while holding it release the hydro pedal. Then let go of the red knob. The pedal will be locked to that position. Pressing the hydro or brake pedals will release the cruise. It's not a very good cruise (crude) and is rather clumsy to use. I never use it.

I doubt that is really a 70 loader. The 70 loader is designed for the longer wheelbase 755, just as a different model (70/70A) is used for the longer wheelbase 855. The 60 loader fits the 655 and 650.

The seat does have a suspension, with an adjustment at the front for operator weight.

JD755 · Oct 10, 2010

Some specs on the loaders....

ducks13 · Oct 10, 2010

It said on the side it was a 70 and the SN started out with a 70. That is one of my concerns, that the loader doesn't fit right. The control valves for it are on top of the right upright. The parking brake pedel has been bent over I think to clear the loader to where it is on the outside of the two hydro pedels. One of the lines for the loader goes to the back of the tractor to some sort of tee fitting that seem to have necessitated cutting off the back of the seat track and taking off the seatbelt. I wish I had taken a picture. Do you think this loader tractor combo will be a problem?

JD755 · Oct 10, 2010

ducks13 said:
It said on the side it was a 70 and the SN started out with a 70. That is one of my concerns, that the loader doesn't fit right. The control valves for it are on top of the right upright. The parking brake pedel has been bent over I think to clear the loader to where it is on the outside of the two hydro pedels. One of the lines for the loader goes to the back of the tractor to some sort of tee fitting that seem to have necessitated cutting off the back of the seat track and taking off the seatbelt. I wish I had taken a picture. Do you think this loader tractor combo will be a problem?

Sounds like the tractor has been terribly hacked up to make the loader fit. You say the control valves are on top of the upright. Evidently the tractor does not have built-in control valves (scv), so valves have been added to the loader itself and then tapped into the hydraulics at the rear of the tractor. Is there any way to easily remove the loader and hydraulic lines? Sounds like probably not. On the tractor serial tag the letter after 655 is A,B,C, or D. That is probably an A or C. With all that and bent pedals, I would stay away from it.

A=2WD with no scv
B=2WD with scv
C=4WD with no scv
D=4WD with scv