New(ish) tractor purchase

[eagle628]

I bought an International 826 the other week. The "ish" is doing a lot of work in that title, as this thing is ~50 years old, but it seems to be in pretty good shape for the age. It's getting put to work mixing feed for cows this winter. Now that I have the horsepower, I'm hoping to be able to swing the purchase of a larger disc mower and/or rotary rake this winter, which would allow me to cut back to only hiring the baler for the hay I put up next year.

 

[Thomas]

Good to read see pure yesterday's iron still going strong.

 

[jeff9366]

International Harvester 826​

1969 - 1971

Production
Manufacturer:	International Harvester
Factory:	Rock Island, Illinois, USA
Original price:	$9,600 (1971 )

International Harvester 826 Power
Gear Drawbar (claimed):	79 hp 58.9 kW
Hydro Drawbar (claimed):	61 hp 45.5 kW
Gear PTO (claimed):	92 hp 68.6 kW
Hydro PTO (claimed):	84 hp 62.6 kW
Drawbar (tested):	78.92 hp 58.9 kW
PTO (tested):	92.19 hp 68.7 kW

Dimensions
Wheelbase:	105 inches 266 cm
Gear Operating weight:	9860 lbs 4472 kg
Ballasted weight:	13840 lbs 6277 kg

Interesting that your powerful, 50 year old IH tractor has a hydrostatic transmission.

Is it gas or diesel?

How much did you pay for it? It certainly looks well kept.

 

[ArlyA]

It that a hay grinder on its hitch?

 

[Jstpssng]

50 plus years old and still going strong. It looks like it was taken care of, and stored under cover.

 

[eagle628]

Interesting that your powerful, 50 year old IH tractor has a hydrostatic transmission.

Is it gas or diesel?

How much did you pay for it? It certainly looks well kept.

I think International was the only builder that used the hydro transmission in that era. It robs more power than a geared transmission, so as powershifts came into fashion I guess they were considered close enough to the infinite variability of the hydro, and quite a bit more efficient. Nowadays the idea is back in vogue on farm tractors with CVT/IVT transmissions. This is the first IH hydro I've owned but not the first I've run; it certainly took some getting used to the first couple times I drove one. It's a diesel engine. Paid $10,500 for it.

It that a hay grinder on its hitch?

Sort of, depends on your definition of grinder. It's not a hammer grinder, it's one of the vertical screw grinder mixers, so it cuts bales down, just not as finely as a hammer grinder, and mixes in whatever ingredients the ration has. It works okay, could do with some welding on the screw and another knife or two (see signature); I bought it sight unseen via online auction and it's turned out to be a fair deal but not one of the ones to brag about.

 

[tacticalturnip]

That certainly is a handsome machine; may you get many years out of her!

 

[AndyMA]

Looks newish to me Enoy

Andy

 

[MESSMAKER]

I like it. I bet you will too.

 

[kf4uda]

That 826 looks sharp. I spent many hours on an 856 as a teenager helping our neighbors farm. I enjoyed every minute running that tractor. Also ran a 706, 656 and 674. 856 was definitely my favorite.