Buying Advice Thoughts on a Ford 1720 and chances of finding an FEL for it...

[bcmark]

Hi folks, and thanks in advance for the advise! I am essentially a tractor "newbie", but my wife and I have just decided to purchase a 4 acre "horse farm" in our retirement and I'm gonna need a tractor! A good friend has suggested a mid-sized unit with about 30hp, and since I like somewhat older cars and like to do my own maintenance, something with a few years on it. After buying the property, that will be all I can afford in any case.

I stumbled on a really nice little Ford 1720 this week, and took it for a spin today. The meter shows under 700 hours, and it is in very nice aesthetic condition. Seems to have been very well maintained. It felt very comfortable to me, and pricing around $6,000 seems fair from what I have seen.

My biggest concern is that it does not have a loader, and I will clearly need one. I have looked through many forums on this site over the past few days, and mined some great information, including a very nice list of compatible loaders for the 1720, but I'm still puzzled by the process of deciding what loader characteristics determine if it's a fit. For instance, I have found a nice Kubota TL720 loader, off of a Kubota L35 industrial tractor. The L35 is slightly larger than a 1720, but about the same size as a Ford 1920, which uses the same original equipment loader as the 1720. So... does that mean it should be a good fit?

Other than the specific questions above, please offer some thoughts on my choice of the Ford 1720, and the idea of trying to fit it with a loader rather then waiting until I can find one with a loader. Thanks!!!!

 

[spitter]

Trieng to find the right loader in good shape takes time and perservance. Try junk yards like long lane in pa that deal in tractors only. Meanwhile look for a tractor with a fel already.:drink:

 

[jeff9366]

Ford 1720

1987 - 2000 Twenty Compact Series
Compact Utility tractor
Previous model: Ford 1710
Next model: New Holland 1720
Series next: Ford 1920
Series back: Ford 1620

Production:
Distributor: Ford
Manufacturer: Shibaura
Factory: Japan
Original price (USD)
$14,000 (2000 )

Ford 1720 Engine:
Shibaura 1.5L 3-cyl diesel
Ford 1720 Power:
Engine (gross): 27.7 hp [20.7 kW]
Engine (net): 26.5 hp [19.8 kW]
PTO (claimed): 23.5 hp [17.5 kW]

Transmission:
Type: gear
Gears: 12 forward and 4 reverse
Three gears (1-3) plus reverse (R) in four ranges.
Type: mechanical shuttle
Gears: 12 forward and reverse
Four synchronized gears in four ranges, with mechanical shuttle shifting.

Capacity:
Fuel: 8.5 gal [32.2 L]
Hydraulic system: 7.1 gal [26.9 L]

3-Point Hitch:
Rear Type: I
Control: draft control*
Rear lift (at 24"/610mm): 1742 lbs [790 kg]

Power Take-off (PTO):
Rear PTO: transmission
live*
Rear RPM: 540

Dimensions:
Wheelbase: 65 inches [165 cm]
Weight: 2491 to 2690 pounds

Ford 1720 attachments:
Blade:
Type: front-mount Ford 702C
Width: 78 inches [198 cm]

63" Snow blower:
Type: front-mount Ford 715A
Clearing width: 63 inches [160 cm]

Loader:
Loader type: Ford 7108

Backhoe:
Backhoe type: Ford 757B


1720 Serial Numbers:
Location: Transmission housing, left side
1987: UL21001
1988: UL22701
1989: UL26556
1990: UL28601
1991: UL30784
1992: UL32230
1993: UL33920
1994: UL35013
1995: UL36435
1996: UL37607
1997: UL38466
1998: UL40069
1999: UL41414
2000: UL42699

Mechanical:
Chassis: 4x2 2WD
4x4 MFWD 4WD
Steering: power
Brakes: wet disc
Cab: Two-post ROPS.

Hydraulics:
Type: open center
Capacity: 7.1 gal [26.9 L]
Pump flow: 7.8 gpm [29.5 lpm]
Total flow: 10.6 gpm [40.1 lpm]
Steering flow: 2.8 gpm [10.6 lpm]

Electrical:
Ground: negative

Battery:
Number: 1
Volts: 12

Page information:
Last update: June 22, 2017
Copyright: Copyright 2017 TractorData LLC
Contact: Peter@TractorData.com

 

[jeff9366]

A 26-horsepower/2,500 pound bare weight tractor is ample for four acres. You will not be able to lift round bales of hay with the potential Loader but you can move round bales of hay just off the ground with a Three Point Hitch mounted bale spear.

Before you order a Loader you need to determine if the hydraulic plumbing to operate the Loader is on the tractor or if installing Loader controls will be a considerable additional expense. Twenty to thirty years ago Loaders on compact tractors were less common, less powerful and less refined than today.

I found a nice Kubota TL720 loader, off of a Kubota L35 industrial tractor. The L35 is slightly larger than a 1720, but about the same size as a Ford 1920, which uses the same original equipment loader as the 1720. So... does that mean it should be a good fit?

I think it improbable any Kubota Loader will fit a Ford 1720.

Many here decide installing an aftermarket Loader on a 20+ year old tractor is not attractive relative to shopping for an alternative tractor with a functioning factory Loader installed. New tractors sold with Loaders have hydrostatic (pump driven) (HST) transmissions almost 100%.

Have you determined if the tractor is 4-WD or 2-WD? Pushing a Loader into a dirt pile with a 2-WD tractor can be difficult.

Best of luck with your decision.



There are three threads from the T-B-N ARCHIVE relating to Ford 1720 Loaders in the blue SIMILAR THREADS box at the foot of this page. Thread #3 has a comprehensive list of compatible aftermarket FELs.

 

[jmc]

I had the next size up (1920) and was very happy with it. Mine only had the basic transmission though and I would not own another similar transmission for the type of work I do. When doing frequent back and forth work like loading or trim mowing, the tractor needs to come to almost a complete stop to change directions without grinding the gears. That model had optional transmissions that probably addressed this problem.

On any tractor, and especially compact tractors, weight = traction. Compact tractors are light to begin with and if you have a loaderful, that takes much weight off the rear tires. Hold out for a 4x4 to take advantage of the weight shifted forward. My 1920 with a load of dirt was like a turtle on its back if I forgot to engage the front axle.

My 2003 Kubota replacement for that 1988 Ford is much quieter and spews a lot less diesel particulate- so there's a price for that vintage.

 

[fried1765]

Trieng to find the right loader in good shape takes time and perservance. Try junk yards like long lane in pa that deal in tractors only. Meanwhile look for a tractor with a fel already.:drink:

"Meanwhile look for a tractor with a fel already"

This is the VERY BEST advice!
MUCH hassle trying to retrofit any other brand loader to your 1720.
Even mounting an original model (7108 ?) Ford loader will require some work.

I have an 1100 hour 1989 Ford 1920 FEL., that I have brought back to like new condition.
It is a great little tractor, but if it had not had a loader in the beginning, I would not have bought it.

Nobody splits a CUT tractor with loader, to sell them as individual pieces.
Your only loader hope would be from a tractor junk yard, and loaders you find there will likely have been beaten to death.

 

[bcmark]

Thanks all for the quick responses and info! I had already read many earlier threads on the 1720, and it was really just the FEL issue that is throwing me. The unit I am looking at is definitely 4X4, so sorry I missed stating that. Jeff9366's point about the "hydraulic plumbing" is a great one. Not sure hat to look for, but I will followup on that. Any thoughts on where I can find a good picture of the hydraulic connections would be appreciated.

I had already seen the list of compatible FELs for the 1720 from the older thread, and was trying to better understand what made them compatible. For now, I will stick to units on that list and see if I can locate one, before the tractor is sold, or I find another tractor with a loader.

Any further thoughts will be appreciated. thanks again!!!

 

[bcmark]

Thanks jmc! Your points about the tranny are good ones, but I just tend to gravitate to things that are more my vintage. The noise and particulate are a better fit for my personality! lol

 

[jeff9366]

The load on an FEL is cantilevered far in front of the Loader pivots. Loader must be an exact fit or probability of Loader failure and tractor rollover is very high.

Factory FELs are designed to bypass the protuberances on the tractor it fits. What "sticks out" on a Ford and Kubota is likely different. Also left/right protuberance differences.

The Shibaura is likely metric.
The older USA Fords were inch-standard and Kubota metric-standard Loader would likely not be compatible.



T-B-N ARCHIVE: www.tractorbynet.com&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwixnPKuorjnAhUhrlkKHY2TBb0QrQIoBDAAegQIAhAP&biw=1440&bih=837]adding fel loader to ford 172 tractor site:TractorByNet - Compact Tractors & Equipment Resource - Google Search[/url]

 

[nards444]

I would think depending on the retro fit, and whats there or isnt. Conservatively would think you could be talking another 2-5k in expenses to get a loader. IMO no sense in getting a tractor without a loader. Also think the money and time would be better served finding a machine that has everything vs trying to retro fit something 30 years old. said and done 5k wont get you a whole lot. Think 10-15k opens a lot more doors for a better machine that can fit your needs and wants.