Tracotrs are liek Potato Chips - You can't have just one

[Pillager]

Oops! Meant to give you these links for the 150. Maybe you have all the info you need but I find these websites very useful even with a service manual.

This is the parts schematics from the New Holland site, lot of info if you play around a little, going to "print assembly" mode on any of the systems gives a real nice schematic and parts list in one. Use the search feature on this page for Versatile 150 and you'll get a link to the loader page too.

Official New Holland Online Parts Store and Online Parts Catalog for New Holland and Ford Tractors.

Below is a PDF for the Perkins 4.236 engine, not Versatile specific most info should apply but not all will, you'll find this engine is used in many many different applications.

http://www.moteur-perkins.com/uploads/catalogue/lettre/notice/manuel-perkins-ld-4-236.pdf

 

[Creamer]

Many thanks Pillager! I had the first one but have been looking for the 2nd. That is a nice manual to have!

I am not familiar with the locking differential in the engine end. It makes sense to have it but that really messes with steering. I am not sure if mine has it or not.

I was thinking of changing the tires to higher flotation type tire as I am more concerned with compaction and ruts than I am with traction. Do you know of anybody who has done this on a 150 or the like?

There are not many Versatiles around my area. I grew in the South Dakota and my Dad bought a 160 after I left the farm. that is how I am familiar with them. He then bought a 256 and followed up with a 276. Then when they turned blue he gave up on them as they didn't seem to hold up as well. He used it as a loader tractor most of the year but he also had a draper head for it that cut a lot of hay and grain. With all the work they did with them they averaged nearly 2000 hours/year and traded them about every 3 years. They were tremendously handy.

When he and my brother gave up on the blue ones they went to a light duty payloader and my brothers sons have continued that plan. The payloaders were more robust but they are also a lot heavier and make a lot worse ruts. Fortunately they also got all fenceline feedbunks installed so that they didn't need to go into the lots very often when they were muddy. Still when I told my brother I had bought one you could hear the nostalgia in his voice - he had spent a lot of hours in one. Tthe footpedal loader controls were very handy for him as he is minus an arm and the foot pedals were much handier.

 

[Pillager]

The locking differential makes a clicking sound when turning, sounds a little like the clickity clack of Caterpillar tracks, you can't hear it over the engine at higher RPM but it's pretty noticeable at lower RPM so you'd probably have heard it if yours had it. Haven't tried it but I'm pretty sure the easy test is to jack one wheel off the ground and see if it turns freely, from what I understand the locker would not allow that while a standard differential would.

I've seen some pictures of the 150's / 160's with turf tires. Saw one that looked like rims and tires off a larger gravity / Parker wagon. I've considered that option too but considering I use it more for snow would probably want to keep the ag tires on rims and have a 2nd full set of rims and turf tires to swap spring and fall, probably not worth it for my needs though it may happen if I find a stupid good deal on some tires and rims, much harder to do when you need 4 and not just 2.

Not a lot of the Bi-directionals in my area either, in fact I've never seen another 150/160 but there are a few of the 256/276 models. Had experience with a lot of different conventional farm tractors growing up but had never been in anything articulated before this so that took just a little getting used to, as did the hydrostatic control. Had run a few Bobcats so the foot pedals weren't completely new. Overall I've enjoyed getting acclimated to something as different as this. Two things it's convinced me of beyond a doubt, I'll never run a snow blower in reverse again and hydrostatic is the only way to go (for my needs).

 

[Creamer]

I just love the fact that I can see the front edge of the scoop while running it and not guessing where it is by the angle of the bucket and such. We don't get enough snow here to justify a snowblower but I would bet this would be great. I don't know if you have seen this one but I would like to see how it works in some deeper snow.

versatile performance - YouTube

I think it is pretty neat how he has sliding around. he obviously is pretty comfortable in it.

 

[Pillager]

Yep, had watched that video a few times and am very much envious of that blower, though it costs more than the tractor. I run an 8' Lorenz which is a very good blower itself but no back drag feature, think that may be exclusive to Pronovost, possibly a couple other high end blowers at most. That video does show though just how perfect the bi-directionals are for running a blower.

I owned the Lorenz prior to purchasing the 150 and was a little concerned if it had enough horsepower, especially when you look at the PTO rated hp. That said I've been pleasantly surprised with how well it handles it. We do get a lot of wind and drifting here but my property is pretty well protected by a grove and windbreak so I'm not dealing with 3'-4' drifts every time the wind blows, if that were the case I'd want a substantial step up in hp. or it would be a very slow process. We did have about a 9" snowfall in late February a couple years ago that was pretty heavy stuff, a lot of people commented that it was a hard one to move but this setup handled that just fine without needing to go slower than normal, so it should handle all I need it to.

We haven't had a big snow winter here since 2010-2011, which was the winter that convinced me I was done blowing snow in reverse and with an open station tractor, I like to think with age comes wisdom but friends have accused me of getting soft, whatever the case this is a move I wish I had made years earlier.

 

[Creamer]

I had forgotten the words were in French. It says that the back drag was his addition.

I understand what you are saying about big drifts - since I grew up in SD. the first snowblower they bought - which was after I was gone - was an 8' but it was about 60" tall as well with two spinners to knock the snow into the blower. They made a JD 4440 work hard (130 hp) when they got into drifts.

One time I was there and they were putting in concrete on the cattle side of a fenceline feedbunk and they just put the blower down in the hardpacked dirt and cut a 4" deep by 8' wide swath all along the bunk as a form for the concrete.

I just wish I could justify a blower for mine but where I live there rarely is any need.

 

[Creamer]

I noticed my machine is hard starting when it is even a little cold - needs some starting fluid even at 45 degrees - is this normal?

I also noticed a three prong plug mounted in the block on the right side of the engine - is this a block heater? Where would I find a cord?

 

[Pillager]

I noticed my machine is hard starting when it is even a little cold - needs some starting fluid even at 45 degrees - is this normal?

I also noticed a three prong plug mounted in the block on the right side of the engine - is this a block heater? Where would I find a cord?

IMO 45 degrees shouldn't require starting fluid. Mine will start without it down to freezing, that's about the point I'd plug it in for a little while. Don't use the starting fluid unless I have too, plugged in for an hour or so It'll start without fluid down to near zero.

Plug on the right side? starter side? The correct location of a frost plug style heater is on the injector pump side, that said it sounds like a freeze plug style heater and someone may have installed it in a different location, no reason it won't work on the opposite side IMO. A cord should be available on Amazon or at a local auto parts store. The correct Kat's engine heater number is 30508 for that Perkins.

 

[Creamer]

I was thinking it was a little cold blooded. I am always a little nervous using starting fluid but I see in the cab and the operator's manual that it is part of the cold start procedure.

Thanks for the engine heater number. That sure looks like it would fit. Since the cord is almost as expensive as the heater with a cord I may as well get them both new.

 

[Pillager]

I know with my tractor following the instructions on the cold start is too much starting fluid, if I pull the knob all the way out and wait a couple of seconds before pushing the knob in I've even had it stop the engine from cranking when things are really cold and stiff. What works good on my tractor is not even pulling the knob all the way out before pushing it right back in for warmer temps and colder temps pulling it all the way out and pushing it right back in (no waiting) Sometimes when it's really cold I have to give it a quick second shot if it starts to sputter right after starting. Typically not an issue if it's plugged in a little longer but a lot of mornings trying to get snow moved before work an hour is about all the time it gets. Middle of winter here that's often 10-15 below zero after a storm.