Black Stripe 966

Just today I bought a "true" Black Stripe 966, at an auction. Paid $6500 for it. But I am kinda picky about tractors and this one has everything I wanted. Dual hydraulics, dual PTO's of course, no cab, good 38 inch rear tires instead of 34's, this really was a must because I'll be using it for hay making chores and it just looks better. It is a true black striper. Now the down side. The auctioneer stated before the tractor sold that the TA was bad. You have to understand that this is Greenland around here. These guys apparently just like to spend their money on green paint. Anyway, whenever there is a red tractor going at auction they always state the condition of the TA. And usually they make some joke about the TA being weak or bad or just out. A few years ago I bought an 806 with a bad TA and used it for 10 years without ever doing anything to fix the TA. It just always worked for me. I am hoping the same holds true for this tractor. Question: How much will a TA and Clutch replacement run me, if it is fact, bad? I know that first I should change the hydraulic oil and then the filter. It was an interesting sale. There was an 806 with smooth, back 34 inch tires, narrow front end and fast hitch. Fuel was leaking from the fuel pump continuously as it sat there running. There was even black oil floating on the water standing underneath it. The entire right side of the engine was covered in a black mess. Blue smoke was billowing out of the crankcase vent. To top it off, it had a "passed it's prime" Year around cab, that had enough garbage in it to fill a dumpster. And yet, it went for $3000. I had picked it as the baragin item of the day. Wrong again!

My cousin's 1066 Black Stripe and his 886 have not had functional T/As for years. If the one on the 1466 goes out, I don't think he would get it fixed either. At least we wouldn't tear one down just to fix the T/A since we do not plow anymore (we are all no-till, even the field cultivator has not been out of the shed in years). If I was going to do a lot of plowing with an old IH I would want the T/A to work, otherwise as you already know you still have 8 forward gears - who needs more than that?

BTW - the 966 is a great tractor. The 06 and 66 series tractors are my most favorite IH models. I learned to farm as a kid on a couple of 656s, a couple of 706s, and one really cool hopped up 1206. It was sold out of the family when I was 17 in 1979 for $7K. I wanted to buy it and my dad would not let me (or loan me the money - is there a difference?) I have always regretted not making a stronger effort to get it but I was young and stupid and still don't own one yet.

I have a black stripe 966 also. It has 4300 hours on it, I am second owner. I paid 7500 for it, and it came with a very nice DuAl 2000 loader , bucket and grapple.
It has been a flawless machine. The TA works perfectlyt. I only use it to start out in 8th gear for road travel, switching to fwd when I get rolling, and also use it to modulate speed when running into uneven large clumps in alfalfa windrows. I don't plow at all.

Gordo

haymaker421, To "split", "remove and replace" the Clutch, P-plate, Throw-out bearing, and TA will run you in the $3200 ballpark @ a good local tractor shop, Not an IH dealer. Hope this helps,
Later,
John A.

I appreciate that info. And sense you seem to be in the know about TA's, apparently there is a regular and then a heavy duty. I never knew this until I bought a 3388. A dealer at that auction told me that they had a pretty light TA and if I was to replace it, always put in a heavier one. Yesterday a fella was telling me that they always used the heavier TA when replacing one. Frankly I am suspicious of this whole "heavier than regular" stuff. It is always more expensive and you wind up just taking someone's word that it's heavier. How do you tell the difference? With 45 years of farming using IH tractors, believe it or not I have never had to replace one and I use the h#%& out of them. That is why I am so ignorant of the whole TA business.