Buy a ford or DB? Diesel or gas?

MikeAC · Mar 13, 2013

Hi everyone,

I wanted to buy a tractor this year to do food plots, brush mow a couple of acres, and use with my two btm plow. I have a kubota cut with a FEL, so this would be a second tractor. My choices Are down to ford or David brown, diesel or gas. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Don't anticipate a lot of use for it at this point, and would pay a premium for reliability and quality, ease of maintainance.
http://cnj.craigslist.org/grd/3640854562.html
http://williamsport.craigslist.org/grq/3612406072.html
http://allentown.craigslist.org/grd/3657038095.html

Frank Dodson · Mar 13, 2013

What model and year of tractors?
My Dad bought a David Brown 990 in 1968 to replace an Oliver S88 and he never liked the DB. He was an Oliver man through and through. The DB was ok however we had problems with the 3 pt. hitch and it wouldn't pull a 3-14 plow as well as the Oliver. I own a New Holland (Ford) 3930 that is in the same class as the DB but newer. I would take the Ford over the DB. I think parts are more available and cheaper.

Leroy · Mar 13, 2013

DB parts are hard to find. Have a friend that has one and has been down for I suppose 10 years because they could not find the parts. He liked the tractor otherwise, would just like to have it back to use.

49716 · Mar 13, 2013

since you don't need the loader, i'd vote for the low hour ford. i had a david brown 990 that was an ok tractor but i'd still go with ford. -john-

MikeAC · Mar 13, 2013

The ford with loader is a 3400 price 6700
The other ford is a 3600 price 6500
The DB is a 885 price 4250

Rick Kr · Mar 13, 2013

Whats to stop you from using the Kubota? May take a little longer. Or are you buying a tractor to match the two bottom plow you already have?

I would sell the 2 bottom and buy a few more attachments for the Kubota to do what you need.

If you absolutely need another tractor, I would go with a Ford. Around here both of those are WAY WAY overpriced. Especially the 3600 with a 6 speed. If I recall some of the earlier 6 speeds did not have live pto. This might have been on the 2 and 3000 series.

I sold my 2600 a few years back, it was a great size tractor for doing exactly what you want. Handy, turned tight, easy to get parts for.

Rick

paul · Mar 13, 2013

It's your money, so hard to tell you what to do, it all depends.

I'm partial to Fords, so I'd get one of those. I wouldn't have a clue of where or if DB parts are out there????

Diesel will run and run and run, the fuel stores forever, no points to deal with, just overall much less fuss with a diesel.

Of course when it eventually needs attention, it's more than filing down the points; you'll actually have to spend some money on it....

So I'd sure go for a good diesel, but of course it is a trade off....

Paul

ben there · Mar 13, 2013

The DB885 is a good tractor,they made the same tractor with a Case badge.Only weak points are the hydraulics.Make sure the lift works properly.There is an internal sleeve thats a PIA to get to but a simple fix once you get it uncovered.It slips and hydraulics won't work.
I've heard of crankshafts being weak,but never heard of one breaking in normal use.
Ford is always a good choice too.

MikeAC · Mar 13, 2013

Pretty much buying it to match the plow, but also I like tractors!
The kubota has R4 tires and the plow does not match well with the hitch or tires. It is a B series HST. Having another tractor would be a convienence, not a necessity. As for price, everything is higher priced here than prices I see elsewhere.

Tony in Mass. · Mar 13, 2013

6700 for a ford? 4250 for a David Brown? What are they priced in? lira? yens? ruples? You are in NJ?PA? Check out the CT, Mass, or even Albany area craigslist.... and save yourself a zero... btw? Were David Browns even 4200 when they were in the showroom?
You get a gasser, the kid down the road can help you fix it for used parts and a case of beer. You have ANYTHING go badly wrong on a diesel...kiss goodbye to another grand... that ain't my opinion, thats a fact. You got 8 grand burning a hole in your pocket? I'll send you home with trailers full of good stuff... my address is.....

Bret4207 · Mar 14, 2013

All overpriced in my opinion. I'm not sure how big a plow you have but is 38-45 hp going to be enough to pull it? Of the choices offered I'd get the DB if the tires are in good shape and it operates properly. DB made a great tractor. Some of what you are paying for with the others is just paint color.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 14, 2013

I had a DB years ago and believe me parts were tough to get, was a strong tractor but wouldn't want another one. Get you a good used Ford and you will not regret it.

RGMartin · Mar 14, 2013

The 885s are a great tractor, when they are a diesel. Parts are easy to get if you know where to look, for a diesel. The parts for the gas ones are like looking for hens teeth. That one looks like a nice straight tractor, except for the fact it is a gasser.

The DB out classes an equal HP Ford because it has more gears(12F-4R VS. 6-8F 2R), a better draft control system, easier on fuel, and is more nimble. Ford gets the nod because they are easier to work on, and more available parts.

showcrop · Mar 14, 2013

I am a Ford guy, but I had an 885 years ago, bought it for $1700 due to a problem with hydraulics which was just a broken off bolt on the cam follower. Sold it for $3400 after three years because I needed bigger. Mine was Diesel, I wouldn't want a gasser. Those prices are way high. Drive up to MacFadden's outside of Albany, for the upcoming Auction and get twice as much for half the money.

Mike M · Mar 14, 2013

I would run away from a David Brown !
We put a clutch in one back in Ag class and that was the worst tractor to do a clutch in !

Forget the plow and get a 3pt. rototiller made for your Kubota. Woods makes a nice one with a small hitch for the sub-compacts. A compact with a tiller and a hydro tranny is a hard to beat combo. You can till right along and have a perfect seedbed in one pass.

Ford's are good as are the Olivers like a 55

I'm a JD man myself,but know you can usually find better deals on the Fords & Olivers.

Mike M · Mar 14, 2013

I wouldn't rule out an older gear drive Kubota either.

RGMartin · Mar 14, 2013

(quoted from post at 08:17:34 03/14/13)
We put a clutch in one back in Ag class and that was the worst tractor to do a clutch in !

An 885 clutch can be done in 2 hours if you know what you are doing.

RodinNS · Mar 14, 2013

I'd be looking at either of the Ford's... If you need the loader, the 3400 would be OK. If you don't I'd go with the 3600 but work the price down on it.
The 3600 will have infinitely better and more user friendly hydraulics than the brown. Parts ARE hard to obtain for the Brown as well. It's not that they were bad tractors.... but there's just a lot of things that are discontinued. Yes, you can probably get stuff through A&I and whatnot.... if it fits... but OEM parts are getting thin.

Rod

MikeAC · Mar 14, 2013

What price for the 3600?

MikeAC · Mar 14, 2013

I have a tiller, but you have to use herbicide, then plow to give it a fighting chance in our soil

MikeAC · Mar 14, 2013

2-14 btm John Deere

Mike M · Mar 14, 2013

That David Brown was a 990 or 1200 ? not sure what ? and never want to see another !

RGMartin · Mar 14, 2013

The 990 clutch is easy as well.

The 1200 requires more work, and if you are following the book, it tells you to do lots of things that aren't needed.

hd6gtom · Mar 14, 2013

That price is way to high, ford gas powered only, father in law and uncle had ford diesels nothing but crap, other uncle had a DB, used it to plow gardens, was just unhandy

Rick Kr · Mar 14, 2013

ha ha. Thats all you had to say is you wanted another tractor!!!

You will find uses for the tractor anyway. Both of the Fords you listed would be in the $4k range around here.

Rick

Leroy · Mar 14, 2013

The DB i mentioned before it was not the engine and only DB that was gas that I have heard of is the 770, it was in the rear end someplace and anouther Neighbor had a 1200 that was only a couple of years old, problems that I do not know but would have taken too long to get corrected in harvest he traded it off on a new Deere and that is all he had since. And thoseproblems were when they were a new tractor that they could not get remedied in reasonable time. Never was any of the Case branded DB ever sold around here. The market was killed before those came out.

RGMartin · Mar 14, 2013

(quoted from post at 12:05:53 03/14/13) only DB that was gas that I have heard of is the 770

All 770s were diesel. Only gas ones after 1964 or so were the 3800 (780 with gas engine), 4600(880 with gas engine), and 885G.

What parts does he need and for what model? I have several parts machines, and know of lots of places to get new stuff.

mkirsch · Mar 14, 2013

Keep looking. You're not going to talk any of those guys down to a reasonable price for their tractors.

jm. · Mar 14, 2013

I know prices are different in different locations but in my part of the country those tractors are overpriced. I could find many better deals in this part of the country (Tenn.). David Brown is about a thing of the past and the others pretty high priced.

RodinNS · Mar 14, 2013

3600 should really be in the 5 range or mabey a bit more if it's real nice and has a 2 stage clutch. If that one was the 6 speed it ma only have the single clutch and no live PTO... That would be less desirable and less valuable.

Rod

aarolar · Mar 14, 2013

Having just went through this tractor buying deal I am well aware of the overpriced tractor issue. In my locale if it is a ford you won't it for less than 5k unless it is complete junk or an N series. At one time I was stuck on owning nothing but a diesel but after alot of shopping I brought home a gas tractor for several reasons.

#1 I am not making a living with it only keeping about 6 acres mowed down throughout the summer and working about 1 acre of garden. I doubt Ill burn enough fuel to ever see the difference in gas/diesel.

#2 Like someone already said a diesel is going to cost you 2x as much to repair plus I can work on a gas motor blindfolded and intoxicated, the same can't be said for a diesel in my case.

#3 The comparable diesel tractor were on average 1k more expensive.

Leroy · Mar 14, 2013

I actually do not know.

Bret4207 · Mar 15, 2013

(quoted from post at 10:30:33 03/14/13)

(quoted from post at 12:05:53 03/14/13) only DB that was gas that I have heard of is the 770

Click to expand...

All 770s were diesel. Only gas ones after 1964 or so were the 3800 (780 with gas engine), 4600(880 with gas engine), and 885G.

What parts does he need and for what model? I have several parts machines, and know of lots of places to get new stuff.

Cousin Rich, if they think the DB's are junk and hard to work on, get parts for, best we let them live in ignorance. Keeps the prices down for the rest of us! :lol:

MikeAC · Mar 16, 2013

Got the 3600

Buy a ford or DB? Diesel or gas?

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