Oliver Super 55 ?

I found an Oliver Super 55 for sale local and before getting too excited I wanted to research the tractor. I have found out from you guys that this model came with a "live pto"...of sorts. Not sure how it works, but it seams to be a good tractor and alot easier to find parts for that the Foriegn Satoh/Mitsubishi I was looking at. I found all kids of replacement parts for the Oliver. Tons of engine rebuild componets, ignition and some drivetrain. As I read the parts numbers sometimes they would mention other Oliver models (550) (66). I also saw MPL Moline and White tractors listed. I know that Cockshut was the Canadian version of some model Olivers. Was there other manufactures who used the Oliver platform or vise/versa? Thanks

The Super 55 was exclusively Oliver. They had truly independent PTO. The tractor driveshaft ran from the clutch,then there was another large hub over that with a hollow shaft to a gear that ran the PTO clutch. The PTO shaft then was engaged with a separate hand clutch on the right hand side of the seat,right behind the 3 point lift lever. No two stage clutch like the Massey Ferguson's and Ford's had at that time.
They used an Oliver designed,Waukesha finished engine. Just pretty darned much a bullet proof little tractor. Hands down going away the best there was for their time.
There were two versions. The early ones had green wheels. You can differentiate between the two by where the fuel cap is located. The early ones had the cap up front under the radiator cap door. The "Improved Super" had the cap out in the open in the center of the hood. Early green wheeled gas models had a 6 volt system from the factory. The Improved red wheeled ones were 12 volt and had a key start ignition,as well as improved steering. All of the diesel models were 12 volt. Here's a picture of my 57 Improved Super.

As the other guy says. If I could ever find one of those it would be at my farm at warp speed

(quoted from post at 15:39:48 01/14/15) As the other guy says. If I could ever find one of those it would be at my farm at warp speed

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This one is out of my price range, but I looks real good! Comes with the blower asking $5000

It'd have to be a $3000 blower to be worth that. That one looks like an early one. I gave $1000 for mine,but it was a basket case. I had as much of it in the back of the pickup as I had intact on the trailer. Around $2200-2800 is the price range for a decent runner around here.

Oliver Super 55.....Best bang for the buck small utility tractor ever built. I never understood why they were so cheap relative to many other utilities that aren't half the tractor the S 55 is.

Ya! I thought he was a bit high. Though I think it may be a Diesel. I have to take a look at a MiniMO that I have been driving by for a few years. It looked like it ran but then they never moved it again. I was hoping that the MiniMo might have a simular PTO set up since they had several parts that interchanged. I am going to add the Oliver to my $2000 tractor list.

The 55/550s were great little tractors, but Case also had a great tractor much the same as the Olivers, but had an even better 12 spd trans.
Loren, the Acg.

As much as I love my Case tractors the Oliver Super 55/550 were hands down the best utility tractor built.

Oliver and Moline were both bought out by White,but that wasn't until well after the end of production of the Super 55's. There weren't any similarities between the Olivers and Molines at that time.

Ya that would be out of my range also. 2 tractor I really want to own are a Super 55 and a super 44 Oliver

Even less here in Tennessee. Olivers just do not sell well here. They do not show up that offen because they were just never that many sold here but when they show up at auction, most time they are very cheap.

I have a decent running,
fair looking 55 model
S55for sale in nw
Ky.$2100. 270-925-5two
five9 if any of you are
inyerested.

(quoted from post at 17:56:45 01/14/15) I have a decent running,
fair looking 55 model
S55for sale in nw
Ky.$2100. 270-925-5two
five9 if any of you are
inyerested.

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Fair price..without seeing it. KY little too far to go get it. I would blow my budget in fuel. I've got 1996 F250 Extemded Cab with 7.5l 460. She pulls like a beast, but gets thrirsty real fast. 8mpg Pulling

Pretty bullet proof little tractor but remember they ARE OLD. Every mechanical thing has its limits. Steering/steering box and shifter/shifter rails are the two things that take a beating on a utility tractor. Make sure it stays in all gears under load and check slop in steering and steering column/tie rod ends. Here's ours (with Dad& dog) back in '68-'69. Great little tractor. Pay $3000-$3500 for a good one or you will have that much into a bad one and nothing for your labor.

We have my Mother's Uncles Super 55. The Uncle died in the late 70's or early and it had little care until his wife died in 2002 I think. I used it to plow and cultivate her garden back in the 80s.
Plus, it tangled with a tree back in the day-before I came along- and that left some steering problems-A bit harder to steer than you would think for a tractor that size.

The things that bother me most about it are the starter and the gearshift. The starter tends to hang in the flywheel, it seems more likely to do it if the battery is weak. The gearshift sometimes will let it go into 2 gears at once.

(quoted from post at 20:12:24 01/14/15) We have my Mother's Uncles Super 55. The Uncle died in the late 70's or early and it had little care until his wife died in 2002 I think. I used it to plow and cultivate her garden back in the 80s.
Plus, it tangled with a tree back in the day-before I came along- and that left some steering problems-A bit harder to steer than you would think for a tractor that size.

The things that bother me most about it are the starter and the gearshift. The starter tends to hang in the flywheel, it seems more likely to do it if the battery is weak. The gearshift sometimes will let it go into 2 gears at once.

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I appreciate all the info /"quirks". All tractors have there problems but these Olivers look pretty good. I should start a new thread about Minne Mo Jetstar. I would like to know if it fits into my budget/requirements. Another Dumb question, Independent PTO means Live Pto? I have seen this listed on www.tractordata but was not sure.

Independant PTO is a live PTO that is in no way connected to the tractor clutch or ground speed, It is a seperate drive system. Now live PTO can be done different ways as with the tractor clutch peddel part way down will stop tractor movement and shift gears but in that position you cannot turn the PTO on and off, for that you have to push the clutch all the way down to stop both the PTO and movement And with that setup you will have a control lever to start and stop the pto besides the tractor clutch. Then there is the type of live setup that disengages one rear axle and lets it spin that side of the differential to stop movement of tractor but you cannot shift gears or put PTO in or out position doing that. So all 3 are live system on PTO but not all are independant of tractor operation like an independant PTO is. I only had the independant type to use and would have prefered the clutch operated half way down system. With a combine on the pto with the independant PTO if you hit a rock with the cutter bar and it started to go into the platform with the clutch system then just hitting the clutch wouls stop both forward motion and combine so as to not tear up combine and not drag uncut crop into platform with dirt. With the independant system you had to not only use the foot clutch you also had to grab the PTO lever at the same time to stop both and likely you could not react and think that fast. Now on like a rotary mower you probably would not be in a situation like that and the independant might be better, Each would have their place. The axle disconnect I had only for a couple of months and never had it on PTO so no experiance there.

The best and most convenient thing about the independent PTO is this. If you come out on a headland and want to shut off the PTO,say you're running a baler or sickle mower,you can shut it off,then restart it without stopping the tractor. With the two stage clutch or what some others tried to pass off as "Live PTO",you have to bring the tractor to a complete stop before you can engage the PTO again.

(quoted from post at 09:43:39 01/15/15) The best and most convenient thing about the independent PTO is this. If you come out on a headland and want to shut off the PTO,say you're running a baler or sickle mower,you can shut it off,then restart it without stopping the tractor. With the two stage clutch or what some others tried to pass off as "Live PTO",you have to bring the tractor to a complete stop before you can engage the PTO again.

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Sooooo... What I have learned is that the following machines fit the $2000/Some sort of Live PTO are:
Oliver 55
David Brown 880
Minneapolis Moline Jetstar
AC WD45 with we clutch

There are others but I have left off due to $3000 and over cost an or limited parts availability.

Good add on to what I said. The only thing that we ever had that would want to stop in that situation was a corn picker and never pulled with anything but a transmission PTO so did not thing about that. Baler was always with that transmission PTO as well. Picker and baler and mower-conditioner, forage harvestor-flail chopper and most time combine were behind John Deere A or B, Farmall H, Ferguson 30 or earlier Ford 2N. Tried the combine once behind the 65 Ford 4000 with independant and did not work very well.

There is a pretty sharp Oliver 550 with about new rubber and scrapper blade on the Lancaster PA CL
for $3300

Looks Good! A little above my budget, but thanks for the link.