What tractor do I need ?

Hello. I'm wanting to get a little
tractor. One I can rotary mow with, if
Needed a sicle mower and a side
delivery rake. I also have some acre or
Two patch's I want to plant to Milo
Or soybeans. I have an old pull type
Lister I could maybe use. Everyone
Says get ATV...but I want something
that is useful and something you
Can use.
Plus I have 30 acres I need to get
Back to crops. Need to cut some trees
And mow.
I don't want a high tractor like an
H or m....something maybe closer to
The ground.
Always wanted a little ford. Don't know
If quite big enough.
Also don't want to spend alot...crop
Price looks bad next year
I've looked at little fords but they
Want over 3k around here.

Any ideas or suggestions ?

Massy 135, IH 300U or 350U, oliver S55, or Similar.
35 to 40 hp
multiple speeds (more than 4)
Live hydraulics
Live PTO or two stage clutch PTO
good to fair tires.
Good oil pressure
Clutch good enough to stall the engine if let out abruptly in road gear
Charges the battery. Jim

Where you located. Neighbor has a IHC 300 for sale.

Janicholson has summed it up. I would add a Ford 3000 to the mix.

KEH

In Iowa the little Fords are a lot less asking price than what you are seeing. That said there was a lot of farming done with them, more than you are planning. The same style but a better tractor would be the Massey Fergusons, Oliver 550, IH 300, 350, 340, 244, 454, 504, 460, 606 and 656 utilities. I know the IH tractors will have a live PTO and hydraulics which makes a lot handier and a safer tractor to operate. Most are also newer. Most of The older IH utilities (300, 350, 460)if they had a power lift attachment on the rear would have been a 2 point (fast hitch) from the factory. That is not the same as a "3 Point that would become the norm. There were conversion kits to go from 2 point to 3 point, but I never used one. The 2 points on the 560 and 706, 806 that I was familiar with had a fixed width between lower arms. That might make it difficult to hook up 3 point equipment. I spent most of the summer on an Oliver 550 when I was 18 and thought it was a good tractor. I used it with a bush hog mower, on a state property. My neighbor had a Massey Ferguson 60 industrial with a loader. It was a good loader tractor, but I think the Live PTO was a little bit of an odd design for what I consider "Live power". The Allis Chalmers were a different breed also. Their answer to the power lifting hitch was the Snap coupler, which I am not familiar. They also had something different than the "Live Power" that IH had. The Allis tractors were a lower profile than the other row crop tractors of the era. Not to forget Case, until the late 50's did they not have a "utility tractor" . Someone will correct me if I am wrong, I hope, which is quite probable. If you are planning on towed equipment forget the 2 point- fast HITCH,/3 point/Snap coupler and Case Eagle Hitch part of the discussion. Our neighbor had a 2020 JD utility. I thought that is was a great tractor with a loader and spent many hours on it, although a little light on the rear. I think from what I have heard the 1020 utilities were good also. I probably spent less than an hour on one, but it did what I expected of it. I have heard less flattering things about the 1010 and 2010 JD tractors. I am not sure, but I think the gas engines were OK but the Diesel engines had design defects. Again someone hopefully will correct me if I am wrong. Previous to the thousand series deere's, their utilities were a very low production number unit and never saw one.

I've been trying to sell a little Ferguson TO-20 cheap. Comparable to a little Ford. I'm in Michigan though.....

I can't see, at least around here, were your going to get anything useful for $3000, I know in different areas tractors bring different prices.,

(quoted from post at 17:43:29 11/01/15) Hello. I'm wanting to get a little
tractor. One I can rotary mow with, if
Needed a sicle mower and a side
delivery rake. I also have some acre or
Two patch's I want to plant to Milo
Or soybeans. I have an old pull type
Lister I could maybe use. Everyone
Says get ATV...but I want something
that is useful and something you
Can use.
Plus I have 30 acres I need to get
Back to crops. Need to cut some trees
And mow.
I don't want a high tractor like an
H or m....something maybe closer to
The ground.
Always wanted a little ford. Don't know
If quite big enough.
Also don't want to spend alot...crop
Price looks bad next year
I've looked at little fords but they
Want over 3k around here.

Any ideas or suggestions ?

Click to expand...

The smaller Fords like the 2/3/4000 are in high demand and most parts are still available. Some of the other tractors people suggest have good to poor parts support based on demand. Lots of them still out there working for a living = high demand.

Expand you search area and be willing to make a road trip.

Rick

I agree with your choices but I would emphasize the Massey 135 or just the older version of a Massey 35 with power steering and a diesel engine. In my opinion they were the best smaller tractor ever made and parts are still available. Happy farming.

(quoted from post at 09:12:12 11/02/15) I agree with your choices but I would emphasize the Massey 135 or just the older version of a Massey 35 with power steering and a diesel engine. In my opinion they were the best smaller tractor ever made and parts are still available. Happy farming.

Click to expand...

I agree fully with this. Only stay away from a MF 35 with the 4 cyl. diesel.

I'd like to stick my ore in the water here. Case 430, and 530's are pretty good tractors. Stay away from a Case-O-Matic though. I like them, but they are the most misunderstood system out there.