IH 2+2, a large collection

fordforce · Mar 10, 2019

This group of IH 2+2 is owned by an old gentleman near Brantford Ontario. I have always been fascinated by them. But have heard mixed reviews on them. I have heard this fellow may disperse his collection. What do you guys think? Is this a tractor you should stay away from?

Tony in SD · Mar 10, 2019

As a collector I think I?d like to have one. As a farmer I would not.

Glenn F. · Mar 10, 2019

They were an excellent tractor if you didn't push them beyond their limits.

Glenn F.

jon f mn · Mar 10, 2019

I believe they were marketed to the dairy farmers at the time who were looking for something bigger for jobs like chopping silage and such. That is why the cab is in the back so you can see better than a standard four wheel drive. I believe they work good for that. They were ih's answer to today's large front assist tractors at the time. I know some had 886 rear ends and so were light duty for some work. If you use them for their intended purpose I think they are ok.

oldtanker · Mar 10, 2019

Love hate thing.

From what I understand they were more or less meant to be what MFWA is today. That is not a heavy 4X4. But what happened is guys thought that the were a row crop version of a 4X4, not a row crop with 4X4 and used them accordingly.

Still some being used today. And because they were kinda a last gasp from IH as the sink went down, coupled with production starting shortly before the farm crisis it would up being just another nail in the coffin. That also limited production with 2X2's appreciating in value over the last few years as collectors start picking them up.

Rick

Eric in IL · Mar 10, 2019

I've put a few hours on those 2+2's for a neighbor. At first i hated it, but after awhile you get used to them. When turning, the tractor nose goes left and the human nose goes right. It is a plus to have good neck flexibility for this reason.

They really shine on a row crop cultivator or side dressing NH3 with mounted implements. They are also about as close as it gets to be able to walk on water.

I never understood why IH chose the park position on the shifter all the way forward. Possibly a good spot for hemmoroid sufferers with an itchy butt, however others will not be amused when exiting the cab.

Pretty reliable if not abused has been my experience. Pretty cheap horsepower unless rare.

gab · Mar 10, 2019

A farmer a couple of miles from me has at least two of them he uses and there's more around I see now and then.

NY 986 · Mar 10, 2019

We tried out a 3388 brand new in 1979. The sensor for the exhaust temp indicated high so we stopped with the trial. Was not really wowed by the tractor and did not like the steering. All that aside we were looking for an 180 HP tractor but IH did not have any 3788's available for trial. The nearest dealer did quote a price of 60,000 dollars for a 3788 with back duals when available. JD 8440 was priced several thousand dollars less than the 3788 so our interest faded in the 3788. A low hour JD 8430 came along in the mean time so that is what we went with.

Some guys had good luck with them and some had problems. I would keep my expectations tempered if you bought one. As others hinted at they are not going to pull like a Steiger.

sourgum · Mar 10, 2019

There is a model IH 7288 2+2 ,only 19 units were made. If one of those is in his collection it would have collector value because of low production numbers.

Toyfarm1206 · Mar 10, 2019

We had a 3588 heck of a plow tractor and would pull anything out of the mud. Otherwise I hated it. It blew a hydraulic line and caught fire. Best thing to come out of that was we got a 7120 Magnum.

tlock0331 · Mar 10, 2019

ive heard that if you had the front duals on you couldnt turn as tight because the rear and fronts would hit. and i noticed on that picture that it doesnt look like any of his 2+2's have front duals on them.

Any truth to that?

Al Baker(pumpman) · Mar 10, 2019

I would love to try one, but not sure I want to open my wallet for that experience. Maybe one day they will get cheep enough for me to gamble on one. Al

fixerupper · Mar 10, 2019

Like others said they were a good tractor if not used like a four wheel drive. A farmer close to me used one for ridge tilling and got along fine with it. Two other neighbors put saddle tanks on the front and snapped axles. Come to think of it I know of another ridge tiller who has had the same 2+2 since new.

flying belgian · Mar 10, 2019

We had a couple brothers in the neighborhood farmed with one until they went broke. That should tell you something. Then a large chicken farmer bought it. Had it permanently hooked to the spreader. Had every Tom, Dick and Mexican run it. Beat the heck out of it but never had any problems with it. Like others said, depends on what you used it for.

oldtanker · Mar 10, 2019

Basically they don't do anymore than a 2 wheel drive of the same HP does. The front drive was really only intended for wet spots in the field. Like when chopping corn in the fall in wet conditions. Or spring tillage in that one "low spot". Lot of buyers thought that they were getting true 4X4 performance with row crop abilities.

Yea one of the ones with real low production numbers sold not to long ago. 7488 total 16 built. 115,000 dollars.

Total IH built less than 12,000 2X2's of all sizes. As younger collectors join that ranks of collectors the value of that A or B JD, H or M Farmall and WD is going to continue to sink. This is leading to 2 things. Larger and newer tractors are the ones becoming more desirable. Who would have thought that a Farmall 1206 would have any value. One sold a year or so ago for 42K. Because of this, the fact that the 2X2 in a unique tractor and the limited total production? I think they are only going to increase in value.

Me personally? I don't care for em.

Rick

morepower02 · Mar 10, 2019

Have seen 2 of 16 built 7488 models sold in the last year of so. 100 plus thousand.

Olyj1947 · Mar 10, 2019

The operator's manual says not to use duals but the picture on the cover has the tractor equipped
with duals!

oleclint · Mar 10, 2019

Gab, We looked at your neighbors Two + Two s a year ago. Good looking tractors. Tom mentioned that he gets along pretty good with them.
If you get a chance, stop in and look at the rest of his red tractors. Some very nice looking ones.clint

sourgum · Mar 10, 2019

Serial # 16 of 16 units built. She runs good has good sheet metal can be yours. She is on the auction block for the next 10 days in Ohio. Around 175 hp, field ready. A rare 7288 2+2, 5000 hrs.

T in NE · Mar 11, 2019

Decent ride, fair turning radius, will pull a lot. Just not with high-draft implements. Front driveshaft turns top to passenger side. Torque lifts the left front wheel, unloads the right rear, and you're sitting there with the other wheels not turning.

3788 would pull 6-18s, but not as fast as the 7580 allis, and it was up 40 cubic inches on the allis.

Cool to run in summer, forward air flow, long nose, and a fuel tank between you and the engine.

Chopper and wagons would push it around turning down hill. Nose heavy and tail light.

Front duals were only supposed to be run for flotation. On 30 inch rows the duals won't touch in a turn.

Oh, and never turn to full lock when hooked to an implement especially with duals on. If the dual gets close to the implement, when you straighten out, the dual swings back into the implement. If you stop a half turn from full lock, you have the option of turning tighter and backing out of it. P

Tony in SD · Mar 11, 2019

As a collector I think I?d like to have one. As a farmer I would not.

IH 2+2, a large collection

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

New User

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads