88 vs M

D

DeltaRed

Well-known Member

• Apr 30, 2023

• #1

Which is 'bigger'? more power,lugging? I say an M will outwork an 88. Steve

 

jm.

Well-known Member

Location

Dover TN

• Apr 30, 2023

• #2

Not my experience the 88 would pull harder longer 6 cyl vs 4 cyl and probably little more weight, Dad owned them both .

 

I

IndyFarmBoy

Member

• Apr 30, 2023

• #3

Never driven either. But seen both at tractor shows, and the 88 sure appears to have more meat in the rear end.

 

N

NY 986

Well-known Member

• Apr 30, 2023

• #4

I've got both and both have been here since new by my grandfather. I'd say the 88 has more practical power and is easier to operate/handle. I like both but would give the 88 the edge. The hydraulics on the M are quicker but is negated due to the belly pump going through the clutch. It would be interesting for me to pull a 3 bottom plow with each as sort of a direct comparison which I never got to do before. Back in the day when the cows were here the 88 would get barrel manure spreader duty and the M would get forage blower duty then I would make my best guess as to true power based on power requirements listed in the manual for each implement. The engine in the 88 is fresher versus the M. Both need a little TLC plus the rear tires are not in the best condition anymore so a head to head test will have to wait.

 

C

coonie minnie

Well-known Member

• Apr 30, 2023

• #5

Nebraska had a few more horses and about 800 lbs (20 percent) more pull from the 88.

 

R

rrlund

Well-known Member

• Apr 30, 2023

• #6

77 was more comparable to an M.

 

M

marloweg

Well-known Member

• Apr 30, 2023

• #7

we had a 88 mh44 and a m the m was the worst tractor poor gear range and front end was to heavy hatted that tractor

 

P

Pete76NYPa

Member

• Apr 30, 2023

• #8

More important to me is how the power gets to the ground; traction..Green and Yellow wins this all day, but I love them all

 

P

paul

Well-known Member

• May 1, 2023

• #9

88 has several advantages over an M. Live pto, little bit more hp, more gears to choose from.

Paul

 

C

caterpillar guy

Well-known Member

• May 1, 2023

• #10

The 88 may have more gears to work with if you can find them. I have driven a few Oliver's in the past. The biggest thing to get used to was the shifting with that double neutral they have. sure was strange to have a Capitol I for a neutral set up. As for pulling I think maybe the 88 would have the edge. As for the matching of models. Around here it was always the 77 compared to the H and an 88 to the M never was around either only to look at and drive to load and unload.

 

R

Richard G.

Well-known Member

• May 1, 2023

• #11

I used both on my sawmill for a time back about 1980-81.
The 88 had more guts on the belt pulley by a long shot.
My Massey Harris 101 SR also had more power on the sawmill than the M had.

 

J

jddrawbar

Well-known Member

• May 1, 2023

• #12

I agree, I have a '51 77 & '48 M, both box stock, the 77 will out work the M, but I like the M & always wanted a SM.....the 88 is a beast!

 

S

ss55

Well-known Member

• May 1, 2023

• #13

With live PTO, live hydraulics, a better range of speeds, more weight, and slightly more power the Oliver 88 would be closer to an IH Super MTA or 400.

 

timcasbolt

Well-known Member

• May 1, 2023

• #14

The nice thing about the 88 was if you were lugging a load of hay up a 15% grade to the barn you could grab 3rd by pulling straight back from 6th and get the rest of the way without losing your momentum.

 

C

chcase

Member

• May 1, 2023

• #15

I have used both. 88 has alot of advances over the M . Just have to get use to the shifting.

 

Ohio88

Member

Location

Fairborn, Ohio

• May 1, 2023

• #16

Plowed with a Super 77 and 3 14s next to an M and 3/14s. The super 77 walked away from the M so an 88 should definitely out pull an M. The gear shift was not and issue when you got use to it.

 

R

rrlund

Well-known Member

• May 1, 2023

• #17

Yep, the 88 was pretty close to a John Deere G. The 77 would have been the equivalent a JD A or a Farmall M, the 66 would have been like a Farmall H or JD B. The Oliver 60 more like a Farmall C. Farmall just didn't have a tractor like the 88 or JD G.

 

BarnyardEngineering

Well-known Member

Location

Rochester, NY

• May 1, 2023

• #18

(quoted from post at 08:29:09 05/01/23) Yep, the 88 was pretty close to a John Deere G. The 77 would have been the equivalent a JD A or a Farmall M, the 66 would have been like a Farmall H or JD B. The Oliver 60 more like a Farmall C. Farmall just didn't have a tractor like the 88 or JD G.

Click to expand...

Too bad they didn't make a row crop version of the W-9.

 

T

tom upton

Member

• May 1, 2023

• #19

You would be wrong Our old 88 diesel was not that terribly far off the WD9 on the sawmill. Mill has 54 inch blade and niether tractor was really enough when into big timber but they both got the job done.