Farmall 560

Just wondering what you guys thought about a Farmall 560 Diesel. How would it be for a small farming operation? How easy is it to get parts for? Any specific problems to look for? I know that narrow front end tractors are not ideal for haying, but would I be making a huge mistake buying it? The tractor looks to be in fair condition. What"s a reasonable price to pay?

The fact that it is 50 years old and still pretty good tells you wonders. They had a few flaws that were mostly corrected in the late 50's. Worst flaw was that they were too easy to turn up to 80+ hp and that put unexpected strain on stuff. Glow plug diesel-advanced in '59, old fashion in '09. Possible head gasket problem if run hard & put away wet. Narrow front kind of nice for haying-nimble as a cat. Most 560's by now have had 6 owners-all 6 thought they completely used it up. Probably 12-18,000 hrs on it. Only good for 50 or so more years!

I've fixed up some and parted a bunch of them, really really popular tractors and still good, even after all this time. Running but rough I dont pay over 2000 for them, not running, 300-500. Fixed up and painted I usually get from 4500-5500.

My dad and I brought a used 560D about fall of 1964 from the original owner. My only regret was that we did not buy the F30 and #70 pull plow that was hooked to it.(it was a tandom tractor hookup. popular at the time.) Pulled 4X14 #16 plow in the fall and 14 ft. tandom disc and a14 ft. field cultivator in the spring. Also it spent a lot of time hooked to a PTO. driven J.D. #6 corn sheller. Good lugging tractor and I still have it! Keep the one you are looking at tuned and keep the glow plugs working and that 560D will give you years of good service. Also keep the clutch and T.A. linkages adjusted BY THE BOOK and it will shift eaisy and the T.A will last a long time. Armand

We"ve had one on our farm since 1977. It"s been used as a haying tractor for the majority of the last 30+ years. We bought it with a fresh overhaul and the m&w turbo. Put a clutch and t/a about 3 years ago and a new head gasket. Other than that all we"ve had to do is regular maintenance. We"ve had no trouble getting parts for ours from CaseIH. If it has no major defects somewhere around 3k and maybe more depending on the unit. Ours had no problems pulling an 18" tandem disk in moderate hills.

Make sure you know what has been replaced, and how recently since that tractor could have a lot of hours on it by now.

They are a really good older tractor since they had the TA, power steering, live PTO, and live hydraulics from the factory. A couple other guys commented on the ease with which they could be turned up to 80 hp (90+ with the M&W turbo kit). Lots of capability in a tractor only a little bigger than a Farmall M. The view down that long hood is great, too, kind of like looking betwen the stacks on a John Deere model G.

You'll like the 6 cylinder as opposed to most of that size which are 4 cyl. That (and the independent PTO) are what makes the Olivers so nice to run, also. Much smoother, less noisy, less vibration.

My dad bought a 560 Diesel new in 1964. It was his primary tractor all the way up until 1991 when he sold it at his public auction. It brought around $3000.00 if I remember right. It had head gaskets replace thru the years and we overhauled it in 1978 while I was going to trade school so it didn"t cost him that much when I got the machine work done at the school. It was great for baling straw with the TA especially when you got into the thick straw you could pull the TA back and never have to worry about clutching to shift gears. You had to be careful when you released the TA when pulling a wagon behind the baler though. You could loose some bales if you let it out too fast. What"s the price on the one you"re looking at?

John

I currently have and use the 560D and 412 16" that my grandfather bought brand new in '63. Has well over 20,000 hours on it. Was the main tractor for tillage until the early 70's when we picked up a 1256... From then on it was the planting and cultivating tractor and later loader tractor. Now I use it...

Only thing I have to say about the D282... Make sure the glow plugs work... well... Put a block heater in it and make sure your thumb and batteries are strong in the winter...

Otherwise, parts are easy to acquire via CaseIH or aftermarket through Steiner, etc.

My 282 has been re-rung a time or two... has had new bearings a couple of times and the pump gone through twice... head has been rebuild a number of times... that is the extent of the work in the engine... It spent most of it's life turned up to 2200 rpm (cannot get 2400 like the 660 unless you swap springs in the pump).

Early 560's had some rearend issues.... Even with the redesign the later ones would have issues if loaded excessively... my 62 has had the rearend rebuilt a time or two... between being turned up and pulling 4-16's through ancient lake erie clay lake bottom... it has seen it's share of abuse...