Massey 50 HX

lefthooker · 04-10-2011 7:47pm #1

I need to replace the old MF 50 before the winter. We've had her 33 years and she's given great service but its going to cost too much to put her right. I've been looking at 2 50 HX's. Both are of similar year(early 90's) similar hours and good condition. Only difference is that one is turbo'd while the other has the 5th road gear.
Question is of the two which is better to have???
I'd appreciate comments and opinions, good or bad about eithe rof the models.

Thanx.

whelan1 · 04-10-2011 8:05pm

we had a 50hx , you would be quicker walking on the road

jeff greene · 04-10-2011 8:18pm

whelan1 wrote: »

we had a 50hx , you would be quicker walking on the road

Did you ever find 4th gear?

My one is non turbo and no 5th gear. Does around 30km which is fast enough for a loader. Mine has been reliable, parts are easily got too.

lefthooker · 04-10-2011 8:54pm

jeff greene wrote: »

My one is non turbo and no 5th gear. Does around 30km which is fast enough for a loader. Mine has been reliable, parts are easily got too.

The 50 was no drag racer either and 30km is plenty fast on some of the roads that have to be travelled. Main thing is reliability when it will be loading feeders everyday during the winter. I'll be able to swap the quick attach plate from the 50 so i can keep all the buckets and forks. I won't be doing any hire work and little road work

04-10-2011 9:48pm

from what i know the 50hx were good enough loaders probaldy better with the turbo engine

lefthooker · 04-10-2011 10:21pm

Thanks guys. First impressions are both machines are straight enough. Its down to who does the better deal. I think the general consensus is they're a good machine.

whelan1 · 05-10-2011 5:36am

we have an out farm about a mile and a half away , the jcb 3cx is way faster on the road, that was the main problem we had with the 50hx... its mostly up hill to the other farm and it was quicker to put a bale of silage in a trailer on the jeep and bring the digger over with no bale on it, had no real mechanical problems with it

td5man · 05-10-2011 10:04am

I'd go with the one with 5th gear as this is a direct drive from the engine,it bypasses the torque converter.
I've had a 50b,50hx,50hxs and a 860 and the hxs was the best of the lot.
I'd say the non turbo engine would give less trouble.

flatout11 · 05-10-2011 10:16am

the 50 hx was a great wee machine did you leave the backactor on it??
would you not consider a 860 or jcb??

td5man · 05-10-2011 10:33am

The 860 was a nice machine to drive and a great machine to push, but it gave plenty of trouble.
Jcb's have very little ground clearance compared to the massey's and you can take the backactor off the 50's which is handy if you have low sheds.
I had a weight box with 3 point linkage on the back so you could lift off with a tractor.

flatout11 · 05-10-2011 10:36am

td5man wrote: »

The 860 was a nice machine to drive and a great machine to push, but it gave plenty of trouble.
Jcb's have very little ground clearance compared to the massey's and you can take the backactor off the 50's which is handy if you have low sheds.

yea i used to put up silage on one for a lad, he droped of the backactor each summer left it a bit more nimble to move about,
did you consider a jcb 4 cx or are they too awkward

td5man · 05-10-2011 10:57am

Never liked jcb's, have a hitachi digger and a tractor and loader now.

td5man · 05-10-2011 11:03am

O/p you need check the front axle for wear, raise the front so the wheels are just touching the ground, then stand on one of the wheels and rock it back and forwards.
Also check the loader brackets at the front of the cab,they crack at the back at cab floor level if abused.

jeff greene · 05-10-2011 11:48am

Mine is S series, not sure a turbo is needed, plenty of poke as is for me anyway. agree with the front axle, also important to keep the bolts tight as they tend to loosen causing the shaft to the pump to break. Usuall things, shuttle, torque, brakes, 4wd shaft. Very nimble, frugal and easy starting, ideal farmer loader. Fit a dead switch if its not already fitted, have a tendency to burn

lefthooker · 05-10-2011 1:20pm

Both are coming from very local garages with a warranty and we've been thru them and determined what work needed to be done. Don't fancy an 860 and I've got the quick attach and buckets from the 50 to suit and a weight box if I decided to take off the back actor and push up silage or feed. JCB not in the running at all.
I already have a good tractor and loader for feeding and bedding but use the digger for loading beet and cleaning out houses and a bit of rooting and scratching, loader wouldn't stand up to serious amounts of dung IMO and I use the back actor to scrape out calf pens. A telehandler has it's advantages too but but I'd be losing one of the main features and benefits of the digger

knownothing · 05-10-2011 6:12pm

are you selling the mf, as i have one and need another for parts:)

lefthooker · 05-10-2011 8:21pm

I'll be getting out of the 50 alright. one in one out etc...
Both garages will take her one way or another

knownothing · 06-10-2011 9:24pm

any idea what they are allowing you on trade . maybe we could do a deal:)

butt1 · 10-10-2011 12:04pm

JUST WONDERING,DOES ANY ONE KNOW WHAT THE LOADER IS ABLE TO LIFT,I HAVE A TANCO BALE SHEER FOR ROUND BALES ITS 450KG ON ITS OWN,THEN I SUPPOSE ANY THING UP TO 800KG FOR A WET BALE, COMBINED IT WOULD BE 1200 OR 1300KG,WOULD THE MF 50[HX] BE ABLE FOR THIS SORT OF WEIGHT?....

lefthooker · 10-10-2011 2:15pm

Can't speak for the 50 HX but we unload 2 tonne of fert off the trailers with our 50. When we were wrapping we'd lift 2 bales off each time. She was able for it but you'd want good pressure in the front tyres

keep going · 17-01-2016 1:04pm

Happened to be a yard the other day wwhere there was a 4wd hx and I gave look under her .it dosent seem like much to throw a 4 wd axle under the front of my 2wd as there seems to be a plate at the side where the drive box goes on and the axle housing looks very similar. anybody know anything about them

td5man · 17-01-2016 2:25pm

keep going wrote: »

Happened to be a yard the other day wwhere there was a 4wd hx and I gave look under her .it dosent seem like much to throw a 4 wd axle under the front of my 2wd as there seems to be a plate at the side where the drive box goes on and the axle housing looks very similar. anybody know anything about them

Think you have to put a gear in the gearbox, used to cost a fair bit to buy all the bits needed probably more of them in breakers now.
Crowleys in cork would tell you what you need, egans in carlow break mf diggers.

Massey 50 HX

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