Compact or Vintage tractor

arctictree

Looking at getting a small tractor for summer topping and spreading. It looks like it's a toss up between a compact tractor like a Jimna 200 or a vintage like a restored MF135. Will be spending about 5K. Any opinions on pros and cons of both?

kollegeknight

I bought a MF135 for €4500 about 3.5 years ago and love it. I use it for all of the above.

What I like about it is when I break something- the parts are easily got and the maintaince manual is very user friendly.

I do need to get the lift done in it though but apart from that, I love it

arctictree

kollegeknight wrote: »

I bought a MF135 for €4500 about 3.5 years ago and love it. I use it for all of the above.

What I like about it is when I break something- the parts are easily got and the maintaince manual is very user friendly.

I do need to get the lift done in it though but apart from that, I love it

Yes, am very tempted to do the same. How would an MF135 handle a 6ft topper going up a steep hill? Would this be too much for a 22hp compact?

TomOnBoard

arctictree wrote: »

Yes, am very tempted to do the same. How would an MF135 handle a 6ft topper going up a steep hill? Would this be too much for a 22hp compact?

Very hard to answer as we don't know how steep the hill is... That said, id be cagey about it if the weight on the rears was not balanced out by weight in front.

One of the modern compacts would have a lower centre of gravity as well as 4WD which would probably be safer in such a situation. Whether the weight of the 6 foot topper would be too much, I dont know. I do know that I use a 1.5metre flail mower on the back of a 25hp compact and it does a good job. However I have flat ground.

HTH

kollegeknight

arctictree wrote: »

kollegeknight wrote: »

I bought a MF135 for €4500 about 3.5 years ago and love it. I use it for all of the above.

What I like about it is when I break something- the parts are easily got and the maintaince manual is very user friendly.

I do need to get the lift done in it though but apart from that, I love it

Yes, am very tempted to do the same. How would an MF135 handle a 6ft topper going up a steep hill? Would this be too much for a 22hp compact?

Mine handles the 6 foot no hassle but as said before depends on how steep the hill are.

I can’t comment on the conpact tractors as I’ve never used one.

The 135 with wide wheels suits my wet bog ground.

keepalive213

I think a 135 would be too light in front for a steep hill with 6ft topper, why take the risk.

mengele

keepalive213 wrote: »

I think a 135 would be too light in front for a steep hill with 6ft topper, why take the risk.

I have seen one with an 8ft topper in some hairy places and no weights on. Just fill the front with weight and you should be grand

gctest50

Put a pile of weights on the front of it & a power steering kit


https://www.tractorparts.ie/products/power_steering_conversion_kit_61221.html

you'd have it forever

Siamsa Sessions

In a similar position here - need a tractor for a few light jobs around the place and trying to decide if a compact would fit the bill.

Looks like you'd get a much newer model of compact for the same money as an older tractor (not that that's the be-all and end-all), but would parts and implements be harder to get for a compact, compared to a MF135 or Ford 4000?

whisky_galore

Less gadgetry to go wrong in a simpler, older tractor.

They probably have gone the way of the car industry now, planned obsolescence. Stop producing parts to force you to upgrade.

anthony500_1

Siamsa Sessions wrote:

Looks like you'd get a much newer model of compact for the same money as an older tractor (not that that's the be-all and end-all), but would parts and implements be harder to get for a compact, compared to a MF135 or Ford 4000?

A Ford 4000 is a bit more than a small/compact tractor, it will manage a silage bale where the 135 or compact won't. We have had both here, a mf35 followed by a europard 404 think it was around 30hp, the rear linkage on the 404 was smaller than the 35 think type 1 vrs type 2 and harder to get stuff hooked up and off again if using the real lift arms, but it was doable in saying that once hooked up it was very usable. The 404 with 4wd would travel hilly ground better without getting stuck, with 4wd and diff on it would climb a wall. Parts were a problem for the 404 where everything had to be ordered and wait a week for them compared to the 35 where most general maintenance stuff could be got off the shelf in the local dealer. If I had a pocket full of your money I'd go the likes of the Kubota just from my own experience of using both over the years

Siamsa Sessions

anthony500_1 wrote: »

If I had a pocket full of your money I'd go the likes of the Kubota just from my own experience of using both over the years

You mean Kubota if going for a compact? Or Kubota over a small tractor like a MF135?

anthony500_1

Siamsa Sessions wrote:

You mean Kubota if going for a compact? Or Kubota over a small tractor like a MF135?

Sorry if unclear, I'd go compact 4wd (any brand that's up to yourself) if you have hilly ground it will go places the 135 would only be able to look at over the wall imo.

Can you possibly trial either a 135 or compact on your own farm as that is a true test of what you actually need.

Siamsa Sessions

anthony500_1 wrote: »

Sorry if unclear, I'd go compact 4wd (any brand that's up to yourself) if you have hilly ground it will go places the 135 would only be able to look at over the wall imo.

Can you possibly trial either a 135 or compact on your own farm as that is a true test of what you actually need.

We don't have hilly ground but certain fields would be wet from Oct-March (depending on weather) so maybe a compact might be better, if they generally have wider tyres than a 135.

What do you think would suit better based on the jobs we'd be doing?

* Spreading fertiliser (no earlier than March) and hayseed with a wag-tail spreader
* Topping (bonus would be to mow the odd paddock for silage)
* Lifting round bales of hay/straw (loader or spike on the back?)
* Drawing an IBC water tank (no earlier than March)
* Pulling a small trailer with fencing materials and tightening sheep wire

Thanks.

bogman_bass

You don’t need 4wd for what your discribing.
Look at fords or David browns. You seem to get more tractor for your money with them.

twin_beacon

worth bearing in mind that something like a 135 is not going to lose much value, if any at all, compared to a modern compact tractor. Also, as mentioned, there are mountains of spare parts for the older masseys and fords.

anthony500_1

Siamsa Sessions wrote:

We don't have hilly ground but certain fields would be wet from Oct-March (depending on weather) so maybe a compact might be better, if they generally have wider tyres than a 135.

The compacts may or may not have wider wheels, but if you had to put doubles on for wet ground it would be a lot easier to find and cheaper to buy a set for the 135 than the the compact

Siamsa Sessions wrote:

What do you think would suit better based on the jobs we'd be doing?

Siamsa Sessions wrote:

* Spreading fertiliser (no earlier than March) and hayseed with a wag-tail spreader * Topping (bonus would be to mow the odd paddock for silage) * Lifting round bales of hay/straw (loader or spike on the back?) * Drawing an IBC water tank (no earlier than March) * Pulling a small trailer with fencing materials and tightening sheep wire

If you don't have hilly ground the likes of a 135 is ideal, if you buy/have smallish gear it will do all you need, you can get 200ltr boom sprayers, 5 bag wagtails, small rollers 5ft toppers, 5ft 6 mowers that the 135 would manage no bother

Siamsa Sessions

anthony500_1 wrote: »

The compacts may or may not have wider wheels, but if you had to put doubles on for wet ground it would be a lot easier to find and cheaper to buy a set for the 135 than the the compact






If you don't have hilly ground the likes of a 135 is ideal, if you buy/have smallish gear it will do all you need, you can get 200ltr boom sprayers, 5 bag wagtails, small rollers 5ft toppers, 5ft 6 mowers that the 135 would manage no bother

Thanks - just need to find the money now

jmrc

had the same predicament a couple of years back and opted for a Ursus... was looking at vintage, but as the lad said they aint getting any younger.... managed to pick up a 90 reg for small money had the brakes done on her and she has been a find and at least its semi modern so parts are available. saving up for new tyres now,,,

Gorgeousgeorge

just bought a very tidy 1969 massey 165 with a m6 topper for 3k for what you described and it does the job excellent and is very fun to drive

Siamsa Sessions

Gorgeousgeorge wrote: »

just bought a very tidy 1969 massey 165 with a m6 topper for 3k for what you described and it does the job excellent and is very fun to drive

That's not too much money in fairness - have you a few other implements for it too?

Gorgeousgeorge

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

That's not too much money in fairness - have you a few other implements for it too?

it came with a loader and grab so i will clean sheds with it, also have a 3m chain harrow it can pull. will probably put the haybob on it when i cut hay next week!

jmrc

will probably put the haybob on it when i cut hay next week!

ye might need to take the doors off the cab... could be one of those hot weeks

Gorgeousgeorge

jmrc wrote: »

ye might need to take the doors off the cab... could be one of those hot weeks

Haha it aint got a cab.

bryanMC

bogman_bass wrote: »

You don’t need 4wd for what your discribing.
Look at fords or David browns. You seem to get more tractor for your money with them.

I can't agree with that. Looks like Siamsa has lots of work for that tractor and could use a front loader (lifting bales, watering remote areas etc.). IMHO 4WD is a game changer in this case. Besides, moving heavy things around on the wet grass with 2WD can be challenging too.

TooOldBoots

Try and get a MF240 instead. Its the same tractor but will not be as old.
Personally I remember those 2wd tractors years ago, you'd always be getting stuck and buried with them. Just make sure you are well in with the neighbors!

bryanMC

That's why I bought my Yanmar FX215. 20HP, 4WD and power steering. Easy going on rainy days and comfortable to drive. And guys from Waterford that sold it to me have plenty of attachments in very good prices. Attachments for bigger tractors are much more expensive too.

homewardbound11

Have a 20 hp kubota . To be honest it’s great for grass and light work . You won’t lift anything much above 400 kg without weights . Pto gets 14 hp but struggles when I put a flail mower on it .
I had a 200 l sprayer and it would travel in rush overgrown ground where I saw a new Holland 4wd loose traction .
But I’d really love a 35 to 45hp. If I go above that then grass cutting will be out due to excessive weight .

TomOnBoard

I have a John Deere 855. Its got a 24h.p. 3-cyl bulletproof Yanmar diesel engine, producing 19hp at the rear P.T.O.

I use it with a back box, flail mower, fork lift attachment, trailer, all on the rear P.T.O. I also installed a front 3-pt lift (around 850 incl parts and enough piping to get enough hydraulic action at the front of the tractor to use the 3-pt for light loads.

So, I put a log splitter on the front and the forklift on the back and I'm lethal to all forms of wood, both living and dead!

She's got 4WD, but I'm on fairly flat ground, and I'd say I use the 4wd only once in a blue moon. Locking the diff is a much more frequent event, and as I'm running on well-worn lawn tires, grip only ever lets me down infrequently, at which time a bit of spin is quickly dealt with by the lockable diff and if nec. engaging the 4wd.

Its a great yoke, but in all honesty it scores most because I need my beast of burden to be relatively small, narrow and light. If they were'nt considerations, I'd go for somethink like a 135 and if possible, with a cab...

HTH.

http://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/000/1/3/130-john-deere-855.html

kurtainsider

What I would do:

Lots of money: A 4WD compact tractor with cab and front loader

Not so much money: A vintage tractor that'll do the job just as well but with less comfort.

TomOnBoard

kurtainsider wrote: »

What I would do:

Lots of money: A 4WD compact tractor with cab and front loader

Not so much money: A vintage tractor that'll do the job just as well but with less comfort.

Ah, Jeez... Spring for the cab on yer vintagy yoke! I reckon it will allow you to do at leeeeast twice as much work in our mostly rainy/misty/foggy/shtity 3/4 of the year.:D:D

kurtainsider

TomOnBoard wrote: »

Ah, Jeez... Spring for the cab on yer vintagy yoke! I reckon it will allow you to do at leeeeast twice as much work in our mostly rainy/misty/foggy/shtity 3/4 of the year.:D:D

That would be the logical solution but it'd spoil the look of the old 3600.

TomOnBoard

kurtainsider wrote: »

That would be the logical solution but it'd spoil the look of the old 3600.

Ah, Jeez a 3600 without a cab is like Dolly Parton without an upper half....:cool:

Deadpool1982

Anyone know of a grey Ferguson taxbook for sale ?