Tractor HP

morning delight · 10-07-2009 08:09PM #1

Hi Folks

I have a MF165 with no power steering or front loader and am thinking of upgrading to a 4wd (alot of heavy peat ground) with front loader for general farm work on a 70ac suckler farm. The front loader is to allow stacking of round bales.

So what HP should I be thinking of?

All feedback welcome

GERMAN ROCKS · 10-07-2009 08:37PM

whats your budget. if you want to stick with massey theres
88-95 3080 110hp
95-99 6180 120hp
99-03 6270 120hp
04-present 6465 125hp.
depends on your budget

reilig · 10-07-2009 09:30PM

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

whats your budget. if you want to stick with massey theres
88-95 3080 110hp
95-99 6180 120hp
99-03 6270 120hp
04-present 6465 125hp.
depends on your budget

I think that those are a little too high powered for loader work on a 70 acre farm. Personally I would look for a 90 to 100hp tractor - 4 cylinder, easy to manouver, especially with a loader, big enough for most jobs, small enough for most jobs. Unless you have heavy work like baling or mowing with a conditioner mower, you deon't need to go much bigger.

Another thing is that tractors below 100hp will depreciate less than those above. Think its a psycholgical thing - people think that bigger tractors have done heavier work.

Unless I needed it, I wouldn't go above 100hp. Even an 80 Hp 4wd would be grand with the loader. They're cheap to pick up.

As for brands - well I was always a Massey man, but got the NH this year and its a dream to drive and work with. But I have nothing against the Massey either.

fig mclough · 11-07-2009 03:18PM

i agree with reilig to be honest. your not going to be doing that much work just tipping about, why would you want a 6 pot engine??

new holland tl 80, 90, 100 would suit you down to the ground. quite a neat machine.

ZETOR_IS_BETTER · 11-07-2009 04:23PM

Hi Ya, If you want a 4 cylinder tractor can I suggest a Zetor 114 41 (120Hp) 4WD, Have one myself on a suckler farm. Great for stacking bales and the size is really handy for the sheds. Also good value for money against other tractors.

GERMAN ROCKS · 11-07-2009 04:34PM

ZETOR_IS_BETTER wrote: »

Hi Ya, If you want a 4 cylinder tractor can I suggest a Zetor 114 41 (120Hp) 4WD, Have one myself on a suckler farm. Great for stacking bales and the size is really handy for the sheds. Also good value for money against other tractors.

you would be better off with not tractor then a zetor lol

irish_bob · 11-07-2009 04:35PM

morning delight wrote: »

Hi Folks

I have a MF165 with no power steering or front loader and am thinking of upgrading to a 4wd (alot of heavy peat ground) with front loader for general farm work on a 70ac suckler farm. The front loader is to allow stacking of round bales.

So what HP should I be thinking of?

All feedback welcome

i think a massey ferguson 390 T would be right up your alley , fantastic tractor although they hold thier money like almost no other tractor so you will hardly get one for under 14 k

morning delight · 11-07-2009 09:49PM

Thanks for the replies.

I'm looking at a budget of 7-8k. Main workload is feeding, mucking out with the transport box, topping, fertilising, rolling etc. A handy size tractor really.

Heavier work will be contracted out so from what I gather around the 80-100hp should do the trick.

Massey 390T is right up there, but a bit pricey. Any other suggestions?

ZETOR_IS_BETTER · 11-07-2009 09:53PM

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

you would be better off with not tractor then a zetor lol

No need to knock the Zetor now!

Im telling you the new ones are a really good tractor now. They would give tractors that cost more (for similar HP) a good run for their money.

GERMAN ROCKS · 11-07-2009 10:21PM

you wont get a 390 for that money (one that reliable anyway) realistically you wont get a hole pile for that amount of money that is new and fresh you will be looking at something in the 1980s. id recommend a fiat 90-90 or 110-90. they were probably the best tractor around then with the hp you are looking for

irish_bob · 12-07-2009 10:20AM

if your budget is only 7k , you might get an old john deere 2850 or if you cant you could look for a deere from the previous series like a 3130

locky76 · 12-07-2009 08:53PM

what about the case 4230 or 4240, you can pick up a mid nineties one in the north for €10k

Bitten & Hisses · 13-07-2009 04:40PM

My suggestion is a Renault 75, 85 or 90-34, either a TX or preferably an MX which would have the lower cab. These are bulletproof tractors with a mechanical synchro shuttle and a seriously reliable German MWM engine. We traded a 1993 85-34 MX 3 years ago and to be honest it's something I really regret now. The MX is very nimble and has great traction too.

emaherx · 13-07-2009 04:52PM

morning delight wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

I'm looking at a budget of 7-8k. Main workload is feeding, mucking out with the transport box, topping, fertilising, rolling etc. A handy size tractor really.

Heavier work will be contracted out so from what I gather around the 80-100hp should do the trick.

Massey 390T is right up there, but a bit pricey. Any other suggestions?

If you ask me the 390T is overpowerd for those jobs. I have a 390T and a 365 both 4WD with loaders. I use th 365 for the jobs you describe and the 390T for the heavier jobs. Its the same tractor but lower horse power.

I don't think you require a bigger tractor than you have, you just need something similar with 4WD power steering and a loader.

marlyman · 14-07-2009 07:53AM

why not put an origional power steering kit into you 165 and recondition the engine?

marlyman · 14-07-2009 07:56AM

Bitten & Hisses wrote: »

My suggestion is a Renault 75, 85 or 90-34, either a TX or preferably an MX which would have the lower cab. These are bulletproof tractors with a mechanical synchro shuttle and a seriously reliable German MWM engine. We traded a 1993 85-34 MX 3 years ago and to be honest it's something I really regret now. The MX is very nimble and has great traction too.

mx and tx renaults are bitches on clutches, you can throw them out in as alittle as 300 hours.

marlyman · 14-07-2009 07:58AM

actually on reflection berhaps an offbeat massey like a 362 4wd might do nicely. theyre not to disimiliar to a 365 or 390 and are cheaper to buy as people dont like the 2 in the model. this is for no reason only people dont recoginse the model number.

Bitten & Hisses · 14-07-2009 10:38AM

marlyman wrote: »

mx and tx renaults are bitches on clutches, you can throw them out in as alittle as 300 hours.

A lot depends on the workload and type of driver. We had the MX for 7 years and the clutch was as good as the day it arrived. I'm not 100% sure, but I thought the TX was worse for clutch wear than an MX?

tvo · 14-07-2009 01:02PM

for the money might be worth checking out a massey 290 4wd or ursus 475

marlyman · 14-07-2009 01:49PM

tvo wrote: »

for the money might be worth checking out a massey 290 4wd or ursus 475

these are making too much money to consider i think. i saw one that was wrecked and the lad wanted 6000 euro - as a favour to me!!! they were nototrious for leaking arount the front and rear drop box where the large bushing sits

adne · 14-07-2009 03:35PM

whats yer take on the 290... they dont seem to be over popular

marlyman · 14-07-2009 04:19PM

adne wrote: »

whats yer take on the 290... they dont seem to be over popular

i have a lovely 290 2wd with a sankey cab and a massey pick up hitch. shes able to run a claas 46 baler with the choppers down no probs. and i pack the bales tight.

ill try to dig up a pic. i gave 8000 for her 14 years ago and i got an offer from the guy i bought it off to take it back for the same money. :-)

west boy · 16-07-2009 08:35PM

The best thing to consider when buying a second hand tractor is
1.what have you used before?
2. what experience you have when it comes to repairing and fault finding on them?
3 What garages or dealers are local to you or who have you local who can give you a hand if there is a problem?
4 do you need any unusual oils for the tractors, Fiat, case, and nh are all touting there own oils for the transmissons, which also runs the hydraulics?
5 the money you want to spend,and what kind of reliability you want?
6

marlyman · 17-07-2009 02:55PM

west boy wrote: »

The best thing to consider when buying a second hand tractor is
1.what have you used before?
2. what experience you have when it comes to repairing and fault finding on them?
3 What garages or dealers are local to you or who have you local who can give you a hand if there is a problem?
4 do you need any unusual oils for the tractors, Fiat, case, and nh are all touting there own oils for the transmissons, which also runs the hydraulics?
5 the money you want to spend,and what kind of reliability you want?
6

re no 4 castrol agri trans plus will do all of these machines.

morning delight · 17-07-2009 09:44PM

Thanks folks for all the feedback.

As MF are all the rage where I am I will probably go for one. No Fiats, Renaults or NH around so for repairs and parts probably better to stick with MF.

By the sounds of it I probably need to spend ~€10,000 to have any hope of getting one in decent order.

HP From the feedback some of the tractors mentioned have horse power as low as 55 or 65. I reckon for the work I do this will suffice. As I work full-time as well I will always have to look at using contractors for the heavier work. It's really only for handling silage bales, topping, rolling, fertilising etc I need it for.

masse5455 · 08-08-2009 07:31PM

i bought a a 290 2 years ago as a 3rd tractor i also have a5455 and a 4335 . its a savage tractor at bales and spreading fertilizer and as a run about i put my f55o mchale baler on her at hay ta c would she handle it and she flew with it it an 87 with a shanky cab glad i bought her

MfMan · 08-08-2009 07:51PM

masse5455 wrote: »

i bought a a 290 2 years ago as a 3rd tractor i also have a5455 and a 4335 . its a savage tractor at bales and spreading fertilizer and as a run about i put my f55o mchale baler on her at hay ta c would she handle it and she flew with it it an 87 with a shanky cab glad i bought her

How do you like the 5455? Is it Tier III? Dyna 4? Thinking of upgrading sometime....

Sam Kade · 08-08-2009 10:25PM

marlyman wrote: »

i have a lovely 290 2wd with a sankey cab and a massey pick up hitch. shes able to run a claas 46 baler with the choppers down no probs. and i pack the bales tight.

ill try to dig up a pic. i gave 8000 for her 14 years ago and i got an offer from the guy i bought it off to take it back for the same money. :-)

8000 what? 14 years ago it was punts now it's euro.

Dragous · 09-08-2009 03:02AM

irish_bob wrote: »

if your budget is only 7k , you might get an old john deere 2850 or if you cant you could look for a deere from the previous series like a 3130

Bought a JD2850 myself last year and they're a dream to drive. was going to buy a 390 but they're over priced. after driving the jd i wouldn't go back to the massey

masse5455 · 09-08-2009 10:33AM

its a 07 dyna 4 and a massey loader grand tractor pulls da mchale f550 and a major 2050 and i do agitatate slurry with it not a bother to it not bad on diesal and quick on da road nearly 45k .dont like da new type 5455 da new bonnet i tink il buy a john deere when im changen again

vanderbadger · 10-08-2009 08:52AM

masse5455 wrote: »

i bought a a 290 2 years ago as a 3rd tractor i also have a5455 and a 4335 . its a savage tractor at bales and spreading fertilizer and as a run about i put my f55o mchale baler on her at hay ta c would she handle it and she flew with it it an 87 with a shanky cab glad i bought her

how do you find the dyna 4, my 5455 is just C and D range, I have to say i dont like the system much, I find if you take off in the yard in anything with a machine on the back anything other than 1st C coughs a bit just as you move off, in general though I find the tractor very good, never any trouble since I bought her in 06

Tractor HP

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