656 vs 706

I am looking at a 656D (282, 5 spd, TA delete) and a 706D (282, 8 spd, TA delete). While they seem to be comparable in hp, what was the reason behind manufacturing such similar tractors at the same time. As I look through the archives I have seen many positive comments about the 656, 666 and 686 series" but very few about the 706.

What are the pros and cons of 656 vs 706? Thanks for your help.

If memory serves me right the 706 turns up several hundred RPMs more, developing more HP. Also the 656 is a distant descendant ot the old M, where the 706 is a much heavier larger chassis. HTH best Yeoman

Phil has it about right. The 656 was a restyled 560, with operator controls relocated but very similar horsepower. A durable 4-14's tractor in Wisconsin soil. The early 706 was based on the same block, but the chassis was beefed up to handle the increased HP from the turned-up motor. Depending on who did the work, they could get quite a bit of additional HP out of it. The 706 was absolutely a step up.

I own both tractors and the horsepower is the same. I use the 706 to pull a 851 NH roller and I mow hay with the 656 D which is the Utility version. The engines are both D282. I just rebuilt the 656 and it is awesome . I say that for the power is incredible for the size. The 706 is the row crop version wide front but it weighs more. I have rolled hay with the 656 but going downhill with a full roll it will push and slide. With the 706 I have had no problems yet. Both are good tractors but I would take another 656 D before the 706.

The 706 was producded from about 1964 to 1967. The 656 would have started production in 1967 or 1968. While they share the same motor the 706 is a heavier tractor that was produced in the series prior to the 56 series. The late 706 diesels had a 310 German diesel in them. The replacement for the 706 was the 756 which also had the 310 German diesel. The two tractors are closely related but the 706 is older and heavier than the 656. The 656 has a spotless reputation while the 706 is considered a very good tractor as well.

Frank: Difference 706 is a large chassis tractor, 656 is very similar chassis to 400, 450 and 560. That 282 would have been governed at 2,000 rpm in 656 and around 2,300-2,400 in the 706. IH called it 62-63 hp in the 656 and 72 in the 706. 656 was produced from 65 to 71. 706 production was 63 until 67.

I said the first day I saw a new 706 diesel back in 1963, "Too much chassis for that engine." You'll notice the engine did change near the end of 706 production to a heavier 310 German IH diesel and that same heavier diesel continued in the 756.

I owned two of these 282 diesels in a 560 and 656 and at 2,000 rpm they were bullet proof. There were a lot of these in my area both in 560, 656 and 706. An IH technician once told me the 2,000 rpm versions gave many more hours of trouble free service. I saw this myself, that same technician turned my 560 up to 2,300 rpm and 90 hp when it was 6 months old. It blew up at 11,000 hours, two pistons through the block. I put 15,000 hours on my non altered 656, last I heard it was still going and over 20,000 hours.

My advice, don't buy a 282 in a 706, the 310 will be much better. If that 656 has had good service and maintained at 2,000 rpm, it will run for years and years and more years.

Thanks for the information. To get more to the point I trying to make a decision between a 656 and 706 sold locally. Both are wide front, TA delete, 3 pt, diesels. The 706 has less than 600 hrs on a in frame overhaul and 8000 hrs on the clock. It also has the round fenders, 1 remote, 34" rubber, new fronts, and needs the shifter linkage rebuild. The 656 has 6000 hrs with a new clutch, 2 remotes flat top fenders, fair 38" rubber. Sheet metal is in similar condition on both. $4,000 for the 706, $3500 for the 656. My gut says the 706 is the better buy but I question whether I'd be better off to continue to look for the 666 I've been wanting for years.

You comments are greatly appreciated.

I am pretty sure there are a lot more 706s with the D282 than the D310. I believe the 310 was only put in the 706 in late 1966 through mid 1967, and they started 756 production in late 1967.

Frankly, it all depends on what you want to do with the tractor. I would choose the 706 because of the hydraulic brakes and the heavier chassis. It is better for hilly ground and heavy implements.

The 706 will be more complicated and more expensive to maintain and repair, though.

I've had both (gassers) and the 656 is a lot more economical to operate than a 706, and in my opinion a far superior tractor. Probably one of the best tractors IH ever built, that i have owned. They are able to utilize every bit of the hp. they generate. Great loader tractor.

My grandfather was an IH dealer when I was growing up in NY, and we ended up with the first "Demonstrater" 706D in '63, and later got a second one, probably a '64. A gent who owned a farm next to one of ours bought the "Demonstrater" 806D. At the local show/demonstration days, both whooped hard on the 3020 and 4020 Deeres in the plowing exhibition, the 806D pulled 6 bottoms in 3rd, and the 706D pulled 5 in 3rd without breathing hard- would pull 4 in 4th at 1800 with ease. Governors were at 2300. The "Demonstrater" 706D had loaded 18.4-34"s with 4 sets of weights, and was very well balanced with a full rack of front end weights- we started running two of the big 100# 'ers with the rest the regular 73# "ers on the front, and it worked out great. We had both until around '75, and never a serious problem with either. As was stated, the 656 was a dressed-up earlier, lighter tractor brought out as an "economy" version- the 706 shared the larger, heavier frame of the 806, and later the 1206, etc., making the driveline pretty indestructable at the 706 power level. Also had the dual-range trans, better brakes, steer it with one finger, etc.- better, more modern tractor all around. We had a pair of M's before that, so we had quite a run of trouble-free tractors between the four of them. BTW, a dairy farmer we partnered with on oats and hay would borrow one of the 706's to power his feed grinder, as his 3020 didn't have enough huevos to run it at more than half capacity- the 706 never slowed down

mkirsch: I didn't notice anyone suggesting there were very many 310 German diesels put in 706.

I realize you have some big hills in upstate NY, however the grade is no steeper than I encountered in NS. The grade may be longer as the hills are higher. I used my 560 and 656 pulling baler with thrower and 20' 200 bale wagons on grades every bit as steep as anything I've seen in NY, never had any problems, not even anxious moments. I have been through the Adirondacks and the Alleganys

I had a 1066, but never had it hitched to the baler. I did use it on forage harvester, but mainly for it's horsepower not it's pulling or holding back ability.

George: I've used a lot of Farmalls, all the way from SA to 1066, including a 560 and 656, never though any of them were great loader tractors. Cockshutt had them beaten by a mile on loader tractors. Cockshutt's transmission was far more loader friendly. The best loader tractor I ever owned was a Cockshutt 540 with a Wagner loader and front pump. I sold the Cockshutt when I bought a second farm with an IH 2000 loader that came new on a 656. Over the years I had that loader on the 656, 504 and 560, I was never impressed. Finally in 1976 I got rid of the 2000 loader. I had two 45 hp skidsteer loaders that ran circles around the 560 or 656 on silage, manure or round bales.

(quoted from post at 19:12:58 07/23/09) mkirsch: I didn't notice anyone suggesting there were very many 310 German diesels put in 706.

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Yes, but you said, "don't buy a 282 in a 706. The 310 is much better." You could spend years looking for a 706 with a D310, and if you need a tractor NOW, better a 706 with the D282 than no tractor at all. The D282 is a fine engine in its own right.

We don't have the worst hills in the world, no doubt, but there are a couple on the farm that the 1066 has to claw and scratch up with a loaded forage box. Coming down that hill with a loaded forage box behind the M or 560 was downright scary, and the brakes never really worked reliably on either tractor. Plus you had to go so slow to hold the wagons back with the smaller tractors that you couldn't keep up with the chopper. The heavier 756 with hydraulic brakes just made things quicker and safer, and it didn't use any more gas than the 560.

M Kirsch: A 1066 clawing and scratching with a harvester and loaded forage wagon, I find that one hard to believe. Biggest worry I always had was an operator not noticing the wagon enough and wrecking it. My neighbor with a similar size Deere had back axle of wagon go down in soft ground. He pulled the back axle out from under wagon and hardly noticed.

I got so nervous about wagons, I went to 5th wheel dolly and pulled highway dump trailers behind my 1066 and harvester.