Clue me in on a Hydro 186

ScottyHOMeY · Jan 1, 2011

It may come to nothing, but there's a Hydro 186 up the road that moves about once a year.

Don't need it, don't know what I'd do to keep it in honest work, but it grabs at me. Knowin' what else he has for tractors, I've thought more than once to ask if he'd part with it.

Strikes me I haven't seen much about them, and there weren't that many of them in the first place.

Anybody know anything about them they could share?

erik dekeyser · Jan 1, 2011

They are great tractors if the hydro is good but if the hydro is bad the tractor is no good at all.

NY 986 · Jan 1, 2011

Most guys bought them around here for running hay balers and specialty harvesters (vegetables). Inefficient use of power for tillage and general work which is to say your fuel usage per hour will rise compared to a similar sized (PTO hp) non-hydro for work performed. Typically will handle 70 to 80 percent of load of similar sized non-hydro tractor as well. All in all the hydros were a good niche tractor for IH before the merger in 1985. Even before the 1985 merger however, the Deere 50 series 15 speed powershifts were getting to be very popular as replacements as repairing the hydros were getting very expensive.
At this point in time they have gotten more expensive (transmissions) to repair and I hear there are very significant parts availability issues, too. It would be well worth to pay a mechanic that is versed in IH hydros to look at the tractor with you so you know what you are getting.

Mark-Mi · Jan 1, 2011

We bought one new in 1978 owned it till 2002. Basically a 986 with a hydro. Never had a lick of trouble with it. Pulled vegetable harvester mainly but planted,sprayed,cultivated and even plowed pulling 4-16's in the old days.

Clue me in on a Hydro 186

ScottyHOMeY

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erik dekeyser

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NY 986

Well-known Member

Mark-Mi

Well-known Member

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