White 2-135

Whats the good and bad on these? And how hard is it to install 540 PTO on one that has 1000 PTO now? A lot larger tractor than I need but think I can get it pretty reasonable and it has a cab so that'd be nice feeding hay in the Winter.

Re 2-135 Good and Bad

Most 2-135's had the dual PTO which is easy to change. Remove the bolts holding the PTO shield in place, pull the existing shaft out and replace it with the one you need. Very simple to change. If you can't pull the 1000 pto shaft it may be one of the few with only single speed. To change over to dual speed you have to find a wrecked one and change the complete PTO assembly at the back of the tractor. Could be costly but can be done.

Ours is an excellent starting tractor although I use a recirculating heater in the winter. It runs the bale shredder with ease. Very good short turning radius so quite maneuverable on the haybine or baler. Also a strong tractor for field work pulling a 25 foot deep tiller etc. Ours has duals which help with flotation and traction.

It does like its fuel, although for the work done it is not unreasonable. The Hercules engine is quite rebuild-able with dry sleeves and the usual bearing inserts. I put new sleeves in ours a few years ago along with bearings and seals and it has performed well.

The one recent issue I had a year ago was the hydraulic system failed to build any pressure. It can be inclined to run hot if the main pump is getting worn or the oil cooler gets plugged up causing over heating particularly in hot weather when haying. This can cause damage to the pumps and O-Rings. I had to replace all the O-Rings beginning with the charge pump located in the differential housing and working back. Not a real difficult job just takes time and patience. Fortunately, I didn't have to replace the pumps (main hydraulic and charge pump) these pumps can run a lot of dollars if you need them.

Check to make sure the hydraulics are not noisy when warmed up. Check for oil leaks, it will likely have a fair bit of blow by and still be and ok engine. Check the power steering cylinder area for oil leaks. Its above the front axle. Engine should start easily from cold and smooth out quickly. Check for air conditioner, fan and heater operation. It uses transmission oil for the hydraulic system so keep it topped up and change the filter regularly as well as engine oil, and oil and fuel filters. Some had issues drawing fuel from the side tank as it operates on a vacuum from the main tank. There were several changes made there and if it draws from the main tank be sure that the non vented fuel cap is on the main tank. The vented cap will be on the side tank. Others didn't have a cap on the side tank and draw fuel from it.

Overall a good tractor with a decent cab, air and heater system. Parts still seem to be available fairly easily although through Agco can be expensive as are most dealer prices. Definitely a powerful tractor yet versatile.


If you care to check some of my posts further back on the 2-135 there is a bit of info about what I did with the hydraulic system on my tractor. I'm sure others will share their experience with you too. Hope you find my comments helpful and best of luck.

Can't add anything to that. Mine's a series 3. I put the 4 ring military pistons in mine. Starts like a dream. I've had to replace the hydraulic pump and have the over/under rebuilt over the years,but all in all,she's quite a horse. A 2-105 on steroids.

I'm getting very envious of your tractor lineup.

I echo the comments already made. If its a single speed PTO, going to dual speed will run $1000-1500. Those units are highly desirable.

If it has 4000-6000hrs and hasn't been rebuilt, mentally prepare yourself for that possibility. Some will run longer, but there is no shortage of ones that have burned pistons down in that hour range.

Thanks for all the information.I'm pretty sure that its had its share of wear and tear but basically I'll use it to pull hay trailer up and down the road and to put a bale unroller on so it
won't have to be in top shape.All will depend on how much $$$$ I can get it for.

It's a lifetime accumulation. lol

I noticed I neglected to mention the Over/Under drive in my comments about the 2-135.

I've never had to touch the O/U on my 2-135 but that is not to say they never give trouble. I noticed RRLund mentioned having to rebuild his at some point.

When functioning properly it should shift from direct to over drive (lever in most forward position) with a relatively smooth increase in forward movement. Not a sharp jerk like some other makes are noted for. When down shifted from over drive to direct you will feel a smooth breaking action when driving and a drop in forward speed. When shifted into under drive, again a drop in speed but no hesitation in forward movement. If the sprag clutch is becoming worn this is when the tractor could stop moving or move slowly because this clutch is slipping.

As with all machines, it wise to check the O/U oil level regularly and change the oil and filter annually depending on how many hours you use the tractor. If you are investigating the tractor before you buy it, check this oil level, see if the oil looks clean or dirty and smell it for possible burned clutch disks. It should be clean, often red in colour and no burnt odor.

[b:58e9820e4f]TAKE SPECIAL NOTE:[/b:58e9820e4f] The tractor will free wheel in under drive with [b:58e9820e4f]NO[/b:58e9820e4f] engine braking action. [b:58e9820e4f]NEVER[/b:58e9820e4f] descend a hill or steep grade in under drive as the tractor will pick up speed and could cause a serious accident.

As mentioned, I have never had to touch the one on my 2-135, but I have done major work on my 2-105 which is still in the process of being rebuilt. You can check out my posts there if you would like further details.

Again best of luck!

The spiders started to eat themselves in mine and filled things up with shavings. More than likely the oil won't be red. They changed those larger tractors over to a Hy Tran type oil because the red transmission fluid was too thin and led to bearing failure with the higher horsepower tractors. Everything else is a good point.

(quoted from post at 15:59:41 12/01/16) The spiders started to eat themselves in mine and filled things up with shavings. More than likely the oil won't be red. They changed those larger tractors over to a Hy Tran type oil because the red transmission fluid was too thin and led to bearing failure with the higher horsepower tractors. Everything else is a good point.

Click to expand...

Yes very good comment regarding the oil colour. My 2-135 still had red type A oil in it as did the 2-105 when I got them. I have since changed up to a Hy Tran type oil which isn't red. Probably an indicator of lack of servicing somewhere along the line.

Apparently there was also a change in the type of fiction clutch disk material which is designed to work better with this newer type oil too. I came across this when replacing the clutch disks in the 2-105. So far the 2-135 has worked well with the newer type oil and of course with a complete rebuilt that is what the 2-105 will run on.

Thank you for pointing that over-site out.