Tractor purchase help

DLMKA · Jul 7, 2015

That's right, I need you to help me spend my money, lol!

We've currently got an Oliver 77 NF that mainly gets used for grinding feed. That was until last weekend when I bought a 1209 mo-co, 24t baler, and a rake to take care of the 7 acres of hay on our place. The 77, come to find out, has a dead hydraulic pump or relief valve and won't lift the mo-co in it's current state. Hydraulic rebuild is going to cost as much as I paid for the tractor and will still be marginal cutting heavy hay. I've been wanting a tractor with a loader since we bought the place and am kind of fond of Oliver meadow green having grown up with a 66.

Dad found a Farmall 560 gas with loader about 40 minutes away and I found a 1550 gas with loader about 3 hours away. Both are right around the $5k pricepoint.

What would you buy and why?

hd6gtom · Jul 7, 2015

1550 far more handy than the 560, but ck overall condition. are parts close buy for the IHC?

Dick2 · Jul 7, 2015

Get yourself some books and teach yourself to diagnose and repair hydraulic systems; maybe you'll find a low cost solution to your problem. Sometimes it's just a faulty or sticking valve, or a broken spring, etc.

DLMKA · Jul 7, 2015

(quoted from post at 12:35:22 07/07/15) Get yourself some books and teach yourself to diagnose and repair hydraulic systems; maybe you'll find a low cost solution to your problem. Sometimes it's just a faulty or sticking valve, or a broken spring, etc.

I do hydraulics for a living and the fleetline olivers have really simple systems. Not afraid to tear into it but need a tractor in the meantime while it's down.

DLMKA · Jul 7, 2015

(quoted from post at 12:17:21 07/07/15) 1550 far more handy than the 560, but ck overall condition. are parts close buy for the IHC?

Both appear to be in good condition with straight tin and mechanically sound. Both appear to have had regular maintenance and not abused. IH dealer is 35 minutes away and Agco dealer is 5 minutes away.

JOCCO · Jul 7, 2015

If you do hydraulics for a living should be moot point. If I wanted a loader tractor it would be neither of the above!!!

evilboweivel · Jul 7, 2015

Oliver 1550 over the IH 560
Oliver hydraulics

bison · Jul 7, 2015

(quoted from post at 10:44:34 07/07/15) If you do hydraulics for a living should be moot point.[b:1057f3f81f] If I wanted a loader tractor it would be neither of the above!!![/b:1057f3f81f]

in't that the truth

CDN 400 · Jul 7, 2015

I would look at the 1550 nicer to drive and better creature comforts. SHHH don't tell anyone though cause I'm an IH guy.

fixerupper · Jul 7, 2015

Wide fronts on the loader tractors you are looking at? A Farmall with a narrow front and a loader scare me. I have lost two neighbors to a Narrow front Farmall with a loader rolling over on almost flat ground. One was an M and the other was a 560. A few weeks ago a distant neighbor rolled his narrow front 560 with a loader in his flat farm yard. He was only bruised. Any tractor can be rolled over but it seems like the Farmalls have a lighter rear end that comes off the ground pretty darned easy.

Married2Allis · Jul 7, 2015

Between the two the 1550 definitely. Had a 460 WF and the rear was light as well and never liked how it shifted or felt comfortable on it. The early 560's had trans issues unless they got the dealer upgrade. Meadow Green is easier on the eyes :>.

DR. EVIL · Jul 7, 2015

Well! That makes perfect sense, blame the tractor for a careless operator rolling a tractor over! I've
been around FARMALL narrow front end tractors with loaders on them for 60 years. The only one to roll over
was a 350 row crop the idiot neighbor was chasing hogs with in his hog pasture in road gear. Only real
damage was the busted muffler. But the DOZENS of other FARMALL'S with loaders have all managed to stay on
all four wheels all these years.

The nfe M out in my shop has had a loader on it it's entire life, 64 years, except when it had the 2-ME
picker on it. It's never even had a close call rolling over.

Part Time Pete · Jul 7, 2015

The farmer I worked for in high school had a 1550 diesel - it was his "big" tractor, so it did a lot of work, and was a nice handling tractor
The only issue I remember him having with it was the brakes hanging up - every once in awhile when you applied the brake it would stick and you would have to back up to get them to release
Pete

just another old geezer · Jul 7, 2015

Check the operators manual on the haybine first. See what it's pressure requirements are first. Basically newer machines require higher
hydraulic pressure. I borrowed a newer haybine front a neighbor. 806 with a good pump wouldn't lift it, but a 666 had no problem.

old · Jul 7, 2015

The Oliver's like your 77 are known for blowing out the seals which can cause the problem you have and that is a simple 2 or so hour job. Did them on my S88 a number of years ago and before I started the job I was a little afraid of what I was getting into but after almost did not believe how simple it was

DLMKA · Jul 7, 2015

Both are factory wide front. I'm leaning to the 1550, they just seem more "refined" than the same vintage Farmalls.

I realize neither is a great loader tractor but I don't really need a great loader tractor. I'm only playing on 12 acres but when 3 windows for doing hay come and go and it's still standing and 4 different local custom hay guys don't want to mess with it I decided that if I want to ever have a chance of getting good hay put up I need to do it myself.

Traditional Farmer · Jul 7, 2015

1550 hands down as far as I'm concerned.

oldtanker · Jul 7, 2015

I'd go with the 560 because of very poor AGCO dealer support in my area and AGCO doesn't seem to care.

Rick

jim castleman · Jul 7, 2015

Buy whichever one that has the least wear, had a 560NF/with loader for years, never a problem. The 1550 is a little
easier to get on and off. Both good tractors.

HossinMe · Jul 7, 2015

Id look for a JD Hoss

gab · Jul 7, 2015

That's a pretty weak case against IH narrow front tractors. I grew up in Jo Daviess co. Ill., the county across the Mississippi from Dubuque Iowa, there isn't a flat spot in the whole county and we had 3 narrow frt Farmalls, one with a loader and none got flipped over. Conversely the neighbor down the road flipped his WD Allis getting the cows regularly, and the guy up the road was demoing a nice late model Oliver and for what ever reason rolled down a hill through some trees and off a creek bank and left the farm in multiple pieces, neither of those tractors had loaders on them although the operators were frequently loaded. No, you don't have a case.

Traditional Farmer · Jul 7, 2015

ebay and the internet is my dealer support thousands/millions of parts only a click away delivered to my door.Beats any dealer I've ever dealt with.

Farmaller · Jul 7, 2015

Why don't you go drive each one and test them out a while, then you will know which one is more comfortable, and in the best shape, it will give you a better perspective on which to buy.

fixerupper · Jul 7, 2015

The two neighbors who were killed were careful operators. The third one who lived was chasing an animal with the tractor so he was indeed careless.

oldtanker · Jul 7, 2015

(quoted from post at 17:53:28 07/07/15) ebay and the internet is my dealer support thousands/millions of parts only a click away delivered to my door.Beats any dealer I've ever dealt with.

I never ever use flleabay nor do I use plastic. SO those options are out.

Rick

DLMKA · Jul 7, 2015

(quoted from post at 20:23:02 07/07/15) Why don't you go drive each one and test them out a while, then you will know which one is more comfortable, and in the best shape, it will give you a better perspective on which to buy.

Drove the 560 today. Hasn't been started in a couple weeks and fired right up. Took a little finesse with choke to get it warmed up so it'd idle. TA worked but I'm not at all sure how, or if you can even tell, if it's on it's way out. Loader frame seemed straight and not sprung, bucket sat flat on the ground and wasn't all banged up. Shifter wanted to occupy the same spot as my left leg when in R and 1 and a little less in 2 and 3. Hour meter showed 32xx hours and was working. Rear tires were like new, fronts had good tread but weather checked. It was a solid tractor with nice, straight tin, missing fenders but I think that's due to loader attachment. Fast hitch wasn't going to work with 1209 mo-co without some fabricating and welding. My 11 year old didn't care for the stuff clutch, he could barely get it disengaged and couldn't smoothly engage. He's only going to get bigger and stronger and that little problem goes away until the other kids start using it in a couple years.

Going to look at 1550 probably Thursday. Talked to guy on phone again and he agreed to hold it until then.

ajl · Jul 7, 2015

Can you fit a bigger diameter cylinder on the haybine? It is likely the pressure is too low on the tractor and you may be able to turn up
the pressure relief to get by. Otherwise a larger diameter cylinder will lift at lower pressure from the hydraulics. That is assuming the
hydraulics are working in the first place.

DLMKA · Jul 7, 2015

(quoted from post at 23:00:00 07/07/15) Can you fit a bigger diameter cylinder on the haybine? It is likely the pressure is too low on the tractor and you may be able to turn up
the pressure relief to get by. Otherwise a larger diameter cylinder will lift at lower pressure from the hydraulics. That is assuming the
hydraulics are working in the first place.

The hydraulics are working, was able to plow this spring with JD 44H plow. Mo-co has a real long stroke, single acting cylinder. Not sure you could get a bigger cylinder in there. I think I'm going order pump seals for 77 pump and do a quick tear down, inspection, and reassemble if everything looks reasonable. Sounds like it's a reasonably quick job.

Traditional Farmer · Jul 8, 2015

You need to move into the 21st Century and save yourself a lot of time and $$$$.The Fred Flintstone era is over(LOL) I'd hate to think my only source for parts were tractor dealers these days with their high prices and parts people that don't have a clue.

Donald Lehman · Jul 8, 2015

Neighbor had a 560 and my cousin had a 460. They were not the best IH made. The open center hydraulics on the 50 series Olivers are a bit slow for loader work, especially at low rpms, but not that bad. The 1550 is a simple rugged tractor and probably more maneuverable than the 560. The 560 has a bit more power and is a heavier tractor.

DLMKA · Jul 8, 2015

I may not end up with either. Was offered a 1650 gas with oliver loader for $800 less than 1550, half as many hours and 100 miles closer.

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