IH 544

Looking at a IH 544 diesel that I may buy for general use around our place.

Anyone have experience with this model that can tell me what size mower it might pull efficiently? I have a 7' lift type & an 8' pull type mower that I can use.

And what about disc work, would it be able to handle a 10' disc?

Any thoughts on this are appreciated.

Gary

I would guess It would do all of the choices you mentioned . Though it may struggle a bit in some conditions with a 10 foot disc. Traction will be the limiting factor in your disc. Those shorter tires just don't pull nor go over rough ground like taller ones will.

The 544 diesel was available with the typical IH 5 speed transmission with TA, and Hydrostatic transmission, AND a 5 speed shuttle transmission, the TA lever shifted between forward and reverse, same speed each direction, but no TA possible. The Nuess Germany built D-239 engine was really stingy with a gallon of fuel, made good torque. Rear end was really similar to the 656/666/686 so rear end problems are normally the result of abuse, not wear, really over-built.
It should handle either Bush hog you have, probably need some frt weight for the 7 ft mounted mower. It should pull a 10 ft disk easily, probably have to run 4th gear to get it warmed up. If it could get traction it should pull a 12 ft disk most places. Nebraska rating is roughly 45 hp drawbar and 55 hp PTO. Should have both 540 and 1000 rpm pto.
Only thing I can say is that the gear drive with TA reverse gear is rather slow, only 2.8 mph per TractorData, for loader duty it would seem like you were moving in slow motion. The Hydro and shuttle version can reverse as fast as you want.

I really thought a 544 diesel rowcrop would have been a tractor we would have used all day every day when Dad was farming, as powerful as the 450 Farmall that was our big tractor for 4-5 years and economical as our H on light jobs like mowing/raking hay. I'd take it with available Fast Hitch, we didn't have a single piece of 3-pt equipment.

Post pictures when you get it home!

I think the same. Depends on what brand of 10' disc it is. I have a Taylor-Way 10' disc. I pull it with my 856. Friend I got it from pulled it with a JD 4440 and in river flat ground it made it snort . I have 2 656's one gear drive and one hydro. Difference is 6 cylinder instead of 4. Different motor though. These have the 282. Otherwise pretty much the same. I could be wrong but I think they are the same as the 656 with 540 PTO only?

A 544D row crop with 38 in wheels with the cast centers will handle all the implements mentioned. A 544 utility with pressed steel wheels and 28 in rims is about 1000 lbs lighter. Two different tractors!

Thanks for all the help & thoughts. I have a 656 diesel hydro at the farm which I really like & thought the 544 would be good for our small acreage around the house. Mostly I'd like it for basic loader work.

What about the German diesel vs. the diesels IH built here; any difficulty working on them or getting parts, etc...?? I'm assuming that it would require metric tools as well.




Other than the German engine, where was the 544 built?

Thanks again for all the replies.

Gary

544 built at the Farmall Plant in Rock Island, Illinois. You really didn't specify, are you looking at a ROWCROP Farmall 544 or an International 544 Utility low profile tractor?

The D-239 Nuess diesel was used in lots and lots of different types of IH equipment for years. I haven't heard of anyone having problems getting IH 544 or D-239 parts. I have heard that some D-310 & D-358 parts have gotten hard to find. The tractor is 45-51 years old. Might be wise to call your local CIH dealer and get the parts manager's opinion.

Yep, D-239 is metric. I thought I had metric tools covered, then wife's 2015 Ford Edge needed new lug nuts, they're 21 mm hex, any SAE socket I tried rounded the corners. So I bought a 10 pcs deep impact 6-pt socket set from Harbor Freight 2 weeks ago. My 7.3L Powerstroke in my '96 F250 I bought new was all metric, truck itself was mostly SAE. I had some metic tools from my motorcycle days back in the 1970's. Just about have to have metric and SAE both anymore. I got my GearWrenches hanging right over my work bench, metric right next to the SAE.

I guess you're right about the metric thing, my F-250 has some of it as well.

As for the tractor, I've looked at both utility & row crop. Presently I'm looking close at a row crop as I thought it might be a better platform for the loader.

Thanks for the help Dr.,

Gary

Hey Doc, Just curious but what do you think about the 606 diesel vs. a 544 diesel. I know it's 6cyl. vs. 4 but other than that they don't appear to be all that different in terms of size.

Just wondering outloud. Thanks,

Gary

The 544 Farmall is like a 656 rearend with a 4 cylinder engine. The 544 utility shares the same rearend as the 504 and 606. I'd take a 544 over a 606 anyday.

I've picked up some useful info. on this gentlemen. Thanks for the time & all the comments.

Gary