Ideas for a chore tractor

Farmall 656 · Feb 27, 2021

I am looking at getting a chore tractor...uses I have would be loader work-nothing major/heavy, using the IH #80 snowblower, moving grain wagons, etc...not going to be a tillage tractor. The tractor will have a good life, not a hard life. Models I have put on the short list are 856, 966, 1066, 5088(retired neighbor farmer has one that maybe available). I am looking for your thoughts and experiences with these models or potential other models that would be a good all around chore tractor. What should I be looking for when I start visiting and driving a tractor around? What are the tips/tricks to finding out how good the tractor is? Thank you in advance!

used red MN · Feb 27, 2021

Will this be used on a hobby farm, real farm? What is the money you want to put towards it, which you may have kind of indicated by the example models you gave. When you say chore tractor to me that means it will have a loader on it, but I grew up on a farm with livestock. In my opinion none of those tractors have the greatest transmissions and shift patterns for loader work, but many folks got by with them just fine. All the tractors you mentioned likely have TAs, drive them around 5 to 10 minutes or so warming them up a bit then running about half throttle. Choose a mid range gear ..on the 8, 9 and 10.. hi range in gear 2.. run the TA through a couple up and down shift cycles checking for good quick speed changes. Then load the engine by dragging the brakes then complete a TA up and down shift to make sure the TA shifts well under load also. This is not a 100 percent test of the TA but it will assess that it at least functional.

Farmall 656 · Feb 28, 2021

Hobby Farm, my needs are to upgrade my loader tractor and to use it on my snowblower. Loader work for me ranges from occasional dirt or gravel, pallet fork work, moving-hauling brush, and some snow moving. The reason I have those tractors on my list is that they are big enough to run the snowblower, have good hydraulics for a loader, and are not crazy money for what I need the tractor for, a good life, not a hard life.

caterpillar guy · Feb 28, 2021

The 5088 might have more hydraulic than the others. I would find something with 20 plus GPM for loader work. Yup you can get by with less though it will get old waiting for it to go up and down as you load or unload things like round bales and such. We have a 574 for a loader hydraulics suck to slow with 9 GPM at about 2500 PSI . The old D-6 model cat with a loader on it was a loader 50 GPM with 2000 PSI it would move up and down and tilt as fast as you moved dozing with it. Had big cylinders on it too. I would look for something with MFWD for loader work also. You will appreciate it after you go back and forth from one with it to one without it.

NY 986 · Feb 28, 2021

If only for light chores I would look for something like an IH hydro if looking strictly at IH tractors. Much easier shift for doing back and forth work such as a back blade or loader. Hydro 86, 656 Hydro. Got to drive a 1066 Hydro last fall for the first time.

DeltaSteve · Feb 28, 2021

For a "chore tractor" as you describe,I would go with,first an open station tractor. An 856 up to 10,or even 1456 would do the job famousely.For "chorin'",a cab would just get in the way,be a PIA.

ss55 · Feb 28, 2021

Sounds like you don't have much livestock or don't need to use the tractor to feed livestock daily. Will it get a front end loader? IMHO, any heated cab, even an "ear beater cab", is nice when running a snow blower. No snow freezing to your glasses, melting on your legs and shoulders or drifting down your neck makes snow blowing much more comfortable.

Ideas for a chore tractor

Farmall 656

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used red MN

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Farmall 656

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caterpillar guy

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NY 986

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DeltaSteve

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ss55

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