IH 560 or JD730

Whatever you decide to buy, make sure you DRIVE BOTH TRACTORS first, check out the features, listen to them run, take them both for a gallop down the road and check for front end shimmy and wobble. Check the brakes, check the hydraulics, check the radiator levels before starting them and check the radiator levels again when the tractors are warm then check the radiator levels again after they've been shut down. Listen for transmission gear noise. Alot of the 730s have noisy third gears because that's the favorite gear for plowing. Also, pull the flywheel cover and look for cracks in the 730's flywheel. Make sure the damn flywheel hasn't been welded onto the crankshaft. I've seen that done before. What it all boils down to is that it's your money and your choice. Good luck. You have enough information to make an informed decision.

I would certainly agree with the folks who suggested a smaller utiltiy tractor with modern-day features.

Whatever you do, would you keep us posted?

Thanks,

Stan

p.s. take the 560 its cheaper than green

Look for two things on 730, Live pto, see if operating ok and maybe you can get the dealer to hook up to something to give it a load, parts and labor could be 1000.

Crankshaft end play, orig specs 5 to 10 thou. Ive got one apart now that had 200 thou which means the thrust washers are gone. Parts are cheap but a lot of work.

I would suggest you find someone that knows the 2 cyl tractors and get his opinion on this tractor.

Since the dealer doesnt think much about the 730 give him a low ball offer, dont worry about losing either one of these, theres always another deal out there. Good luck

Look for two things on 730, Live pto, see if operating ok and maybe you can get the dealer to hook up to something to give it a load, parts and labor could be 1000.

Crankshaft end play, orig specs 5 to 10 thou. Ive got one apart now that had 200 thou which means the thrust washers are gone. Parts are cheap but a lot of work.

I would suggest you find someone that knows the 2 cyl tractors and get his opinion on this tractor.

Since the dealer doesnt think much about the 730 give him a low ball offer, dont worry about losing either one of these, theres always another deal out there. Good luck

I don't know about a 560 Gas, but we farm w/ a 560D. It has 9,000hrs on it, the T/A works great and the rearend is fine. We also farm w/ a 730D and it's an awesome tractor. I like the green stuff, but in my opinion they both are good tractors.

Do what you want, but heres what I would do. Go find yourself a nice 450G Farmall, now it will drink the fuel but the torque and smooth running 4 cyl engine are unbelieveable!!!! Heck it will even crank out just as much hp as the 560!

Of course the IH dealer is pushing the 560, it's priced at about twice what it is worth. Look at the IH Board, there is a post about a guy looking at a 600 hour 560 for $6000 and they're telling him to offer $4000 for it and a run of the mill 560 is worth from $2000-3000. You don't say how the 730D is equipped: 3-pt, factory wide front, fenders, dual hydraulics, condition of tires? If it has just a factory 3-pt or wide front it is priced right on the money. The 560 is grossly overpriced. And think what you could get out of each if you decided to sell. Even if you have to pay the dealers asking price for the 730 you'll get that money back but only about half the price of the 560. And, don't pay attention to the guys knocking the rear end or TA of the 560. Early 560's had problems with the rear end but were fixed by the factory and these and later ones had no problems. The TA's are a wear item and will wear out, but are not the disaster the Deere guys make them out to be. We were surrounded by 560's when I grew up and they were good tractors. With the little more power they had over our 720G and the TA they would outwork it any day of the week. And by the way, I'm not an IH guy, I've got a 620, 720G, 2 720D, 730D and almost forgot a 60 LPG, and most are used and WORKED.

Poor Farm Jim

In addition, the 730 is much more comfortable to operate, save its hand-clutch, which can be a detriment if you plan to back wagons all day or other such rearward-looking precise chores. Go green - you won't regret it - I own a Farmall & have operated both the 460/560 tractors and the Deere 630/730, so hopefully my opinion isn't terribly biased!

The 560 is really a 1939 M with a six cylinder engine and no real improvements to the rear end to handle the extra 20 hp, PLUS it had the poorly engineered TA. Ask yourself: Why is it ALWAYS necessary to ask someone selling an IH if the TA is any good?

Finally, if that 730D and 560g were sitting on a JOHN DEERE dealer's lot the prices would likely be a bit different. The Deere dealer would KNOW that his 730 was worth a LOT more than the 560 and the price difference would be more like $5500 for the 730 and $3500 (or less) for the 560!

Where is this bargain 730 located at? If you get the 560 there will be a lot of people who might like to know where a 730, on a DEALER lot can be had for this little money!

Farmall had two MAJOR and expensive problems with their big hosses including the 560. TA has always been weak. You're forever breaking it in half to fix the TA. The other is the bull gears in the rear end. Farmall tried to use the same rear end in the 460 and 560 that it used in the old M's. Didn't work. The 560 will bust up that rear end every time.

So you have a bona fide turkey vs. one of the most popular John Deeres. If the 730 is good work your best deal on it and don't look back.

I believe that all of the comments regarding the 560 drive line problems are valid. When Farmall broke their numbered tractors in 1954 they tried to go cheap and use the old �M� tranny and rear end. Problems mounted with the coming of the 50 and 60 series tractors. I can�t tell you that the old M back end will bolt up to the 560, but they are the same animal. That 560 mill is just too much for a late 30�s gear design meant for 37 horsepower. Failure was the rule, rather than the exception. If I recall correctly, there eventually came a factory fix package with parts and designs that would eventually fall into the 06 tractors. If installed by a dealer, a notation was made, somehow, on the serial number tag. Take a look for this.

I-H troubles with T/A are legendary. Another expensive heartbreaker.

On the other side of the coin, that 730D is one of the most sought after of John Deere models. Unless it�s a mess, it�s sure to appreciate in value. Hey, we never claimed to be unbiased. This IS a JD board. But I stand by my words.

A final thought. At the local consignment auction last week there were two 560�s, both decent but still in their working clothes. Both gas, the narrow front (a little nicer) went for $1500. The wide front brought $1370. A L-o-o-o-o-o-n-g way from $4500.

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