(800) 853-2651
SHOP NOW

Notice how the old iron is not as easy to use as you get old

J

JD Seller

Well-known Member
I was grading the lane last night and got to thinking about how I now usually use the newest tractor I own for the little stuff. It is a 1999 JD 5210 2wd. It is very easy to get on and off of an the three point controls are spot on. You can run a box blade 1/4 of an inch at a time.

Just 4-5 years ago I would have use a job like grading the lane to use one of the older tractors. Now it seems like Power steering and a good seat take president over playing with old iron. Easy on and off is gaining ground too. LOL

I tell the wife gravity is stronger than when I was younger. LOL

I moved the wife's two banger (her father's tractor) to get some other stuff out of the shed last week. That hand clutch and arm strong steering made me not do more than drive it out an back in again. LOL I am getting wimpy as I get older.
 
I know how you feel. Three, maybe four years ago I read about a "lawn tractor" with power steering, made me smile. "Who needs P/S on a lawn mower"? Now, it is beginning to sound like a good idea.
 
I not as old as many others on here. I don't take it as good as I use to though. Starting to notice things. If I run the older ones all day, I feel beat. Never use to feel that way after a long day in the tractor seat. Don't climb on as good, and don't jump off anymore. I climb back down. As I get older, I noticed that I am not taking the heat as good. Starting to pay a little more attention to things like not putting up with a wore out seat, or something loose, or not greased. I am not looking foreward to this down hill slide of getting old.
 
I noticed that many, many years ago. When I took over buying equipment for ADOT, I became the operators best friend. I took off all the things they didn't need nor want and put in comfortable and safe equipment.

AC was not in any equipment; I put AC in everything possible. I spec'd the most comfortable seats, with 3-point seat belts. PS on everything. I selected heavy duty electrical system option on all vehicles, that turned out to save the state a lot of money on the repair end.

One of the semi drivers put in for retirement because of back aches. His new tractor came in a couple months before he was due to retire. A couple trips without a backache and he withdrew his retirement request and kept on driving.
 
I had occasion to stop by the local JD Dealer yesterday and glanced at an X310 mower. Not in the market, my almost 20 year old LX178 is still going strong, just curious.

Salesman mentioned it had power steering and hydraulic deck lift. Price wasn't all that bad, considering. Way out of line for the little patch of grass I mow tho.
 
When I was growing up in the 50's, I learned to drive on an "A" JD raking hay, pulling wagons, etc. A while back, I was bitten by the nostalgia bug so I now have a pretty nice "60" JD? I love to hear it pop, but It doesn't take long to figure out why these old hand clutch, armstrong steering tractors are mostly seen in parades. They were made for big wide open fields but will wear you out in small plots where you have lots of short turns and stop and go work.
 
I enjoy old iron. That's why I am here on this site. But I don't care to be on them for more than recreation. I sure noticed when manufacturers started clearing the area in front of seat. I don't jump off the tractors any more on the run. Friend just put "geezer" steps on his 4020. He loves them.
 
Replaced the last bad tire on my WD a year ago. It has just been setting. New tires all around now. Decided to use it on the 479 NH swather. Use to spin the steering wheel right around. Not any more. Only four acres. Lots of hand clutching. Tractor run good I didn't.
 
I clean the snow off my driveway in the winter with this 300. I like the power steering and live hydraulics, but with the add on 3 point and loader it is a chore to get on and off. Ten years ago it wouldn't have bothered me.
a167293.jpg
 
Since my newest tractor was made in 1972, I don't have a lot of choice. However both the 1955 and the 1850 are quite easy to get on and off and they also are pretty driver friendly from the controls standpoint. My JD 420 is also pretty easy to mount and dismount.

As stated below "geezer steps" will more than likely be added sometime down the road. The 60, and the 88's already have "factory" geezer steps as you step on the drawbar frame, the rear axle and then the platform to get on the things. (chuckle)
 

Your words are so true, as long as everything
works as it should on this new"r equipment. They
are a wonder to operate. On our farm all of
the tractors are green. But we still use many
hand clutch"s. All but 2 have power steering.
That is one option that is a must as much as
steps are as I approach 60. Those for years
were only used to climb on, now I find that
they are very handy to climb off. Only have one
cab tractor a 3255 & it"s like driving a car.
I plowed this spring with a 7130 supream 4x4
& some kind of a special land saver hitch
thing where you just push a button to set &
pickup the plows for a neighbor who got
behind.. Driving/operating that machine was
more like driving a Rolls Royce.

But a working 2 cylinder with a John Deere Oval
muffler is still music to my ears.
 
Ever notice how heavy a 5 gallon pail of water feels today? This new water we have today weighs more than the old water from years ago. LOL
 
JD Seller,
There is scientific proof that gravity is getting stronger. It causes print to get smaller and harder to read.

The increased gravity is causing a time warp. It takes more time to walk from point A to point B.
George
 
I take it you do not have a front mounted four row cultivator on a Farmall M with no power steering, my Great Grandpa would have loved to have one. Now you can appreciate the differences in the old iron when it was new. Not to start a color war, but look at the different options and operator comfort of these tractors when they were new. Why would anyone even have a two cylinder JD if you had to back wagons as you have to look back and push forward. Case came out with the 400 and the era of the foot clutch was born for them. IH had it long before. Oliver had smooth power long before anyone else, the seats sucked. All had good points and bad
 
I absolutely love to garden with my Farmall Super C's and maintain 14 acres with my Super H's. Mounting the SC with the fast hitch implements on is getting harder and the SH is sure a long way up.

Getting old ain't for sissy's.
 
Some things are better but some of the older stuff is OK. My younger brother could mess up Dads Buick on a cold winter morning by flooding it. When was the last time you heard of someone flooding a road vehicle? Last year I had occasion to load manure with a 5410 JD. I like the tractor well enough but aside from 4WD I am sure I could have kept up or possibly outpaced that tractor with the 1020 JD from home. No the 1020 doesn"t have a reverser but the left shifter straight forward and straight back I find is less clunky than the reverser on the 5410. On the 1020 I often shift from reverse to forward with my left knee!
I used my brothers skid steer the other day. Those are one of the handiest farm tools out there. 30 years ago I would run one all day. Now I get siezed up after a couple of hrs work. Too many birthdays I guess.
 
Ya! I was so tickled when I was in high school at age 16 and could carry two five gallon pails full of hog slop and climb over a gate without setting them down. It is a struggle to dump one five gallon pail of water over a low fence at 76.
 
I agree with you.

I added power steering and a front step on the MH44 after falling on my butt climbing over the 3 point to get out and being worn out steering it.

My 1987 6610 is a lot easier to use, but would like a cab tractor now.
 
When I first started collecting tractors I thought only collecting hand start was a good plan, well I was wrong, my last purchase was a '52 A. I turn on the gas, ignition switch hit the starter and I'm driving out of the shed past my hand starters. I still love them just don't feel as up to spinning that flywheel as much as I used to!
 
When I was growing up in the 50's, I learned to drive on an "A" JD raking hay, pulling wagons, etc. A while back, I was bitten by the nostalgia bug so I now have a pretty nice "60" JD? I love to hear it pop, but It doesn't take long to figure out why these old hand clutch, armstrong steering tractors are mostly seen in parades. They were made for big wide open fields but will wear you out in small plots where you have lots of short turns and stop and go work.
 
Know what you mean! I usted to think a WD45 was the best chore tractor. But then my son got a 4320 Compact JD with a Cab and air ride seat. Quick-coupler on the 3 point and also a self leveling bucket and quick change on the bucket. Can put a bale fork or pallet forks on in a flash. It already has 1000 plus hrs. Vic
 
Doesn't sound like you have an old iron problem. Sounds like you've got an old Deere problem. If your FIL had bought an Oliver back in the day,you'd be using it every day like I do my 77.
 
If increased gravity causes this time to walk thing, how come the years go by faster?
 
When I blew a knee out last fall, I had to let the SIL feed all winter. Then, getting back into work this spring, I noticed that my tractors had all gotten taller over the winter. So, I bought a set of steps for the 2520, added another step to the 2-70 and the 4240. This getting older just ain't for sissies....ya gotta work smarter, too!
 
It cost a little money, but at age 74 it's easy to part with. I step into the heated shop from my Kitchen, walk to the enclosed 2010 Farmall 95 with snowplow mounted. Fire it up, hit the door opener and drive out into 30 inches of fresh snow and below zero temps in my sheepskin slippers and my sweats.DO my snow removal listening to oldies on Pandora. Life is good.
Of course I have my cel in case I might need a ride up the drive, LOL.
 
That's the thing about relativity and time warp. When time warps on one end, it takes more time for you to walk from point A to point B. To make up for distance getting stretched on one end of the warp, time goes faster at the other end.

Then after you have been in the time warp long enough, you suffer from Can't Remember Stuff syndrome, I think.
 
That's because the ground is a lot lower than it used to be. I first noticed that a few years ago when I went to pick up a tool I dropped.
 
Usually true, JDSeller, but not always.

I bought my wife (the horse farmer) a cute little JD compact utility in 2005- a JD 4010 (no, not THAT 4010, as I have to tell the old timers). We both use it a lot, and love it. Hydro-static drive just can't be beat for loader work.

But she pasture harrowed the field with it several years ago, and was not impressed. With horse manure, you have to have some speed to get some action on the tines, to break up and spread the stuff around and not just roll over it. When she got done, she said "it was a lot smoother ride when I did it with that long green one (Oliver 77)". That little short wheel base rig just pounded the puddin' out of her at combat speed. She said at one point she put the seat belt on "because I was afraid I was gonna get bucked off".

So I agree with your general premise, but there can be exceptions.
 
My 48 John Deere B has raked about 250 acres of hay this year so far with a 15' New Idea rotary rake this year with my rear bouncing in that seat with no power steering and a hand clutch. But I am 35 years old too.... Just enjoy the good stuff for some jobs. Every thing else is handled by more modern equipment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
How to prevent cast iron carburetor flash rust/internal
Replies
12
Views
560
Dave G9N
D
H
Trying to determine the value of an Old Ford D 50 12K with backhoe and loader
Replies
11
Views
631
BarnyardEngineering
BarnyardEngineering
K
Lesson learned... Don't use your bucket as a bulldozer 😅. Now how to get more curl travel out of this Wagner?
Replies
12
Views
488
stevieb49829
stevieb49829
D
Combining Clover Seed for Own Use - Scarify?
Replies
9
Views
425
Leroy
L
M
deatailed how the generator and voltage regulator functi
Replies
13
Views
621
Jim.ME
J
Tractor Parts Tractor Manuals

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Copyright © 1997-2024 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters
Website Accessibility Policy

Back
Top