Thoughts on Deere 2155 or similar tractors.

Wanted to get some opinions on the Deere 2155 series or similar Deere / other brand tractors.

I have 120 acre farm that I use exclusively for hunting and recreation. I have over 10 acres of fields that are planted in clover and annual food plot crops. I also plant winter rye every year. Everything is done for the wildlife.

I have rocky ground, so picking and moving rock is an ongoing hassle and I have to have a loader to do it. I also have a 8 foot disc, 6 foot brush hog, and a single tooth ripper.

Currently, I have an ancient Deere 2010 gasser. It works fine, has a decent loader, and basically everything works on it. Like most old tractors, it needs a lot of wrenching because old stuff just breaks.

I'm looking down the road toward the point where it just makes more sense to replace the 2010 and I want to buy before something big blows up on the 10 and then I've got no tractor.

I don't want a compact, so I'm looking at the utility tractors from 40 to 60 HP and built after 1980 or so. Want to keep it under 12k with loader.

The 2155 really looks very close to what I want, so...

Comments and (preferred) actual experience with this machine? Good? Bad?

If this was a not-so-great machine, what's the better choice in this HP and vintage?

Common failure points and things to check out?

And guys with experience with other colors, if you have a slam dunk option in the same HP / year / size range, go ahead. My main reason for buying Deere is that parts are readily available. I'm not tied to any brand for anything.

Many thanks.

Grouse

Definately a step up from a 2010. Good tractors as long as they have been taken care of. If it has milky
trans hydraulic fluid run away, it will need new brakes and the hydraulic system rebuilt.

One of the best utility tractors of that era with one of the best hydraulic
systems. Like any other brand, their reliability is based on previous maintenance
and they are no more or no less tolerant of lack of care. Base your purchase on
condition and if possible maintenance records or proof thereof.
Good Luck!

Ben

I have a 2155 4 wheel
drive. Ita a great tractor
all around, bought in new.
I would not take 2 new ones
on trade for it.

Get rid of the 2010.

JD 50 & 55 series utility tractors as a rule are very good tractors. How tractor was used & maintained is very important. Hyd oil that wasn't the correct spec's or had water contamination was very detrimental to the wet brake & hyd linings. If you were satisfied with a 2010 you'll think you died & went to heaven utilizing a 2155.

(quoted from post at 11:48:40 03/26/20) Definately a step up from a 2010. Good tractors as long as they have been taken care of. If it has milky
trans hydraulic fluid run away, it will need new brakes and the hydraulic system rebuilt.

Click to expand...

What is the issue that the milky fluid indicates in these tractors? Is this water getting in somehow?

(quoted from post at 14:46:13 03/26/20)
Get rid of the 2010.

Click to expand...

Yeah, yeah, everybody's got a smart arse 2010 comment. Are you going to come with your wheelborrow and haul the rock I pick off the fields?

It's lasted since 1965 and everything works. But everybody and their dog can't wait to tell you how bad they are.

Grouse

Water can get in via cracked shifter boots or built up condensation, turning the
fluid milky. That's why regular oil and filter changes are a must.

If your 50 year old 2010 is still doing the job, then it must still be a pretty
good tractor...no one can deny that! But, the 2155 will seem like the cats meow in
comparison. I've a 2120 which is similar in many ways to a 2155 and its almost 50
years old with 11000 hours and still works well.

Ben

We sold the 55 series when it was new. For perspective, we had a lot of problems with the 40 series, especially excessive smoking and cold
starting issues. When the 50 series came out, it was a night and day difference with engine quality but we had a few issues with steel
hydraulic pipes shaking loose and leaking internally. When the 55 series came out, it seemed all the issues from the past were fixed. I
cursed them at the time because I had to split every 4WD we sold for a recall. Other then that 4WD glitch, they were great tractors. I have
not worked on one since 1995, so cannot say I have followed how longevity has been. I still have my 1960 Deere 1010 and love it (industrial
machine). Not all Deere tractors with a 10 at the end are bad.

I am still kind of amazed though that near every Deere 55 series sold early on had the wrong gears driving the front axle. The front wheels
spun MUCH faster then the back and tore the ground up something awful. Deere fixed the problem the first year of production, but it was a
horrendous goof.

A 2150 and couple of 2155's around and I never heard any complaints about them. Small enough that they were never main tillage tractors on most farms so they did
not suffer much abuse.

I don't know if 2155 was available with fwa. For your application you would really like fwa. After having one you would wonder how you ever got along without it.

We had a wide front with a loader, and later one with a narrow front, 2010 JD. I was not a big fan of the NF model on the hills, but both seemed to have done pretty good, given the history and odd reputation they had. We had a IH #45 baler that unlike most of them, was pretty reliable, not perfect, but was great for back up, it worked and tied, most of those were just not like that, anomaly or something.

Thanks for all the replies.

Sounds like the 2155 would be a very good choice. I'm going to start watching for a good one.

Tractor prices in this area of MN/western WI are crazy high. Very difficult to find good used equipment close by as well.

But my whole plan is that I'll start looking now and buy before I HAVE to buy. I fired up the ol' 2010 yesterday, she hadn't run since December and had been just sitting in the shed, no heat, no battery tender, nothing.

Cranked for 2 seconds and she fired. Yeah, those terrible old 2010s...

But judging by how wet it was, I'm at least 6 weeks from being able to turn a wheel. I'd have sunk to china had I tried to even roll out of the shed yesterday. The frost is out of the top 4 inches because it never was that deep, but the top is pure liquid.

Thanks again.

Grouse

Why does wildlife need crops raised for it?