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Worst Designed Tractor (1960-1985)

L

LJS30

Member
I always wondered about what was overall possibly the worst designed tractor with the years of 1960-1985. I know cars get reviewed all the time for dependability and customer satisfaction. So, what about tractors? Which design was an absolute failure in engineering?
 
The Ford Select-o-speed's come to mind.
The John Deere 2010 had some problems with the engine design as I recall.
Also lots of folks either loved or hated IH's transmissions and gasoline consumption.
 
Ford 6000 was a giant flop in it's day.

2010 Deere diesels weren't so great

IH460/560 was a good tractor EXCEPT for the rear end failures

Deere 2840 had a very high incidence of snapping in half. Not exactly a good thing.

MF 1085 and it's head gasket failures

Early Ford SelectOspeeds ruined the reputation for later SOS's. (major contributing factor to the ills of the 6000)

My nod goes to the 6000 Ford.
 
I am new to working on tractors. But my vote goes to the MF35. Replacing the guages on that thing is a real pain. You have to stick your hands through panel holes to get to them.

Another one is the Farm Trac. That keeps breaking the throttle cable under the dash. Real pain to work on. I am sure I will find more as I work on them.
 
JD 1010 and 2010 where both bad ones as was the early Allis 190XTs because of poor/weak design also the MF Super 90s had problems and any that used a lot of plastic parts where problems
 
Got to agree the Ford 6000 is certainly a major contender. Great looking tractor just too small of an engine and horrible transmission. Any MF tractor with the 24 speed trans gets honorable mention unless it was one of the few lucky ones that was built entirely to specifications. The tranmission was good if built to the very tight tolerances. The JD 2010 diesel is also a good choice.
 
The IH 4300 and 4100 series 4WD tractors. They spent a lot of time and money designing and engineering them only to sell a few thousands units in nearly 20 years of production before their contract with Steiger showed them how to do it right. In the end it probably cost double what the 560 recall costed them.

SOS Fords.
 
The Ford 6000 Commander would be up near the top of that list. None were equipped with standard transmissions and the aptly named SOS transmission gave up the ghost soon after arrival. Ford tried to make good on them but they never got it right. You doubt? How many have you ever, ever seen out in the field working?
 
If you got those in the Metric version they weren't too bad; the company had a lot of trouble with fractions.
 
Only ones I ever seen or heard tell of breaking were equipped with aftermarket loaders. Without the side plates and frame to tie the loader/tractor together.
Of course the tractor would snap with the loader being bolted to the sides of the engine block.
 
So you need to get out more often. I know of 3 that snapped without even having a loader on them. 2 of the 3 were in the field with a disc mower on them. Other was pulling a round baler. Problem was not enough engine to bellhousing bolts.
 
John Deere 435 diesel(if you wanted to hear in later years), 1010 diesel & 2010 diesel.Any Ferd Selecto speed(leapin Leanas)
 
Without fore ballast and bouncing the front end on and off the ground with a heavy mounted mower. I'm not surprised some rough driver could snap any tractor.
 
I have no idea why people didn't/don't use the JD oval muffler on a 435. That round muffler is an amplifier, not a silencer.
 
6000 was never good.. too much engine for the rest of the tractor.
Later sos models cant be killed, but the reputation was already damaged from the early model... Your repeating bad/incorrect info on the sos...

1086 with dual tires were sure to take out the ring gears..
8000/9000 would bend shift forks on 3rd gear,
4010 and 4020 ate clutches

1020s ate steering pivots..

early 5000 power steering sucked as well as early 5200/7200s
504 frontend stabilizer
 
1086 with the power turned up will take out the ring gears.

If people wanted a 150 hp tractor they should have bought a 150 hp tractor instead of buying a 100 hp tractor and turning it up 150 hp. Seen a lot of 1206s, 1066s and 1256s with the same problem. They just weren't that heavy of a tractor.
 
Both the left and the right handed ETD where meant to plow on the sides a hill. Depended on weather you had a right or left handed hill. Using them on a flat field could result in total discombobulation. You could wind up corkscrewing into the dirt if you didn't watch it.
 
We've got a 706 and an 826 with original TA's still working.

I've heard those problems were caused by not keeping them adjusted or mis-using them. But then I don't know much. I do know that just about all the 300/350, 400/450 you see for sale they are out on the low side.
 
Always an excuse...never a GOOD one. All three (that I know of personally) were owned and operated by older, careful, experienced farmers who know how to take care of their equipment. Deere recognized a problem and went about changing the 2840. The model only ran a short time. It was a poor design. Regardless of the fact you couldn't own up to the FACT that your sacred Mother Deere screwed up, they did on that one Sparky.
 
I'd like to know too. I have two 90's that started life as the biggest tractors on the farm and are my two smallest. After 47 years, still going strong. I don't think the hobby farmer knows what he's talking about.
 

I've complained as much as anybody on this site about 1010 diesels,any 2010 and the 5000/5010 series.
You must have your hands over your eyes and ears plus closed your mind.
There was a 30 or 40 series articulated 4X4 with the 619 that was no prize however the 466 in the same chassis did well.
 
I don't remember the year so it might be pre 1960 but the Case 800 case-o-matic was by far one giant boat anker junk pig. I HATED THAT THING ! As for the one post about JD 4010/4020 as being hard on clutches, we had two 4020's and many 4010/4020's in our area and I never seen or heard of one cluch problem. We put several hours and years on ours. Also the others around us done the same.
 
My vote would go to the Fiat imported and sold with Minneapolis Moline paint as if it was a MM. Thank you White motor Co! Then later a Fiat tractor was finished out with the Hesston colors and name plate. No wonder Fiat had to buy out Ford to get a real tractor, instead marketing their own frail piece of ready to break junk.

Paul in MN
 
we and alot of neighbors have done alot of farming with 70 series Cases with very little trouble. Of course some morons could break a rock with a rubber hammer.
 
I never owned one but cousin Dusty said they only got one thing wrong on Case tractors...to put worthless in front of the name. His Dad always run green ones. ohfred
 
I really hate to bash but I owned an IH 2+2 for 10 years so I have the right to say this.
2+2 means two days in the shop for every two days in the field.

Just to spread it around a little, any neighbors who bought a cheap asz Belarus for an easy to buy front wheel assist loader tractor are still hiding them behind the barn. Even the dealers that sold them won't trade them back in.
 
A neighbor used to have an older 4WD John Deere, probably one of the earlier models (articulated, IIRC), and when you'd go into road gear the power steering was 50/50 on whether or not it would work. Or maybe it was the steering wouldn't work at all due to some hydraulic issue.

It's also the same one, I think, where you could push the clutch down and if it got "in a mood" it'd shove your foot off the clutch with so much back pressure. You could walk out fence posts with it... Can't remember the model number for the life of me, though.

Which Ford Select-O-Speed models are we referring to, exactly? I know somebody with two of these (see image below), and they seem to run and drive great:

https://photos.yesterdaystractors.com/gallery/ford671.jpg

This is a personal gripe, as I'm sure the tractor is stellar, but... I drove an 8100 John Deere powershift on and off for awhile years back and when it'd change gears it sounded like either the engine wanted to leap out of the tractor and rev up or the gears wanted to eat themselves in the transmission. Wasn't a fun of the way it would rock back and forth in road gear, either... Nor the overly tiny steering wheel.
 
I can hoestly say that I've seen around 15-20 Ford 6000's working for the same guy. A couple he painted up, most are original. He's got probably 5-10 in the fields where they quit and he still has to fix them, and another 5-15 parts tractors. I think the last time I heard his count he had a total of well over 30 Ford 6000's.

He used to work for the local Ford/NH dealer.

Donovan from Wisconsin
 
Don-WI,
I have a friend who has his Ford 6000 all repainted and now he is looking for the medallian that goes on the steering wheel hub.
Can you (or would you) tell me the name and location of the guy with all those 6000s you mentioned?
My email is [email protected]
LA in Wi, Sauk Co.
 
easy there , deer man , I dont think you know what you are talking about .. My 800 diesel does fine with the 489 nh haybine cutting easily 175 acres per year , Love that Case-o-matic ... real fuel mizer too ,, i like using a 4020 p/shift to run the round baler ,.. Have changed fluid and filters an average of twice per yr , for the last 20 yrs, probably 40 times $100 = $4 grand in fluid and filters over 20 yrs ...Some of the green ones ( albeit gassers )have come and GONE , and cost me far more than the orange ones to keep up ......
 
I have three JD 2840s. Two have over 12,000 hrs on them the other just hit 10,000 hrs. I have never saw one broke in half. Now if you want to complain about their hydraulic problems I will join in and sing with you. LOL
John Deere Mannheim tractors should all have the side plates installed on them. Loader or not. That is 55 series and older.
 
IH 464 gas. Still have this POS. Even after a rebuilt engine it is still the hottest running tractor I have ever seen, bad valve design I have been told. Can't do much with it in the summer. I have owned it for 20 years, can't sell it because no one will buy it.
 
My experiance woud be MF 175s and 185s. Take all the horroble tinwork and cact wheel centres off them they are only a MF65 underneath. In 1970 a friend brough his new MF185 to a show and i towed it round the ring backwards with its wheels going forward with my Allis Chalmers 1942 WC. I also had great delight in takeing them in part exchanges for IH 574s and 674 i was selling at the time. MJ
 
Yer a true Christian Martyr. We're all so priviledged to have you take time out of your busy schedule to honor us with your presence.
 
The three I know of personally had the side plates installed. Local dealer sold quite a few of them. The service manager said several (besides the 3 I was referring to) came back in with stripped/broken bellhousing to engine bolts. 2950 had additional bolts to adress the problem. I've got a 2440 and a 2640. The 4-cylinder models didn't have the same problem, but I do know what you mean about the hydraulics.
 
1st-460IH gas is a cold blooded gutless mutt, 2nd-560IH dsl- Either you swore by it or at it, much more of the latter. The engine was prone to blown head gaskets, scored sleeves or sleeves in the oil pan ect.
 

So you are saying then the Allis Chalmers is a better machine because it towed the MF around the ring? :lol:
 
I agree with you guys. I have one we have been using for 40 years and it is a very reliable work horse that is very easy to manuver as well. The pulling power of this tractor is awesome for its size and it is very fuel efficient. My father was a Massey dealer and he said that the Super 90 was one of the best, most trouble free tractors he sold and in hind sight he should have sold a lot more of them.
 
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