searcyfarms
New User
Hello Everyone - I have been lurking for some time now and am finally ready to pull the trigger for our family. I have been reading and trying to figure out what to do. My first post so please bear with me. I will try to explain to provide info on my situation to help you all guide me. I have been prayerfully considering things but I honestly need wise counsel from you all.....
Here is my situation - I have an almost 80y/o father and a wife that will be using this tractor so keep that in mind for easy of entry, operation and what not.
I grew up on all kinds of tractors - working for many different farmers row cropping and livestock plus haying.
Been on A, C, H, M, 300, 400, 06, 56, 66 Farmall/IH stuff - B, A, 3010, deere - WD45, D17, D19, 180 Allis - 8n, 9n, Jubilee, 901, 4000, 4600, 6600, 7700, 8600, 9000, 9600, Fords, of late 2-105 White.
My personal tractors currently are 2210 sub compact deere for yard/garden - 560D and dad and I have a 706D/German diesel w/cab. John Deere B and A that I grew up on.
51y/o and dad is almost 80 - Looking at getting into a tractor for mainly mowing with a 15' batwing/CRP - loader work but have a skid steer and 706D has a great bend loader on it.
Issues to overcome are this -
at 80 DAD is not as agile nor as well balanced so climbing straight up into the 706D is becoming scary and worrisome for mom and I. I know dad is going to fall backwards climbing up/down one of these days its just a matter of time - one slip of the foot and - oh my. There is going to be NO keeping him out of a tractor so that is not an option HA!!
It takes some real strength and agility to get up/down from an old cab on a 706 D with a straight ladder. We rent out all our ground now and or have it in CRP. I help a friend maintain 300plus acres of CRP. Lots of mowing.
Likes/dislikes - my buddies 2-105 white has been a fiasco for 10 yrs - ugh....from hydraulic issues to overheating ( never have gotten that fixed ) hard starting if below 50 degress, AC not reliable gave up on it, hydraulic leaks, fuel issues/tank leaks, blah blah - I do like the ride and over/under - perkins engine seems ok for power but pulls down with batwing in crp - have to go slow to keep from overheating. The klunky shifting is hard for dad with the 706. Would like something better than that. I can deal with it but not good for my wife either.
Started using the old 706D to mow with the 15' batwing in the CRP due to my buddies White being down so much - amazingly enough that thing handles the mower pretty good - it bogs down some like the White 2-105 but will hang right with it in most stuff due to the gear down in the white from overheating. I am impressed with the German Diesel and how it handles the small clumps of multiflower rose and wild plum thickets and Sericea Lespedeza - overall does ok just loud in the cab and hot and not good for my allergies - makes me physically sick for a few days but as we all do.........suck it up and do it!!!
1) Need easy entry/exit for dad - 80y.o
2) Need easy shifting/learning for my wife and dad - Their legs are not as strong as mine and my 250lb frame to stomp on a 706 clutch.
3) Does a MFWD ride better than a 2wd tractor? - I have never driven a Large Frame 100HP+ MFWD tractor - logic would tell me bigger tires would ride better on small bumps but then again shorter wheel base like a jeep with big tires doesn't produce a better ride. Obviously heavier is better for ride period so 100plus larger frame seems better not to mention dragging around a heavy batwing and we have an 18foot wing disk mainly used anymore for edge disking the CRP and making food plots.
4) Must have a Cab/heat/air - I have bad allergies as well as asthma so it triggers that and I get anaphylactic shock episodes occassionally after mowing if I don't stay on top of the allergies. Of course a well sealed/quiet cab go w/out saying.
5) Must be 100HP PTO minimum - preferably 120ish to 150
6) I am not opposed to a 2wd tractor as I don't mow when its muddy and 90% of the time I am not out wallowing in mud that I worry about getting stuck. I just want something to ride descent when disking or mowing for hours at a time, Can hear when I get out, and am not sick from all the allergies, I wear a particle mask/respirator now when mowing 100% of the time.
I don't have the $$$ to support a money pit nor do I want to be working on these every time I get off work and head to dads for the weekend which is why I have stuck with the IH stuff - the 706D and my 560 have been VERY trouble free - nearly every weekend we need to use it we are working on that stupid White and get little done that is why I have started taking the 706 over there as I said u work on that white, I am going to get something done so we both aren't frustrated. I do NOT like the LOUD ear ringing cab on the 706 it is horrific.
I like the T/A and over/under speed on the White so a person doesn't have to shift all the time when a tough spot comes along.
I have read a lot about the 88 series IH vs the 86 ( from reading not in real life ) and mainly shifting stuff seems better than the 86 not to mention the rear visibility for mowing and drawbar are topics of frustration - quieter cab and a/c on the 88?
I love the sounds of the 7110-7120 7210-7220 tractors they sound good with the power shift and better cab?
Deere will be out of my price I am sure as well as the 7100/7200 CIH series units.
We have all three dealers former allis now AGCO, also handles kubota - Former IH now CASE IH, Former Ford now New Holland/Bobcat dealer all within 20 miles - Deere closer to 50 one way. So we have dealer support for most units.
Budget wise - looking at 25Kish - I DO NOT want to go under 100HP basically cause I know a large frame tractor will ride so much better with the extra weight and that 2-105 and my 706D pull down in tall stuff we could mow faster if we had more ponies. Yes I am familiar with Tractor House but I get a list of things to compare but don't have the knowledge of them other than I can tell what color they are and don't know of the gremlins that lie within. I don't need another project I need something that works.
I will be selling my 560D as its not as good a tractor as the 706D - I like it for mediocre things and the fuel economy is unbelievable but I want to move to a cabbed tractor so it will help offset some of my budget issues and I can use the 706 for most things I use the 560 for. My 560 is a cream puff stored indoors with flat top 656 fender - paint faded is all and a couple lil leaks. Its been in the family for 20yrs.
Fire Away with recommendations!!!!
Blessings to all,
Robert
Here is my situation - I have an almost 80y/o father and a wife that will be using this tractor so keep that in mind for easy of entry, operation and what not.
I grew up on all kinds of tractors - working for many different farmers row cropping and livestock plus haying.
Been on A, C, H, M, 300, 400, 06, 56, 66 Farmall/IH stuff - B, A, 3010, deere - WD45, D17, D19, 180 Allis - 8n, 9n, Jubilee, 901, 4000, 4600, 6600, 7700, 8600, 9000, 9600, Fords, of late 2-105 White.
My personal tractors currently are 2210 sub compact deere for yard/garden - 560D and dad and I have a 706D/German diesel w/cab. John Deere B and A that I grew up on.
51y/o and dad is almost 80 - Looking at getting into a tractor for mainly mowing with a 15' batwing/CRP - loader work but have a skid steer and 706D has a great bend loader on it.
Issues to overcome are this -
at 80 DAD is not as agile nor as well balanced so climbing straight up into the 706D is becoming scary and worrisome for mom and I. I know dad is going to fall backwards climbing up/down one of these days its just a matter of time - one slip of the foot and - oh my. There is going to be NO keeping him out of a tractor so that is not an option HA!!
It takes some real strength and agility to get up/down from an old cab on a 706 D with a straight ladder. We rent out all our ground now and or have it in CRP. I help a friend maintain 300plus acres of CRP. Lots of mowing.
Likes/dislikes - my buddies 2-105 white has been a fiasco for 10 yrs - ugh....from hydraulic issues to overheating ( never have gotten that fixed ) hard starting if below 50 degress, AC not reliable gave up on it, hydraulic leaks, fuel issues/tank leaks, blah blah - I do like the ride and over/under - perkins engine seems ok for power but pulls down with batwing in crp - have to go slow to keep from overheating. The klunky shifting is hard for dad with the 706. Would like something better than that. I can deal with it but not good for my wife either.
Started using the old 706D to mow with the 15' batwing in the CRP due to my buddies White being down so much - amazingly enough that thing handles the mower pretty good - it bogs down some like the White 2-105 but will hang right with it in most stuff due to the gear down in the white from overheating. I am impressed with the German Diesel and how it handles the small clumps of multiflower rose and wild plum thickets and Sericea Lespedeza - overall does ok just loud in the cab and hot and not good for my allergies - makes me physically sick for a few days but as we all do.........suck it up and do it!!!
1) Need easy entry/exit for dad - 80y.o
2) Need easy shifting/learning for my wife and dad - Their legs are not as strong as mine and my 250lb frame to stomp on a 706 clutch.
3) Does a MFWD ride better than a 2wd tractor? - I have never driven a Large Frame 100HP+ MFWD tractor - logic would tell me bigger tires would ride better on small bumps but then again shorter wheel base like a jeep with big tires doesn't produce a better ride. Obviously heavier is better for ride period so 100plus larger frame seems better not to mention dragging around a heavy batwing and we have an 18foot wing disk mainly used anymore for edge disking the CRP and making food plots.
4) Must have a Cab/heat/air - I have bad allergies as well as asthma so it triggers that and I get anaphylactic shock episodes occassionally after mowing if I don't stay on top of the allergies. Of course a well sealed/quiet cab go w/out saying.
5) Must be 100HP PTO minimum - preferably 120ish to 150
6) I am not opposed to a 2wd tractor as I don't mow when its muddy and 90% of the time I am not out wallowing in mud that I worry about getting stuck. I just want something to ride descent when disking or mowing for hours at a time, Can hear when I get out, and am not sick from all the allergies, I wear a particle mask/respirator now when mowing 100% of the time.
I don't have the $$$ to support a money pit nor do I want to be working on these every time I get off work and head to dads for the weekend which is why I have stuck with the IH stuff - the 706D and my 560 have been VERY trouble free - nearly every weekend we need to use it we are working on that stupid White and get little done that is why I have started taking the 706 over there as I said u work on that white, I am going to get something done so we both aren't frustrated. I do NOT like the LOUD ear ringing cab on the 706 it is horrific.
I like the T/A and over/under speed on the White so a person doesn't have to shift all the time when a tough spot comes along.
I have read a lot about the 88 series IH vs the 86 ( from reading not in real life ) and mainly shifting stuff seems better than the 86 not to mention the rear visibility for mowing and drawbar are topics of frustration - quieter cab and a/c on the 88?
I love the sounds of the 7110-7120 7210-7220 tractors they sound good with the power shift and better cab?
Deere will be out of my price I am sure as well as the 7100/7200 CIH series units.
We have all three dealers former allis now AGCO, also handles kubota - Former IH now CASE IH, Former Ford now New Holland/Bobcat dealer all within 20 miles - Deere closer to 50 one way. So we have dealer support for most units.
Budget wise - looking at 25Kish - I DO NOT want to go under 100HP basically cause I know a large frame tractor will ride so much better with the extra weight and that 2-105 and my 706D pull down in tall stuff we could mow faster if we had more ponies. Yes I am familiar with Tractor House but I get a list of things to compare but don't have the knowledge of them other than I can tell what color they are and don't know of the gremlins that lie within. I don't need another project I need something that works.
I will be selling my 560D as its not as good a tractor as the 706D - I like it for mediocre things and the fuel economy is unbelievable but I want to move to a cabbed tractor so it will help offset some of my budget issues and I can use the 706 for most things I use the 560 for. My 560 is a cream puff stored indoors with flat top 656 fender - paint faded is all and a couple lil leaks. Its been in the family for 20yrs.
Fire Away with recommendations!!!!
Blessings to all,
Robert
