Picked up a new John Deere...

[Natty Bumppo]

...well, "new" to me anyway.

I have a nice 1986 40 horse JD 990 that I use for all of my plotting, snow plowing, field mowing, etc. But I have a thing for old stuff...trucks, snowmobiles, tractors. I used to run Farmall Cubs on my small 30 acres for 15 years or so, but there are several little quirky things about Cubs that makes then impractical...the PTO runs in the opposite direction of all other PTO's, the PTO shaft is smaller than all other PTO's, no 3 point hitch, under-powered.

I sold my last Cub about 5 years ago and have been looking to replace it with a JD 40, 420, 430 ever since. Tough to find in my neck of the woods in New England. The ones that are priced decently are complete junk. The nice ones are always priced stupidly...or are 6 hours away.

Finally found this 1953 JD 40 about an hour and a half away. Starts and runs real good. The tin is all pretty straight. Looking forward to finding some 4' implements and putting it to work. Might even restore it at some point with my 11 year old son.

Anybody else use old tractors for plotting?

 

[ruskbucks]

Cool tractor. My dad had a 60 with a hand clutch. I do food plots with a 1948 massey harris 44 and 1968 Oliver 1650. I've had them at the hunting property 14 years and besides some fuel issues they have been great. Of course I only put about 15 hours a year on them.

 

[Buckly]

Beats a horse

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I am in the market myself, I need one with a good loader. I have had a Farmall 560 in the past, but it didnt have a 3 point either.

I had driven hand clutch JD most my younger life, I hated them.

 

[Bill]

That's cool!

Don't hook it to a stump and try to pull the stump out in forward. it will flip over...on you...
That's why we have rops today.

 

[buckdeer1]

Thats true wish they had ROPS and wish everyone knew how dangerous the old tricycle front ends are.Another thing make sure you add a PTO clutch if you have an old enough tractor that your PTO doesn't shut off when you push on clutch

 

[Triple C]

Really cool tractor. I bet for many of us old geezers, pics like that take us back to our youth when all we had was hand me down N8's and an old Oliver with a hand crank on the front. I never could start the Oliver.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Cool tractor. My dad had a 60 with a hand clutch. I do food plots with a 1948 massey harris 44 and 1968 Oliver 1650. I've had them at the hunting property 14 years and besides some fuel issues they have been great. Of course I only put about 15 hours a year on them.

That sounds pretty neat ruskbucks. Don't know much about Masey or Oliver. One of the nice things about working on old tractors is that everything is pretty obvious and fairly easy to troubleshoot.

I had a Johne Deere B many years ago with the hand clutch...but it had a narrow front end. Just too sketchy on my rolling and hilly land.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

I am in the market myself, I need one with a good loader. I have had a Farmall 560 in the past, but it didnt have a 3 point either.

I had driven hand clutch JD most my younger life, I hated them.

Yeah, many old Farmalls had that Fast-Hitch system which I actually liked quite a bit on my Cubs. I could quickly back into my plow and do some work, and without even getting off the tractor, detach the plows and then load the harrows. But the lack of a 3 point limited my implement choices.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

That's cool!

Don't hook it to a stump and try to pull the stump out in forward. it will flip over...on you...
That's why we have rops today.

Good tip Bill. No stump pulling. Planning on using it just to disc my plots, pull a cultipacker, some light flail mowing, etc.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Really cool tractor. I bet for many of us old geezers, pics like that take us back to our youth when all we had was hand me down N8's and an old Oliver with a hand crank on the front. I never could start the Oliver.

I used to love to start my Farmall Cubs with the hand crank. If tuned just perfectly, it wouldn't take more than a single quick crank.

Thanks Triple C.

 

[Foggy47]

t been around tractors and machinery since I was a kid (in the 50's). My dad was a Ford tractor dealer. I dont mind seeing some of that old iron.....but I am not into owning any of that old power. Maybe I was spoiled with those Fords and the three point hitch and live PTO....but to me that is imperative.

Same goes for a loader with live hydraulics......and if you have a loader then your need Power Steering and the ability to run a grapple and other hydraulic functions are imperative these days. A hydostactic tranny is good for the soul......and for positoning with a loader or stump grinder (for example). Then.....once you own a cab with HVAC you won't want to go back to an open station tractor. Have I mentioned cruise control and shift on the go features?

I dont buy owning that old iron. Yeo.....you can do a few things with some of those old tractors. But operating some of those mentioned above always leaves me wanting more new features. To me a diesel utility tractor with the functions listed is so much better......and they hold value over time. Buy once / cry once. ;).

 

[Natty Bumppo]

t been around tractors and machinery since I was a kid (in the 50's). My dad was a Ford tractor dealer. I dont mind seeing some of that old iron.....but I am not into owning any of that old power. Maybe I was spoiled with those Fords and the three point hitch and live PTO....but to me that is imperative.

Same goes for a loader with live hydraulics......and if you have a loader then your need Power Steering and the ability to run a grapple and other hydraulic functions are imperative these days. A hydostactic tranny is good for the soul......and for positoning with a loader or stump grinder (for example). Then.....once you own a cab with HVAC you won't want to go back to an open station tractor. Have I mentioned cruise control and shift on the go features?

I dont buy owning that old iron. Yeo.....you can do a few things with some of those old tractors. But operating some of those mentioned above always leaves me wanting more new features. To me a diesel utility tractor with the functions listed is so much better......and they hold value over time. Buy once / cry once. ;).

What do you mean "I don't buy owning that old iron?" I'm not pulling a fast one on you. I own it. And I get work done with old tractors. And they're fun to restore with your 11 year old kid.

Now with that said...yes, I agree completely with your points. That's why I also own a JD 990 with many modern features...ROPS, power steering, 4wd, FEL, backhoe, etc....when I want to work more efficiently. On my small acreage in New England I just don't put in enough seat time to justify a cab with HVAC. There's also nothing I do that requires a hyrdostatic tranny. I imagine it makes life nice. But I get along just fine.

It probably all comes down to end use. For large farms and acreage I can certainly see how the benefits of modern tractors would trump everything and justify their cost. For those on small acreage who just want to put in a few acres of food plots and slow down the pace of life a little to a bygone era...old tractors work just fine.

 

[Foggy47]

What do you mean "I don't buy owning that old iron?" I'm not pulling a fast one on you. I own it. And I get work done with old tractors. And they're fun to restore with your 11 year old kid.

Now with that said...yes, I agree completely with your points. That's why I also own a JD 990 with many modern features...ROPS, power steering, 4wd, FEL, backhoe, etc....when I want to work more efficiently. On my small acreage in New England I just don't put in enough seat time to justify a cab with HVAC. There's also nothing I do that requires a hyrdostatic tranny. I imagine it makes life nice. But I get along just fine.

It probably all comes down to end use. For large farms and acreage I can certainly see how the benefits of modern tractors would trump everything and justify their cost. For those on small acreage who just want to put in a few acres of food plots and slow down the pace of life a little to a bygone era...old tractors work just fine.

^ Points taken NB. I always wanted to restore one of those old "C" Allis Chalmers tractors just for giggles. Fun to look at and they are easier to restore than a car....'cause you dont have interior and upholstery to deal with, etc. I had a freind that restored and housed about 6 old collectable JD tractors....and a few neat old cars too. He was a few years older than I am......and recently passed. Those tractors and cars and his collectable "stuff" became a real PITA to him in late life. I suppose I got a bit out of context.....as I find myself getting rid of excess stuff accumulated over the past many years.

Just last night I gave my grandson an old Aluminum trailer, a canoe, a gun safe, a few guns, two bicycles and a transit. I'm in the process of simplifying my life. Everyone has different time lines. Carry on!

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I have a 1958 Ford 841 that I use for about 12 acres of fields/plots. I've put most into CRP, so now I'll only be doing a more enjoyable 4 acres or so.

My tractor is awesome when it works, but very expensive to fix when it isn't working. I think I've had to replace most of the parts on that tractor in the last 8 years. In hindsight i wish I just bought a new tractor at that time rather than spending a grand (or more) in repairs nearly every year. Once my boys are old enough to run a tractor I'll buy a new one that is safer to use. I probably wouldn't appreciate a new tractor enough though if I didn't have an old one first though!

 

[Natty Bumppo]

I have a 1958 Ford 841 that I use for about 12 acres of fields/plots. I've put most into CRP, so now I'll only be doing a more enjoyable 4 acres or so.

My tractor is awesome when it works, but very expensive to fix when it isn't working. I think I've had to replace most of the parts on that tractor in the last 8 years. In hindsight i wish I just bought a new tractor at that time rather than spending a grand (or more) in repairs nearly every year. Once my boys are old enough to run a tractor I'll buy a new one that is safer to use. I probably wouldn't appreciate a new tractor enough though if I didn't have an old one first though!

Yeah, I hear you. I was fortunate to find Cubs that were all pretty solid. Had to fix a few things here and there, but nothing major. Hoping my luck continues with this 40. Won't know for sure until I put her to work. The nice thing is parts for these old tractors are pretty easy to find.

 

[Dogshooter]

I’ve got a 54 ford NAA. I bought it from the original owner who had went through it and fixed what needed, had it blasted and repainted. He put new rubber on it. It had some blow by when I got it from him but ran good otherwise. Last year during covid I took it apart in the garage and rebuilt the engine, new bearings, rings, and had the head gone through. She purrs like a kitten now. Does everything I need it to do for a few acres of plots and trail mowing.

I love the old iron. Easy to wrench on, easy to get parts. Sometimes I think I’d rather be working on an old tractor than about anything else.

 

[Foggy47]

I’ve got a 54 ford NAA. I bought it from the original owner who had went through it and fixed what needed, had it blasted and repainted. He put new rubber on it. It had some blow by when I got it from him but ran good otherwise. Last year during covid I took it apart in the garage and rebuilt the engine, new bearings, rings, and had the head gone through. She purrs like a kitten now. Does everything I need it to do for a few acres of plots and trail mowing.

I love the old iron. Easy to wrench on, easy to get parts. Sometimes I think I’d rather be working on an old tractor than about anything else.

I suppose that in my youth I may have drove or otherwise moved 100 of those 800 Fords. To me a Ford 860 (with power steering) is one of the best utility tractors of it's time. They did have allot of features and benefits. Those still bring a pretty price in these times. Pretty fair power in a small / light package. Memories.

 

[Foggy47]

I suppose that in my youth I may have drove or otherwise moved 100 of those 800 Fords. To me a Ford 860 (with power steering) is one of the best utility tractors of it's time. They did have allot of features and benefits. Those still bring a pretty price in these times. Pretty fair power in a small / light / capable package. Memories.

 

[356]

Nice JD40. I enjoy keeping the old iron serviceable. I recently added a 65 acres to our farm, so added a JD3020 for planting and haying. I also have a Ford 8N that I use for food plot use at our cabin (although I believe I will soon sell it) and a JD3025E for around the farm use that is my "go to" tractor.