Tractor models that were lemons

Johnny Dolittle · #1 03/20/13, 07:41 PM

OK I don't care what color you like best .... all of those companies made a lemon model or two. Which pre 1975 models would you consider a lemon to avoid. I am thinking of one green model and one red one .... I will name these models later.... if someone does not beat me to it !!!

FarmboyBill · #2 03/20/13, 08:20 PM

Well, the GP JD was a lemon
The Ford Model B was definatly a lemon
The Gerlick
Rein Drive La Crosse
Thats for a start

rancher1913 · #3 03/20/13, 08:22 PM

the 6000 had lots of problems but the ones that have survived do ok. that transmission was ahead of its time.

plowhand · #4 03/20/13, 08:45 PM

1010 Jd ....1020 was ok

tinknal · #5 03/20/13, 08:51 PM

Farmall H

jwal10 · #6 03/20/13, 09:46 PM

2010 JD and the 460,560,660 IH. Never heard the H being a lemon....James

BobbyB · #7 03/20/13, 09:55 PM

The 560s had more power than the drive train could handle. IH replaced a lot of drive trains then made adjustments at the factory later. The later models were solid. I have been told that the factory repaired tractors were just as good.

Any 560 after 1959 is the upgrade.

I have never heard of a Farmall H being a lemon and I grew up around a lot of them

FarmboyBill · #8 03/20/13, 09:58 PM

Thats about what I was going to say J, AND I was around several of them. My dad had a 48. I got a 48, My Uncle Milt had a 41, 3 kids I went to GS with had one or 2. Neighbor I put up hay for had one, Kid I went to HSs dad had one. These all within 5 miles of me

wogglebug · #9 03/21/13, 12:03 AM

IH 454.
Whole thing was more fragile than a tractor ought to be, and the hydraulics in particular could be relied on to be unreliable.

lonelytree · #10 03/21/13, 01:13 AM

My Grandfather and Father ran H's and M's and Super M's. Only problem that I could remember was when you had a 2 row corn picker pulling a trailer and tried to do a 180 into the next row using the wheel brake, the axle would snap.

Johnny Dolittle · #11 03/21/13, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwal10

2010 JD and the 460,560,660 IH. Never heard the H being a lemon....James

Bingo on the JD 2010 ..... and IHC's lemon version comparable to the 2010 was the 504

Johnny Dolittle · #12 03/21/13, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobbyB

The 560s had more power than the drive train could handle. IH replaced a lot of drive trains then made adjustments at the factory later. The later models were solid. I have been told that the factory repaired tractors were just as good.

Any 560 after 1959 is the upgrade.

I have never heard of a Farmall H being a lemon and I grew up around a lot of them

The back half of a 560 was a 450 I believe.....

..... never knew of a lemon H either

Johnny Dolittle · #13 03/21/13, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rancher1913

the 6000 had lots of problems but the ones that have survived do ok. that transmission was ahead of its time.

Were all 6000 Commander's select o speeds ?

Johnny Dolittle · #14 03/21/13, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plowhand

1010 Jd ....1020 was ok

The 1010 was the old Dubuque model M drive train which was made for an 18 hp tractor.... then JD comes along and uses a 4 cylinder 35 hp engine on it and also put the Detroit diesel on it. (435)

The 1010 engine block was weak also.

Jolly · #15 03/21/13, 06:37 AM

Funny you should ask....

I was propped up on the parts counter of a local tractor dealer and I asked the guy working the parts counter (whom I'd known for years) why they dropped the Massey-Ferguson line.

He replied they were having trouble getting some parts from AGCO, particularly for older tractors.

So...not to knock M-F, but whatever you buy, consider parts availibility as a huge factor.

Bret4207 · #16 03/21/13, 06:58 AM

A lot of the "lemons" were only lemons if you didn't use them right. The Ford Selecto-speeds got a a bad rep because people dind't understand how to use them and because not a lot of service men were good at adjusting them. The Case "Caseomatic" got a bad rep because people just couldn't realize how simple it was- it's just locking torque converter. It's too simple!

The 1010 and 2010 JD's got a bad rep because of the one piece sleeve assy- all 4 sleeves on a "sleeve deck". Not the greatest idea, but the tractors themselves weren't terrible.

I_don't_know · #17 03/21/13, 07:15 AM

Perhaps I am still a little to ignorant, hence the name, or perhaps I am a little to old school (we use to use whole words) but I get lost in all those letters. I believe IH is International Harvester, JD is John Deer, but what are, a 6000, Ihc, H, M, Gs, Hs, 6000, Gp, and are M-F AND AGCO the same ?

FarmboyBill · #18 03/21/13, 08:32 AM

Great Gods a Gerty

FarmboyBill · #19 03/21/13, 08:36 AM

Dad had a #24 2 row picker on his H for around 6yrs, until my uncle died and I bought his M. He never had any trouble with it, OTHER than It wasnt tractor enough to pull the picker and a loaded wagon in ankle deep mud. Ankle deep mud on me was around 10in or better on the tractor. He learned to turn the front wheels inside out so as to widen them keeping down the balls of mud, but once one was made up, that big, it darn near made steering impossible.

jwal10 · #20 03/21/13, 09:05 AM

The first 4010 JDs had some problems also. I have had most of the tractors mentioned, a 2010 JD, very awkward with a loader. I had it 4 years in the early 70's, updated to a 2020 and then a 2030, much better than the 2010 for what I used it for. Never much trouble with it, steering, shifter, brakes and hyds were weak points for me. Never an engine problem but I know they were a problem. I have had 4 504's, 3 Farmalls and 1 utility with a loader, glow plugs and brakes were weak points, loved the 504's for nimbleness and if used as a small tractor they were good tractors. Many H's and Ms. I liked the regular better than the supers because of the brakes, all were updated with super kits in the engines. Never had the 460, 560, 660 tractors, the updates did take care of the problems but IH never rebounded and JD took over the lead in the farm tractor market in the U.S.. I have a 454 that I bought in 1976, never a problem except brakes need bled and serviced regularly, very touchy on filters and trans oil changes. I have had gas and diesel versions and the industrial 2400 model, both gear drive and hydros, again a small tractor that needs care in overloading, it is a small tractor. I like them better than the Massey 245 models and parts are easier to get, especially steering parts. Although the small Masseys were very user friendly. IH made a smaller tractor than the 454, a 354 and newer versions that are hard to get steering parts for too.