Tractor Questions

[4sarge]

OK, now that I have a firm late Fall move in date, I'm going to need to think about a tractor for next season. I also need to have a barn started next Spring and must make my money stretch.

Tractor requirements

Mow - bush hog - grade - front loader ?

I have a chance to buy a Ford 600 from the current owner. I do not know the price yet and he did not mow with it but used it for grading the drive and bush hogging the property. He used a lawn tractor (John Deere) for the finish mowing

Advice, Opinions, Price of what the Ford may be worth or any other tractors that I could buy on the cheap that would fit my needs.

Thanks

[rambler]

Exellent tractor (possibly) for your needs. It is 2 generations newer, but a direct replacement for the Ford N series.

There is a 640, 650, 660 models, possibly more but rare.

The 660 is best, 5 speed tranny, live pto - 2 very good options.

The 640 is 4 speed, tranny pto.

The 650 is 5 speed with tranny pto.

Five speed is better as you have more gears to pick from to do different work.

Live pto is wonderful for pto work. You can get by with an Over Running Coupler and a non-live pto unless you are blowing snow or baling hay.

All of them have live hydraulics, which is a major improvement over the N series.

The value of the tractor would depend on which model it is - you look below the air cleaner on the cast metal 'shelf' infront of the clutch pedal, and you will find the model # & serial number hand stamped into the cast. It may be light, & may be covered with fresh paint. I would not buy without seeing it, know what you are getting.

Value also depends on the condition of the tractor. Does it have power steering option? A hydraulic port on the rear? each of those cost you $500 to add or more. Will you want these - can be handy. In great mechanical condition, or needing brakes, a valve job, & looking tired all over?

Can be worth $1500, or $5000.

www.ytmag.com is a great place to talk about old tractors, tho the new crowd is kinda drifting there......

--->Paul

[moonwolf]

You would do okay to get that tractor, if it's a fair price.

My 9N has a front end loader that is usable, though I would next time want something more powered. The PTO is fine to use with brush hog, mower, or post hole digger. I don't know that much about the 600, but it will do jobs as you describe. I paid around $1500 for the 9N about 15 years ago after it had a total overhaul. It's basically a collectors item now, but I used it for some pretty hard tasks over the years.

[Ramblin Wreck]

The Ford could be a very good tractor depending upon its condition, but it might pay to shop around. This late in the season, the prices should start coming down. Most states have a farmer's market newsletter that includes a classifed ad section. The one in Georgia (see link below for example) is mostly ads, period. Once you have zeroed in on a tractor, take a look at the tractorbynet.com link and see what others are saying about it. That site is a gold mine for tractor advice. A front end loader is a great feature and so is four wheel drive if your budget allows. Good luck.

http://www.agr.state.ga.us/mbindex.html

[milkstoolcowboy]

Look for the flat below the air cleaner; the top three numbers will tell you the model number. The set of numbers below will be the serial number, could be anywhere from 1 to 6 digits. If you get that you can tell what year it was built. Somewhere, I have the serial number ranges for each model for each year, but can't put my hands on it now.

Ford made 620, 630, 640, 650 and 660 models in the 600 series. Since the guy who owns it bush-hogged with it, it wasn't a 620 or 630, as they didn't have PTO. If it's a 640, 4 speed and 650 and 660 were 5 speeds. The 660 had the live-PTO, but you don't see too many of them in circulation. There were a lot of 640s made, not very many 660s.

I might be wrong, but I don't believe factory PS was an option until the 601/801 series. If you plan on doing a fair amount of loader work, you'll be wishing for PS after awhile. If just occasional loader work, should be OK.

Unless it brand new rubber and was excellent condition, I wouldn't go more than $2500 on a 640 and wouldn't go more than $4500 on a 660. Sounds like you're going to need some money left for implements.

[Quint]

Seen a new John Deere a few days ago. A 4720 I think it was. Had a nifty easy on and off front end loader. Slick. I wanted it. Bad. Very bad. I'd much rather buy that tractor than a new car.

[Haynes]

Originally Posted by Quint

Seen a new John Deere a few days ago. A 4720 I think it was. Had a nifty easy on and off front end loader. Slick. I wanted it. Bad. Very bad. I'd much rather buy that tractor than a new car.

Yeah, I was nosing around a Deere dealership Sat. morning. What is it about those Deeres'? I got outta there with just brochures but still have the itch.
Actually I need a new lawn tractor but saw that 2210 compact tractor
with the front end loader. Love at first sight.
It's times like this I wish I was married and she'd put her foot down.
Guess you never outgro toys.

Donnie--

[Jerr4]

I have a 53 Fergie TO-30 that I run a bush-hog, post hole digger, and backhoe with it. I would like a front end loader but, maybe later. You can find ads for tractors but doing a web search. I bought mine from Ebay...really great deal. Most older tractors will require maint. but parts are still readily avail.

Jerry

[bearkiller]

My own tractor is a Ford 801 with the 172 cu in Diesel. Only 4 speed, but has the industrial reversing transmission. Power steering, too. It is one of the better tractors around IMO and I've looked at both newer and older tractors and can't find anything I like better.

I had a front loader on it. The loader was originally made for the Massey Ferguson and it works fine, BUT... Lord Amighty it is so heavy hung on the front end my Ford that we had to put water in the big tires to counterbalance it. PLUS get a load of dirt in that bucket and even power steering didn't help all that much.

When I got the JD backhoe I took the front loader off the Ford. And there it sits to this day!

Long winded way of saying best to think about front loaders on these smaller tractors.

bearkiller