l0oking for a cheap tractor

A 8N fills the bill for low cost, but your not going to run bigger then a 5foot cutter on it. A lot of the other lower cost bigger tractors, dont have 3ph lifts... so its tough.

What's your price range?? I realy like the Massys for a nice do anything tractor. Not sure if a 135 would pull a 6 footer, but a 165 should would, and wile not cheap, they are a good value.

The cranberry bog folks here prefer diesels for mowing,especially if they are mowing hilly areas or ditches,the diesel wont bog or flood when off camber when most gas engines would..more economical to run and more power too..many here have tried the "Zetor" and "Satoh" tractors and various Chinese diesels like the "Nortrac" Northern tool sells,and "Iron Horse" tractors,and they say they aren't as bad as their reputation is..

The russian built tractors can be hard to get parts for and break fairly easy,but they also sell dirt cheap..I've seen a 4x4 90 hp Zetor sell for 2500 bucks that was like new ,at one bog recently..you wont find a JD that cheap unless its scrap!.but good luck when it breaks..

Trouble with old Fords is just that--they are OLD,and old tractors sometimes break things,like PTO's....most have no P/S, and that is probably why they sell cheaply here..not bashing them,thats just the facts..
I had a 641 Ford with a converted trip loader,and I didn't care for the gearing,it went too fast,even in first gear, for my liking,and didn't seem like 35 HP was quite enough somehow..and it was TOUGH to steer!..but if you want a cheap tractor just to mow with,a Ford will do the trick..we dont see too many other tractors around here besides J-D and a few Case,or M-H as far as oldies..lots if IHC farm tractors though..

I doubt you'll find a decent used diesel tractor for 3K,maybe 6K would buy a nice one..

Use these sites...key in your amounts your are willing to spend and your horsepower needs...a 6 ft bushhog needs a MINIMUM 30HP at the PTO

http://www.ironsearch.com/

http://www.tractorhouse.com/

http://www.machinefinder.com/ww/en-US/mf/search_tab

http://www.fastline.com/v100/index.aspx

Hi Wizard, If all you want to do is mow, why not get a tow-behind rough cut mower from Agri-fab or Swisher? My 4' agrifab cost $1100 and it WILL cut! I use it to maintain about 1.5 miles of trail and 4 acres of pasture. No regrets. I am getting a tractor, but that's so I can move dirt & gravel with a loader. I see no point in replacing a perfectly usable mower.

because I have 3 acres of field and 3 cres of yard to mow and I got a like new 6 ft finish mower for free. and I would like to add a little bigger but useful tractor to my collection. I know gas ones are not as fuel efficient, but neither is running 2 seperate engines, besides my 998 is acting weak, I already have a 50" mower on my 998 but that opposed 18 HP aint got the ball that the single 16 on my 990 did. I miss it. :crybaby:

The problem with cutting with the 8n is that it isn't nearly as safe as it should be, now anyone who uses their head should be fine, but the problem is that the pto don't stop when you try to so the blades just keep pushing your mower, and if you are only mowing straight flat land then you're fine, however many have been pushed over an edge on an 8n because of poor brakes and fast blades. I don't know if this is true with other fords but that fact is what turned me away from the 8n.

Good Luck, DacMan

yes I used an 8N and you are correct but they make an adapter (dontknow whatits called) but it works like the rear sprocket on an old freestyle bicycle. simple design like a ratchet. if the blades are spinning fsetr than the PTO they just Coast. someone out here has to know what i am referring to.

Sorry TH but the 8N has more power than that and parts are a lot more available. Thanks though.

Wizard99 said:

yes I used an 8N and you are correct but they make an adapter (dontknow whatits called) but it works like the rear sprocket on an old freestyle bicycle. simple design like a ratchet. if the blades are spinning fsetr than the PTO they just Coast. someone out here has to know what i am referring to.

Sorry TH but the 8N has more power than that and parts are a lot more available. Thanks though.

Click to expand...

That would be an overrun clutch...

Tractor-Holic said:

Oh well Wizard!--but there's a '59 641 Ford Diesel on the same CL site,in a town next to mine for the same price!--no mower though..34 HP,the ad says..must be like my 341 gas powered one I used to have..same dilema with the overrunning clutch though,on that one too probably..

Click to expand...

I have been looking at a few of those

A Ford 600 will run a 6 foot bush hog in third gear as long as the grass/weeds aren't over a foot high. 2nd gear if higher. That's without straining the tractor. A decent Ford 600, some call them a Jubilee model, should run between $2500 to $3500. A good, light farming tractor. Plus, if you take care of it, it'll keep it's value. Note, The Golden "Jubilee" was made in 1953, Fords 50th anniversary tractor. Though for a few years, the rest of their tractors looked the same, the 1953 model was the only "Jubilee". Even though my old 1955 Ford (avatar), looks like a Jubilee, it's a 600.

As some have stated before, a PTO over run attachment is a must! They only cost about $40 to $50. PJ