Ford tractor equivalent of MF 390?

Pilatus

Member
Location
cotswolds
Which FORD tractor would have been in competition with the MF 390? I ask as I have a MF390 but would like to buy a Ford equivalent as well ,I would be using the tractor to power/lift Rabaud F20 log splitter weighing 460kg. Thanks for any replies.
 

DeeGee

Member
Location
North East Wales
IMO the 390 is a far better tractor and much quieter than a 6610. Also unless the 6610 has Dual Power (which may perhaps have been standard by that time) it will have the most God awful 8 speed gear ratios, as did all earlier Ford Force tractors until Dual Power came in on the 7000 model.
 

John 1594

Member
Location
Cambridgeshire
Were they a reliable tractor and easy to work on?
How much would I have to pay for a 6610 (ideally 6610 4wd if they made one) in it's working clothes,BUT not a wreck!! Many thanks

Brave question to ask given the cult following the brand has on here by a small "handfull" of people, who seem to believe that porous blocks and dodgy gearbox layouts never ever existed.....:whistle:

Still, if you do choose to buy the ford, least you have the massey for when the ford is in bits waiting for another engine transplant..
 

cfr1964

Member
Which FORD tractor would have been in competition with the MF 390? I ask as I have a MF390 but would like to buy a Ford equivalent as well ,I would be using the tractor to power/lift Rabaud F20 log splitter weighing 460kg. Thanks for any replies.
Ford 6610 was only equivalent to the 390 for 2 years , then the 6410 for another 2 years
Then it was the 6640 for 5 years and annoyingly they didn't go porous or have the crash gearbox out of a 3000(y)
Still if you wanted a really cheap equivalent to the 390 you could get a Case 1494, doesn't seem to be much demand for them in the trade
Can't think why :scratchhead:
 

multi power

Member
Location
pembrokeshire
I had a 6610
Now I have a 398
Twice the tractor of the Ford
Only slight advantage was dual power in the Ford, it was reliable (apart from the standard pours block)
Mf uses a fair bit less fuel. Has better gear ratios and better hydraulics, it's quieter to and nicer cab
 
Ford 6610 was only equivalent to the 390 for 2 years , then the 6410 for another 2 years
Then it was the 6640 for 5 years and annoyingly they didn't go porous or have the crash gearbox out of a 3000(y)
Still if you wanted a really cheap equivalent to the 390 you could get a Case 1494, doesn't seem to be much demand for them in the trade
Can't think why :scratchhead:
Come on , apart from the gap between 2-3 and 6-7, there is nothing wrong with the 8 speed Ford gearbox!!!:LOL:
 

7610 super q

Never Forgotten
Honorary Member
They were as reliable, if not more so, than anything else available at the time. Ford were the UK's best selling tractor till the early 90's when JD took over. That must tell you something.
Trouble is these tractors are now 30 years old, and most probably relegated to yard scraping duties. Finding a good one will be hard work.
 
They were as reliable, if not more so, than anything else available at the time. Ford were the UK's best selling tractor till the early 90's when JD took over. That must tell you something.
Trouble is these tractors are now 30 years old, and most probably relegated to yard scraping duties. Finding a good one will be hard work.
Some of them pre Force Fords willl be over 50 years old now! (y):D
 

ap7610

Member
Which FORD tractor would have been in competition with the MF 390? I ask as I have a MF390 but would like to buy a Ford equivalent as well ,I would be using the tractor to power/lift Rabaud F20 log splitter weighing 460kg. Thanks for any replies.
Ford 7610 would be a better alternative as a 6610 to replace your 390. Super q is a nice workspace with everything at hand, apart from hand throttle (before anyone else mentions that again). 100 hp on tap, good gripper and parts are readily available new and second hand.
 

multi power

Member
Location
pembrokeshire
4 with dual power
Before shuttle boxes came along the Ford crash gearbox was about as good as you could get for loader work
Second and reverse in a straight line and about the same speed (y) change gear with your left hand , work the loader with your right
Happy days :D
They should have made 3rd and 4th syncro Instead of that stupid 16/8 contraption they came up with
 

John 1594

Member
Location
Cambridgeshire
Ford 7610 would be a better alternative as a 6610 to replace your 390. Super q is a nice workspace with everything at hand, apart from hand throttle (before anyone else mentions that again). 100 hp on tap, good gripper and parts are readily available new and second hand.

Hand throttle never really bothered me tbh....given the gutless nature of the short stroke ford lump, i found it only really had any torque when ran flat out, so just yank the hand throttle over and get on with it, if it cant pull it, select another gear (once you have found it)
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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