"Great" Tractors

[Leaping_Dear]

Was watching an old Top Gear over the weekend, it was the episode which contained the 'who made the highest number of great cars' segment. (they chose Lancia).

It got me thinking about the same with tractors, so I have complied a short list of what IMO are some great tractors. I must say first that the only tractors I really know about John Deere, so Im sticking to them and encourage others to list theirs plus other manufactures greats.

Im sure some will disagree with me but I'll put some reasoning behind each and list any weaknesses if applicable as nothing is perfect. I've been hyper critical in my choices and some obvious ones Ive missed out because we're looking for truly great tractors as opposed to good ones.

John Deere:

2120: A near bullet proof back end, an engine which pulls beyond its 70 (ish) hp and a bit different from your normal Massey 135/165 (it was easily a match for both). Also the horse show bonnet and its green and yellow is striking compared to the MF grey. Front axles bushes were a problem though.

2140: One of the most versatile tractors every created. Good ones running today 25 years later without missing a beat. SG2 cab one of the best. Generally bullet proof but I suppose the smaller ZF front axle weren't always up to the job

4755: The all American Hero, enough power to bring a house down, the SG2 cab, a handsome looking brute and the iconic Powershift transmission. However the Powershift was susceptible to problems at around 5000-6000 hours but was a cheap repair if dealt with quickly. If left to get it worse it became costly.

6900: John Deere changed the game with the new chassis based design. The 6.8 litre with a turbo was fantastic, Ive seen untampered ones hit 175hp on a dyno with ease, married that with a pseudo 7000 series back end and an over engineered JD/dana front axle and you've got a near bullet proof machine. Virtually indestructible but sometimes the stepper motor and the SCV's can crack and fail.

8400: A controversial choice maybe. Rated at 225hp, the machine went over 250hp on dyno tests with ease. By now John Deere had made the powershift more reliable, the front axles must of been made from diamonds! Generally a bullet proof tractor, Ive never come across a major failure (engine, front & rear axle, transmission) I suppose the new cabs whilst bigger than there SG equivalents, they didn't quite have the same functionality.

7810: Possibly the best tractor JD made ? The whole package, increased power with the powertech family of engines, legendary reliability, enough electrics to make it more efficient but does not over do it and the looks to boot. To put the cherry on top not only was the then new Autopower transmission in it fantastic it was/is reliable !!

Any contributions ?

 

[sherg]

Got to have a 33 or 3650 in there surely

 

[sleepy]

JD 6400

 

[John 1594]

you forgot to mention that the 4 cyl engines used to eat balancer shafts for breakfast

SG2 was ok as long as you didnt need to fit the farm dog or anything else in there, and where did JD get the handbrake lever from, i always thought it came from a 19950s BR signalbox. And you didnt mind having a huge window pillar in your line of sight when drilling to the center of the bonnet.

Id say any of the 66 range, 6610 especially, and the 77/7810 would be best of the bunch

 

[green giant]

6910 they just keep going, try getting anyone to part with one??

 

[John 1594]

my boss did, he bought one of the very first 6920s wanted the 10 series back within a day when the new one blew its rad apart, was that bad it was taken back after a year and replace with a new one

 

[green giant]

There is always a Friday night/Monday morning one floating about somewhere, no matter what the colour is!

 

[John 1594]

that certainly was 1! although we had some trouble with its replacement, yet my 6620 was never a spot of bother even when it was chipped up to 150, on slightly smaller wheels it was more than a match for the 6920, and it didnt have as many things to go wrong as it was just the basic 40k PQ+, i was clocking over a 1000 hours a year on it before i left the job

 

[green giant]

that certainly was 1! although we had some trouble with its replacement, yet my 6620 was never a spot of bother even when it was chipped up to 150, on slightly smaller wheels it was more than a match for the 6920, and it didnt have as many things to go wrong as it was just the basic 40k PQ+, i was clocking over a 1000 hours a year on it before i left the job

A good all rounder is the 6620, well it could have been the gentle,caring and well looked after 1000 hours per year you gave it?

 

[John 1594]

amazing thing was it started giving trouble after i left, it split a liner and had a massive gearbox failure at about 4000hrs. I never used to really "cosh" the thing, id had plenty of power to spare and i used to respect that, i could plough in d range with the engine running about 14-1500 revs all day. it could pull a 5 leg V form, not as fast as the bigger tractors but it could do it. Springtime it used to be dualled all round, with a 4m dutch harrow on the front and a 4m germinator on the back, and it dragged that lot at a good jogging pace all day

I definately preffered it to the 69, the 69 driver hated it as it was more a "manual" tractor than his button clicking auto job, can still remember sound it made pulling at low revs, there wasnt another one like it

 

[Kildare]

MF 35 3 cylinder. Great engine and gearbox, simple yet 000s of them were working for 30 years.
Briliant quality steel and engineering.

 

[Leaping_Dear]

I didn't put the 6910 in as I did not want to put two 69's in the list. I chose the 6900 because it's more rugged simplicity and The 6910 was also fitted with the first generation of Autopower, and there has been enough discussed about them to fill its own forum.

I didn't choose the 6400 as I felt that the 2140 was its predecessor and since there still working today it deserves to be above it. However I suspect in the years to come the 6400 will surpass it as it reaches it 25-30 years since manufacturer.

Some might think missing a 3*50 was a glaring admission but I have my reasons. Alot of the 30 & 3350 were fitted with aftermarket turbos, so it would suggest that maybe they were a tad under-powered. I've always felt that the 3650 was the tractor the 3350 should of been. I didn't pick the 3650 as it was a bit of an anomaly, with the exception of the cab the rest of the tractor whilst looking the same was complete different from its non turbo siblings. Why John Deere did this I don't know since the 3050 and 3350 took the extra power of a turbo. I know my reasoning its a bit persnickety but I like tractors parts to be interchangeable!

 

[John 1594]

well my list of greats, from all manufacturers would be

1950s : DB950, a far more refined tractor than the fordson majors and nuffield universals of the time, second place to the TEF20, this was most farmers first experience of a diesel tractor with full hydraulics
1960s :MF35, once they put the 3 cyl engine it it was a world beater, 990 selectamatic, this was one of the best selling DB's of all time
1970s: Hard to choose this one, MF135 was another legend in its own right. None of fords offering deserve a mention as they were plauged with engine problems throughout the 60s, 70s and 80s. Second place, its a wildcard but id say the zetor crystal range, a huge cab and a bombproof engine at cheap money
1980s: has to be the 94 series DBs for me, so many improvenents over the 90 series, then the 3050 an a second choice, even though the cab was very overrated imo
1990s: 5140/50 maxxums, cummins engine with a great powershit gearbox, nice and compact. 66 range from Deere, as ive said before the 6610 especially
2000s: JD 6620, followed by an MX135

 

[will6910]

id say JD 6910 also, apart from a couple of big breakdowns mines been great, great power and comfort with tls

 

[Mad For Muck]

Fiat 90-90, beastly little thing, pulls like a train

 

[grumpy]

you forgot to mention that the 4 cyl engines used to eat balancer shafts for breakfast

SG2 was ok as long as you didnt need to fit the farm dog or anything else in there, and where did JD get the handbrake lever from, i always thought it came from a 19950s BR signalbox. And you didnt mind having a huge window pillar in your line of sight when drilling to the center of the bonnet.

Id say any of the 66 range, 6610 especially, and the 77/7810 would be best of the bunch

i never thought i would see the day a davie broon guy slags a 50 series,im not that bothered by tractors if they go its good enough for me but with out doubt the only tractor i have driven that was an appaling pile of shyte was a 1594.

 

[John 1594]

i never thought i would see the day a davie broon guy slags a 50 series,im not that bothered by tractors if they go its good enough for me but with out doubt the only tractor i have driven that was an appaling pile of shyte was a 1594.

i could give you a list as big as your ego of things whats wrong with the 50 series, but il bite my tounge for now.

 

[grumpy]

i could give you a list as big as your ego of things whats wrong with the 50 series, but il bite my tounge for now.

what do you know about my ego?not that it has anything to do with tractors i voiced my opinion whether you liked my opinion is of no matter we cant all agree.i think most sane folks would pick a 50 series over a davie broon.

 

[John 1594]

what do you know about my ego?not that it has anything to do with tractors i voiced my opinion whether you liked my opinion is of no matter we cant all agree.i think most sane folks would pick a 50 series over a davie broon.

i wouldnt, guess that makes me wrong does it? No, exactly, each to their own, i just dont like cabs with 1 door where you cant see bugger all, simple.

 

[Will Blackburn]

1980s: has to be the 94 series DBs for me, so many improvenents over the 90 series

The "hand brake" pto clutch improvement, cant remember anything else?

They were all rubbish.