Next months classic tractor.

[1690turbo]

Just been given the heads up on this thread. Both the tractors in the test are mine. The test went well this time. I'd sorted the lack of power problem with the 956 last summer. Turned out to be the stop cable had moved in the outer housing and was starving itself of fuel pulls like a beast now as you can tell by the earlier pic ! As the ploughing part of the test started the 4wd coupling on the input shaft failed,so I drew into the furrow and tried it. It pulled the plough (5furrow doweswell at 12 inches deep ) in 2wd in very wet conditions. The sensodraulic hydraulics came into there own and it just bit in. To be honest it could of done with a splitter at the point where I got to the clay end of the field. But it pulled down to 1200 rpm and seemed to stay there.
The 1594 was a more recent purchase and to my knowledge hasn't been touched either! Both were weighted the same with front weights. And both were in standard form. Eg tyres etc. personally I think the test went well this time.
Matt

 

[smcapstick]

Just been given the heads up on this thread. Both the tractors in the test are mine. The test went well this time. I'd sorted the lack of power problem with the 956 last summer. Turned out to be the stop cable had moved in the outer housing and was starving itself of fuel pulls like a beast now as you can tell by the earlier pic ! As the ploughing part of the test started the 4wd coupling on the input shaft failed,so I drew into the furrow and tried it. It pulled the plough (5furrow doweswell at 12 inches deep ) in 2wd in very wet conditions. The sensodraulic hydraulics came into there own and it just bit in. To be honest it could of done with a splitter at the point where I got to the clay end of the field. But it pulled down to 1200 rpm and seemed to stay there.
The 1594 was a more recent purchase and to my knowledge hasn't been touched either! Both were weighted the same with front weights. And both were in standard form. Eg tyres etc. personally I think the test went well this time.
Matt

It was a good comparison. Impartiality is all in such matters - something we often lack in here.

Both tractors are a credit to you

 

[Drillman]

I wonder if any of the testers are anyone we know..........

At least 2 of them post on TFF as far as I can work out.

At a guess that makes it 3?

 

[carbonfibre farmer]

 

[Flat 10]

Haven't tried my 956 on my 5f Dowdy-tempted now!
I don't think the one on test had an assistor ram did it?
Think my plough heavier than that one.

 

[Cooper3075]

Wow I come back to this and 14 pages not read it all but always gets some interest with the subject interestingly was at a farm other day with my 956 guy driveing it for me said he had choice of a 1690 or a 956 he bought the 1690 instead of a 956 but said the 956 was his dream tractor still. To me step out of a 956 and into a brown/case and it's like getting in something 10 years older

 

[Roy Stokes]

At least 11 or 12 of these pages have been written before the article has been published, why has everyone gone quiet since reading ? I think it is a well balanced view of both tractors and with the points considered we still don't have a winner romping home ahead, both tractors have their abilities and disabilities, the breakdown suffered by the International is something that anyone who runs classic tractors for hard work would expect to have to put up with, after all anyone who has run a DB for a lot of hours would have replaced the splined drive to the hydraulic pumps in front of the crankshaft.

One question that I would have liked to ask the testing team would be that of perceived longevity, i.e which one they thought would stand hard work for longer without major rebuilds/money spent on them, and on that point with my experience of both tractors my money would be on the International being the stronger tractor

Only an opinion, wouldn't be in a massive rush to spend a day in either tractor....................tin hat ready to be deployed

 

[bill and bens dad]

good point roy,it has gone quiet since publication,even a certain db man has gone quiet!!

 

[1690turbo]

Good point Roy! Think under continuous heavy loading the 956 would last longer imo

 

[John 1594]

good point roy,it has gone quiet since publication,even a certain db man has gone quiet!!

switched notifications off on this thread off when roy started commenting as "ive heard it all before" etc etc

 

[John 1594]

At least 11 or 12 of these pages have been written before the article has been published, why has everyone gone quiet since reading ? I think it is a well balanced view of both tractors and with the points considered we still don't have a winner romping home ahead, both tractors have their abilities and disabilities, the breakdown suffered by the International is something that anyone who runs classic tractors for hard work would expect to have to put up with, after all anyone who has run a DB for a lot of hours would have replaced the splined drive to the hydraulic pumps in front of the crankshaft.

One question that I would have liked to ask the testing team would be that of perceived longevity, i.e which one they thought would stand hard work for longer without major rebuilds/money spent on them, and on that point with my experience of both tractors my money would be on the International being the stronger tractor

Only an opinion, wouldn't be in a massive rush to spend a day in either tractor....................tin hat ready to be deployed

odd that on both tests, the IH had faults, firstly a "faulty" (tbh id take that with a pinch of salt) stopper cable, secondly, the 4wd coupling broke


german engineerimg for you i guess??

besides, dont mannheim build JDs eat the rubber coupling driving the hyd pump as well...ive change more of those over the years than i have DB splined drives..................

 

[Drillman]

As the OP to this thread I thought I would share my thoughts.

I think it's inevitable that the 956 had a few issues its not a young tractor and things do wear out.

And the 1594 used in the first 'meeting' has had its share of issues. In which that tractors owner has openly admitted to, and has been good enough to document on TFF.

It maybe goes to show that the idea of running older kit isn't always as trouble free as the rose tinted memories would have us believe.

I personally believe the article was well written and fair. The 956 came out ahead in the scores and choice of the testers on the day.

Personally as I've said before, I would choose the Ford 7810 over either one, but if it had to be a choice between the two, I think I would go for the DB simply because I feel it has a nicer control layout in the cab. Although I would agree that the IH has a longer more reliable lifespan based on the past ownership of both DB And IH tractors.

 

[John 1594]

As the OP to this thread I thought I would share my thoughts.

I think it's inevitable that the 956 had a few issues its not a young tractor and things do wear out.

And in the 1594 used in the first 'meeting' has had its share of issues. In which that tractors owner has openly admitted to and has been good enough to document on TFF.

It maybe goes to show that the idea of running older kit isn't always as trouble free as the rose tinted memories would have us believe.

I personally believe the article was well written and fair. The 956 came out ahead in the scores and choice of the testers on the day.

Personally as I've said before, I would choose the Ford 7810 over either one, but if it had to be a choice between the two, I think I would go for the DB simply because I feel it has a nicer control layout in the cab.

the 956 in question is "semi retired" i believe, and not used every day, certainly not in anger and to earn a living unlike my 15????

ive put more hours on it this year than ever, since the back end rebuild its done 600hrs, twice as much as it had done the year before

 

[1690turbo]

You amuse me john both the tractors are semi retired due to the fact I've moved on and use more modern machines. Saying that they are appreciating at a reasonable rate so they are earning there keep and I don't need to use them to earn a living. that's the my point of view from a bar in lovely warm Tenerife this evening

 

[davedb]

At least 11 or 12 of these pages have been written before the article has been published, why has everyone gone quiet since reading ? I think it is a well balanced view of both tractors and with the points considered we still don't have a winner romping home ahead, both tractors have their abilities and disabilities, the breakdown suffered by the International is something that anyone who runs classic tractors for hard work would expect to have to put up with, after all anyone who has run a DB for a lot of hours would have replaced the splined drive to the hydraulic pumps in front of the crankshaft.

One question that I would have liked to ask the testing team would be that of perceived longevity, i.e which one they thought would stand hard work for longer without major rebuilds/money spent on them, and on that point with my experience of both tractors my money would be on the International being the stronger tractor

Only an opinion, wouldn't be in a massive rush to spend a day in either tractor....................tin hat ready to be deployed

id say the reason no one is saying alot is because theres no alot to say, at the end of the day the article was just the opinions of a few foke on a rainy day no fuel use comparison ect dont get me wrong i love the mag and if i was to pick a tractor to do 10,000 hours it would be the 956

 

[1690turbo]

Lol or snowy Dave haha. The fuel etc was done last time and dare I say it if you put a new 95 hp tractor it would use a dam sight more than those pair

 

[Drillman]

At least 11 or 12 of these pages have been written before the article has been published, why has everyone gone quiet since reading ? I think it is a well balanced view of both tractors and with the points considered we still don't have a winner romping home ahead, both tractors have their abilities and disabilities, the breakdown suffered by the International is something that anyone who runs classic tractors for hard work would expect to have to put up with, after all anyone who has run a DB for a lot of hours would have replaced the splined drive to the hydraulic pumps in front of the crankshaft.

One question that I would have liked to ask the testing team would be that of perceived longevity, i.e which one they thought would stand hard work for longer without major rebuilds/money spent on them, and on that point with my experience of both tractors my money would be on the International being the stronger tractor

Only an opinion, wouldn't be in a massive rush to spend a day in either tractor....................tin hat ready to be deployed

You amuse me john both the tractors are semi retired due to the fact I've moved on and use more modern machines. Saying that they are appreciating at a reasonable rate so they are earning there keep and I don't need to use them to earn a living. that's the my point of view from a bar in lovely warm Tenerife this evening

I think both these posts draw a sound and amicable conclusion to this thread.

Well done Classic Tractor for another superb magazine

 

[carbonfibre farmer]

As an aside we weren't asked to assess the reliability /longevity of the tractor's.
It was suggested to look at them (the tractors) as though we were buying them new.
With that in mind I banished perceived thoughts of reliability /brand strength before undertaking my assessment.
Having never even sat in either makes of the tractors before,I hope that made for an unbiased review /test.
Charlie.

 

[two-cylinder]

Charlie is spot on, we the test crew had to put any preconceived ideas aside and view the tractors critically for what they offered the 1980's driver?
As a Massey man I had no allegiances to either.
The unbiased conclusions of the test crew, were demonstrated by the very close final scores.
With this being a driver appraisal the contest was won or lost in the driver's seat.

In the end our differences came down to personal choice, I prefer a smaller intimate cab with logical controls closer to hand.
That's why for me: the 1594 scored higher than the 956.

Darren.

 

[Juggler]

the 956 in question is "semi retired" i believe, and not used every day, certainly not in anger and to earn a living unlike my 15????

ive put more hours on it this year than ever, since the back end rebuild its done 600hrs, twice as much as it had done the year before

@smcapstick said this a lot more eloquently a while ago...you obviously love your 15..but Christ man..you need something else in your life other than your tractor, I say that with respect, you obviously know your way around it and that's commendable.
But to me looking in, you defend it blindly, almost zealot like...its not a good thing..

I spent many an hour as a teenager on a 1594 and I thought I was the dogs danglies, then I spent a weekend on tillage on a 956 and it was a completely different experience.
I did my training at a Case/IH dealership from 1987 to 89 and the IH was my personal favourite, but I loved the 15's too, that's the thing, it's a personal thing, you can blindly defend your tractor for ever and a day while damning all others marques along the way, but it just portrays you as narrow minded, I think there's much more to you, your a talented individual for sure and I wish you, and your tractor(s) all the very best.