Who knows anything about 8630/8730/8830 Fords?

[The1987]

Hi all! First post on this forum

So I'm trying to find out as much as I can about 80 series Ford tractors - contemplating buying one to go contracting next year. Hoping to start on potato harvest and hopefully onto apples, also like to get into some ploughing and maybe cultivation work too.

I've heard the later 8830's were 40k? Also seen some mention the 'European' versions were. I'm in Mid Wales, UK. What age tractor should I be looking at? As I don't want a 30k one, as for the jobs with any road travel involved I'd struggle to get the work over someone with 50k...

Also are they powershift and dual power? Or one or the other.

Thanks for any input.

 

[Tim G]

I've done a little with one, not sure I'd buy one for what you want to do. Would be hopeless for too much road work, the bonnet is about 3 quarters of a mile long. Be good for cultivating but I think they are just so physically big for what is pretty modest power.
The one I've used was a full powershift but couldn't tell you if it was 40k or 30k.

 

[CornishTone]

I know I want one of each!!!

 

[Nearly]

Numb monsters, excellent for field work.
The dual power versions are very rare unless one has had a gearbox swapped out of a TW when the Funk powershift failed.
Not a tractor for a one tractor fleet.
You can get the same hp from a tm155 and have a little refinement and comfort from your investment.

The 30 series are cheap because people are scared of the cost of a gearbox rebuild.

 

[SuperTwo]

thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/ford-8730-a-bit-sick.151344/
Interesting reading here for you

 

[The1987]

Thanks for the replies. Yeah a friend said to about a tm155, it's just the look of them I'm not overly fussed on would love to run an 80 series just to be able to say I can but yeah..the practicality may not be there.

What about an 8970 or thereabouts? That model also appeals

 

[Lincs Lass]

• 8970 had the fancy front axle that the wheels turn and the axle pivots
• Fiatagri g series was the same

 

[sawdust]

 

[multi power]

Not what you will want to hear but I'd start with a new battery for your calculator

 

[The1987]

Calculator? I'm not following

 

[sawdust]

Calculator? I'm not following

Make sure you know your proper costings before going contracting, rather than what your customer tells you what he'll pay you

 

[SuperTwo]

 

[sawdust]

View attachment 584228

 

[The1987]

Make sure you know your proper costings before going contracting, rather than what your customer tells you what he'll pay you

Ah of course. Yeah that's the next hurdle after going around the farms to see what work they have for me (if any!)

 

[ARW]

No offence but if I was after a tractor and man I wouldn't be rushing to the man with the old 80 series ford

 

[The1987]

Fair point haha. There's a few select tractors in my current price bracket, I'll always love the monster Fords but sounds like it wouldn't be a suitable choice. Deutz Agrotron anyone?

 

[Thomas5060]

Fair point haha. There's a few select tractors in my current price bracket, I'll always love the monster Fords but sounds like it wouldn't be a suitable choice. Deutz Agrotron anyone?

You'd be better with a grey fergie than a deutz

 

[The1987]

Oh christ and there's a lovely 165 on ebay now too and a dealer not a million miles away

 

[sawdust]

Oh christ and there's a lovely 165 on ebay now too and a dealer not a million miles away

Tis a no brainer then, reliability and status all rolled into 1

 

[Thomas5060]

Tis a no brainer then, reliability and status all rolled into 1

Think he means a deutz agrotron 165