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Bi directional tractor

Started by Faron, August 28, 2005, 07:56:28 PM

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Faron

Does anyone have any experience with New Holland-Ford-Versitile bi-directional tractors?  We need another loader tractor for feeding cattle, loading logs, mowing, and general work.  Looks like one of these would fit the bill if they hold up reasonably well.  That and if I can come up with enough dead presidents for one. :o
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner.  Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote. - Ben Franklin

Haytrader

Faron,

Although I have never owned one, I have run several. In fact, the ranch we are hauling hay to now has one. We used it for the first few loads and then they took it to put a swather head on to do some hay.
They are a little pricey but a very versatile machine.
The only thing I have heard negative is do not plan on doing much if any plowing with one.
Haytrader

redpowerd

yes ive heard they arnt much for tillage, kinda like a farm equipped payloader. i dont think they are made anymore, allthough i dont remember hearing much bad press about them.
NO FARMERS -- NO FOOD
northern adirondak yankee farmer

Faron

I've also heard that they aren't much for tillage, what with the hydrostatic transmission.  Weve been 100% no-till for several years now so that won't be much of an issue.  New Holland makes them now- a little bigger model than the original Versitiles.  The new price tag sent me scurrying for the used side of the lots. :o :o  ::) :D
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner.  Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote. - Ben Franklin

Haytrader

Haytrader

redpowerd

i know NH sold the vers. line when they went to CNH, didnt think they held the bi-directionals. ive seen them mostly used for cutting hay and loading silage.

ok yep i have seen the newer ones. did you check www.fastline.com ? see them in there sometimes, must have a pretty good resale cause they bring a pretty penny
NO FARMERS -- NO FOOD
northern adirondak yankee farmer

Faron

Yep. Found some on fastline, ironsearch etc etc.  Last week we followed up on one in northwest Illinois.  That one, while a 1990 model looked awful good.  It is on the maybe list.  The windshielding we did on the way looked like the drought we have been hearing about over there is for real.  The dealer said he expected a lot of 20 to 30 bu corn over there, and I believe he is right.  He said he never mowed his yard for 13 weeks. :o :-[ 
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner.  Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote. - Ben Franklin

redpowerd

i guess some of that stuff wont bushel at all. pretty sad. and most folks had a good crop elswhere so it dosent look like the price will be coming up.

another thing that would be great with that is a snowblower.
NO FARMERS -- NO FOOD
northern adirondak yankee farmer

Corley5

We had a 1992 9030 at work for a couple years.  Pretty  8) machine.  Pulled a 12 foot offset disk with 24 inch blades and it did good on flat ground.  Add some hills and it's performance suffered.  The loader on it was  8) too.  The controls were foot pedals like a skid steer.  It was an industrial model not sure of any differences other than it was yellow and had different wheel equipment.  It was orginally purchased by the DNR with a Mo-Trim boom mounted mower for brushing snowmobile trails etc.  It was also intended for use as a trail grooming tractor but with hydro tranny it didn't work out. One thing I really liked about it in particuliar was the forestry tires on it 8) ;D.  It was traded in with 1,300 hours on it for a conventional JD MFWD.  The state was given 25 grand for it on the trade ::) with the loader and mower included
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

karl

Had one.
'92 model.
Biggest POS I ever owned.
Dealer bought it back after a year of frustration and repairs to keep my business ( and to keep me quiet prob'ly)
Great machine in theory. This one was nice and tight- just broke down a lot(Dang expensive to fix too!!!)
Not quite enough power for the hills here, faast as a loader-but you got's to be careful not to wreck the loader- it seems a bit light duty for the size of the machine.
Best rig I ever bush hogged with - cut out and reinforced the "back" of a 9' hog and "look out brush".
Pretty slick with an 8' snowblower too.
Mine had posi on all four, which meant if you started wheel slippage on a side hill you were going for a ride. On flat ground it would pull real well though.
"I ask for wisdom and strength, Not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able to fight my greatest enemy, myself"  - from Ojibwa Prayer.

Faron

Hey, Karl, Was there anything in particular that broke down on your machine?  Or just a little bit of everything?  Was yours used for tillage at all?  I'm mostly thinking of one for loader and mower work and hauling hay.   I also have in mind using one  as a spray rig if soybean rust ever heads our way. 
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner.  Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote. - Ben Franklin

Murf

We have a European one, it's a Valtra, made in Finland, but they are different than the Versatile & NH ones. It's just a regular tractor exept it can be run both directions just the same.

On ours the operator turns around, there is a second but smaller steering wheel and controls at the back, and just runs the machine in reverse but without having to be swivelled around and looking over their shoulder. Real handy for snow removal, makes a big blower a dream to run.

With a plow mounted on the loader and a blower out back it really whips a snow storm into submission fast!
If you're going to break a law..... make sure it's Murphy's Law.

Robert_in_W._Mi.

  I've also run one a bit.  Older model was a 4 cyl. many felt that with 105 PTO hp it should be a 6, so new one is a 6 cyl..  The early "new" models had lots and lots of problems, from the windows breaking and falling out to electrical nightmares.  The guys i've talked to said NH worked on them and got the bugs out.  If i was looking at a used machine, i'd want to know for sure that it has ALL the updates done to it!!  I'm not certain if the serial number would show that or not???

  They weren't designed for draft work and don't do well when used for that.  As a hay or loader tractor they really shine although i do get sick of the noise the hydrostat makes.  You can get a 3 point and PTO on both ends and i'm told that the 3 point can stay on the loader end even with the loader on.

  As for the Valtra, it would be usefull for draft work too, and all i hear are good things about them.  I'd look long and hard at one before i bought the NH.  The Valtra is more fuel efficient too.

  SAME also makes some reversible tractors...

  Robert

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