What dealer were you talking to, AGCO, CaseIH?
Man, they made them longer than the other "Sound Guard" Series, from 30 to 60.

This Series was, at that time they were introduced, was the Row Crop Tractor leader. Some may argue that, but it's hard to argue with their presence even 25+ years later, around many parts of the nation. CIH Magnums are the only other tractors I see running from that era, and doing something more tasking than pulling a big MoCo, or round-baler.

Make sure you get a record of repair with something this old, if possible. Some of the guys on here, will be able to point out the weak points on here. Their is no perfect tractors!

I'd try and find a 60 series if possible, 47/4960 instead of a 55 series. 4960's are studs, but it depends what this tractor will be used for.

 

I agree with this. I grew up red and when the 50 series Deeres came out, I was impressed as heck. Going from the 8 speed powershift to the 15 speed powershift and the caster action steering of the MFWD models was pretty darn cool. A lot of neighbors bought them back then and there are some still around. The tractor themselves were way ahead of their time......but of course it all depends on how it was treated for the past 20 some years. My uncle has a 4960 and he loves that tractor as well.

 

the mechanical front axle and 15 speed powershift were a big step up in functionality from the 30 and 40 series.

I do belive the fuel system was slightly improved over the 40 and 30 series.

I will never agree about there hyd. pump and fuel tank up front, but all and all they are decent tractors that are good workhorses. my boss owned one for a time and I enjoyed running it over the 30 and 40 series' he has had.

 

I will never agree about there hyd. pump and fuel tank up front, but all and all they are decent tractors that are good workhorses. my boss owned one for a time and I enjoyed running it over the 30 and 40 series' he has had.

You will change youre mind on that when you need to replace a hose or make a repair where the fuel tank is in the way, I have my own Diesel shop and we get some IH tractors in and I should have a policy that I dont allow them in my shop, they always have tranny problems, they all have loaders, the fuel tank is always full when they show up. Them are the worst example, I just hate they made horrible trannys and then they biult 95% of the tractor under the cab, even the starter.

Friends dont let friends drive IH tractors

 

I have a 4650 but no mfwd. We put about 8000 hrs on it. It doesn't do any heavy pulling, just sprayer and mix wagon. It has been a very good tractor for us. I think you would be very happy with it. Only thing i don't like is it not having mfwd!!!

 

I wish any manufacturer could garantee me the trouble free service I had with a 50 series with powershift. I didn't have MFWD, but they are also good. All MFWD 50 series are powershifts. I guess the one and only time it did go to the shop at 12000 hours for a new tranny, I may have thought it wasn't much good......IMO 50 series were great

 

You won't find anything wrong with the 50 series. Even at 8000 hours unless abused heavily. One of the legendary series. Very little difference between the 50, 55, and 60 series mechanically.

 

We have a 4440 and at one time also a 4450 and a 4455. They all had quad range, the 40 and 50 was 2wd. The 55 was MFWD. I preferred driving the 40 series over the 50, but really preferred the 55 over all of them. Not because of the MFWD but the engine was upgraded a bit, the interior was nicer. Out of the 3 the 50 series had the most trouble. Fan clutch went out, Tach quit working, bolts wouldn't stay tight in the drawbar support. Back rim came off on down hill side when shredding, almost turned it over, luckily the hub was resting inside the rim. Couple things were probably more preventative maintenance issues, but we never had these issues with the 40 or 55 series. I also always remember that the fuel shut off, and throttle was always real stiff in the 50 series, couldn't hardly pull the fuel shutoff out on the first try, then had to hold it till it shut off.

 

We had nearly 13K hours on a 4650. It was a great tractor, and was much more reliable than our 4955. Earlier models ('85-'86, I think) had a ZF front axle that is super tough, but hard to get parts for. If you've never operated a 15sp Powershift before, be aware that some gears will be rough; it's just the nature of the beast. Ours had a bunch of hydraulic leaks in various places, and in the last few years that we had it I had to replace three steel lines that had rubbed through. The engine had a lot of blow-by and was probably due for an overhaul, but it didn't use any oil and always started easily.

I think $32,500 is a little high, but I saw a cherry 2wd 4650 sell at an auction a few weeks ago for $38,000. At an auction before that an average (for SW Kansas) 4850 went for $17,500. Shiny paint and a clean interior can do wonders for the resale price.

 

I've checked, this one has the ZF front

 

the man that said the 50series wernt very good was a machinery dealer or tractor jocky. by the way there is a deere dealer here in iowa that has 2wheel drive 4650 with 6100 hrs on it for 50,000 dollars.

 

Machinery Pete, say that dealer is crazy!

$50,000, hmmmmm

I agree that is low hours for a machine that is at least 22-23 years old, but thats more than I have ever seen for one of those models. I've seen low-houred 45/4760 2wds go for nearly that, on occasion, but it's rare. Those models seem to get a bit more money, like the JD 7810 gets stoopid money sometimes, and a clean used 7000 CaseIH Magnum or 8930/40/50 Magnum. I try and understand the demand for these models other than their dependability, meaning what areas/markets utilize certain size of Ag tractors over others.

That would be pushing it, even if it had "Been through the Shop", new paint, interior, tires, etc.

Dealer might have lost their rear on a trade, the service dept. got the wrong Repair Order to Go Through the Whole Tractor, top to bottom and intstead of eating the screw-up, they are trying to find a good sucker,......or maybe, just maybe their is a demand for clean used 25year old 165 PTO tractors in Iowa?

 

Looks like that late 80's and early 90's JD tractors do get crazy money, especially the low hours ones. I've heard that last year someone sold JD from that era for 114,000 USD !?!?!?
Honestly, i'm glad to see that something is being that well appreciated.

 

Tractors of that era , in particular Magnums and the MFWD powershift 50 series Deeres will often get Stooopid money from what I've seen. I believe but have no hard evidence, that it's because they are so reliable compared to some newer and most older models. I had a 4450 that I just wrote about in the best tractor of all time (just to say that it was my favorite, not the best) that we tortured through the last decade of wet weather in Eastern Manitoba , 12 months of the year it did everything for us with never a complaint. I can't imagine this 4650 you are looking at would be much different when it was new but who knows what has happened to it since then. All I know is that the one I had was amazing and will never be matched on my farm because I don't have enough gumption left in me to ride one through that kind of torture test again.

 

I myself am looking at the 4650 as we speak. It has 9000 hrs and supposedly transmission problem ( which to my understanding is common for all big 50, 55 and 60 series once they get over 8000hrs).
I do have a few 50 series John Deeres and they are bulletproof. I know that 55 series is good too and wish that 4650 had ELC like those ones. Not sure what exactly is different 4650=4755=4760 but ELC is one thing that 55 and 60 series has and 60 series has the side exhaust ( they do catch fire, supposedly ).
Anyhow, I think I shall scoop this one up. Keep you posted.

 

Ok, did get it, bought it in Sweeden
In a very good shape, everything but the transmission is outstanding. Transmission will need some work. Gonna play with that when it arrives home
Here is a picture of it

 

I saw a 88 magnum 7140 mfwd advertised for 65,000. Had less than 5000 hrs on it if I remember correctly, but that seems really high even with those hrs.

 

I had a 1982 4640 with quad range and it was a great tractor

 

4450's sell for a life savings around here in decent condition but 46-4850's go for around 30-35 in excellent shape

 

So basically you are saying that 4450/4455 are the ones to go for when buying a 50 or 55 series JD?

 

People just love them for haying, auger tractors, loader tractors, just a perfect size with both pto's and short frame. The 4650 is a great tractor its just that for here it ends up being too small to farm with and too big for haying and augers and such. The 44 is a little more manuverable. Just depends on what you are doing and I guess if you could use the higher HP you may want to consider a 4850 as they are usually similar in price.


Good tractors

 

All of the above, 4450-/4455, 4650 and 4850 are hard to come by around here ( EU ). If any good, they are ungodly expensive, or if affordable, those have a lot of hours and in a pretty bad shape. Honestly, I could use both 4455 and 4650 but seams to me that 4650 is the smartest choice, as I would need something with more horsepower. Maneuverability is not that important for this tractor as I do have ones that do the job where that is required.
This tractor is for ploughing, pulling heavy discs or heavy tillage......thats about it.

 

Looks good! Probably one of the most iron clad machines out there

 

Thanks, can't wait to start with fixing it up

 

Early 50's didn't have a shield.

 

Don't let willy bother you, he doesn't own a thing, just a hired hand that thinks he knows how financials of a farm look.

Should be a good machine for you. A little care and she will go a long way.

 

I've not seen a 50 series Waterloo tractor in the wild for 15 years or more. The last one I know of was pushed into a container and shipped off to work on a sugarcane plantation with a knackered engine and transmission. The 10 series Mannheim and Waterloo tractors are looking pretty tired now too now.

You say I don't know about the financials. I know enough that we can't afford to run old tractors anymore. Most farms here are clearing out anything that can't earn its keep and replacing multiple units with one big machine. That one machine has to run, so is often leased and rolled over every 3 years or so. The labour costs are too high here to make major surgery on machines worth while, so generally they will get shipped out from paces like this Cheffins - Farm Machinery & Plant Auctions for export to countries where labour is cheap and it is more economical to make big repairs.

 

Have you lost you're mind Willy Nilly? I have an example. I run three 1480 International Harvester combines, (yeah made before CaseIH) I have less than 40,000 invested in all three plus headers ok, so if one new machine could out do these three and I say "if" one could. What I have invested would no even cover the interest of that new machine, in fact it wouldn't even be a payment on the combine aside from the headers. Also go ahead and' call my machines unreliable and take this into consideration if one of my machines goes down I still have 2 machines running with 30 ft heads, one break down on the new one would shut my harvest down. Believe it or not I am generally burning less fuel than a new one and when I want spare parts I can buy a whole combine for the price of scrap and better yet Case built combines on this platform for years so parts availability is almost unmatched. No one has the correct parts on hand for a new model. Can you do the math here? Money ahead anyday with older equipment

 

I have to agree with you there, SW! If Willys figures stacked up, we`d all be driving around in brand new tractors regardless of situation.
Maybe owning a property with mortgage repayments to keep up, would help sway his opinion otherwise. As you say, the interest repayments alone on a new machine would cover the repair costs on an old tractor for many years. Then there is the high rate of depreciation to consider. IMO the less money you have tied up in a depreciating asset, the better.

 

old machines have one major upside and that's the lack of electronics. One little mouse can cost you thousands and unless your bill gates, the average farmer, driver cant locate or fix a bung sensor.
I love the older machines but when buying make sure they were the top of the line in their day and that all or most parts are available .
High hours I don't like, but if the right person owned it and has a proper overhaul history and its cheap enough to allow a third of its value in repairs incase of a major booboo well buy it.
Its better to buy what you can afford , but if you have enough work to wear out a new one, buy a new one I say.

 

Well said

 

With crappy commodity prices some will find that new equipment is a want, not a need

 

All of us will be happy to hear how it turns out for ya, part are reasonable and simple to repair

 

I'll keep you posted how it does. As you have noticed and said, i do operate on my own with my own money. It is a small operation in a high risk area surrounded by a bad economy in every possible segment of industry. For me to take some high interest loans for an ungodly expensive new equipment is a doomsday to come.
Plus, I'm really getting the hang of this older MFWD Deere tractors.

 

Do you want to take financial advice from somebody who rides a bike and works for somebody else? More respect for somebody who lives within their means , pays their bills, buys equipment and land. These crop prices are going to take some of the high flyers down a notch or two. Some people never own anything more than a lunch bucket and a fast car

 

^^^ you nailed it!!! Its all fine and dandy with someone else's money, right......?????

 

willy, if you are so correct in your logic, then why when prices drop and times get tough, do new sales go down? Cheaper is cheaper, would save you money so you could make money, right? You talk about depreciating assets, the "appreciating" and the tax hit because of it? Please! I'd rather pay a little tax on selling something for $5000 more than what I paid for it 10 years later, than pay basically nothing but top dollar for the highest couple years of depreciation on everything.

 

People obviously tighten their belts when times are harder, but sometimes tightening the belt means investing to lower your costs, labour being the one of the biggest costs. There is more to buying a machine than looking at the list price and just telling yourself it is "too expensive". Many of you, I assume, are using family labour that your are not actually "paying" as such, so how do you allocate labour costs accurately?

People keep telling me how stupid I am, but none of you have actually given me a decent business case for running old machines. There has been no detailed break down of labour costs vs new, time allocated to repairs vs new, workshop cost time vs new, output vs new, timeliness or the effects on the accounts. Just a new machine is "too expensive".

"Here" money is dirt cheap (base rate >1%) and as commodities drop in price, machine sales drop. Now would be the time to drive a hard bargain.

Choppers, homade and do exactly the job I need
Parts, big deal if its wore out, I will have less invested in each part than your road trip costs to get parts
The bugs were worked out a long time ago. We know every part of the machine and exactly when it is time for preventative maintenance
cost to overhaul these beasts, peanuts compared to what depreciated off that claas each year and what just yours is romotely new nothing wears, think again

But the new (well any Lexion made in the last 10 years) Claas can cut, thresh (to a high standard) the shred and blow the crop residue across full width of the head in one pass, so as soon as the combine has moved out of the field the cultivation process can start. So there is a cost saving to start with.

Obviously the new machine has wear parts, but on machines as old as yours, with the best maintenance in the world, you are going to get worn out major components, engines, hydro, tin work then multiply that by 3 machines. So exactly what are your costs on to repair these? What are you allowing for YOUR labour? What is it costing you in time to strip a worn/broken part off your machine, then strip a slightly less worn out part from a scrapper and refit it to the one that works when you are under pressure at harvest time.

A neighbour fancied a new to help SP sprayer, so found one, a "good one" never been raced or rallied, FSH, one lady owner, all that lot. It was great, apart from the engine failing, then the hydraulic pump, then all 4 propulsion motors. By the time he had fixed all of that lot (mid season) he might as well have put it toward a new one with favourable finance and a load of warranty instead of risking loosing his crops and having to come to us to scrounge our very old sprayer that has snice been scrapped.