[MCatSHF]

Hello All
Looking for a tractor, read the posts on the http://www.thecombineforum.com/forums/18-tractors/194226-8400-john-deere.html thread, what about the T series?
Why do I need to buy 1 of these instead of the wheeled version?

 

[SWFarmService]

Go with tires. I don't know how someone could spend 10 hrs in them ruff ridin things

 

[Dan Vanderwell]

Hi MCat.

Can't speak to the green ones as I have MT855B. Quite often they are priced lower than a wheeled counterpart. It was the only way to get a unit of this size on my budget.

Depends what you want to do with it I suppose. Pulling a drill or tillage. Great. I wouldn't want to be pulling a baler, discbine, etc. on hayland due to the berming. Less compaction but less turning ability in mud with tracks. I'd call it a matter of personal preference.

I'd compare them to a bidirectional. You'll either love it or hate it. If it wasn't winter I'd say go for a test drive.

Oh one last thing that I love probably the most:

No flat tires in the morning.

 

[Dan Vanderwell]

Go with tires. I don't know how someone could spend 10 hrs in them ruff ridin things

Under what conditions do they ride rougher? Certainly not sprayer ruts, drill row ridges, and washboard on the gravel. I guess if you're driving over 10" poplars laying on the field edge and frost breaks in the pavement at over 20 mph they are rougher. I certainly wouldn't call it enough to be a deal breaker. I only have yellow experience though. Maybe green is different?

 

[MCatSHF]

Hello Dan Vanderwell
I need something to replace my JD 8450. Probably 85% draw bar work (tillage & seeding), but also 15% PTO work running pull type forage harvester. Chopping corn, cereal & a bit of haylage. Clay soils here & a lot more wet than dry in these parts. Not much roading, all my land is within 3.5 miles. I've noticed that they seem to be priced a bit cheaper than wheel versions, but I think the track replacement cost is more than tires? I'm probably looking for the impossible, 1 size fits all??? I guess if it was all draw bar, tracks might work better for me, & wheels if it was all PTO???

 

[cptusa]

The vibrations from the turning tracks adds to a "rough ride". I've never ridden in a tracked machine that ever was as nice riding as a wheeled version.

Along with bone jarring thrusts every time you encounter the slightest dip or hump. Wheels for me, a lot smoother.

Been awhile since I ran a track, but both green and yellow were rougher than a cob. I realize they have made vast improvements since the, but I think my back still hurts.

 

[Dan Vanderwell]

Hello Dan Vanderwell
I need something to replace my JD 8450. Probably 85% draw bar work (tillage & seeding), but also 15% PTO work running pull type forage harvester. Chopping corn, cereal & a bit of haylage. Clay soils here & a lot more wet than dry in these parts. Not much roading, all my land is within 3.5 miles. I've noticed that they seem to be priced a bit cheaper than wheel versions, but I think the track replacement cost is more than tires? I'm probably looking for the impossible, 1 size fits all??? I guess if it was all draw bar, tracks might work better for me, & wheels if it was all PTO???

If you weren't doing haylage I'd say go for the tracks. I know mine will tear up sod when making sharp turns under load with the drill. If I'm not pulling much and taking wider turns then it's hardly noticeable. I still won't turn on the Mrs. front lawn. I wouldn't do that with the Vers 875 dualled up either though.

I'd vote for tires in your situation. And this is coming from a guy who despises tires. I think you wouldn't like the sod damage. But, maybe a 25,000 lb machine might do lot less damage than a 60,000 lb one?

 

[SWFarmService]

Under what conditions do they ride rougher? Certainly not sprayer ruts, drill row ridges, and washboard on the gravel. I guess if you're driving over 10" poplars laying on the field edge and frost breaks in the pavement at over 20 mph they are rougher. I certainly wouldn't call it enough to be a deal breaker. I only have yellow experience though. Maybe green is different?

your cat has a suspension with tandem bogies and rubber cushions, we have a 865B and it rides well until you put a grain cart behind it on frozen ground but that deere has nothing but the suspension under the seat, if anyone here had a 9000 series quad or an early quad they have similar ride qualities plus a rocking chair feeling

 

[litefoot]

The old ones ride rough, I drove a Challenger CH55 and it was very teeth chattering. This past fall I demoed a john deere 8295RT. It drove very nice on the road and off. It was different, but I'm not sure it was worse or better.....sometimes both. I was comparing with 8270R with ILS.(we changed the drill 1/2 way through the day....with the airbag on the front axle of the RT, it took most of the teeth chatter away, but watching the exaust pipe for sure let me know it was still there, just not bad. My Dad liked the wheels better for what that is worth, and he has a bad back. But I would be very tempted if the deal was right on the RT track machine (I would look at Agco, but our dealer is no good for me!) I didn't even mind the burming in the turns, they looked bad, but the first rain melted them away (the tracks were 120 inch spacing). hope this helps! good luck.

 

[albertabuck]

Hello Dan Vanderwell
I need something to replace my JD 8450. Probably 85% draw bar work (tillage & seeding), but also 15% PTO work running pull type forage harvester. Chopping corn, cereal & a bit of haylage. Clay soils here & a lot more wet than dry in these parts. Not much roading, all my land is within 3.5 miles. I've noticed that they seem to be priced a bit cheaper than wheel versions, but I think the track replacement cost is more than tires? I'm probably looking for the impossible, 1 size fits all??? I guess if it was all draw bar, tracks might work better for me, & wheels if it was all PTO???

Good friend of mine runs an 8440 and for all intent and purposes my 4850 MFWD with 42 inch duals will pretty much run circles around him doing the same work. That is the basic equivalent of an 8300. He has 18.4 38 duals all around on his 4WD.

I realize you are probably looking more for flotation, but tough otherwise for those smaller 4WDs to beat a large MFWD IMO. Especially for PTO work. Remember I run those big pull type combines
I agree tracked units are cheaper, I suspect they're just not as popular. A good 8400 is still commanding a dam good price, I'm looking too so I know

 

[kendalwpg]

We rented a 8400T a few years ago that had 12000 hrs on it. Pulled a 40ft air seeder with it and it worked great. I drove it about 35 miles each way to get it and take it back.....on the road going full speed it will shake your teeth out and its too noisy to talk on the phone! Once home it pulled great in the field and was quite smooth. We bought a 9400T after that and have been happy with it. Its old and rough on the road but it gets the job done and pulls hard. The condition of your tracks will have alot to do with how smooth it is on the road. For the field im not sure it matters a whole lot....unless your in extremely bad conditions it will keep pulling even if your tracks are worn out. Our 9400 has worn out tracks on it right now and we had some probs this last spring turning corners in the mud....we also chipped it so we could pull our new drill in the muddy conditions. If you do little roading a 30 to 50% set of tracks will last you a very long time and if you have to change them they are easy to change yourself. You can also buy used tracks that still have lots of life left in them for a few hundred bucks. I wouldnt get overly worried about turning on hay fields....you would want to take it easy but I have seen people do it before. The was a dairy farm on the south perimeter that I think used to use there T on the chopper....maybe still do.

 

[MCatSHF]

Hello All
Well I took am 8410T for a test drive today. It was just around in a big yard site on frozen ground & man was it rough. The whole tractor shook & I was only going about 7 or 8 mph at the most. The guy selling it said that it would be smoother out in the field when the ground was soft, but would be no different if trying to till a field in the fall when the ground is hard & packed. Not only that, but it rides just like a crawler. You know how it goes over a rise. The front will be up in the air & then once it balances over, it comes down with a thump!
I don't think that a "T" is for me.
The search continues.