Looking at used tractors

[moosefd]

I’m looking for something used 40 to 55 hp. Everything thing seems so over priced right now but found JD 2355 industrial. 3000 hrs doesn’t appear to have been abused. Will only be using It for boxblading and brush hogging. Any one know of any problems with this line of tractors? Thanks in advance

 

[Shimmy1]

I’m looking for something used 40 to 55 hp. Everything thing seems so over priced right now but found JD 2355 industrial. 3000 hrs doesn’t appear to have been abused. Will only be using It for boxblading and brush hogging. Any one know of any problems with this line of tractors? Thanks in advance

First thought is pretty unlikely that a 35 year old tractor only has 3000 hours on the clock. More likely 13k, possibly 23k.

 

[moosefd]

You could be right. I have a 98 kubota bought new only has 2578 hrs on it. I’ll have to investigate further. Really looking for any weakness or reliability problems in this series of tractor.

 

[Delmer]

if you need 40-55 HP, look at tractors with 80-120HP, you get a lot more tractor for the money in that range, if it doesn't have mechanical problems now, you won't break it doing 50HP work, you can use a higher gear and idle down and use virtually the same fuel. everything just works better with more HP and weight.

 

[crane operator]

I never liked the double shifters down on the tunnel between your legs. It’s a awkward gear set up for pushing snow in the ag versions, the highest gear in low is too slow in forward , and too fast in reverse, so you end up shifting both sticks in going forward/ reverse. The industrial version might have a shuttle, without pictures we can’t know much.
Post up a link and a serial number of what you are looking at buying, and likely someone here can be more helpful.

 

[JaredV]

I don't know much about them, but if it has the hi/lo shift on the fly, I have a friend that says to avoid them as they are expensive to replace.

 

[Shimmy1]

the highest gear in low is too slow in forward , and too fast in reverse, so you end up shifting both sticks.

THIS^^^. It never ceases to amaze me how these older ag tractors had absolutely stupid gears. This gear too fast, next one too slow, 1st high is just right, but if you need to back up then you need to shift into 4th, and back to 1st..........I mean WTF were these engineers trying to do? It's like they never even considered operability when they designed stuff. And they're all guilty of it.

 

[JaredV]

I love my Massey 135, but the high reverse is too fast for much of anything. Then my Farmall 504 has an excruciatingly slow reverse and then I can pull the torque amplifier back and go even slower. I had an opportunity to run an IH 966 Hydro with a loader. Hydro, perfect for loader work, I thought. Turns out reverse is limited to about half speed of forward, so you still have to shift to high range if you need to back very far.

 

[moosefd]

Don’t have serial number yet. It does have shuttle shift though. Can’t look at it till Monday

 

[moosefd]

Also I need to be able to haul it around so a higher hp tractor is out of question.

 

[crane operator]

I will admit to a severe confusion as a 15 year old, when I first saw this and had been told to "just move the tractor".



I'd grown up with older red equipment and had never seen anything like this, but once you kind of figure it out, it sure beats the little sticks down below the steering wheel of the smaller ones. If I remember, it was a pretty nice 5 forward and 3 reverse for doing a little loader work, but its been a long time ago.

 

[colson04]

I will admit to a severe confusion as a 15 year old, when I first saw this and had been told to "just move the tractor".

View attachment 275091

I'd grown up with older red equipment and had never seen anything like this, but once you kind of figure it out, it sure beats the little sticks down below the steering wheel of the smaller ones. If I remember, it was a pretty nice 5 forward and 3 reverse for doing a little loader work, but its been a long time ago.

I was 12 when Grandpa taught me how to drive the 4020 and put me to work. I loved that 6-8 shift when leaving the farm to head to the field.

 

[Tyler d4c]

I will admit to a severe confusion as a 15 year old, when I first saw this and had been told to "just move the tractor".

View attachment 275091

I'd grown up with older red equipment and had never seen anything like this, but once you kind of figure it out, it sure beats the little sticks down below the steering wheel of the smaller ones. If I remember, it was a pretty nice 5 forward and 3 reverse for doing a little loader work, but its been a long time ago.

4 ranges 2 gears each range reverse in low 2 possibly 3rd range if it's a 10 series or its worn out really good

 

[Tyler d4c]

The German deere tractors some love them most hate them. I've fixed about every inch of them.
No power break assist
Parking break was some ones bad dream
Poor gearing imo
Cabed ones the cab has to come off to do most transmission work
Dry main clutch
But other than that they will put in a honest work and for couple hour a year machine it will treat you fine.

 

[crane operator]

I was 12 when Grandpa taught me how to drive the 4020 and put me to work. I loved that 6-8 shift when leaving the farm to head to the field.

I couldn't reach the pedals when I started with a H and 560, my grandpa or dad would get it in gear and I would head for the barn and just steer. I could get it out of gear by sliding off the seat and standing on the clutch.

But the H- 560 and M didn't prepare me very well for that mess beside the steering wheel of the green tractors. Those red machines just had 5 gears all right in a row, can't get easier than that. Who knew there was a need for different gears in reverse?

 

[56wrench]

Those old deere syncro-range tractors were good for front end loader work because reverse was syncronized. I spent a lot of hours on them when i was young. They were hard to beat until the F-R shuttle system was developed. The 30 and 40 series that came afterward were cumbersome in my opinion

 

[FarmWrench]

I'd agree with one caveat, if you are equipped to haul a 7000# tractor don't go for a 10k#+ machine if you're not equipped to move that. 100#/HP as a rule of thumb for tractors. Compact and sub-compact weigh significantly less, and that's why they get that name.

 

[Bumpsteer]

Don't forget Fords better idea, the up/down pattern 5 speed. 3-r, 1-2, 4-5, wtf.
Schros? Who needs them, not you.
Dang good reason you don't see a loader on an old 800 series.
Yes, we still have the miserable creation.

Ed

 

[stinky64]

I've got a 1957 ford 850 with the afore mentioned shifter with a kick ass commercial loader, I love that old beast. I have hoisted 24 inch hemlock logs, 16 feet long with the loader for sawmill, thought I was gonna snap a spindle. She's also 45 hp and equipped with chains so it will push an asston of snow. My biggest complaint is no 2 speed reverse, can't run a snow blower.

 

[moosefd]

Well I finally got to see tractor this week. Overall looked pretty decent but hydraulics were real slow and as was mentioned clutch felt kind of odd. Also didn’t know about physical size because I hadn’t seen a 2355 in person but seemed to big to use around houses. I’ll probably keep looking might look at new tractors as jd and kubota and Mahendra have low to 0 percent financing.