# Which Tractor would you pick?



## Gray Deere (Mar 27, 2018)

Newbee to this forum with a question for you guys. I appreciate any and all input.

Buying 2nd tractor for haying. I'm on rolling land in Northeast Georgia. I'll cut 30 acres of mixed Fescue, Bermuda and Johnson Grass with a 9 foot JD 1209 moco and bale with a John Deere 435 baler. I plan to expand and bale horse hay with a square baler next year.

I am looking at buying either a Ford open station 7600 (84 PTO HP) with an 8 speed transmission or a 7040 Allis-Chalmers CAH with the Power Director 20 speed transmission. Price and condition of each machine is close. Both are "dry" tractors with straight tin with all features working. Local dealer support is about the same on both.

These are two different bests completely so what would you choose and why?

I am returning to farming and last baled (1985) with a John Deere 510 pulled with a 4440 Powershift on flat land in Burmuda. My cutting tractor was a 2840 when it would crank and a JD 350 sickle mower so my experience is not really helpful to me.

Be kind...


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## HayMike (Mar 22, 2011)

I have both, almost. 7045 and 6600. I have dual power on 6600, use it to bale, wouldn't like to not have the extra ratios. The 7045 is a really cheap, useful, big tractor, but very hard to get in and out of. Use it on discbine, but wouldn't run the square baler with it.

Mike


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## skyrydr2 (Oct 25, 2015)

That AC is a big honkin' 6 cylinder and the Ford is a big 4 cylinder. The Ford is only 70 PTO hp I thought? The AC is well over 100 pto hp? 
For small square baling I would go with the 70 hp Ford, that AC is a BIG tractor for small square bales unless your running 2 at the same time? 
My 2wd 97hp Case IH(David Brown) handles a NH 310 baler with thrower and wagon with ease on our billy goat fields here in NewEngland and before I got the Case we did it with a NH 2120 43hp tractor!


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## siscofarms (Nov 23, 2010)

A big tractor can do small things ,,,,,, a small tractor cant do big things . If your still going to do rolls to Id go with the big AC


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## Gray Deere (Mar 27, 2018)

Tanks to each of you. You confirmed my instinct that the AC would be the better choice.

Gray


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Gray Deere said:


> Tanks to each of you. You confirmed my instinct that the AC would be the better choice.
> 
> Gray


But didn't two out of three vote for the Ford?


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

siscofarms said:


> A big tractor can do small things ,,,,,, a small tractor cant do big things . If your still going to do rolls to Id go with the big AC


Within reason. I hate running the small square baler with a clumsy tractor.


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## Beav (Feb 14, 2016)

Is there a third choice? I had a 7600 ford did not like it uncomfortable to operate but it had a cab without AC never again. The AC 7040 never ran one but they are old and had some transmission issues also run don't walk away from the AC if it has a maroon painted belly they were the first ones out and were pretty much junk if it is a black painted belly they are later models and have a better transmission. I owned several AC tractors D-17 210 185 190 XT but switch to fords and deeres when the 7000 series AC came out. The older AC's were good haying tractors a 185 75 HP ar in the 5000 to 10000 price range would do a good job running a small square baler. Simple 4 speed trans with a high low in each gear.


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## skyrydr2 (Oct 25, 2015)

Big tractors on small fields are not good especially if the fields are soft. Compaction is bad for your hay field.
I never made a round bale as of yet, but by the looks of them they don't look as heavy as a baler haywagon combo full?
They must take some extra hp to make a tight roll? Maybe need extra ground speed?


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## wvfarmboy54 (Feb 7, 2018)

get the ford there good old tractors espically good on fuel, can get parts, easier to fix , an dparts are cheeper, the ac is a big old tractor hard on fuel cant hardly get parts any more, hard to get into gear and will jump out when you do run from it,


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

That AC is a big tractor and it's a bit of a clumsy gearbox for haying except mowing. Would be great if you have some dirt work to do. Around 140 hp and still 12,000 lb if you strip the cast wheels off but likely closer to 16,000 lbs.

We have an ac 7010 powershift and while it had to step in and save the day square baling last year when a water pump went out, it's powershift made it tolerable.


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## FCF (Apr 23, 2010)

Currently have two tractors somewhat similar to the 7600, a NH TL90 and a CIH 5220, and owned an AC 7010 in the past. For haying I much prefer the NH and CIH, the AC was, as others have said, large and clumsy for most haying operations. Have a round baler, 4x5, and feel the 70- 90 horsepower tractors are adequate for that size baler and more than enough for our NH570 square baler pulling a kicker wagon.

As slow stated above the AC is great for tillage work.

Edit: Should have added we had a nickname for the 7010......"Fat Alice". :lol:


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

I was just looking at an old topic on HP requirements for the 435, and it looks to me like the 7600 would run it just fine. Only question I have is would you be happy with an open station tractor?


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## kyfarmboy (Feb 11, 2014)

I'm partial to the 7600 I run a 6600 here and it's been as trouble free of a tractor as I could ask for.


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## reckelhoff1000 (Jul 15, 2016)

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> I was just looking at an old topic on HP requirements for the 435, and it looks to me like the 7600 would run it just fine. Only question I have is would you be happy with an open station tractor?


No way do not buy an open station tractor for haying. If you have one and you have to deal with it ok, but if you are buying one get a cab!!!


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