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North Dakota | I've already done a search and read about all of the horror stories about the 8850 and their engines. For comparison's sake, I'm wondering about what anyone who has experience with the 8850 and how it compares to a Cummins 903 V-8. I've had lots of experience with 903's and love that engine.
I've brought this up in another thread on 8970/8960 JD tractors.........what I am looking for is a 4WD tractor with PTO that would mainly be doing limited tillage work (pulling a heavy harrow over ~3,000 acres in the fall, and disking/chisel plowing low ground), pull the grain cart, and have enough power to pull a 40-50 ft. air seeder in a pinch should something ever happen to our main tractor during the planting season.
I've heard the problems with the 8850 concerning water and engine temp (basically the same problem the 903 had), and that an overhaul will cost around $30,000. Last time we called Cummins to overhaul a 903 two years ago they quoted upwards of $20,000 to overhaul it. My hang up is that I can and have overhauled a 903 myself for $2,500 for the inframe kit, so I've never been scared of the 903. But I can't find an overhaul kit for a 955 JD engine. The appealing thing about an 8970/8960 is that with the 855 Cummins, should it go to hell, an overhaul kit is only about $1,200.
Currently, I pull the grain cart with a JD 8640 that has 8,000 hours on it that I paid $18,000 for two years ago. It's fine on the cart, but I'd be SOL if my air seeder tractor went down, and the 8640's pants are full with some of the tillage that we do. There are currently multiple 8850's in the area with similar hours w/PTO that I could pick up for ~25,000. 8970/8960's are pushing $70,000-80,000 with PTO in the area.
I'm guessing if the motor went on my 8640, I'd spend ~ 15,000 to get it going again? So my question is: for a secondary tractor thats primary function is pulling a grain cart (but I would like it to have enough HP to put the crop in with it, in a worst case scenario), would I be better off buying cheap HP w/PTO in an 8850, or spending more money for a "back-up" tractor than I spent on the tractor that I rely on to put most of my crop in?
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Central ND | I can only imagine some of the responses that you are going to get to this post!lol There is alot of people out there that think 8850 is a swear word! Its your money and I don't want to tell you what to do, all I can do is tell you our experiences. We have had 8850's for several years and will always have a soft spot for these tractors and they are cheap horsepower. From what you are describing the 8850 would do everything you need it to do, until 2 years ago they were our main tractors since 1996, we have pulled 62' chisel plow with a coil packer, 57' flexi-coil hoe drills into no-till stubble with 345 bushel carts and right now we have one on a 61' 1820 JD with a 430 bushel cart and they have plenty of power to do everything we have ever tried to do with them. We also used one on a 1050 Kinze cart for several years and really like it there, we had a Kinze repowered 8850 and we liked the v-8 better althought the cummins did work better on the cart because of the low rpm torque. I don't think the 8850 is anything to be scared of, they are just like alot of other equipment, if they are well maintained and taken care of they will be good to you, I hope this helps. |
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Roseglen, North Dakota | You covered a lot of territory in your post. Will try to address your issues with my opinion(s)
~Tho the 955 and 903 have their similarities, the differences are numerous
1. Overhaul kit for 8850 would be pushing $10k
2. Labor would be way more involved on 8850, remove front end, roll front axle out, on and on, not nearly as simple as Versatile (what tractor is?)
3. That being said, 8850 vs 950 is like comparing Mercedes to Chevrolet, 8850 will have more power, better cab, better hydraulics, unequaled ride.
Tho I personally feel the 8850 will outperform the 8960/8970, you have to really want the 8850 (for its ride and power), if you had one 'go down' on you, you could easily be up to be price of 8960/8970 in a hurry. If you are diligent in your search for 8960/8970 you can find 8960's for $45k (one in ND paper right now for that price) and you can add PT0 for $11k max, and less if you find a used PTO attach. (The main components for PTO are the same from 8960 up to 9620)
So do you spend $55k (probably as cheap as you'll get) for 8960 and have peace of mind or $25k for 8850? You've got 30k to play with if you buy 8850, it's entirely possible engine will never give a problem. The "New York" conversion for the 8850 (spinoff of the Kinze kit) is $12-15k, find a used 855 and overhaul it for $5-6, you still have less in the 8850.
The 8960 I am referring to is near Fessenden, Just knowing the guy, would say it's clean.
8850's have been good to us, will be interested in what route you take... |
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east central ND | As you do not need the tractor today, I personaly would shop far and wide, and take you time to find a higher hour, well maintained 8960 and put a pto in it. 8850 is a good pulling machine, that gear driven waterpump wold just bug me with the high priced engine. the 2wd 50 series , if the gear driven water pump failed and wiped out a crank bearing, it doesn't take much to get at the engine. I was looking for a cheap 8960 last year( lot bigger than I really need) to replace my old 8630 JD that is the main horse and grain cart tractor, ended up with a 946 vers. for 15k to 20k less than a 8960 and kept the 8630 for the cart. I sure do not need need 2 4wd, but the old 8630 is worth about scrap. |
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Regina/ 14 miles South of Moose Jaw Saskatchewan | Based on what you've said, wouldn't a MF (McConnell) 4840/4880, Cummins 903, PTO be a good choice? listing price on them seems to be around the 20 K range?
FWIW
Doug W. |
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SW North Dakota | We have been running an 8850 for 8 years now and are about ready to move on to something else. The motor and trans have not given us a problem at all. We always do a thorough job of cleaning the radiator and installed a water temp guage and it always runs at 175-180 degrees. The main problem we have had is parts availability and cost. 3 years ago the fuel pump went out and it cost us $600+ and 3 days to get it here. Just last week the hyd. pump gave out and that cost us $4000 plus 5 days of down time. This is not acceptable in my book. We cant afford to continuously have this kind of setback. So we decided to look for a different tractor for next year. Other than those 2 things the tractor has been ok. It pulls our 40 ft seeder with stealth openers very well. I think a 50ft would be strecthing it though. For a backup tractor it would be fine as long as the motor holds up. There have been alot of guys in my area that have had good luck with the tractor but these guys also have a rigorous maintenance program. Good luck. |
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| Another thought would be a Cat 75x or 85x, I would think that they would make a great cart tractor and harrow tractor. |
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Brazilton KS | My fuel pump quit on the last field this year. It wouldn't pull, but I geared down and finished. Next morning, no starty. It's just a big electric fuel pump...i bought one from a go-fast place for half what Deere wanted. Curious what was so difficult about the hydraulic pump....really no different then any other Deere of the vintage. Anyone who has rebuilt one on a 4020 ought to be able to handle the project.
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Brazilton KS | I'm an 8850 driver. I like the tractor. It does have the potential to get prohibitively expensive if the engine lays down. It's a heck of a lot more tractor then 950s would ever think of being....although there used to be 600 hp surplus 903s all over the place....put one of those in a 12 bolt axle tractor and you'd have had an axle tube snapping sob!
With that said...I couldn't imaging trying to run a grain cart with an 8850. Just not an application for a manual transmission. The first tractor we used on the cart was the 7520....at the time we thought it was wonderful but that was only because we didn't know any better! The Challenger idea is the answer to teh grain cart application. I have not seen anything else which was even close to comparing. |
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ND | Talked with a farmer Friday that had 4 8850's, 2 with 955 and 2 with Kinze conversions. He has a tech come out every spring to make sure the weep hole is clean on the water pump. He said they are cheap HP and the best riding tractor there is with the occilating front end and the weight. Myself I would go with the 8960 or 70 because of the component design. |
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North Dakota | Now I'm thinking of an 8850 that has had the Kinze conversion. I've found 2 for sale two within 300 miles that could be picked up for $20,000-30,000 less that what I am finding in 8960's w/PTO for in the area.
Another think that peaks my interest about the 8850's is that all you guys say it rides so nice. That would be a huge plus since whatever tractor I end up with spend alot of time pulling a heavy harrow. The 8640 and the 950's are rougher than hell at 8-10 MPH. |
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| We used our 85c on the cart when it was wet and it worked great.
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John Deere 8850 Opinions.......
