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Mid-Missouri | We have several older tractors that are used on occasion. Allis wd45's are used the most before a 3020 or 4020. Having said that, we have a few Massey Fergusons and the 135 is just a handly little bugger. It always starts, has a 12 speed transmission with the multi-power, nice lift arm setup and even diff-lock. The worst part is the loose steering, and I'm not even sure if power-steering was an option.
Whats your opinion on the 135's and what would you favor over it?
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| If it doesn't have to be vintage and your looking for a utility type of tractor... We have a Ford 1620 4wd hydrostatic drive with a loader. Burns 2 gallons an hour worse case, doesn't need to be plugged in come winter, is really tough and will probably do what the 135 will. Runs a 5 ft tiller no problem, finish mower and a host of other items, gets about 250 hours a year on it. Would like to have another.... But the next compact will have a cab. Can't go wrong with the masseys for sure, have a 65 that's still on the farm that was bought new and 6300 plus hours later it's still kicking. My 2 cents... |
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oregon | I've never had an MF 135 but I envy the neighbors who do. I should have bought em at auctions about 20 years ago.
Edited by Obsolete 7/6/2016 21:56
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| haha my buddy john still uses one these for raking and teding lol i tell he's nuts lol and it the only one left in the world lol! he has 884 case too he likes that better. he calls my case super diesel 400 old crap lol we go back and forth. I really like my two old cases the super Diesel 400 and the old VC hoping someday to fully restore them.
Edited by wildchild55719 7/6/2016 22:08
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Adrian,MO | I'm not a Massey guy but I've always had a soft spot for a 135. My dad turned me loose raking hay with my grandpa's 135 when I was 6. I raked the same patch of alfalfa three Saturdays in a row. Needless to say by the time dad got it baled there wasn't much left |
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| The MF 135 was a popular orchard tractor here. What could be better... Anything!!!! We have 2 left both purchased new used for anything from pulling hay rakes, to spraying.
The biggest problems.
They seem to get stuck in gear.
The hydraulic system has the be the worst system ever conceived.
They seem to take out starter bendexes
The steering system is a pita to keep going after a little wear in the system.
I even took one to an auction about 10 - 15 years ago and the old man bought it back. Now it's his sprayer tractor with a 100 gallon backpack sprayer and a little strip spray boom up front. |
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sw North Dakota | My MF 165 is better. It is across between the Everready bunny and Timex watches. Takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin' and it keeps going and going..... |
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Sw. Ill | Mine was a basket case. Glad yours is working well! They are strong for the size. The flywheels are huge on the little 3 cylinder perkins. Mine didnt have multi power and the gearing was terrible imo. Either crawling or racing. I did like the gear shifters though very easy to go from forward to reverse or high to low. |
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cromwell ky | I like the little masseys sure are hard to kill but I've got a special place in my heart for a 3000 ford. |
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Sunburst Montana | I always like the looks of that style and color scheme. Too bad Massey didn't instill that kind of quality in their bigger tractors or other equipment.
Edited by Steiger Man 7/6/2016 22:45
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South Central KY. | My father in law had 3 or 4 of them can't remember for sure but they were the go to tractors to rake hay run elevators and augers. He plowed many an acre on one in his younger days. When I married his youngest daughter they didn't know how I got along without one. |
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| http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-36479610
Recent article saying that they are the worlds most sought after used tractor. The developing world loves them.
Edited by Jon B 7/7/2016 05:05
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Schlegel Farms, Hagerstown Indiana | I have a MF-35 the predecessor to the 135 and agree they are a nice little tractor.
Mine has been delegated to lawn duties in its golden years, but it has cultivated and raked a lot of hay in the past.
As far as the power steering, I'm sure it was an option because my 35 has it.
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Southern Alberta Canada | The first tractor I ever drove, I was six years old. I still remember like it was yesterday I was driving it down a hill and it was rolling away and I was using the brakes to control the speed, my father hollers "USE HIGH!" so I shift the range shift to high and of course the tractor takes off even faster, then I hear "NO! THE MULTI POWER!" LOL, I'll remember that till I die :) |
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Sanilac Co. Michigan | I still use dad's 35 for so many things. Handy as a shirt pocket! Always wanted a 135 diesel, maybe some day. I believe the whole 35 series is the most manufactured tractor worldwide! And I think there's a company in eastern Europe that's licienced to build new 35's today.
Some did have power steering, particularly if intended for loader work. Biggest issue for some utility work around the farm is trying to run an orbital hydraulic motor. See. It's a simple open center system driven by a scotch yoke pump thats nearly indestructible, but there's just no way to increase the flow rate of the oil. Makes for a very slow turning hydraulic motor.
Edited by tkoppel 7/7/2016 09:23
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Eastern North Carolina | The hydros can't be worse than the JD 820s/830s. |
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45 miles south spingfield il. | I've got Dad's original. And about two years ago I bought a diesel for the engine. Took my wife on two day trip to get it- best vacation ever, or so I thought. |
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| I farmed at least ten years with that as my sole power. My MNF-135 is north American made with a Continental gas engine. 1968. The diesel option was a Perkins 3 cylinder and a year or two later the gas engine became a 3 cylinder Perkins. On mine the power steering uses a valve on the steering column and a piston and cylinder on the front side of the gear box hooked to a rack that runs on the top of the spur gears that connect the two steering arms. I have had that all apart and rebuilt it because the piston rod broke.
Mine came with a MF236 loader that was too big for the tractor rated for 135 to 474. And a repaired front axle. That loader is on my 4020 and is a good match for the 4020.
My biggest complaint was lack of ground clearance made much worse by the loader mounts that got ground clearance down to about 6 inches, really bad for cultivating row crops or spraying. Even without the loader brackets working snow with a rear blade I've stuck it high centered.
Its not running at the moment, acted like a gummed up carburetor and I've not fixed it yet.
I have a book on MF100 family tractors. Actually the MF-135 was made all around the world, in Canada for North American sales, in England, France, Germany, middle east, Africa, Far East, South America, and maybe Australia. The only thing common between the various plants was the MF symbol, the paint colors, and maybe the tires. Each used local engine makers, and built their own designs. The English 135 is very similar to the English 148 to the point that they share the same shop manual. But nothing in that manual fits my US MF-135. That power steering uses a control valve on the steering column like mine but connects a cylinder between the side frame and the drag link. I have seen MF-135 in tractor shows with that power steering, so imported from England.
The multipower is handy but in low it freewheels so there's no engine braking going down hill. On the other hand it gives hill holding with the nose up hill and the clutch pushed in. When spraying I started in HP high and when I saw patches of noxious weeds I dropped it down and the multipower shifts on the go, no clutching required. The vertical strokes on the clutch and brakes can be hard on leg muscles not used to that position.
As a small farm and utility tractor it makes the Ford 8N look like a toy though the size isn't all that different the 135 is heavy enough and powerful enough to do real work, like pull 2x 16 plow, or a baler and rack with 160 small squares on the rack.
Gerald J. |
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Schlegel Farms, Hagerstown Indiana | The power steering on my 35 has no external cylinders visible.....not really sure how it works.
The only thing that looks different is an oil canister on the left front (you can see it right above the tire in the picture in the post above) |
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| The cylinder on my 135 is on the front side of the steering gear box not easily seen without removing the cowl, battery tray, and the hood, and the cylinder stroke is only about 4 inches. I just walked out to check, its not visible with the battery tray still in place even with the hood open. Its inside sheet metal hiding from seeing from the sides, just to the left of the horizontal air filter.
Gerald J. |
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| My Granddad bought a new 135 in 1970 or 71. Only new tractor he ever owned. Ours did not have power steering because he said it was a $75 option and he never had it before and did not need it now. It was the big tractor on the farm along with a 601 Ford and an old 2 cylinder JD. I didn't weigh enough to push the clutch so I would stand up on the peddle and pull down on the steering wheel to get her stopped. Nice memories. |
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| For the parts used that was a CHEAP optioin!! When the piston rod broke in mine MF wanted $480 for the full cylinder assembly, wouldn't sell just the broken part.A good machine shop made me a new piston rod and fixed the steering shaft seal for $125.
Gerald J. |
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| Might not have been the true cost of the option just what the dealer asked him difference between one with and one without ps. I remember him talking about the $75 through the years but I was only 9 when he bought it. |
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far sNSW , Australia | Ours was bought in 1965, the year I was born. I think it was the first year of production. Gets used nearly every day. That little perkins uses hardly any fuel putting around. Have seen it use over 2 imperial gallons an hour working hard. Its got well over 10000hrs. On its 3rd or 4th tacho. It will never be sold. A family heirloom. |
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| nchobbyfarm - 7/6/2016 19:32
The hydros can't be worse than the JD 820s/830s.
What are you smoking??? With the MF hydraulics you basically get a selector to select between rear remote or three point hitch . The three point is either up or down there is a reason why they made sway blocks to hold the three point hitch in one position using the top link. When you are using the three point with a rear remote if the operator gets the selector in the wrong position the three point drops straight to the ground. There is a reason why there are many aftermarket solutions to the crappy hydraulics. We have a German 830 and the only thing that we ever had to do is reroute the hydraulic return line, but it didn't affect the three point and the other problem is the oc pump can loose its prime for a few seconds when it's worn. |
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Alabama | mf 150 |
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What could be better than a Massey Ferguson 135?
