Are Massey Ferguson tractors any good?
Massey Ferguson is one of the best-selling brands in the world of tractors. Since 1957, this tractor manufacturer has been dedicated to delivering high-quality and reliable tractors to farmers, gardeners, and agricultural experts worldwide. Are you worth your investment?
I’ll try to answer those questions in the following sections while helping you learn more about the Massey Ferguson brand and its products. Moreover, if you’re planning to own or already own one of these tractors, stick around to learn how a good Massey Ferguson repair manual can help you maintain your tractor, reduce downtimes and make it last for years.
Let’s begin.
Brief history
Massey-Harris Limited began in 1891 when farmer Daniel Massey and businessman Alanson Harris created the agricultural machine company. Then, roughly 60 years later, it merged with the Ferguson-Brown company, a matured tractor manufacturer led by the great mechanic/inventor Harry Ferguson.
The three-person effort gave birth to the Massey Ferguson brand in 1957. Its first tractor, the MF35, rolled off the factory floor the same year and immediately gained popularity due to its modern design. It also had a class-leading diesel Perkins engine producing 37 hp, 6-speed transmission with rear Power Take-Off (PTO), and the revolutionary Ferguson-derived three-point linkage system.
As this tractor setup was becoming the industry standard, the Triple Triangle then soldiered on making other models to suit different markets, together with numerous accessories and implements. Today, Massey Ferguson is one of the most recognizable brands in the agricultural industry, providing high-quality farmer-focused equipment solutions, ranging from different-sized tractors to various compatible attachments/implements.
Why should you consider buying Massey Ferguson tractors?
Massey Ferguson is not a lone wolf in the tractor manufacturing world; it competes with other legendary brands like John Deere, Kubota, New Holland, and Mahindra Tractor. Yet, Massey Ferguson does have a few competitive advantages you should know:
Complete selection of tractor sizes
It’s important to acknowledge how impressive is Massey Ferguson’s tractor range — there is a model for everyone. The brand offers plenty of models ranging from sub-compact tractors to full-blown row crop ones, all with more than enough horsepower to tackle the tasks they are designed for.
Here’s what Massey Ferguson’s tractor lineup currently looks like:
Sub-compact
- GC1700 Series (22.5-24 hp)
Compact
- 1800 E (24-38 hp)
- 1526 (24.8 hp)
- 1800 M (36.2-39.4 hp)
Utility
- 2600 H (45-74 hp)
- 2800 E (48.8-57.3 hp)
- 2800 M (48.8-60.3 hp)
- 4700 (75-100 hp)
Mid-range
- 5700 (100-110 hp)
- 5700 S (110-130 hp)
- 5S (115-145 hp)
- 6700 (120-130 hp)
- 6S (135-180 hp)
- 6700 S (140-180 hp)
Row Crop
- 7S (155-210 hp)
- 7700 S (155-255 hp)
- 8S (205-265 hp)
- 8700 S (270-400 hp)
Aside from tractors, you’ll also find a ginormous collection of tractor attachments/implements that’ll cover every farmer’s need, such as loaders, mowers, rotary cutters, diggers, square/round balers, self-propelled windrower, planters, and many more. Some accessories are even available in several sizes to suit different tractors.
Powerful and efficient engines
Thanks to Massey Ferguson’s parent company AGCO supplying the engines, its tractors beat the competition regarding horsepower output. Even its compact and utility tractors are packed with so much power that it’s easy to mistake them for higher-tier machines.
However, these new power units aren’t designed to generate more torque and horses than traditional tractors; they also do it while sipping less fuel. One example is the economical 155-255hp 7700 S series row crop tractor, featuring high-tech diesel engines with electronic engine management, high-pressure fuel injection, turbocharger, and four-valve cylinders.
In addition, if you’re one of those DIY mechanics worrying how these newer engines are more complicated to treat or fix, you can quickly learn everything about them in a Massey Ferguson maintenance manual. This manual maps out every component of your tractor’s engine and can guide you through any repair.
Rugged build
Massey Ferguson tractors are famous for being super durable and long-lasting. On top of the rugged built chassis and powertrain, you can configure these tractors with a CVT transmission (known as Dyna-VT) that’ll potentially suffer less from wear and tear than most standard transmissions due to its fewer parts.
Furthermore, Massey Ferguson tractors are claimed to have a 600-hour engine check interval, meaning these machines are mostly set to work for 25 days non-stop before it demands a maintenance service.
As for maintenance, these tractors are designed with easy access to radiator fluid, engine oil, air filter, and fan belt to ease the checking, replacing, or fluid topping-off process. But even if you’re unsure how to access those, a Massey Ferguson service manual can help you.
Drawbacks to consider
While Massey Ferguson tractors are known for toughness, reliability, and abundant power, there are some issues you may encounter during your ownership period.
One is a stuck gear problem, especially for models with a non-CVT transmission. This gear shifting problem is primarily due to the worn-out spring that causes it to lose tension, making the gearstick slip into an incorrect shift rail and unable to return to the proper position.
Another significant problem is that some models are prone to flywheel damper failure, typically when the plates wear through the casing. This issue usually occurs within the 4,000-6,000 hours of use, leading to a complete loss of drive and distressing banging noise from the bell housing.
You can nail those fixes yourself with some tools and new replacement parts. You can find many Massey Ferguson manuals online to guide you with repairs. eManualOnline carries repair manuals for most Massey Ferguson tractors. They cost significantly less than having a tractor down in the middle of a field, waiting for the mechanic.
Verdict
As one of the best-selling and most reputable tractor brands in the world, there’s no doubt that Massey Ferguson makes excellent tractors. Many of its models are superbly capable tractors worthy of investment as they can serve you a long time through countless farming seasons.
But just like any tractor, proper maintenance is necessary for it to last and run smoothly. Hence I’d advise you to refer to your Massey Ferguson tractor manuals and learn how to do those tractor-care services correctly.
