Leaderboard

I saw some many odd things in my parts career. One of the oddest things happened one day when a guy came to the counter and handed me a couple steel balls and wanted 8 like it. I kept a large selection of steel balls from IH ranging from 1/16" up to 1". These were an odd size. I asked what he was working on. Out of his pocket he pulls out the inner and outer races of a ball bearing. The bearing went out, balls fell out and he thought he could put new balls back in it. Now that's a real man I kept a box of those flip clips on the counter. I ordered them from CIH as they were made in the USA and boy did they have a strong ring. For fun when I put them in the box I would open them all up. Farmers like to play with things by the counter when waiting. I can't tell you how many times I would hear OUCH. Cheap entertainment.

Lots of great tractors! I love it! Many of you have said it's hard to choose just one, I kinda have the same thing, depends on what your doing. I have all but one of my dads tractors which is special as well, including the only one he bought new (Genie) one of our 1486's. Really love Genie, Jamie, Lulu, Ethel, Cruella, Ruthie, Priscilla, Joanie, Scotti Ann, Terri Lynn, Holly Jo and Patsy but Bobbi Ann is still the favorite.

I've never named any of ours, my favorite IH is hard to narrow down, probably my 856 because a 407 just sounds awesome.

Agree very tough question. I’ve thought about this all day and like others don’t have just one. The 884 was the 1st tractor for dad after the farm sale in 1987. The 1066 was my 1st tractor & restoration. Next the 544 and 1256 replaced the two tractors sold at the farm auction so they are sentimental models. The 1460 (I know not a tractor) is my 1st combine. The cub cadet was purchased new by my late grandmother.

Cause the fewer buttons I push with my fat fingers there is 100k less chance of making a typo. K?😁

I hold the pin in my teeth, and cross my eyes to get a good view of both holes at once, using both hands i pry the ring open until it will fit over the head of the pin. Align with holes and let go quickly to avoid pinching fingers. Use of safety glasses distorts vision enough that you sometimes miss the pin holes. Always wear steel toe crocs when working on lynch pins.

Hard to call a favorite but If I had to it would be my 966. First big tractor I bought. When the bank went after me during some drought years, I was forced to sell my spring calving herd, all my haying machinery including a 656 Hydro and a SH. I refused to sell my 966 and found other ways to come up with the money to get them off my azz. When I recently bought my 1486 from a friend who has since passed away, I thought I would sell the "9" to help pay for it. Wife wouldn't let me, she has fond memories of listening to the straight pipe sing while I had it out in the hay field when we were first married. My SM probably comes in next because it is the tractor that all three of my boys learned to drive with. Just been a damn good old tractor and although doesn't get used that much anymore it is always willing. Here, youngest is helping me move hay home and singing at the top of his lungs and driving all over the place😄 Another 656 hydro is next with 1486 in a near tie. Current usin tractors. And here is the current stable of the three, 966, 1486, 656 (should get one including the SM and another M, oh and a 656 gear) All daily using tractors, each have there place, hate to get along without any of em.

My wife’s favorite

No favorites other than whatever is running at the time getting the job done. They all bring the same smile to my face.

I could have a week of today's. My demeanor would improve considerably. 35° no wind and sunny. But, no, coming in tonight, expecting another 4 to 6 inches, 30 mph winds followed by three nights of sub zero. I think we need to find Mother Nature a man💃🕺. 😄

I love my 1586 and 986 but my 1086 is my favorite. If the 15 had the 4 speed it would win

My all time favorite was dad’s 1026, this picture was after he and my uncle repainted it.

Very tough question… The 1466 grand dad bought new My dads pride and joy, his 1206 The pullers. I do like BS open station 10’s So many choices!

Oh wait, we can include crawlers???? virtually nothing puts a smile on my face like this thing. Guaranteed results 😁

Our entry in 460 week. Been on farm since new in 1963. Bought by my Grandpa

my 460 high utility. I drove this tractor about 1962 or 3, I was about 13 years old and it was first 6 cylinder AND power steering tractor that I ever drove. Dad had just 4 cylinder/Armstrong power steering tractors. I tried to buy it for years, finally original family owner sold it to me in 2020. Had to rebuild the engine, rewire it and change some wheels and fenders around. A little footnote: See the outside hydraulic lever by the steering wheel?? When the tractor was fairly new and hooked to the manure spreader one winter, my Uncle Harold (their employee) backed the rig into the barn and went to jump off, but his heavy coat caught on the lever and there he hung, yelling for help. Lever snapped when they tried to straighten it, so the pipe was added to the stub. I'll leave it that way.

The first tractor my wife and I ever drove. Been on the farm since the early 70s. It was used to cut hay, rake hay, grind feed, haul hay and spread manure among other things through the years. Now it just does odd jobs. As far as we know it has the original clutch and t/a but overhauled in the 90s. My dad says the M wouldn't pull down as easily on the feed mill so they didn't use it for that much. It has been a very dependable tractor

He sent me this not to long ago, still at it

Doesn’t have a name but by far my favorite on our farm. 1967 1256. My grandfather and great uncle bought new in 69. S/N 7559. It’ll be the next one to be restored.

My favorites are mostly traded off and gone as the operation has changed over the years but I bought a 5088 a while back for hay work and just because I wanted an 88 around again. I still have a 39 H awaiting restoration that was bought new by my great grandfather. My uncle also has his 52 Chevy pickup that he plans to restore in his retirement. Although I could spend all day in an 88 series and be completely happy I sure like our 380 half track lol

...you have never lived unless you have worked ground with tracks.... ...tidying up a corner with the bush and bogs and the 91 series TD9 Mike

“The Cat” “Smokey” “Little Smokey” “The 9” ”The M” ”Muskie” “Killer” ”Babe the Blue Ox” Except for the 966 and the M every thing else was bought new by my family. I don’t really play favorites cuz I don’t want them to fight but overall I would say the old M is my favorite. That loader has lifted a million things for me since we bought it in 1972 and has never needed anything except a few batteries over the years.

Because we love pictures:

Our late DAD'S 1971 1066

My favorite machine overall is my 666 diesel, known as "Lucy". My favorite tractor that sees active farm use is my 1206. Referred to as "The 12" . I love this idea for a thread!

Been in the family since new. 1978, 1086, 20.8’s and 4275hrs

While I love all my IH tractors on the farm, this one is my favorite. Her name is Bobbi Ann and she has been with us for 27 years. And yes all of our tractors have names, and they are all girls. How about y'all? Which one on your farm is your favorite IH?

Its ft/lbs 'til death for me give me a 70 Chevelle with a 454 cubic inch internal combustion engine with 500 ft/lbs of torque I am am happy .whatever 454 is in litres does not matter to me

Because they are confused with pound sand which they would probably hear if they were near me.

But my stupid phone will fill in the blanks and make it total gibberish anyway.

No name. Just a handy barnyard tractor and hay tractor. Only tractor we ever had a name for was a 656 hydro utility diesel back in the day. We called it Fred. Grandpa and my uncle called it Fred too. Everyone knew who Fred was. Lol! It was never called the 656

Buy a new one.🤣

I think she hooked up with old man winter 🤔

Here’s my favorite 460, runs like a scalded dog! Apparently it would be right at home South of the equator.

I’ll have to say that my favorite is the Hydro 86, as it’s my first purchase. Bought it Dec. of ‘99.

“Old Yucky” as my son proclaimed when he was 4. Guess he preferred riding in the Magnums. Old yucky has been handed now to him as he’s 26 and both of his deceased grandfathers drove it for me.

I don't know if I can really choose between our 1456 and 1086. I like them both but usually choose the 1086 1st. Maybe that will change with some improvements made to the 1456.

Even though I’m retired now and this tractor is now a trailer queen, not the same tractor but the one we farmed with in the early 70s was and will always be the best tractor ever owned. I ran the snot out of it back in the day and loved every minute of it.

No favorites here. They all just get slightly different love and respect for the things they do slightly better than the others. Even if it’s just as simple as one has bigger tires or is set narrower than the other. Deeper snow or mud, you take the 14 on 20.8’ over the one on 18.4’s, etc. No names either, other than the “New 10” (newest to us….better than ten years ago….with 1500 hr) (making it the “newest” tractor hour wise actually) Practically new…76 style. Oh and we do have “The Maxwell”, third one of the same name, as Maxxum was read off the hood by a guy that worked for us for a long time that had a slight bit of difficulty with reading comprehension.

Oh, good grief! I will NEVER stop correcting people on that! Piss be upon c@$e!

January 27, 2023 Journal Entry by Emily Leinenbach — 43 minutes ago The IVIG seems to be causing Zach to be more tired today. We have had this with other rounds too. He did 3 1/2 hours of weaning today. We are thankful to at least be in the process . We continue to pray hard for tangible progress. We are thankful for signs of being in the upswing- a place we can work and not only wait. We pray that this continues and improves. We are continually thankfully to our family, friends, community. We are thankful for our kids’ resilience. We are thankful for the opportunities and reassurance of faith. We pray for independent breathing. We pray for return of typical conversation. We pray for full body nerve healing and functional muscle movement. We pray for an expedited recovery and we pray for Zach to be home… and back to ‘Zach’. We pray for physical and mental strength. And we pray for safe travel. thank you.

Out of the 4166, 1206, and Cub that are my favorite IH’s, the 1948 Cub is the only tractor I have at this point. I figure from casting dates it was built about February of ‘48. Some neat things make it a favorite, we know all its history of owners, one being my great grandpa from the mid to late eighties until 2001. I have the original BOS for the tractors and 1963 woods mower. I also have the original operators manual for the Cub. We’ve had it at our place since August 2014. I’ve fixed oil leaks and installed a new wiring harness for FFA projects since then. I’ve also been fortunate enough to be on the same grounds as the factory they were built in (now Louisville airport) and the location of the dealership where in was sold new.