86 series introduction. 50 years ago today.

[Farming Enthusiast]

Ok, I'll put a picture of our 1086 along with the 806 on here filling with fertilizer a couple years ago. 

[Illini986]

Can't forget the watch that the dealers got when they attended the introduction in Chicago. 

 

[Drysleeves]

8 hours ago, Illini986 said:

Can't forget the watch that the dealers got when they attended the introduction in Chicago. 

 

There was a sneak preview of the Axial-Flow combine at McCormick Place that year. During Orion Samuelson's video tour of the cab, an Axial Flow combine is seen lurking in the background. Farmington Implement DVD #14 I believe.

[oldtech]

On 9/13/2026 at 6:36 PM, 766 Man said:

  Our local AC dealer relied on Gleaner heavily to make a profit but that was not true in many areas in NY.  Quite a few areas combine sales were very insignificant if any were sold at all.  190 XT and 200's did quite well here and the selling price was considerably less than a JD 4000 or IH 826.  The small dairies did not expose the greatest weakness which was holding up to many hours of heavy drawbar use.  They dug up enough ground to plant 15-20 acres of corn for silage but otherwise pulled a forage harvester and small square baler.  

PTO work was what they were good at but plowing in our heavy clay soils put them in the shop for rear end trouble.  If they hadnt come out with the newer series it would have ended them right there.  Finding a used  working 190 is a rare thing today.

[766 Man]

10 minutes ago, oldtech said:

PTO work was what they were good at but plowing in our heavy clay soils put them in the shop for rear end trouble.  If they hadnt come out with the newer series it would have ended them right there.  Finding a used  working 190 is a rare thing today.

  The AC's fit the hard scrabble farms and as the heavy drawbar work was minimal they held up reasonably but certainly were in the shop every once in a while.  Most of these farms could not afford to have a tractor in the shop all the time so the AC's did not readily pull apart.  Like I said they tilled enough soil to put corn in for silage and maybe picking plus maybe once every few years turned over sod to eventually reseed to alfalfa.  The 190XT could not go toe to toe with a JD 4020, IH 826, or Oliver 1850 but they had their place.