Ford555 verus MF50HX

Rujib1

Thinking of looking at Ford555 4WD and MF50HX 4WD digger at the week end.
Both seem good sound condition from pictures emailed amd both have 4 in 1 bucket.
Both are 1988 machines and Ford would come in about €1,000 cheaper than the MF

So, my question is which would be the better buy from a reliability stroke operating point of view?
To be used on small holding, for general farm tidy up, some little bit of drainage, loader work as my tractor does not have a loader. etc, etc,.

Appreciate comments from experianced users!

Thanks.

Rujib1

Bitten & Hisses

I know nothing about the Ford, but the next door neighbour has a 1984 MF 50HX and it has given great service. It has done everything from putting up silage to loading stone to feeding cattle and given practically no trouble.

alleyb

Of the two I'd be more inclined to chose the m.f. there is far more of them out there, parts more available and the perkins engine is hard to beat, i use a 3cx jcb which like the m.f uses the perkins engine ,farmers tended to chose the mf due to older ones were more manoverable than older jcb but lads doing a lot of back end digging prefered the jcb. but try get some one experienced to view the machine cos a cheap badly worn out digger willl break ya. check transmission and also tired or worn hydraulic pump will only show after a few hours of hard labour.look for wear in back actor etc.

GERMAN ROCKS

my vote goes th the mf. make sure you get the newer type cab on them as the older one is a fukcer for rusting whereas theres no problem with the newr type cab.

Rujib1

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

my vote goes th the mf. make sure you get the newer type cab on them as the older one is a fukcer for rusting whereas theres no problem with the newr type cab.

How do you differentiate between 0ne and the other?

R

GERMAN ROCKS

http://www.farmandplant.ie/Car_Detail.aspx?ID=2446143 this is the old one

this is the new one then http://www.farmandplant.ie/Car_Detail.aspx?ID=776810

The Virginian

Did you buy yet? If not dont even dream of ford for your type of work go for the HX ideal for farm work

maidhc

Have a 1979 Ford 550 (materially identical to the 555) since 1992. It has been possibly the most incredibly reliable machine we have ever had.

It does all the farm chores. The back actor is a little worn and a bit unpleasant to use as a result, but otherwise it is good. The front axle is weak, and it eats thrust bearings. It is only a 2wd though. It also needed a replacment gearbox (it does not have a reverser). It has however clocked in the range of 8,000 hours while we have it it, and probably had as much done before we got it.

We bought it in the day for £4,000!

Parts are becoming difficult to source however.

The Virginian

Had a 550 & 655 myself im not saying there is anything wrong with them apart for the front axle which is a bad system anyway. but the HX is a lot more suited to farm work for a start you have better ground clearance better visibility from the cab and a lot livelier in the transmission have had experience with all 3 machines all doing farm work so i would rate the hx tops over the fords using a fermec 860 now also an excellent machine so far