Towing Versatile 4-wheel

Howard H. · Jun 11, 2016

I bought a pretty otherwise nice old 895 Versatile with a non-running engine at an auction this week. Trying to decide between towing it & having it hauled
home. Its about 45 miles away on good pavement with wide shoulders & little traffic.

I tried moving it off the sale site a bit with a JD 4840 and a pipe A-frame bolted to the Versatile's frame and was really surprised at how "stiff" it pulls from
side to side. In other words, it won't track behind easily.

I tried using some hydraulic lines from the 4840 back to the steering cylinders - and that works to force steering - but it is so "picky", even being off just
slightly going around turns, etc, it pulls very hard to one side or the other.

If a person towed it, would it "float" steering-wise and tow a lot easier if I just disconnected the steering cylinders? Any other tips I'm missing for towing
it? Or should I just find a truck?

Thanks for any advice,
HH

Steve@Advance · Jun 12, 2016

I would never be brave enough to try!

Any idea what it would take to get it running?

Bob · Jun 12, 2016

For many tractors I wouldn't say this, but at this point I'd simply drag it home. You have a big enough tractor to do it, and you aren't gonna kill the tranny, as long as it's full of oil and in neutral.

SLOWLY.

Pretend it's a "Bobcat"/skid steer. It's behavior will be just like one of those.

If you want to be nice to it and save some tire wear, remove either the front or rear driveshaft.

JD Seller · Jun 12, 2016

I would just hire it hauled. The tire wear on the JD 4840 and the danger of some thing going wrong make the cost of hauling it cheap.

dzc3 · Jun 12, 2016

You could tow it. But if anything goes wrong, and you damage property or injure someone, expect a lawsuit. Best to have it hauled. Trucking company has the insurance.

OH Boy · Jun 12, 2016

Have it hauled

NY 986 · Jun 12, 2016

Another vote to have it hauled. If anything goes wrong and somebody gets hurt or worse or there is damage expect a lawsuit. At that point you will be wishing you never saw that Versatile.

T in NE · Jun 12, 2016

Yes, it should track straight using an a-frame and the steering cylinders unpinned at one end. As long as the hinge isn't half froze up. How long is your tow bar? You may need it to be a little on the long side.

It would be like pulling 2, 2-wheeled carts hooked together.

Towing it backward may work better. You can hook the tow bar lower on the versatile frame at the rear, getting it closer to level will decrease how much it lifts up on the back of the tractor pulling it.

Goose · Jun 12, 2016

Towing it looks like a disaster waiting to happen. Having it hauled would be cheap compared to all of the possible things that could, and probably would, go wrong trying to tow it.

Ted in NE · Jun 12, 2016

HAUL IT
Had a 4 wheel Oliver with the engine out. Was in the field a short ways from the house. The owner put a tow bar on the 3pt. We unhooked the steering cyl. hoses. It followed behind the tow tractor great to the farm yard. Had about 25 miles to the shop. He put his farm truck on it and away he went. I was following in the service pick up. Went great at about 10 mph. I noticed he started going faster, he came to a slight down hill grade. It started to whip &shook the truck back and forth like a dog wagging its tail. You can't imagine how something that big can bounce. When he got stopped it was up on two wheels ready to tip over. I was already wondering how we were going to set it up. That was an experience of a life time. Only thing broken was 1 3pt arm torn off & a new pair of pants.

ss55 · Jun 12, 2016

What would hauling it cost?
45 miles X $4/loaded mile = $180 ?

Towing Versatile 4-wheel

Howard H.

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Steve@Advance

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Bob

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JD Seller

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dzc3

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OH Boy

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NY 986

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T in NE

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Goose

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Ted in NE

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ss55

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