[AT] Tractor upgrade

[Cecil Bearden]

Well after little thought and a lot of expense, I am selling my JX85 
Case IH.  It is going to a dealer in Chickasha OK, on consignment. 
After mowing 45 acres of prairie hay on a rough field, I am sick and 
tired of banging my knees on the gearshifts on each side of me.  My 
shoulder is nearly out of place from reaching under my butt to find the 
hydraulic lever, and I am sick of trying to reach the 3pt lever without 
hitting the hyd levers..  I bent a pto shaft on the little baler because 
I hit the 3pt lever when shifting the range shifter...  The lit arms 
dropped and caught the pto shaft when I turned..

I bought another Belarus, an 8345 with a Koyker loader cab, and air.  It 
got here just in time for the wet weather we have been having.  The cab 
is roomy enough that another person can ride in it.  This is good for 
training my hired hand..   I miss the shuttle gearshift, but the 4wd 
front ends on both of my Belarus's is great for these soft wet hay 
fields.  I have heard so many stories about Belarus being the scum of 
the tractors, I wish I had driven one about 20 years ago, I would have 
bought a new tractor for the first time in my life.

I found a 96 Belarus 825 with a MEMO german front loader 85hp 4wd  after 
I bought my JX85.  I got the Belarus for less than the cost of the front 
end loader for the JX85.  Then I found a 2000 Belarus 8345  85hp with a 
Koyker loader for $12,000  By the time I get skid steer attachments for 
both loaders, I will have $19K in 2 tractors with 4wd, and I had $25K in 
the JX85...

These may not be antique, but my antique tractors are just too antique 
in the 30mph misting rain around here or trying to cut or bale hay in 
30mph wind...  Not to mention loading round bales with rat nests in 
between each bale and then the wind blows all the crap (literally) in 
your face when you pick up the bale.  The cab has already saved me from 
respiratory infections with my asthma....

I just need to find a good small baler and a new holland stackliner..

Cecil in OKla