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05 February 2014

Bruce Lett on 05 Feb 2014

MF 390 the most popular used tractor – buyer advice

Last year the Massey Ferguson 390/390T was in pole position as the most popular second-hand tractor registered in Ireland and here we give advice to farmers looking to get their own MF 390.

Bruce Lett

5 February 2014

MF 390 the most popular used tractor – buyer advice

Ned Murphy of Ned Murphy Tractors Ltd is shown here with a 1993 two-wheel-drive MF 390. This particular model has a HiLine cab and 5,716 hours on the clock. Ned expects it to fetch €13,000 (no VAT).

here may be versions of the series out there with this ‘continental’ type hitch. While it was more visible for picking up a trailer than the earlier version it was not regarded as safe as it with its flat bar guard plates. Many were converted at the dealerships before being sold, back to the earlier type with the pick-up hook fitting snug under the PTO.

Early axles did not have the provision to grease the king-pin bearings and water had a tendency to gather in the bottom king pin bearing cap causing the bearing to fail. The caps could be drilled and fitted with grease nipples to get over this problem. To only way to satisfactorily check is jack each front wheel off the ground and check for rocking action top-to-bottom. Side-to-side rock is a sign of steering linkage wear.

his is the later MF 390 hitch. Note that this tractor has two assister rams on the lift plus a third double-acting spool valve. Tractors were available with none, single or double assister rams plus extra spool options. Check chains and adjustable stabiliser chains lock the arms in position with an implement mounted. The adjustable stabiliser chains need to be free to turn and not seized up if considering buying.

12/12 controls show the four speeds on the gearstick plus the range selection on the same stick. Behind it is the hydraulic control panel; two double acting spool valves was generally the norm plus the smaller lever closer to the seat combined the output of both hydraulic pumps. On top of the right hand side fender console on this tractor are the switches for four-wheel drive and diff-lock.

The MF 390’s have a plastic fuel tank mounted in front of the radiator and it is not unusual for there to be water in the fuel tank. Water contamination will be evident in the glass bottom of the fuel filter assembly. Typical filter prices: Engine oil filter - €7.50 plus VAT Fuel Filter - €6.50 plus VAT Air Filter - €23 plus VAT Hydraulic Filter - €41.50 plus VAT All of these above parts are subject to Massey Ferguson 10+ Parts programme pricing so you may be able to get a better

This is a late version, 1996 MF 390T four wheel drive with HiLine cab an 6,846 hours on the cab which Ned expects to fetch €15,000 (no VAT).

Early versions featured a black cab frame but it’s later silver cab framed models that most will likely be looking for purely because they are younger. This 1989 MF 390 with MF80 loader and LoLine cab is showing 4,905 hours on the clock. Price tag with loader is €11,750 plus VAT.

Early versions still had the gear sticks in the middle of the floor similar to the MF 290 it replaced plus controls such as spool valve levers were laid out similarly. Operation of four wheel drive was via a lever and differential lock was through a pedal. The majority of silver cab versions sold had electrohydraulic operation of both four-wheel-drive and differential lock. The brown cladding inside this cab is not original; the cab was refurbished at some stage in its life.

All PTO’s on MF 390’s featured a lever for operating the oil immersed independent PTO. Later versions featured a second lever beside it for changing between 540rpm and 1,000rpm PTO speeds. Early models required the PTO stub shaft to be changed in order to change PTO speed. A simple clip retained the PTO stub in place. As with all Independent PTO’s, check that it starts and stops fully, if possible, under load (definitely not with a hand or foot though!)

This shows the dash and controls of the black cab’d early MF 390. The clutch on these versions was a 12-inch unit with twelve coil springs behind the pressure plate. Operation was via a rod from the clutch cable and pedal operation could be very heavy particularly if the bushings on the cross shaft became dry. Later silver cab models featured a diaphragm spring-type clutch which was much easier to operate. A cable was used from the pedal to clutch on these versions.

Massey Ferguson offered a couple of cab height options. The more desirable but obviously higher version is the firms HiLine cab. This allowed the MF 390 to have a flat cab floor with no transmission tunnel intruding into the cab. This made it far easier for the operator to enter and exit without having to swing the leg over the transmission tunnel.

Low profile cab variants featured a lower overall cab height, ideal for access into low or older sheds but did have a transmission ‘hump’ on the cab floor. Note the large forward/reverse shuttle lever to the left of the steering wheel for the clutched 12/12 forward/reverse shuttle.

Four-wheel-drive variants of the MF 390 featured a side drive shaft rather than centre drive of more modern tractors. This design generally didn’t offer as tight a turning circle as centre drive models. Later axles like this one have a modern centre steering ram with tie rod and track rod end at each side. Check all ends for wear before purchasing, plus the propshaft’s universal joints (Hardi-Spicer’s).

The steering on early four-wheel-drive models is more complicated and uses a ram and drag link to provide steering. With more components to wear there is the potential to cost more to repair if all are worn, making it less popular that later versions. Check all for wear if looking at buying.

Last year, the Massey Ferguson 390/390T was the most popular second-hand tractor registered in Ireland. Even taking into account the changes in road tax legislation late last year which saw many off-radar tractors being registered for the first time, a total of 116 MF 390/390T tractors is quite a figure. This tractor is representative of the MF 300 series’ longevity and popularity among farmers. So, this week we take a look at this icon whose heritage can be traced back to the popular MF 188, or even 165.

This tractor is representative of the MF 300 series’ longevity and popularity among farmers. So, this week we take a look at this icon whose heritage can be traced back to the popular MF 188, or even 165.

We speak to MF experts Ned Murphy and Tom Murphy (no relation), who shed some light on the differences across the production run of the series. They give us some hints on what to look out for when buying a second-hand MF 390/390T.

Ned has 38 years’ experience with the MF brand, 25 of these with J. Donohoe Ltd of Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. Tom has 35 years, MF experience, having served 15 of these with Flynn’s of Tullow, Co Carlow, before establishing his own MF-based business. The 80hp MF 390 and more powerful turbocharged 93hp MF 390T were the most popular models of the 300 series in Ireland. To add to the interesting history, one of Moffett’s MFT-Multi Function tractors with rear-mounted industrial-type loader, was based on a Massey Ferguson 390T skid unit.

These tractors were produced roughly from 1986 to 1997, which is a pretty decent production run. Through the years there have been many changes as the series evolved, giving used tractor buyers many variants to choose from.

A benchmark model of the series was the MF 390T introduced around 1991/1992. At this time, Massey Ferguson also introduced its 12/12 shuttle transmission with the shuttle lever located under the left hand side of the steering wheel.

This represented a change in thinking for loader tractor design. It allowed the driver to use one hand on the loader joystick, and the other hand to steer the tractor.

Across the lifespan of the MF 300 series tractors, there were a variety of transmission options, including the early 12x4 version with three floor-mounted gear sticks in the middle. Shuttle versions included an 8x8 shuttle with two gear sticks in the middle on the floor and with the shuttle lever under the steering wheel. Then there was the popular 12x12 shuttle with single gear stick to the right incorporating four speeds and the three ranges, plus the shuttle lever under the steering wheel.

Range changes on the 12x12 shuttle version were made with the same gearstick by taking it out of gear and pushing the stick to the right. High, medium or low could be selected sequentially (like a motorbike) by pushing the gear stick forwards or backwards before returning to the desired gear. An 18x6 Speed-shift (Multi-Power) version was also introduced. It featured all the gears on the right-hand mounted stick, plus a button for changing the power-shift speeds.

The MF 390T was introduced as a lighter duty version of the MF 398 which was geared towards heavier tillage-type work. With its 12/12 shuttle transmission, it proved to be very popular. The facility to combine the oil flow of the main and auxiliary hydraulic pumps giving a hydraulic output of almost 65 litres per minute made it doubly popular as a loader tractor.

Both Tom and Ned would agree that it was almost the perfect tractor for loader and general farm work. Even two wheel drive versions featured a heavy front axle.

There were issues to begin with, the most notable being the famous spring in the transmission, costing approximately €5 to buy but taking a number of days in the garage to replace. That aside, the other main issue for the 390 and 390T is that some could be difficult to start. If considering a second-hand one, make sure to start it from cold and that it’s not a warm start when you go to look at it.

There can be a number of reasons why some are difficult to start. Regardless of reasons, it’s best to not go looking for one with problems. The availability of high-speed geared starters has had some impact, but, again, if difficult to start from cold, walk away from it.

From a cosmetic perspective, the 300 series appears to have been very well built. Despite our dampish climate, the cab and bodywork is generally well-suited for a long life here.

Ned had five examples of 390 and 390Ts in two- and four-wheel drive from different stages throughout production. From even looking at these five tractors it is clear that the series was evolving on a rolling basis with numerous differences throughout from cab colour to hitch type and dash design. For more Massey Ferguson 390 and 390Ts see the Irish Farmers Journal’s Toplink.ie website.