IH 856 turns 50 this year

[Dirty Steve]

Very cool, Jon!!! My dad bought a left over 856 with a 4 bottom plow in 71. Same price as the new 966. Still have it in original skin. Came 3 pt. I think it may have had a cab but dad did not want and they took off. Man he loves that tractor. Still has the big white Husky AM radio on the fender. He too had the three rib umbrellas. Glad to see yours is still with your family.

[J-Mech]

Originally Posted by john hall

Well the tractor is nice, but that cultivator, well that's a bit much for the hills around here! Does it fold up for transport? Don't take long to cover an acre with that rig! I'd be scared to run it, we had a 4 row and you NEVER looked back--one small wiggle of the steering wheel and no more corn.

Oh, John..... you have no idea then, lol!
In 1996 (or so) granddad decided to switch the farm to organic. He just didn't like chemical I guess. So, we went OLD SCHOOL farming. We plowed, rotary hoe'd beginning 3 days after planting, and hoe'd every 3-4 days until the crop was too big, then switched to cultivating. We had IH cultivators set up different ways, and a Lilliston rolling cultivator. When we did the first cultivation, we ran cut away disks next to the row instead of shovels, and we set them 6"-7" apart!! You only had 3" give or take of leeway or you would get the row. With a cut away disk, it was GONE too. Shovels would lay over a crop to the side and were more forgiving than a disk. We did not have a guidance system, so you got real good really quick. The first go round was usually at about 1.5-2 mph and that was it. Go cultivate 6 rows at a time and do 200 acres that way! Talk about long and dull days! That is why we got the Lilliston. With the rolling cultivator, you could do the crop when it was small, and move much faster because it didn't throw any dirt to the row. On the second and sometimes 3rd time over, the shovel spacing was wider, and you threw the dirt into the row to cover up the weeds growing in the row. By then the crop started to canopy, and it stayed clean. But as with all farming, weather was the enemy. A wet start to the year and you couldn't cultivate.... that was the end. If the weeds ever got taller than the crop there was nothing you could do. We did all kinds of weird things for weed control that you have never heard of. It was interesting to say the least. Gave me a lot of experience, and made me appreciate technology. I still don't care for all the chemical used in farming, or GMO crops.... I think we should use a mix of both. It's amazing how good a new seed will do with limited chemical, and cultivation. In the tests my cousins did using new seed technology and limited chemical, and cultivating the crop.... yielded a 10-15bu/acre gain!

Yes, the 12 row on the tractor folds up for transport. In the "old days" (lol) we ran 8 row wide. An 8 row wide cultivator was nearly 30' just like a 12 row narrow. But our toolbar didn't fold. You pulled it from the end and it had transport wheels, to pull it long ways for moving. But a 28' rigid toolbar was interesting to say the least in hills.

[J-Mech]

Originally Posted by bllwnkl

Neat story and neat tractor!

Originally Posted by DieselDoctor

Congratulations Johnathan! A 50 year family owned and very well maintained piece of American pride. You have every right to be proud of your family heirloom. This fine story just proves that with proper maintenance and loving care, well built American machinery can last a lifetime (or more!)

Originally Posted by Dirty Steve

Very cool, Jon!!! My dad bought a left over 856 with a 4 bottom plow in 71. Same price as the new 966. Still have it in original skin. Came 3 pt. I think it may have had a cab but dad did not want and they took off. Man he loves that tractor. Still has the big white Husky AM radio on the fender. He too had the three rib umbrellas. Glad to see yours is still with your family.

Thanks guys!

Steve and Stan,
We pulled a 6-14 IH 560 semi-mounted plow and a 21' tillage disk with that 856. During the day, you watched the coal black smoke billow from the stack, and at night you saw the 6" orange flame come out of it while under load. The '56 series IH tractors are my favorite. I love the 407 motor. It was the best of the IH motors. The DT400 series replaced it, but the 407 was a beast for it's size. Long stroke, high torque motor. (Stan can appreciate that!) Stan the old 407's were like the old Mack motors. Just all around full of guts, and didn't need high RPM's to do it. 2450 RPM was wide open on a 407 from the factory. Sitting on that tractor is probably part of the reason my hearing is so bad, lol. I laugh now.... but it isn't as funny anymore. I'll need hearing aids soon. Probably do now.

Steve that tractor never had a radio, but it did when it had a cab. By the time the cab came off, I used an old Sony walkman and listened to the radio while cultivating! Duct taped it to the umbrella bar so it would pick up my favorite country station. (Back when it was still "country" music, lol. I haven't listened to country since high school. )

What a nostalgic day between looking at the old "8" cultivating and reading Tim's Honda thread.

[SS5150]

Originally Posted by J-Mech

Thanks guys!

Steve and Stan,
We pulled a 6-14 IH 560 semi-mounted plow and a 21' tillage disk with that 856. During the day, you watched the coal black smoke billow from the stack, and at night you saw the 6" orange flame come out of it while under load. The '56 series IH tractors are my favorite. I love the 407 motor. It was the best of the IH motors. The DT400 series replaced it, but the 407 was a beast for it's size. Long stroke, high torque motor. (Stan can appreciate that!) Stan the old 407's were like the old Mack motors. Just all around full of guts, and didn't need high RPM's to do it. 2450 RPM was wide open on a 407 from the factory. Sitting on that tractor is probably part of the reason my hearing is so bad, lol. I laugh now.... but it isn't as funny anymore. I'll need hearing aids soon. Probably do now.

Steve that tractor never had a radio, but it did when it had a cab. By the time the cab came off, I used an old Sony walkman and listened to the radio while cultivating! Duct taped it to the umbrella bar so it would pick up my favorite country station. (Back when it was still "country" music, lol. I haven't listened to country since high school. )

What a nostalgic day between looking at the old "8" cultivating and reading Tim's Honda thread.

407s were great but the 361s lasted a loooooong time. Uncles had 3- 806s/1-1206/1-1256. I liked the 1256 the best, but 2 of the 3 8-0s are still working and the 1206 could be made to work again without much effort. 1256 went for parts years ago. Extra torque is nice though....and 407s sound better too

[DeltaCub]

The 407's were/are good engines and were used throughout the run of 56 and 06 series. However, IIRC, some early castings had issues didn't they?

[J-Mech]

Originally Posted by SS5150

407s were great but the 361s lasted a loooooong time. Uncles had 3- 806s/1-1206/1-1256. I liked the 1256 the best, but 2 of the 3 8-0s are still working and the 1206 could be made to work again without much effort. 1256 went for parts years ago. Extra torque is nice though....and 407s sound better too

Hey Brian!
The 361'S were a fantastic engine as well. But if you have ever had one apart, the 407 was very similarly made, but heavier. Larger wrist pins and crank journals, piston cooling jets bigger valves.... but in construction very similar. I don't know that the 361's lasted any longer... Both engines are dry sleeved, and difficult to overhaul correctly. There are key things you have to do, or they would fail out the gate. Lots of them locked up on dyno's during break in because they weren't properly overhauled. Some IH dealers refuse(d) to rebuild them. No one knows how, lol. I had an old school IH tech I've known all my life teach me how. Guy is a legend. He designed a lot of engine techniques for turning IH motors into pulling tractor engines. He was one of the first guys to get an M up to 100hp, and one of the first to take a DT466 to OVER 600 cubes!! I called him the other day. I need to go see him. Said he had a bunch of Cub stuff for me, lol.

[J-Mech]

Originally Posted by DeltaCub

The 407's were/are good engines and were used throughout the run of 56 and 06 series. However, IIRC, some early castings had issues didn't they?

The 06 series were all made with the 361, and the 56 series utilized the 407. The 407 was the last of the IH "tractor" engines. When they went to the 400 series, (366, 414, 436, 466 engines) they "borrowed" that motor from the truck division. Wet sleeve was the new thing, and the 400 series was already in production and IH needed a larger engine when they designed the 66 series, so they made the switch. They kept the 400 series for the rest of the tractors (and combines) made until the end.

Yes, there were at least 2 different castings of the 407 that I know of. The early blocks had issues, and they had to make a cast change. I've not ever worked on any of the early cast motors, but I've "read up" about them.

EDIT:
Now that I think about it, that 856 may have an early block. It is a second year tractor, with a 5 digit SN#. I don't know when the cast changed.

[Cub Cadet 123]

That is super sweet!! Kind of surprised that you did not take that nice ride to the prom. It is a true testament to the old adage, "If you take care of your equipment, then it will take care of you." Happy 50th and here is to the next 50 when your great grandchildren are celebrating another milestone !

You did well to take care of such a fine tractor buddy.....

Cub Cadet 123

[zippy1]

Very cool Jon. I STILL LOVE the 856's...
You know my story with what was our 856. Sad to have sold it a couple years ago, but it wasn't going to be of any use to me.
The guy I sold it to, told me it's in line for a complete restoration. I'll have to check into that the next time I'm over that way.
All the seat time I "had" on that tractor, with a ROPS, it never bothered me. It was a factory installed unit. 1969.
I was just going to put up some pictures, but there on the other puter. Tomorrow I'll get some up.

[J-Mech]

Originally Posted by Cub Cadet 123

That is super sweet!! Kind of surprised that you did not take that nice ride to the prom. It is a true testament to the old adage, "If you take care of your equipment, then it will take care of you." Happy 50th and here is to the next 50 when your great grandchildren are celebrating another milestone !

You did well to take care of such a fine tractor buddy.....

Cub Cadet 123

Thanks Maxwell!
I didn't take it to the prom..... but I did drive it to school one year for FFA "Tractor Day", lol. I tried to find a pic in my high school year books, but there wasn't one. I do have a pic somewhere of it though....

Originally Posted by zippy1

Very cool Jon. I STILL LOVE the 856's...
You know my story with what was our 856. Sad to have sold it a couple years ago, but it wasn't going to be of any use to me.
The guy I sold it to, told me it's in line for a complete restoration. I'll have to check into that the next time I'm over that way.
All the seat time I "had" on that tractor, with a ROPS, it never bothered me. It was a factory installed unit. 1969.
I was just going to put up some pictures, but there on the other puter. Tomorrow I'll get some up.

I hope he does restore it Todd. Get some pics if he does! I know you didn't want to sell it, but just like when granddad sold this one, I wanted it.... but what do I need a 100HP tractor for? It went cheap, and I was very happy when my cousin bought it. I told him if ever he wants to sell it, I want first choice.

I think I still have the pics in my email you sent me of yours. Holler if you can't find them. I knew yours had a ROPS on it, but didn't know if it was added later. Yours is the only 856 I've ever seen with one. They were pretty common on the 66 series, but not on the 56's.


On one more note, my cousins have a 1456 they bought used that is in better shape (less hours) than this 856. I'll have to grab a pic of it sometime. They have several tractors their family bought new, including a Farmall C, 300 utility, 826 gear drive, 784, 3588 2+2 and two Duetz tractors! And that's just the ones they have that they bought new and kept. They have at least 10 more tractors that I can think of off the top of my head, and they traded some of the ones they bought because of either money, or because they hated them, lol. One of the ones they didn't like was a 7 or an 806 gas. Said they never did like that tractor. Traded it for a diesel, lol.