Stormin 4,458 #1 Posted February 3, 2023 Been working on a 1975 David Brown 885 tractor today. My mates latest acquisition. It's been a little neglected by the PO and left standing outside for some time. It's what is called an orchard/vineyard tractor. Quite narrow. About 4ft wide. Paint is a bit worst for wear but nothing drastic. Only really rotten part is the seat base at the back. Starts and runs well with no smoke except for the normal diesel exhaust fumes. We drained off the hydraulic oil, or should I say milky liquid. The filter was rather past it's sell by date and the bottom of it's cover and the fine mesh screen inside had quite a not of gunge. All cleaned up now. Got in touch with a father and daughter tractor spares outfit I know and new filter will be available Monday. Helen, the daughter, said her father is starting to sort out his old stock of DB parts, so to make a list of what is needed and let them know. Maybe a decent seat base available. The air filter was next. The oil bath type. Again the cannister had a good layer of crud in the bottom. The oil was rather mucky as well. Seemed over filled as well. The wire filter was washed in petrol as was the cannister and all put back together with fresh oil. I'll try and remember to take my camera next week and get a photo or two. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wristpin 400 #2 Posted February 6, 2023 Quite often those narrow tractors were built by by a main dealer in a part of the world where a certain crop was grown . Here in Kent they were hop-garden or orchard tractors and both the main Ford and Ferguson Dealers had their own versions. Don’t know whether the DB was a factory job or a dealer special. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wingetchap 1 #3 Posted February 13, 2023 On 2/6/2023 at 12:07 AM, Wristpin said: Quite often those narrow tractors were built by by a main dealer in a part of the world where a certain crop was grown . Here in Kent they were hop-garden or orchard tractors and both the main Ford and Ferguson Dealers had their own versions. Don’t know whether the DB was a factory job or a dealer special. 885 880 850 780 were all made at factory cropmaster orchards were made outside but vineyard to start from factory.25 orchards were made at drake and Fletcher be nice to find one another of those.vak1 the same hope this helps Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
