David Brown 885 or J.I. Case 540?
Which should you choose?
On performance, every comparable figure that differs favours the J.I. Case 540: hydraulic flow.
- The J.I. Case 540 suits loader and hydraulic implement work better on this data: 25% (7.0 L/min / 1.8 gpm) more hydraulic flow.
Generated by rule set compare@4 from the figures on the side-by-side table, allowed by route “the same stated configuration”. Measured figures are compared only with measured, claimed only with claimed, at the same test condition; differences within each figure’s tolerance are not called.
What decides it, question by question?
| Question | 885 | 540 | Call |
|---|---|---|---|
| Which puts more power through the PTO shaft? | 28.5 kW (38.2 hp)Traktorenlexikon, “David Brown 885” | 28.5 kW (38.3 hp)Traktorenlexikon, “Case 540” | EvenEven on power at the PTO shaft (both power at the PTO, claimed): the difference is under the 10% threshold for claimed figures, too small to call. |
| Which turns a litre of fuel into more work at the shaft? | — | — | No figureNo call on fuel efficiency at the shaft: no figure on record for the 885 and the 540. |
| Which pulls harder at the drawbar? | — | — | No figureNo call on drawbar power: no figure on record for the 885 and the 540. |
| Which pumps more oil for implements? | 28.2 L/min (7.4 gpm)Traktorenlexikon, “David Brown 885” | 35.2 L/min (9.3 gpm)Traktorenlexikon, “Case 540” | AheadThe J.I. Case 540 has 25% more hydraulic flow (7.0 L/min / 1.8 gpm) than the David Brown 885 (both pump flow, as stated by the source). |
| Which lifts more on the three-point hitch? | 1,565 kg (3,450 lb)Traktorenlexikon, “David Brown 885” | — | No figureNo call on three-point lift: no figure on record for the 540. |
| Which is heavier, for traction? | 2,125 kg (4,685 lb)Traktorenlexikon, “David Brown 885” | 1,814 kg (3,999 lb)Traktorenlexikon, “Case 540” | Ahead (a fact, not an advantage)The David Brown 885 is 17% heavier (311 kg / 686 lb) than the J.I. Case 540 (both unladen weight, as stated by the source). |
| Which may carry more ballast and load? | — | — | No figureNo call on maximum permissible mass: no figure on record for the 885 and the 540. |
| Which has the wider choice of gears? | 12Traktorenlexikon, “David Brown 885” | 4 to 12Traktorenlexikon, “Case 540” | EvenEven on forward gears (both forward gears, as stated by the source): the figures vary by configuration and the ranges overlap. |
| Which offers a creeper range? | — | — | No figureNo call on a creeper range: not stated for the 885 and the 540. |
| Which is faster on the road? | 26.4 km/h (16.4 mph)Traktorenlexikon, “David Brown 885” | 20 km/h (12.4 mph) to 35 km/h (21.7 mph)Traktorenlexikon, “Case 540” | EvenEven on top speed (both top speed forward, as stated by the source): the figures vary by configuration and the ranges overlap. |
| Which offers more PTO speeds? | 540 rpmTraktorenlexikon, “David Brown 885” | 540 rpmTraktorenlexikon, “Case 540” | EvenEven on PTO speeds: the same speeds (540 rpm). |
| Which PTO runs independently of the ground drive? | independentTraktorenlexikon, “David Brown 885” | — | No figureNo call on PTO independence: not stated for the 540. |
| Which drives on both axles? | 2WDTraktorenlexikon, “David Brown 885” | 2WDTraktorenlexikon, “Case 540” | EvenEven on drive: all two-wheel drive. |
| Which is newer, and what about parts? | 1971–1976 | 1960–1969 | Ahead (a fact, not an advantage)The David Brown 885 is newer: production began 11 years later. We hold no parts-availability data, so there is no call on parts. |
What does this mean in plain words?
- The J.I. Case 540 has 25% more hydraulic flow (7.0 L/min / 1.8 gpm) than the David Brown 885 (both pump flow, as stated by the source).
- The David Brown 885 is 17% heavier (311 kg / 686 lb) than the J.I. Case 540 (both unladen weight, as stated by the source).
- The David Brown 885 is newer: production began 11 years later. We hold no parts-availability data, so there is no call on parts.
- Even on power at the PTO shaft (both power at the PTO, claimed): the difference is under the 10% threshold for claimed figures, too small to call.
- Even on forward gears (both forward gears, as stated by the source): the figures vary by configuration and the ranges overlap.
- Even on top speed (both top speed forward, as stated by the source): the figures vary by configuration and the ranges overlap.
- Even on PTO speeds: the same speeds (540 rpm).
- Even on drive: all two-wheel drive.
- No figure on record for every machine, so no call on: fuel efficiency at the shaft, drawbar power, three-point lift, maximum permissible mass, a creeper range and PTO independence.
← Every figure for both machines, side by side, with sources