Ford Versatile 276 Bi-Directional
Built: 1988-1990 · Series: Versatile
Successor: Versatile 9030 Bi-Directional →
More machines from model year 1988
Not the right version? The data comes from vehicle registers holding many near-identical versions side by side. Photograph the data plate — we read make and type from it. Open the scanner e-mail address required
Ford Versatile (1987–1999) – the articulated tractors from Winnipeg in Ford blue: 846 to 9880 as big tractors, 276 and 9030 Bi-Directional with reversible seat and front mounting, 1156 with 470 hp at the top
Versatile of Winnipeg, Manitoba, had built articulated tractors for the Canadian prairie since 1966 and was the first maker to produce the layout in volume; in 1987 Ford New Holland took the company over, and until the merger with Case in 1999 the machines ran in Ford blue as Ford Versatile, after which New Holland had to sell the plant to Buhler, which carries the Versatile name to this day. The type logic: the four-digit types 9280 to 9880 are the big tractors of the 1990s, whose middle digits indicate the hp class – 9280 about 250 hp, 9480 about 350, 9880 about 425 hp – the 1156 from the pre-Ford era with 470 hp and the Cummins KTA-1150 the top; the models 276 and 9030 Bi-Directional are Versatile's speciality: tractors with reversible seat and hydrostatic drive that travel in both directions at the same speed and carry implements front and rear – the 9030 also as an industrial version. The engines are Cummins six-cylinders (NTA-855, LT10, KTA-1150) in the big models and Ford four-cylinders in the Bi-Directionals.
Read on 3 more paragraphs
The register lists 8 versions with 75 to 350 kW from four- and six-cylinders at 2,100 rpm.
The Bi-Directional is the machine of the prairie livestock farms – front loader ahead, bale wagon behind, without conversion – and lives on at New Holland as the TV range; the 9x80s were the forerunners of the New Holland 9x82 and TJ.
On used tractors, operating hours, engine condition (Cummins parts are available worldwide), articulation joint and steering cylinders, on the Bi-Directional the hydrostat and the reversible-seat mechanism, tyres and hydraulics count; parts run through Buhler Versatile and New Holland.
Sources: SpecCodex register, model data: Ford Versatile, Versatile (Buhler Industries, Winnipeg)
Technical data
Engine
| Engine make | Cummins; Fordcorrect |
|---|---|
| Fuel | dieselcorrect |
| Power | 100 hp (75 kW)correct |
| Cylinders | 4correct |
| Displacement | 239.3 cicorrect |
| Cooling | water-cooledcorrect |
Dimensions and weights
| Wheelbase | 86 in (2184.4 mm)correct |
|---|---|
| Unladen weight | 8, 700 to 11, 650 lbscorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Drive | four-wheel driveWDcorrect |
|---|
Working data
| Lifting capacity | 4, 400 lbs (rear); 3, 266 lbs (front)correct |
|---|---|
| Fuel tank capacity | 39 gal.correct |
Origin and approval
| Plant | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canadacorrect |
|---|
Other data
| Front linkage | Cat IIcorrect |
|---|---|
| Linkage category | Cat IIcorrect |
| PTO speed | 540/1000correct |
| Predecessor | Versatile 276 Bi-Directionalcorrect |
| Successor | Ford Versatile 9030 Bi-Directionalcorrect |
Frequently asked questions
How much power does the Ford Versatile 276 Bi-Directional have?
The Ford Versatile 276 Bi-Directional delivers 100 hp.
What engine does the Ford Versatile 276 Bi-Directional have?
4 cylinders, Diesel.
When was the Ford Versatile 276 Bi-Directional built?
Production years: 1988-1990.
What to check before buying
- Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
- Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
- Load the hydraulics and watch for sag.
- Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
We do not sell machines. We ask the dealers who carry this model and come back with price and lead time.
Request a quote →
We ask the suppliers and come back with price and lead time.
Request spare parts →
This page carries 20 individual figures for this model. They come from 1 recorded source; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
Missing a figure you were looking for? Report it →
Know this machine better? Have a photo, a manual, or know that a figure is wrong? Add it to the register →
Other models in this series
Versatile 1156
Versatile 9030 Bi-Directional
Versatile 9030 Bi-Directional Industrial
Versatile 9280
Versatile 9480
Versatile 9680
Versatile 9880
Sources: Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki (retrieved August 2026) · How we check the data
Tractor in 3D section
Turn the model, look inside and click an assembly — each one is explained.
