International Harvester 6588
Built: 1978–1981 · Series: 2+2-88 er-Serie
More machines from model year 1978
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International Harvester 2+2-88 Series (1981-1985) - articulated four-wheel-drive tractors with the cab over the rear axle: 3388 to 6788, six-cylinder engines of 7.1 to 7.6 litres, 97 to 127 kW, up to 8.4 t
The 2+2 line was International Harvester's own answer to competitors' large articulated four-wheel-drive tractors: instead of two equal axle halves with the cab at the pivot, the engine sat ahead of the joint and the cab above the driven rear axle, giving the driver the view of a conventional tractor. The 88-generation gathered here - 3388, 3588, 3788, 6388, 6588 and 6788 - was built between 1981 and 1985 at the IH plants in Racine and Louisville. The type logic follows IH's scheme: the first digit sets the power class, and the shared 88 suffix marks the generation also carried by the marque's conventional row-crop tractors of the period.
Read on 3 more paragraphs
The register lists 6 versions with 97.1 to 127.2 kW from six-cylinder engines of 7,139 to 7,639 cm³, torque up to 610 Nm at 2,400 to 2,500 rpm, kerb weights of 7,902 to 8,446 kg, a length of 5,766 to 5,799 mm, a width of 2,581 to 2,845 mm and a height of 2,913 to 2,941 mm; every model runs on diesel.
The 2+2 targeted large operations in the American Midwest that wanted the pulling power of a four-wheel-drive tractor with the manoeuvrability and visibility of a standard one - a niche between the articulated giants from Steiger and Versatile and classic row-crop tractors. When International Harvester merged with Case to form Case IH in 1985, the line was discontinued, and its unusual layout never got a direct successor.
On a used example, check the articulation area between the engine cradle and the rear axle along with the steering cylinders, the six-cylinder's injection pump and turbo ducting, the power-shift transmission, the implement hydraulics, and the tyres, which on such heavy tractors were often fitted as duals; parts now run through the Case IH network.
Sources: SpecCodex register, model data: International Harvester 2+2-88er-Serie
Technical data
Engine
| Fuel | dieselcorrect |
|---|---|
| Power | 152 hp (111.8 kW)correct |
| Rated speed | 2,400 rpmcorrect |
| Torque | 610 Nmcorrect |
| Speed at max. torque | 1,800 rpmcorrect |
| Cylinders | 6correct |
| Displacement | 7,639 cm³correct |
| Bore | 109.22 mmcorrect |
| Stroke | 135.89 mmcorrect |
| Compression ratio | 16.3correct |
| Cooling | water-cooledcorrect |
Dimensions and weights
| Length | 5,799 mmcorrect |
|---|---|
| Width | 2,581 mmcorrect |
| Height | 2,941 mmcorrect |
| Wheelbase | 2,794 mmcorrect |
| Ground clearance | 721 mmcorrect |
| Unladen weight | 7,992 kgcorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Drive | four-wheel drivecorrect |
|---|---|
| Gearbox | 16 V/8 Rcorrect |
| Front tyres | 18.4 R 38correct |
| Rear tyres | 18.4 R 38correct |
| Top speed | 30 km/hcorrect |
Origin and approval
| Units built | 642correct |
|---|
Where this model stands
Power-to-weight ratio: 14 kW/t (112 kW / 8 t)
Power class: Large (100–180 hp)
Stronger than 84% of the tractors in the register — out of 15,663 models with a stated power figure.
Calculated from the documented figures above — not a rating.
Frequently asked questions
How much power does the International Harvester 6588 have?
The International Harvester 6588 delivers 152 hp.
How much does the International Harvester 6588 weigh?
The unladen weight is 7,992 kg.
What engine does the International Harvester 6588 have?
6 cylinders, 7,639 cm³ displacement, Diesel.
How fast does the International Harvester 6588 go?
Top speed is 30 km/h.
What are the dimensions of the International Harvester 6588?
5,799 mm × 2,581 mm × 2,941 mm.
When was the International Harvester 6588 built?
Production years: 1978–1981.
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.
- Check the weights in the papers against the figures here — attachments change them.
- Check front and rear tyre sizes: mismatched pairs strain the drivetrain.
- Shift the gearbox cold and warm — jumps only show up at temperature.
- 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.
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This page carries 24 individual figures for this model. They come from 2 recorded sources; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
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Other models in this series
Sources: Wikibooks Traktorenlexikon (CC BY-SA 4.0) (retrieved August 2026) · Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) (retrieved August 2026) · Values adopted and presented in our own form; changes from the source are possible. · How we check the data
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