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International Harvester HYDRO-86

Built: 1976–1980 · Series: 86 er-Serie

More machines from model year 1976

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With the HYDRO-86, International Harvester offers a model from the 86er series. Production: 1976–1980. The engine delivers 72 hp (53 kW), has 6 cylinders, with a displacement of 5,113 cm³. Rated speed is 2,400 rpm. The machine is 4,115 mm long, 2,271 mm wide and 2,667 mm high. The unladen weight is 3,704 kg. The wheelbase measures 2,616 mm. Ground clearance is 533 mm. Top speed is 30 km/h. Transmission: continuously variable. The engine is water-cooled. Tyres: front 9.5 L-15, rear 18.4-34. The fuel is Diesel/Benzin. The bore measures 95.25 mm. The stroke is 111.51 mm. The compression ratio is 7.5:1. Construction: semi-frame construction. Around 1.850 units were built. The 86 er-Serie series covers 12 models. Rated output within it ranges from 67 to 262 hp; the HYDRO-86 sits at the bottom of that range with 72 hp. Its immediate neighbours are the 686 below it with 67 hp and the 786 above it with 81 hp. Unladen weight within it ranges from 3,704 to 13,699 kg; here the HYDRO-86 sits at the bottom of that range with 3,704 kg. 391 International Harvester models across 45 series are on record.

International Harvester 86 series (1976–1981) – 686 to 1586, Hydro 86 and 186, the articulated 4386 to 4786: the Control Center cab, DT-466, the 13-litre V8, 49 to 193 kW

The 86 series was International Harvester's tractor programme of the late 1970s – the successor to the 66s and the range with which IH introduced the Control Center cab in 1976: a sound-insulated cab mounted ahead of the rear axle with all-round view that reset the class standard. The type logic continues the 66s: 686 and 786 the mid-range, 886 to 1086 the 100 hp class, 1486 and 1586 the top models with the DT-436 and DT-466 six-cylinders, Hydro 86 and Hydro 186 the hydrostatic versions without gearbox. The 4386, 4586 and 4786 are the articulated four-wheel-drive tractors IH had built by Steiger in Fargo – the 4786 with a V8 diesel of 13,077 cm³ and about 350 hp the strongest IH of its time.

Read on 3 more paragraphs

The register lists 12 versions with 49.3 to 192.7 kW, 5,113 to 13,077 cm³ with six or eight cylinders, torque from 340 to 983 Nm, unladen weights from 3,704 to 13,699 kg, lengths from 4,115 to 6,121 mm, widths from 2,271 to 2,972 mm and heights from 2,667 to 3,404 mm; ten models run on diesel, two optionally on petrol.

With over 50,000 units the 1086 was IH's best-selling tractor of the range and with the DT-414 is regarded as one of the most durable; the 86s were the last big generation before the 50 series of 1981 and the crisis that led to Case IH in 1985.

On used tractors, engine and turbocharger, the Torque Amplifier transmission, hydraulics, the hydrostatic drive on Hydro models and the Control Center cab with its electrics count; parts are readily available in North America and through specialists in Europe.

Sources: SpecCodex register, model data: International Harvester 86er-Serie, International Harvester (Wikipedia)

Technical data

Engine

FuelDiesel/Benzincorrect
Power72 hp (53 kW)correct
Rated speed2,400 rpmcorrect
Cylinders6correct
Displacement5,113 cm³correct
Bore95.25 mmcorrect
Stroke111.51 mmcorrect
Compression ratio7.5correct
Coolingwater-cooledcorrect

Dimensions and weights

Length4,115 mmcorrect
Width2,271 mmcorrect
Height2,667 mmcorrect
Wheelbase2,616 mmcorrect
Ground clearance533 mmcorrect
Unladen weight3,704 kgcorrect

Drivetrain and chassis

Driverear-wheel drivecorrect
Gearboxcontinuously variablecorrect
Front tyres9.5 L-15correct
Rear tyres18.4-34correct
Top speed30 km/hcorrect

Origin and approval

Constructionsemi-frame constructioncorrect
Units built1,850correct

Where this model stands

Power-to-weight ratio: 14.3 kW/t (53 kW / 3.7 t)

Power class: Universal (40–100 hp)

Stronger than 50% 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 HYDRO-86 have?

The International Harvester HYDRO-86 delivers 72 hp.

How much does the International Harvester HYDRO-86 weigh?

The unladen weight is 3,704 kg.

What engine does the International Harvester HYDRO-86 have?

6 cylinders, 5,113 cm³ displacement, Diesel/Benzin.

How fast does the International Harvester HYDRO-86 go?

Top speed is 30 km/h.

What are the dimensions of the International Harvester HYDRO-86?

4,115 mm × 2,271 mm × 2,667 mm.

When was the International Harvester HYDRO-86 built?

Production years: 1976–1980.

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 23 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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Sources: Wikibooks Traktorenlexikon (CC BY-SA 4.0) (retrieved August 2026) · Wikipedia (retrieved August 2026) · How we check the data

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