Ford 9N - Retrieve it or Leave it?

[ROUSTABOUT]

Yes it is, my title is not correct since knowing the serial number and retrieving the tractor. Got this one for free as well.

Runs well after a carb rebuild and oil change. Next I need to clean the old tank and check the hydraulic fluid for water.
They are pretty simple and easy to work on.

Except the pump is in the bottom. So if there is water, it's in the bottom. Freeze and bust.

 

[LD48750]

Except the pump is in the bottom. So if there is water, it's in the bottom. Freeze and bust.

If it was going to freeze, it would have done it last winter.
I wouldn't worry about it now.
Maybe he should worry about snakes building nests in the air cleaner or contaminated air in the tires.

 

[dodge man]

I would certainly go get it, assuming he paid me $1000 to haul it to the junkyard for him. It has trees growing up threw it.

Edit, I see you got it and got it running, good for you. It looks a lot better without a 6” tree in the middle of it.

 

[wolc123]

Good luck with your 8n. One of those was the first tractor that I ever bought (from the original owner). He put 1200 hours on it, it’s first 36 years, and I put 800 on it the last 34 years. It has always been stored inside, and it still has the original paint and rubber, and most of the original parts.

One of the calcium filled rear rims rusted through last year, so I had to replace that, and I replaced the distributor the year prior. Had I oiled that every 10 hours (like it says in the manual) rather than every 100, I might have got more than 68 years out of it.

I like that old 8n better than my modern 4wd diesel tractor for some jobs, like planting corn with my two row planter. It’s lower to the ground, quieter, and I can get on or off from either side. It’s lighter weight makes it easier to attach and remove that and other implements.

I did spring for a new $27 seat cover for it this year, as well as some NGK plugs to replace the 10 year old Champion H-12’s that were in it. I think it is running smoother now than it ever did. I don’t imagine I will ever sell this old tractor because it is a joy to operate.

 

[PVourlitis]

Good luck with your 8n. One of those was the first tractor that I ever bought (from the original owner). He put 1200 hours on it, it’s first 36 years, and I put 800 on it the last 34 years. It has always been stored inside, and it still has the original paint and rubber, and most of the original parts.

One of the calcium filled rear rims rusted through last year, so I had to replace that, and I replaced the distributor the year prior. Had I oiled that every 10 hours (like it says in the manual) rather than every 100, I might have got more than 68 years out of it.

I like that old 8n better than my modern 4wd diesel tractor for some jobs, like planting corn with my two row planter. It’s lower to the ground, quieter, and I can get on or off from either side. It’s lighter weight makes it easier to attach and remove that and other implements.

I did spring for a new $27 seat cover for it this year, as well as some NGK plugs to replace the 10 year old Champion H-12’s that were in it. I think it is running smoother now than it ever did. I don’t imagine I will ever sell this old tractor because it is a joy to operate.

View attachment 752024

Thanks for sharing and good looking tractor! I may have to replace a rim or both in the not too distant future. Both of these are leaking a little fluid.
I imagine with some new fluids and a tune-up, this tractor will run just fine.

 

[wolc123]

Thanks for sharing and good looking tractor! I may have to replace a rim or both in the not too distant future. Both of these are leaking a little fluid.
I imagine with some new fluids and a tune-up, this tractor will run just fine.

They really are a great tractor if you use them for what they are best at. I nearly sold mine a few years ago when it was running rough, due to the worn out distributer, and I first noticed the rusted area on the one rear rim. I am very thankful now that I didn’t, now that I can get gas for more than $ 1.00 per gallon less than I can get diesel.

Changing that rear rim wasn’t too bad, using a floor jack, chain, and wood block to break the bead. I didn’t reload that side with calcium and it plows just as good with my 2 x 12” plow with only the sod-side rear tire loaded. It also does ok on my 2-section drag, but now it struggles a bit with my 2-row cultivator. I wiped out a little more sweetcorn with that this year, than I did other years when I had 2 loaded rear tires. Over the winter, I am going to fabricate a bracket to attach (2) 250 lb iron plates to the unloaded rim, which should even up the weight and make it better on the cultivator.

I use my 4wd, diesel loader tractor on the cultivator for field corn. I can “kill two birds with one stone” with that, by spraying roundup on the rows with a sprayer boom mounted on the loader arms. The 8n was better for cultivating seeetcorn though, because you can’t spray that, and it has a few more inches of ground clearance.

I was off the tractor hoeing the sweetcorn when I took that picture. Between “side-swiping cultivator, a few errant swings with the hoe, and the deer chewing them down, I probably lost 10% of my first planting. Thankfully, it looks like the second batch is coming in very good.

 

[NC419N]

If you haven't figured out yet the lift system does not use Hydraulic Fluid but Gear oil it is old old school but works. You will probably have to flush it a coupe of times to get all the sludge out of it.

 

[rfoxinc]

Sounds like you have your answer but one thing you might consider is turning it into yard art. I gave away a slightly better 9n (or was it an 8n?) that I now wish I had kept just for that purpose. You might be surprised how many people would love to have an old, worn out antique tractor in their yard just to add character to the place.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[PVourlitis]

If you haven't figured out yet the lift system does not use Hydraulic Fluid but Gear oil it is old old school but works. You will probably have to flush it a coupe of times to get all the sludge out of it.

I am glad you said something... Finally getting around to doing this. I pulled the drain plugs, first water, then milkshake!

Reading some other threads, guys cleaned it out with kerosene through the observation plate. My dad wondered if running regular ATF through it would flush it out before running the correct stuff. In my reading, use the common Universal Tractor Hydraulic Fluid? Thanks

 

[Jstpssng]

It is back home with 3/4 tires holding air. Runs well too!
All the fluids should be gone through, already did an oil change.
It's running on a auxiliary tank until the stock one is cleaned out.

Since some seemed to have missed this, I will bring it back up. I have one of these up in my back field as well. It needed a head gasket when parked (with fresh anti freeze and oil) plus a plethora of other problems. It's taken me about 7 years to decide but I'm going to change the head gasket and get it so that I can at least tow a trailer around.