Profitable side hustle with 8N in 2026?

[BossofBBQ]

Hey all,

I’m a younger guy located south of Denver in Colorado, with a decently nice 1950 Ford 8N sidemount. It runs very well, has been reliable, and doesn’t currently need anything. Mechanically, it’s very solid.

For attatchments, I’ve got:

• Dearborn 6.5’ disc
• 6’ back blade
• 6’ ripper/subsoiler
• 5’ brush hog (with overrunning PTO coupler)
• Homemade 1 row middle buster/potato plow
• 1950 New Idea 12A manure spreader
• 3pt auger/posthole digger

I’m not trying to turn this into a full-time business or get rich, but I’ve been kicking around the idea of hiring out for some light work on the side — mowing, driveway maintenance, small food plots, light disking, cleanup work.....that kind of thing.

One thing I’m unsure about is whether it really pencils out here. There are plenty of folks with bigger, newer machines that have loaders, live PTO, more horsepower, etc. However, there are some people with 5-10 acres who either want work done, can't do it themselves, or don't want to pay for a professional contractor.

I know the 8N has its limits, and I’m trying to be realistic about what I can and can’t do without overworking it. I'm pretty familiar with tractors in general, and I've owned this particular 8N for about 7 months now.

For those of you who’ve tried similar side work, especially in areas with newer equipment competition — is there still room to make a modest profit with an older tractor like this? Or does it usually end up being more trouble than it’s worth once fuel, wear, and time are factored in? I have a truck and trailer to transport it.

I just came from the vintage Ford subforum on this site. Based off what I learned there, I'll be getting insurance if/when I do work on someone elses property.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
BossofBBQ

 

[big bubba]

great equipment. so...have you field tested your local market for hired tractor work? assume you will trailer equipment to jobs? have adequate transport for the jobs? not sure i'd road an 8n very far for safety reasons.

given your description, equip seems solid. I'd say, explore your local market and current $ per hr hire is your next step. in the process, you'll learn the limits and benefits of your machinery. good to see young adults entering agri pursuits. regards

 

[Sprinkler Fitter]

I wonder how much insurance would be on something like that?

We carry $1 million insurance on our food truck in case we get somebody sick and that’s not cheap.

Would you need a CDL drivers license?

 

[powerstroke444e]

Everyone starts somewhere. I suggest you extend liability coverage from your farm or home as soon as possible.

 

[nyone]

Any OT available at your normal day job? By the time you pay insurance and expenses it may just be easier to work there.

 

[CH4Ohio]

I've hit telephone and cable wires just tilling up gardens for other people . . . It can get expensive real fast if the utility companies really hold your feet to the fire. Lots of private buried stuff is shallow too and the average person has no clue about it.

I had an old manure spreader like that. Mine broke down pretty reliably -- and it only breaks down when it's full of manure. And then it usually has to be unloaded by hand in order to get the chains back together. With no loader, I don't think I'd want to take that "on the road" to hire out for other people. It's painful enough when it's your own job at your own place and you aren't under the gun to fix it immediately and remotely.

When plowing snow, the average person can't tell you anything about all the landscape stuff along their driveway. Until you hit it, they'll tell you there's nothing there.

As far as hiring out, seems like a good machine if you like to ride around and mow. You could bushhog but even then your 5' mower is a little small. I'd suggest you think twice about getting into any "ground-engaging" work on other people's property. They'll tell you "there's nothing there -- don't worry", but given enough time, you'll break something or damage something. You'll definitely break your equipment, given enough time, and even small repairs will wipe out modest margins and any profits.

Only an opinion, but you asked . . .

 

[BossofBBQ]

Thanks for the feedback so far—it's been super helpful and given me plenty to chew on as I figure this out. I've definitely been leaning toward keeping things light, low-risk, and strictly within the 8N's wheelhouse to avoid overworking it or running into costly surprises.

No ground-engaging work like disking, ripping, subsoiling, or middle busting for me—that stuff's just too prone to hidden utilities. Manure spreading is off the table too; between potential breakdowns mid-job (I've seen those chains bind up more than once) and no loader to handle cleanouts, it's more headache than it's worth for a side gig.

For now, I'm zeroing in on straightforward mowing/brush hogging, driveway maintenance with the 6' back blade, and maybe the 3pt auger for quick post holes on simple fence or tree jobs.

Market-wise, there's a guy nearby with a 30hp Kubota charging $125/hr with a $250 minimum, which gives me a rough benchmark.

I work for a fence contractor, so winter's our slow season. I was thinking this could be a way to pick up 4-8 hours/week on weekends or slow days, without turning it into a grind. I've learned a lot by reading ya'lls posts, and there's definitely more overhead/liability involved than I originally thought.

CH4Ohio- I know what you mean about hitting utilities. Building fences, we've hit everything from sprinkler lines to leachfields and even a few Comcast lines.

 

[RayIN]

I agree Ohio; 40 years ago there was no buried utilities other than water and sewer lines. creating a garden was good work, and insurance coverage was not a thing back then. Besides, now it's state law in most states, calling 811 in Indana is a requirement before breaking ground.
This is the nationwide requirement: call 811, I've read comments that utility companies are slow to respond to marking their underground stuff, they have 2 working days to respond after they get the message, then they have to call a 3rd party that does the actual locating and marking.

 

[BossofBBQ]

I agree Ohio; 40 years ago there was no buried utilities other than water and sewer lines. creating a garden was good work, and insurance coverage was not a thing back then. Besides, now it's state law in most states, calling 811 in Indana is a requirement before breaking ground.
This is the nationwide requirement: call 1-800-382-5544, I've read comments that utility companies are slow to respond to marking their underground stuff, when they get the message, then they have to call a 3rd party that does the actual locating and marking.

I'm definitely calling 811 before I dig. Boss said it would be fine, didn't want to wait. The customer was giving him quite the time crunch that day, said "nothings there, I promise!"....customers internet connection and Comcast line said otherwise....

 

[EdGooding]

Have you used your posthole digger much in your local area?

 

[Shawn T. W.]

I called 811 ... They said nothing along my side of the road, or along my driveway ... Then, I found a funny looking "root"!

 

[lilranch2001]

My first real tractor experience was a gifted 8N from my late father in law.

I enjoyed that tractor more than anything I ever had before, or since.

It may not have been as powerful or had the options on todays tractors, but it was nimble and just plain fun to operate!!

Only thing I didn’t like was the semi constant carb and dist. maintenance it required to keep it running.

I was lucky it was also a side mount distributor.

 

[RjCorazza]

...
When plowing snow, the average person can't tell you anything about all the landscape stuff along their driveway. Until you hit it, they'll tell you there's nothing there.
. . .

So true! I pulverized some garden gnomes recently and shot them through my big blower. New one-off client, who staked the driveway prior, and actually staked the gnomes on the back side (gnomes on pavement, stakes 6" in the grass).
For the OP, Brush hogging jobs frequently involve hidden debris that WILL damage your equipment, and it gets expensive real quick. A few years ago I cut a 5 acre overgrown field for a good friend that assured me that it was clear of debris... He even walked it. Between him walking it and me cutting, a neighbor actually sabotaged the field with cinder blocks and rebar.

 

[Sprinkler Fitter]

I called 811 ... They said nothing along my side of the road, or along my driveway ... Then, I found a funny looking "root"!

View attachment 5015462

Is it one of those fiber optic trees?

 

[BarnStangz]

Buddy of mine (who has a very successful YouTube channel, 1.5M subs) got his start with an old tractor like yours just cutting fields / property maintenance. So, that is what I would do, just go around and knock down tall grass for people that don't (can't) want to do it and see where it takes you!

 

[kneedeep]

Don’t take anything too big, light mowing, disking, snow removal.
8n is a old tractor prone to breaking if used hard.
$125 hr is high for small tractor work.

 

[D'oh]

Good for You, I enjoy watching Eager Younger Folks now a Days (wow did that ever sound like my Dad)

Insurance will be your Achilles Heel. Any County Work i.e. Sickle Mowing the Road Right of Way. Which would make a Great Late Summer Contract, which might wind up with an Cab'd Tractor with A//C.

But you have all the makings of a Fence Contractor, a Paving Stone Contractor, a Garden Tilling Contractor.

 

[D'oh]

I wonder how much insurance would be on something like that?

We carry $1 million insurance on our food truck in case we get somebody sick and that’s not cheap.

Would you need a CDL drivers license?

Here in Canada, Tractors are classed as an "Implement of Husbandry" and do not require any Drivers License. Even if a License has been Suspended or otherwise.

DWI, is a 1 year suspension, but you can drive a Tractor, of fly a Plane (if you had a Pilot's License)

 

[Muddyuck]

Hey all,

I’m a younger guy located south of Denver in Colorado, with a decently nice 1950 Ford 8N sidemount. It runs very well, has been reliable, and doesn’t currently need anything. Mechanically, it’s very solid.

For attatchments, I’ve got:

• Dearborn 6.5’ disc
• 6’ back blade
• 6’ ripper/subsoiler
• 5’ brush hog (with overrunning PTO coupler)
• Homemade 1 row middle buster/potato plow
• 1950 New Idea 12A manure spreader
• 3pt auger/posthole digger

I’m not trying to turn this into a full-time business or get rich, but I’ve been kicking around the idea of hiring out for some light work on the side — mowing, driveway maintenance, small food plots, light disking, cleanup work.....that kind of thing.

One thing I’m unsure about is whether it really pencils out here. There are plenty of folks with bigger, newer machines that have loaders, live PTO, more horsepower, etc. However, there are some people with 5-10 acres who either want work done, can't do it themselves, or don't want to pay for a professional contractor.

I know the 8N has its limits, and I’m trying to be realistic about what I can and can’t do without overworking it. I'm pretty familiar with tractors in general, and I've owned this particular 8N for about 7 months now.

For those of you who’ve tried similar side work, especially in areas with newer equipment competition — is there still room to make a modest profit with an older tractor like this? Or does it usually end up being more trouble than it’s worth once fuel, wear, and time are factored in? I have a truck and trailer to transport it.

I just came from the vintage Ford subforum on this site. Based off what I learned there, I'll be getting insurance if/when I do work on someone elses property.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
BossofBBQ

 

[Muddyuck]

Hey all,

I’m a younger guy located south of Denver in Colorado, with a decently nice 1950 Ford 8N sidemount. It runs very well, has been reliable, and doesn’t currently need anything. Mechanically, it’s very solid.

For attatchments, I’ve got:

• Dearborn 6.5’ disc
• 6’ back blade
• 6’ ripper/subsoiler
• 5’ brush hog (with overrunning PTO coupler)
• Homemade 1 row middle buster/potato plow
• 1950 New Idea 12A manure spreader
• 3pt auger/posthole digger

I’m not trying to turn this into a full-time business or get rich, but I’ve been kicking around the idea of hiring out for some light work on the side — mowing, driveway maintenance, small food plots, light disking, cleanup work.....that kind of thing.

One thing I’m unsure about is whether it really pencils out here. There are plenty of folks with bigger, newer machines that have loaders, live PTO, more horsepower, etc. However, there are some people with 5-10 acres who either want work done, can't do it themselves, or don't want to pay for a professional contractor.

I know the 8N has its limits, and I’m trying to be realistic about what I can and can’t do without overworking it. I'm pretty familiar with tractors in general, and I've owned this particular 8N for about 7 months now.

For those of you who’ve tried similar side work, especially in areas with newer equipment competition — is there still room to make a modest profit with an older tractor like this? Or does it usually end up being more trouble than it’s worth once fuel, wear, and time are factored in? I have a truck and trailer to transport it.

I just came from the vintage Ford subforum on this site. Based off what I learned there, I'll be getting insurance if/when I do work on someone elses property.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
BossofBBQ