Jobs for the 2/9/8N today

[deerefan]

I would like to get some feedback as to what chores fellow members do with their N series tractors. When I first bought my place, it was my only tractor handed down to me by my father. I used it for 3 years, primarily bushhogging with a 4ft hog. In 2005, I bought a JD 5103 with a 6ft hog, relegating the 8N to occasional use. I use it now primarily to bushhog in tighter areas where the 5103 does not fit well (like around the horse barn) and to cover rye grass seed in the fall. I put maybe 5 hours a year on it now. There are some people that still use them for their primary tractor, leaving me amazed that 60+ year technology is still getting it done. I use mine mainly for pulling tasks (harrow, landscape rake) as the hydraulics have never been real great.

 

[super55]

There are tons of uses for the old N tractors. Most of the old implements that were made in 50's I would say were built around being pulled by an 8n tractor. The ford N were leaps and bounds the most popular tractor in the 40's and 50's.

That being said a lot of the smaller implements such as manure spreaders, drags, 2 row planters, grain drills, double bottom plows, the list goes on can be done with the old N's. I personally do not own an N but an oliver Super55 which is pretty much a carbon copy of an 8n with a few more HP and a live PTO but other than that if I painted it white and red people would think it was an N. I've seen vids on youtube of people using 14T balers and All crop 60 combines being pulled by 8n's. I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it but those old tractors actually handled the task fairly well. The operators would put in N engage pto spin up the RPMs, drop in gear of off they'd go.

Ever since I owned that tractor I consistently put more hours on it than I do my kubota mostly from putting in food plots. The tractor has half the turning radius of the kubota, better gear selection, and the draft control on the 3pt makes plowing so much easier and cleaner than running the kubota even though it is only a 2wd tractor.

I have to admit I am particularly biased to old iron though. I like the way they handle and the way they sound. You get an old gasser tractor working out in field it sounds like music to my ears compared the monotone sound and whine of a diesel with a hydro. Hardly a reason to use one over the other I know but to each is own I guess.

 

[LD1]

We use the 8n quite a bit. It is actually dads primary tractor. Disc and plow the garden, grade the drive. Use the rear blade and clear snow in the winter. And use it pulling around trailers for wood cutting. (which is MUCH better than my kubota, since his N has a 24mph sherman trans, and my kub only musters 13mph)

 

[deerefan]

We use the 8n quite a bit. It is actually dads primary tractor. Disc and plow the garden, grade the drive. Use the rear blade and clear snow in the winter. And use it pulling around trailers for wood cutting. (which is MUCH better than my kubota, since his N has a 24mph sherman trans, and my kub only musters 13mph)

Did I read that right? 24mph on a 8N? That must be a fun ride!! I do enjoy the simplicity of the N. I had another thread on here with carb problems. Using the advice given, I had it running better than ever for less than $10. It got to where I was having to work on it almost everytime I needed to use it. This was causing me to fall behind some on farm chores, which is why I bought the 5103.

 

[LD1]

Yep you read that right.

Tractor data lists 23.1 TractorData.com Ford 8N tractor transmission information

But it does have slightly oversized 12.4x28 tires too. So I call it 24.

It sure gets tthe trailers to and from the woods quickly. Where we cut firewood, one place is 3 miles of road time away, the others are fence rows for the local farmer and can be up to a mile of road time. Makes the 13mph on the bota feel slow. But the bota was all we used for the 5 year process of rebuilding the N. It was a bit scary pre-rebuild/restore. Some of the front axle/steering components were a bit worn. Now that everything is tight like new again, it isnt really that bad.

 

[GPintheMitten]

A Ford 2N (came after the 9N) was my only tractor for about 20 years on my 24 acre horse farm thru 2002. I plowed and disced the garden, plowed 6 acres to plant hay once, cleared snow on over 1000 foot drive, spread gravel and dirt , used it to auger post holes (not eazy due to needing pto on to raise the 3pt), for two barn builds and 12 acres of fencing, brush hogged pastures, ran a rear finish mower and probably more that I'm forgetting about.

If it had a loader and live pto, it would have been better.

 

[Soundguy]

i use old fords like N and similar sizes ( hundred series mostly ).. to do 95% of my tractor work onmy farm.

old fords make great plow and disc machines. good mowers and good rakes, overseeders..e tc. not bad on a box blade or andle blade.

a 1955 ford 950 is my 'weekly' mower on my farm .... it's well past worn out.. and yet starts every time..

 

[pogobill]

I have a '48 8n that I use for hauling a wagon around the place with, or the log splitter... mostly firewood duty and the like.



I also have a '50 with tracks that I use in the winter for hauling logs out of the woods, and for clearing snow with a back blade.

 

[Soundguy]

aarps or bombardier?

 

[pogobill]

Aarps!