which tractor has the cheapest parts?

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( so, i could buy a couple of 8ns, (at what point did theymake a live PTO? maybe they didn't) )</font>

I would not personally go back as far as an 8N if I wanted to do something more that mow and a few other chores. I'd probably suggest a Ford 600 series or later. They had live hydraulics, but no live PTO. Actually, I'm not sure when the live PTO became an option, but it relied on a two-stage clutch. My guess is somewhere in the early '60s. The reason I suggested old Fords is that all their body parts are essentially the same for many years. If you have a hood off a 800 series tractor, it should fit a 600 series. The same goes for fenders. Many of the 3PH lift components and front end components are also the same. As Farmwithjunk suggested, the industrial models are also built like beasts. I had a '64 model industrial tractor with a cast iron grill. It wasn't interchangeable with other Fords with sheet metal, but it was so heavy, you would never damage it without being run over by a train. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I don't know a lot about other older tractors. Maybe older Deeres have interchangeable parts. I just picked Ford because I'm pretty sure they are available in numbers and a non-running old Ford with good sheetmetal and other parts can be had for around $1,000 if you find one. Many of the '60s model Fords even had power steering, but FWA was not common until the '70s when Kubota started importing their 4wd compacts.

BTW: I like my modern tractor and it's conveniences. I think $20,000 in today's dollars is comparable to $2,000 in early '60s dollars. In forty years our prices will look like bargains. I just use my tractor and try to not abuse it. Other than a couple of minor bumps and a lot of tree limb scratches, my tractors plastic and fiberglass are performing well. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( So other Ford tractor fenders, and after market fenders are available, but not the originals as described above?
)</font>

Script hood and fenders were only on later N's. There are plenty of repops out there.. as well as fender 'skins' that are not like original.

There is also a fellow making 'like original' parts for fords.. if you want to pay 2x to 3x for them vs a not quite correct repop.

IMHO.. I'd rather pay for a good used piece of sheetmetal than a repop or 'like original'. Same goes with rims... I've seen some of the re-pop 19" rims have the welds break on the centers...

Soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Actually, I'm not sure when the live PTO became an option, )</font>

If you count the 'add on' be dearborn.. then you could get optional live pto ( via a hyd hand clutch ) for 8n and NAA... however if you are talking about true live pto via a 2 stage clutch, you had to wait till the 600 series.

Units that were X6X like a 660 were 2 stage clutch.. live pto. They hit in 1955. There were some units that were SOS that also had independent pto.. I think the X7X, and X8X were the sos models with ind pto.. might have had a 2 speed pto on the X8X.

My 1955 ford 660 with 2 stage clutch and 1-arm front end loader is a real workhorse.. Has pretty much 'obsoleted' my NAA and 8n and 2n... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Soundguy

 

[slowzuki]

Old tractors sheet metal doesn't standup a whole lot better than modern stuff. I'd say pay a welder to make skid plates if you plan to be doing that stuff often.

Old tractors often had hydraulic fittings down under their belly that are suscepitble to carnage.

I did a lot of bushhogging with my Kubota l5030 this summer and managed to squish a steering cylinder guard (did its job though) and tore both tie rod end boots off.

My friends old Ford 3000 has a new rad and smashed grill from bushhogging.

The biggest threat is still popping an expensive tire.

I hope to fab a skidplate to go the width of the belly, I worry about getting over something then spinning the tires and sinking, then getting drug off by another tractor. I figure I could hit a linkage or something then.

 

[andrewj]

great advice! thanks.

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Old tractors sheet metal doesn't standup a whole lot better than modern stuff )</font>

I can certaintly say that the sheet metal on my old tractors is thicker than the sheet metal on my newer tractors... no doubt about it.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Old tractors often had hydraulic fittings down under their belly that are suscepitble to carnage )</font>

This one is a puzzle... The only tractor I have that has a user accessable hyd port anywhere lower than the axle is the ford N's.. that have a hyd pressure test port that is plugged with bolt thread pipe plug on the corner of the bottom plate of the pump... My cub, and other IH tractors i have seen have higher mid mount hyd connectors, and My JD has remotes on the rear.. a foot above the axle... My 54' and newer fords have hyd access caps on top of the hyd section.. that's just under your leg .. again.. above the axle... My bigger fords have the remotes out the back, again.. with high attachment points.

Can't say that I've seen any old tractors with hyd attatch points sticking straight out the bottom of the tractor... guess there could be some.. but not the ones I've seen. What models do you speak of?

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( My friends old Ford 3000 has a new rad and smashed grill from bushhogging.
)</font>

Can we say bumper? The are about 75$ for a heavy duty repop...Fits the wing style ford adjustable front axle up from 9n thru the 4000SU as far as I know.. ( not the industrial models, or 4000 hd axle.. or trikes of course... not sure about the offsets. )

Soundguy

 

[Egon]

I can remember when tractors[ WD9] used on one farm for breaking newly cleared land had the rubber tires replaced with steel wheels to avoid flats.

As stated building and attaching the proper guards would be the best way to go. Might even save oneself from getting speared.

Egon

 

[Soundguy]

Yep.. i gotta agree with Egon.. no matter if you have a 30K$ new tractor or a 2000$ oldie.. it's gotta be the 'down' point of the day to be driving along and see a cloud of steam.. walk around front and see a 1/2" sappling sticking out of your radiator! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Soundguy

 

[andrewj]

just found a local 801 and 601 for about 5k each as advertised, may get them down to 4800 ----

this still seems rather high to me for this? what do you guys think?

 

[Soundguy]

Kinda depends on what model they are. I think I'd go 4800 for a nice condition 861.. good 172ci engine.. vs the 134ci engine of the NAA/6XX series.

Again.. you really need to know what model out of the series they are.

00 means 1955-1958 manufacturer
01 means 1958-1962 manufacturer

middle numbers of 1-2-3 will indicape no pto/hyds and a tranny option for sos... none of these are desireable for most farm work.

x4x means 4 spd, single plate clutch, non live pto
x5x means 5 spd 'stacked' tranny, single plate clutch, non live pto
x6x means 5 spd 'stacked tranny', double stage clutch, live pto.. this is the 'most' ideal for general farm work.
x7x and x8x are both SOS tranny models, and have independent pto, and the higher model has a dual speed pto. While great for farm work.. The SOS tranny is viewed as a black hole for money if it ever needs repair... hard to track down parts for.. or find a competent mechanic to work on it... Usually if your SOS tranny fails... you drop your engine into a x6x tractor with a bad engine and go...

So.. model number will dictate price range.. a x1x,x2x,x3x, will bring the lowest.. for all but collecting purposes. x7x, x8x will bring about half or so.. of what a x4x, x5x, x6x brings.

Not much difference int he x4x, and the x5x, except a hair difference in ground speeds, and the 5 spd is 'almost' a shuttle tranny, as 3rd and rev are directly across from each other. x6x is the 'best' IMHO.

I paid 3500$ for my 1955 660.. had a rare ford 722 hyd 1 arm loader... I figure it's value was 500$.. making the tracto 3000.. which is a decent price... I'd have pais 3500-3800 for an 860.. and more for an 861. I'd have paid 3200-3300 for a 661.. etc.

if either model has a diesel engine.. figure 200-500$ more.

Model number is on the left side of the tractor.. on a flat above the starter, on the bellhousing.. will be a 3 digit model number, and a multi-digit serial number. Model number may have a suffix.. like "D" for instance.. for diesel..

Also.. beware.. early 4 cyl gasser 2000 / 4000 looked darn close to the 6/8 0/1 series. You see lots of 801's being sold that are old 4 cyl 4000's in disguise.

You also find industrial models marked wrong.. so be sure what you are looking at before you plunk down cash. Different models have different parts availability.. axle configurations.. options.. etc. Power steering is more prevalant on the x01 units.. though was an option on the x00

Soundguy