Farmall A purchase

sec1939 · Dec 8, 2016

Hi, New here. I have a stock 1939 D2 IHC pickup. I am now looking for a period Farmall A to go with my truck. I am in need of buying advice. from what I can tell the 1939 is only manual start unless bell housing was changed? Should I seek out electric start for ease? What else should I know for the search?

gene bender · Dec 8, 2016

The manual start is fine but you should have good background of internal combustion engines. Those were simple and built to last forever but everything must be in good working order. I had one that started just great with a crank but i did change it over to electric.

Blackhole49 · Dec 8, 2016

I am 63 and have a 41 hand start A. Some times it starts of the 1st pull, and some times on the 31st pull. I sure wish it was
electric.

RTR · Dec 8, 2016

(quoted from post at 17:44:58 12/08/16) Hi, New here. I have a stock 1939 D2 IHC pickup. I am now looking for a period Farmall A to go with my truck. I am in need of buying advice. from what I can tell the 1939 is only manual start unless bell housing was changed? Should I seek out electric start for ease? What else should I know for the search?

where are you located? I should be able to help you out with finding a Farmall 'A' to go with your truck.

[email protected]

Janicholson · Dec 8, 2016

Make a lithium battery powered Drill starter: use a 1/2" drill and a 10:1 ratio gear for reduction to cranking speed. Use an aluminum pipe to touch the ground so it absorbes the
torque. This keeps the tractor original and makes starting easy. Jim

RTR · Dec 8, 2016

(quoted from post at 20:56:33 12/08/16) Make a lithium battery powered Drill starter: use a 1/2" drill and a 10:1 ratio gear for reduction to cranking speed. Use an aluminum pipe to touch the ground so it absorbes the
torque. This keeps the tractor original and makes starting easy. Jim

How would you make such? That sounds cool!!!

sec1939 · Dec 8, 2016

I am in Barrington IL

Janicholson · Dec 8, 2016

A bicycle frame and sprocket from a metric bicycle with removable pedal crank arms using that and a small (rear) sprocket, I would mount a steel plate to constrain the drill to
drive the small sprocket. I would weld on an extension to reach the ground at an angle to absorb force. I would use a turned adapter from the pedal axle to the cut off crank for
the tractor and weld it in place. No additional comments we are the engineers!! Jim

sec1939 · Dec 8, 2016

my 39 D2

RTR · Dec 8, 2016

(quoted from post at 22:33:42 12/08/16) A bicycle frame and sprocket from a metric bicycle with removable pedal crank arms using that and a small (rear) sprocket, I would mount a steel plate to constrain the drill to
drive the small sprocket. I would weld on an extension to reach the ground at an angle to absorb force. I would use a turned adapter from the pedal axle to the cut off crank for
the tractor and weld it in place. No additional comments we are the engineers!! Jim

Very interested in this. Wish you had Pictures of this so I could wrap my mind around it. Would like to have one myself.

James Williams · Dec 8, 2016

If the tractor is right it should start on a click or two
jimmy

Janicholson · Dec 8, 2016

I do not have one, My Dad and I used 1/2" industrial (slow RPM) to direct start a baler engine with a turned down crank and a 4 foot pipe. My idea is
better in that it is less likely whack you, and operates on a battery. Jim

Hendrik · Dec 8, 2016

Ingenious idea, no doubt. However, there is one thing I don't understand: Why is a METRIC bicycle needed? Thanks, Hendrik

Janicholson · Dec 8, 2016

The bearings that the pedals revolve on are running on a shaft from side to side. The shaft sticks out on both sides and the crank arms can be remover=d from each side, leaving the shaft. A portion of the frame of the bike can be used as the extension to the ground. A older Schwinn or cheap bicycle has a crank that is one piece and has no straight part or ability to remove the pedal crank "levers". They also have loose ball bearings with little precision. Jim

Tom Dowling · Dec 8, 2016

Nice truck, real pretty

Pembroke · Dec 9, 2016

what James Williams said: If it's right it should start on the first or second pull!! OR change it over to electric start before you get yourself hurt with the crank.

Hendrik · Dec 9, 2016

Thank you for taking the time to respond and explain.
Being from a metric country (The Netherlands) and having worked on bicycles a lot, I was purely thinking about metric threads and not so much about the design of the crank and drive. All push bikes I've seen have a straight shaft and the "throws" can be removed, as can the pedals (the "big end" of the con rod / your leg).
And, yes, having such a metric bicycle crank would make it easier to build a cordless drill powered starter.

Mo in NE Tx · Dec 10, 2016

To answer your question, "yes", 39 Farmall A's were hand start. If everything is correct, they are pretty easy to start, sometimes. I had a couple old "B's" for junk and changed out the torque tube and put a starter on my 39 A. It's a lot easier on me now (I'm 72) and makes plowing/planting the garden a lot easier and not having to wonder if I have to get someone over to pull start the tractor now. It was not a hard task to change over, just break tractor apart, remember you have to disconnect clutch and brake connections when you remove the rear section. But worth it in long run. If you aren't stuck on the 39 and can find a later model with starter, go for it.

sec1939 · Jan 20, 2017

the pair is now complete

Farmall A purchase

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