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IH Trip Plow

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John B.

Well-known Member
Can any one tell me the difference between an IH Little Genius Plow and a Little Wonder Plow? I have a little 2-12 plow that I believe is a Little Wonder. The front wheels are narrower than other IH plows I've had or seen, there is now side adjustment of the hitch at the front of the beams. It does have a rear wheel but it broke off and I need to weld the bracket. So it's not in the pictures.
a38632.jpg

a38633.jpg
 
The Little Wonder models (yes, plural) were lighter duty than the Little Genius. They were mostly 1 or 2 bottom, not sure if there were any 3 bottom versions without checking references. The tail wheel on the Little Wonder was optional and only functions when in the ground. When the plow is lifted, the link on the hitch keeps the tail of the plow off the ground. The tail wheel and hitch differences are pretty obvious clues for telling the models apart.

The Little Wonder was the model in the "free plow" program.
 
Your plow is a little wonder plow. The main difference between the two is the little genius rides on all three wheels all the time and the rear wheel pivots and the little wonder has a stationary wheel and only rides on all three when plowing. There are some other differences but that is the main one to look for.
 
I appreciate all the information all of you have given me.
I take it that the Little Wonder is a rare plow??
 
You have a No. 4 Little Wonder, and all No. 4's were 2-bottom. A No. 3 was the 1-bottom version of what you have. Later in production, these and many Litttle Genius models were changed to "No. _ Tractor Plow".

Little Wonder plows aren't exactly rare. IH had more popular models, like the No. 8 (Little Genius). Your No. 4 plow was made for 15+ years.

A variety of wheels were available with all IH plows. Your plow happened to be ordered with narrower ones.

Like everyone said, rear wheel was an option. If not equipped with the rear wheel, a really long landside would be substituted in place of the one you have on the rear bottom to support/stabilize the plow better.

Neat plow, especially with the weed hooks.

AG
 
(quoted from post at 06:52:29 04/25/11) What was the free plow program?
Click to expand...
n the early '20s, Ford kept dropping the price of the Fordson. Legge responded with tractor price drops and (knowing that Ford didn't make a plow) finally decided to throw in a plow with the tractor.
 
(quoted from post at 16:12:26 04/25/11)
(quoted from post at 06:52:29 04/25/11) What was the free plow program?
Click to expand...
n the early '20s, Ford kept dropping the price of the Fordson. Legge responded with tractor price drops and (knowing that Ford didn't make a plow) finally decided to throw in a plow with the tractor.
Click to expand...

A guy has to be careful throwing around names like "little genius" and "little wonder" because there was more than one model of plow with that name. The book I have mentions the free plow program occuring in 1922; a two furrow plow was offered with the IH 8-16 and a three furrow was offered with the Titan 10-20. Now, the plows built in that year would have been the #2 chain lift Genius (2 and 3 bottom), the #5 chain lift Genius (2 and 3 bottom), and the #1 Little Wonder (only 2 bottom).

The #1 Little Wonder was built 21-25, the #2 Little Wonder was built 25-42, and the #4 Little Wonder (which you have) was built 1940-1956. The #4 Little Wonder is no more related to the #1 Little Wonder than an M is to a Regular.

There were 35,000 #4's built compared to 250,000 #8's. So, a #4 is less common, but by no means rare. By comparison, only 6,750 #15's were built, but you don't see guys falling over each other to buy one of those.
 
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