RESTORED 400 LP COTTON!!

*IHMMJD* · Dec 16, 2011

I tought I would share a pic of my 400 LP cotton that I recently had restored.

26Red · Dec 16, 2011

Awesome job! Looks great.

Badger08 · Dec 16, 2011

Awesome looking tractor, turned out great! But is that a JD Flag in the background in the first pic?

Wardner · Dec 16, 2011

Thanks for the pictures. That is so nice.

Looks like limited hydraulics. Maybe one valve. But of course there is no Fast Hitch on a Cotton Picker. Haven't seen a return line enter the reservoir drain port before. I wonder if that is correct. Perhaps there should be a tool box under the sediment bowl.

I wonder if the crankstart stub was a delete on that large single front wheel.

Wardner · Dec 16, 2011

Just noticed three hydraulic valves on the floor in third picture. Can't see where they were plumbed to.

Wardner · Dec 16, 2011

It appears that you flipped the differential ring gear to keep the tractor in high clearance mode. It's more interesting that way.

mike1972chev · Dec 16, 2011

Paul Shuler · Dec 16, 2011

That is flat out on awesome looking cotton pickin tractor. I know its not right to covet but you are making it very hard not too.

El Toro · Dec 16, 2011

Looks better than when new. Where did you get that adjusable support on the front of your engine? Hal

KIP in MX · Dec 16, 2011

Beautiful 400 you have! I spent many days while growing up looking at the back side of a 400LP tank. Only dislike was no power steering on ours and with narrow front, it was a bear to hold on to the steering wheel while discing dry NM plowed ground!

ste_fano · Dec 16, 2011

Awesome job. Gets me motivated to get to work.

Steve

Alont · Dec 16, 2011

What a great job, you should be very proud of all your hard work.

P.S. Wish I had one just like that

Alont

rhtx55 · Dec 16, 2011

I can hear my Dad now, " YOU go time to do it twice, you had time to do it right the firt time !!"
By the looks of that stripped tranny housing, I would say you did it right the first time. MAN those hundred series look good when they are done.
Does it even make any noise when it's running in a parade ????
That is one pretty rare tractor.
My hat is off to you.
That is one pile of work.
How long did it take you?

I had a 55 F300 that took me three months, every evening after work, and 11 or 12 hrs each Saturday & Sunday, I had one pro mechanic help me with the major engine work, and another who knew what he was doing to prep & paint. I did a lot of the grunt work, but I had a lot of help.The results were well worth it though !!
CONGRATS, you did it right !! The results speak for themselves.
My first 300

sflem849 · Dec 16, 2011

How did you prep "the big part"?

Jason the Red · Dec 16, 2011

Looks wonderful!!! That's not a tractor you'll see at every show.

*IHMMJD* · Dec 16, 2011

The tractor has all three valves, one is blocked off and the other two outlets are under the tank as they normally are. I would imagine there was no need for hyd to come out beside the battery box as the line was not there and the other two were probably used for the picking unit. My other 400 lp row crop also has the return line for power steering going to bottom of resevoir.
Ya I had a few people notice the shaft for hand crank was missing, probably would have been hard to crank as tall as it is.

CenTex Farmall · Dec 16, 2011

Both of my 450Lp's have the return line plumbed to the drain port. Both are Behlen. Not sure if it was factory or dealer installed.

*IHMMJD* · Dec 16, 2011

LOL!! I never really liked the red brand of tractors until I bought my first 400. They are really a nice tractor, don"t know why we dont seem to see more of them at shows. I had six 400"s at one time and I am down to 4, one for each year and fuel type, except distilate(all fuel). I would like to get a wheatland to complete my 400 collection.

*IHMMJD* · Dec 16, 2011

That is a really nice looking 300!! My tractor turned into quite the project! When I got it the engine was free and the tractor would roll, but not in gear, how could it be right?! Well there was a couple stuck valves and the mudd dobbers left some mud in a couple of the cylinders, so a complete overhaul was in order! rebuilt the T/A because there was parts that were missing and looked like it wasn"t used. The trans had more water than oil it seemed, so all the gears were blasted and replaced 8 bearings in the trans! There wasn"t one thing that was overlooked on this tractor. Luckily a friend of mine did the mechanical work, there was no way I could have tackled that project on my own and Benson Tractor Restoration painted it and did a tremendous job!!! With the rarity of the tractor, I wanted it to be done right. It took almost 2 years to complete.
I definitely need to build my own shop so I can start to work on my own stuff. I also like the look of the hundred series especially the 400! Just something about all that RED!

redgems · Dec 16, 2011

CONGRADULATIONS!On a job well done and amount of work envolved!
Pictures look familiar, I just completed a 400 row crop in April 2011.
400's are a unique and beautiful model in my opinion. More so, in your case with propane and cotton options.
Enjoy,Tony

redgems · Dec 16, 2011

BE CAREFUL! what you ask for! I got my own shop 4years ago and now I spend every spare hour in it restoring these old wonderful I.H.'s.
It takes all my spare time,spare money, and keeps me greasy all the time.
BUT DAMM I LOVE IT! Tony
P.S. I will try to upload a pic. of my 400 and my shop in background.

KIP in MX · Dec 17, 2011

A couple more questions. That Lp tank looks smaller in diameter than ours had. Did IH have two tanks, or is it me remembering it larger back 35 yrs ago? Also, do you have any more of the picker, such as the horizontal exhaust and gearbox for the picker drive which would look great on it now? How about the drum and basket?

No one mentioned, but I noticed the front wheel castor was set for reverse drive in your "before" photo, so I'm guessing the tracor wasn't used without the picker?

Clifford McKinney · Dec 17, 2011

I have a 450 lp that hasn't run since my dad retired in 1989. It's been outside all these years. Needless to say, I am amazed at what you have done with your 400 lp. But I wanted to ask a question: how did you make the metal return and pressure lines connected to your hydraulic pump, go to flexible hose and back to metal? I mean, did you use brass ferrules on the metal tubing or what? My all-metal tubing is mostly ruined from rust and I can't afford the all-new metal from the dealer. Thanks.

rhtx55 · Dec 19, 2011

(quoted from post at 22:01:10 12/16/11) That is a really nice looking 300!! My tractor turned into quite the project! I also like the look of the hundred series especially the 400! Just something about all that RED!

Yes I agreee, all the RED & the emblems really set them off !!
My first 300 I got at an auction, didn't look like much then, but when I got the manuals for it and found out how it was made, and how it was supposed to look, I started gathering parts.
I could not beleive it was the same tractor when we got it done.
Man I was getting pretty sick of mine after three months, I can't imagine what you went through for three years.
That one was definitely worth bringing back,
congrats on a nice one, you did it justice for sure.

rhtx55 · Dec 19, 2011

(quoted from post at 18:41:58 12/17/11) But I wanted to ask a question: how did you make the metal return and pressure lines connected to your hydraulic pump, go to flexible hose and back to metal? I mean, did you use brass ferrules on the metal tubing or what? My all-metal tubing is mostly ruined from rust and I can't afford the all-new metal from the dealer. Thanks.

It's still not too cheap, but Bates Corp in Bourbon Indiana , has them rebuilt, they use your ends & six inches of tubing for a core to turn back in, or they will rebuild yours.

RESTORED 400 LP COTTON!!

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