Farmall M Faster 4th Gear

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I am thinking about trying to get a faster 4th for my '41 M. It would be much more useable for me with a faster 4th. Is it as simple as switching out the 4/5 slider gear?
 
(quoted from post at 11:26:14 01/23/13) I am thinking about trying to get a faster 4th for my '41 M. It would be much more useable for me with a faster 4th. Is it as simple as switching out the 4/5 slider gear?

I think the SM had a 33% faster gearing.
 
You would also need to swap the countershaft 4th gear. I put super H gears in an H a bit ago and it was not too bad of a job, but I have never worked on an M.
Zach
 
(quoted from post at 11:59:50 01/23/13) You would also need to swap the countershaft 4th gear. I put super H gears in an H a bit ago and it was not too bad of a job, but I have never worked on an M.
Zach

Same thing, different parts

The only big change is how the hydraulic pump is driven.
 
Why not install a M+W 9 speed Kit? I have two Ms with this kit. It will give you 4 more gears between 4th and 5th gear. It will make a M a really handy tractor around the farm. Otherwise they are just to slow for raking or pulling wagons Ect.
 
IH and some aftermarket had some faster 4th gears, but hard to find now.
Some of the 6 series had a 4th with gears one tooth bigger driving a one tooth smaller 4th and 5th slider compared to the M.
Problem is the transmission has 3 gear sets that are one piece with a different size gear on each end. So sometimes when changing one top and bottom set of gears it gets more involved.
Since all SM gears except first is a different ratio and the counter shaft is a different diameter where the gears go. When installing in a M you need all the SM gears, counter shaft and the reverse idler gear.
Aftermarket 9 speed may be a option, but they also speed up the pto. So if needing the pto and running the tractor at a higher speed you need to be pulling a light enough load to run at less engine RPM.
Also some gear boxes are around that go where the belt pulley gear box is to give another speed between 4th and 5th. Not very common.
If you never need a slow first a W6 ring and pinion gear can be used to speed all gears up.
 
Thanks guys. I may have to look into a M&W 9 speed instead. How much should I expect to pay for one and are they hard to put in?
 
I have 51 m with fast 4th, it is real handy. I don't know but that same tractor I think has slow 1st gear. but I don'tknow for sure, I know it would pick corn with a 2mh picker in 150 bu. corn with a 4 inch flat pistion.
 
I think you're going to have a rough time finding an M&W 9-speed that isn't in a tractor. I spend a lot of time searching for rare Farmall parts and have never come across one that wasn't in a tractor.

Plenty of Super M/400/450 transmissions out there with intact gears, though...
 
IH put a high speed 4th in at the factory in H's, at least, the serial number tag would be an X1F, F, as in Faster 4th. I Have an H that my dad ordered that way.I love it.
 
I agree with mkirsch. A 9 speed M doesn't sell for very much more than a regular M.

You might also consider selling your M to buy a newer tractor with more usable speeds, live PTO, live hydraulics, fenders and more comfort for the same or less cost than rebuilding your M to 9 speeds.

IH 300 - 560, 706
Oliver 77- 880
Case 400 - 830
etc.
 

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