46 Farmall H with a wishbone single wheel front end

steveinboise · Feb 17, 2014

Hi, all,

I have a 46 Farmall H that I'm rebuilding, and it has a wishbone-style single-wheel front end that I hear is unusual.

Whatever....I'm rebuilding a working tractor, not restoring a museum piece.

I don't like it, and I want to trade it for a very-useable wide-front, which better suits my needs.

Anyone interested? Where would you go for this if you were in my shoes?

Brendon-KS · Feb 17, 2014

In certain areas, such as areas where furrow
irrigation is used, you see single front wheel
tractors everywhere and the "normal" dual front
tricycles would be the odd-balls. My Deere B,
which was originally sold in SE Colorado, has a
single front and my IH 350 has a wide axle so I
have a good basis for comparison. Maneuverability
definitely favors the tricycle (by a long ways)
but I like the wide front for a smoother ride both
in the field and when going down dirt roads.
Plus, I just like the appearance of a wide front
better but that is purely subjective.

Old-F20 · Feb 17, 2014

Ive got a friend with a slavage yard in Twin Falls and he has TONS of singles, along with lots of wide fronts. He doesn't have very many 'tricycle' fronts (2 tires) as he calls them.

I see a lot more of them out west in Colorado, Wyoming and Idaho. Seemed they liked either singles or wide fronts.

Single fronts here in Iowa aren't that common at all, pretty scarce actually

DeltaRed · Feb 18, 2014

Here in irrigated western Colorado,single fronts
are quite common.A single will follow a 'water
mark',whereas a tricycle will just wander and be
all over the place....

FBH44 · Feb 18, 2014

Just my opinin, but I"ve had a H with a wide front, and you had to "give me 40 acres and I"ll turn this rig around..." It was a real nuisance on a small place, trying to maneuver. I was afraid of a single tire front, becuase a flat would leave me stranded. I"ve got my H on a "tricycle" two-tire front, and I like it the best. Turns on a dime, and looks like they"re s"posed to.

gene bender · Feb 18, 2014

Many single fronts were built maybe in your location they could be unusual

Dean Olson · Feb 18, 2014

Single wheel front ends are common in the rice fields around
Houston.

I really didn't like mine on the front of an 300. Too light in the
front, too little traction to turn if it's a little muddy. The last
straw was a flat and not being able to limp it back to the barn.

I went to a wide front and didn't like the turning radius. It now
has the traditional dual wheel front end. With enough weight to
make it handle well.

John M · Feb 18, 2014

I really dont think your going to find someone to
"trade" that single front for a wide front.

Allan in NE · Feb 18, 2014

Give ya $100 for the single if it's the 16/17"?

Allan

Stumpy(NH) · Feb 18, 2014

I'm with you Brandon...not to mention less trampled hay with a wide front.

Stumpy

steveinboise · Feb 18, 2014

(quoted from post at 14:35:56 02/18/14) I'm with you Brandon...not to mention less trampled hay with a wide front.

Stumpy

o.k., o.k., I get it. Probably not as valuable as this guy thought.

Thanks for the feedback...good group to get answers from, so I'll be asking more as I continue the rebuild, I'm sure.

Steve

Brendon-KS · Feb 18, 2014

Less trampled hay is right - I forgot to mention that benefit.

mkirsch · Feb 19, 2014

Depends on the wide front you get, as to how "very usable" it is.

One of the original front draglink style front ends takes a football field to turn around, even with the relocation plate.

Later "Super/300/350" style front ends with rear tierods are hard to find in good shape in a lot of areas.

You can still get a brand new Schwartz wide front from an A&I dealer, but you'll spend about what the tractor is worth now, and it won't double the value.

vwpastor.eden · Feb 10, 2020

I know this is an old thread...you mentioned you have a friend in TF...I have an old farmall C and am always looking for parts and live super close to Twin. Does your friend have a salvage yard?

46 Farmall H with a wishbone single wheel front end

steveinboise

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Brendon-KS

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