Oldest 4x4?

Adrian Billheimer

Well-known Member
What model IH/Farmall tractor had the earliest factory supplied option of 4 wheel drive or front wheel mechanical assist as they call it?
Looking for smaller than 460/560, but bigger than modern utility tractors (Kabota, Mahindra, etc.)OR was the earliest after IH merged with Case?
 
it was in the 60's. 706/806 were first really successful ones. Had a large one (4100)that was in the construction division first, but didn't do well when taken to field. All this according to the book "International Harvester, Photographic History" by Lee Klancher
 
The 84 series out of Europe would have had some with that option. Not sure what the earliest would be. I found a 574 online with 4x4
 
I can't think of any smaller out of IH then the 706 in 4x4. Unless one is buried in the numerous series from then to just before the merge. Another way is if someone modified a tractor to be 4x4.
 
I have a picture on my shop wall of a '39 M with an Ellwood.It has a 'drop box' where the belt pulley would be to drive the axle.Probably the only 'example' in exitence..........
 
I have pics somewhere on my old laptop of an M with the Elwood conversion, took them at a RPRU a couple years ago, mean looking tractor, Also saw a Super A with a very nice conversion at an other RPRU, again pics hiding somewhere.
 
IH imported 4wd models of the 234, 244, and 254 compact tractors back around 1980 when they stopped building the Cub tractors and 140's.

There should be a few more of the very early Elwood axles on M's to 560's. Elwood was close to an ARMY arsenal by Joliet, Il and bought up all of surplus ARMY front drive axles they could get to make their FWA axles. IH had a brochure printed for the ELWOOD axle available for 560's.
 
I have seen 3 or 4 of these Elwood M's at shows through out the years.
a180797.jpg
 
Was this the 4100. Took this pic at the 2009 Red Power Round Up. I remember how heavy it was built especially in the hitch area I guess for pulling pans.
a180802.jpg
 

It would have to be the 574 FWA mentioned.

Otherwise, the little Mitsu built compacts 234 244 254.

Smallest utility fwa before merger was 584 (52 PTO HP) After merger you could get a 385 FWA (35 PTO HP)
 
That's actually a 4300. Only about 44 built at IH Libertyville, Il plant.

The 4100 was first in the series of a slightly smaller tractor. First ones had DT-429 engines, then later used DT436. There were also 4156, 4166, and 4186. ALL built at FARMALL in Rock Island.
 
Unfortunately, even 574/584 doesn't answer your question because a 574 and 584 are quite comparable to a 460 both in rated power and weight.

I think to get to "smaller" you're looking at the 234/244/254 compact tractors available in the early 1980's. Before that, 4x4 wasn't an option on anything small. Perhaps because the technology wasn't there yet, or perhaps because conventional thinking at the time was that a tractor with that little HP didn't have enough power to run a mechanical front end...
 
(quoted from post at 12:56:41 01/26/15) That's actually a 4300. Only about 44 built at IH Libertyville, Il plant.

The 4100 was first in the series of a slightly smaller tractor. First ones had DT-429 engines, then later used DT436. There were also 4156, 4166, and 4186. ALL built at FARMALL in Rock Island.

There weren't too many 4156's built, either.

AG
 
218 4156's in 1969 & 1970. 1217 4100's from 1965 to
1968. No information on numbers built on 4166 & 4186
on TRACTORDATA.

I know when I first worked at FARMALL they built two
4186's per day down at the far west end of the
plant. There was about 10-15 assemblers, the
tractors started being assembled on two pair of
heavy steel saw horses. When they stopped production
of the 4186's they pulled the 686 & H86 off the main
assembly lines and built them in that same area.
When the 686 & H86 went out of production that area
became a staging area for shipping.
 
(quoted from post at 13:29:05 01/27/15) 218 4156's in 1969 & 1970. 1217 4100's from 1965 to
1968. No information on numbers built on 4166 & 4186
on TRACTORDATA.

I know when I first worked at FARMALL they built two
4186's per day down at the far west end of the
plant. There was about 10-15 assemblers, the
tractors started being assembled on two pair of
heavy steel saw horses. When they stopped production
of the 4186's they pulled the 686 & H86 off the main
assembly lines and built them in that same area.
When the 686 & H86 went out of production that area
became a staging area for shipping.

Interesting.

Was the 4156 just a 4100 with different decals (and probably a couple of grand added to the price tag)?

My dad had a 4100 for a few years in the 70's. He has never expressed many fond memories of that tractor. He traded it toward a 1256 that he still has today.

AG
 

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