Interesting 901

Norm43 · Jan 31, 2015

I bought this tractor on an Internet auction a few weeks ago.
Sorta took a chance. It started out as a 901 SOS Diesel. Now
it is a 5 speed which came from a 950. The gent who had it
had passed on and left several Fords in various conditions.
This was the best of the lot. There were several 5 speed
transmissions laying around as well as acouple of other SOS
tractors so I made some assumptions.

1. He knew Fords and knew what would work for
modifications.
2. This was a good enough tractor to warrent the swap.
3. He didn't like SOS transmissions.

I got this one going today and it actually runs good. Had to put
a battery in along with new oil and a filter. The gear oils were
all clean so must have been recently changed. Everything
seems to work, even all of the gauges and dash lights.

It seems to go at reasonable ground speeds in each gear so I
assume the rear gears were changed as well. I assume that
the SOS and the 5 speed had different ratios.

I really like the row crop Fords. This makes a nice addition to
my 740 with a Sherman creeper and my 960 with a factory
wide front end which I plan to swap to a single tire front end
this summer.

Has anyone done this swap before? Just curious how much
work this actually is.

Tom Bond · Jan 31, 2015

Norm, Not a lot of trouble or work at all to swap front ends. I did it on my 4000, which is nearly identical to your 960. Only difference is I swapped to a dual NF but same concept. Took me about 3 hours by myself once I had everything set up.

Royse · Jan 31, 2015

My early 960 has a one piece pedestal.
I can't just swap the front end under the tractor like the x01
and x000 tractors. If you have a late one maybe it is two piece?

Norm43 · Jan 31, 2015

Thanks Tom. Nice pictures. Just wondering why you went to
a wide front. I really like the way the singles drive and look.

Tony Jacobs · Jan 31, 2015

Hello Norm , Why do you assume he changed the rear end gears ? What would he have changed them to ? 1) ALL 1954-1965 700/900 , 701/901 , 2000/4000 Row Crops EXCEPT a handful of REAL HIGH CROPS WITH 42 INCH REAR TIRES have the EXACT SAME GEAR RATIO regardless of 4 speed , 5 speed or Select-O-Speed . 2)ALL 1954-1965 600 , 601 and 2000 All Purpose tractors have 6.67 to 1 rear axle ratio regardless of transmission . 3) ALL 1954-1965 800 , 801 and 4000 All purpose tractors have 7.17 to 1 rear axle ratio regardless of transmission . 4) ALL Low Center of Gravity 2000/4000 Tractors have 5.12 to 1 gear ratio regardless of transmission . 5)ALL N-Series EXCEPT the Military tugs had 6.67 to 1 as did ALL NAA series tractors . There is no other exceptions from Ford during the 1939-1965 4 cylinder years . Thanks Tony

Norm43 · Feb 1, 2015

Well Tony, I read it on this forum just yesterday and it made sense to me based upon my youthful experience with Chevy's. The article was something like "SOS vs 4 x 2". I am very glad to learn they are all the same as this tractor modification makes a lot more sense to do now that I know that. Still seems like a big job though. Thanks for the correct info.

Ultradog MN · Feb 1, 2015

Hi Norm,
Nice score. I would even be tempted to own something like that one.
You mention the article you read was SOS vs 4X2.
To me that would indicate they were talking about a 4x2 in a 3 cylinder model where I think the ring and pinion ratios were different.
If I remember correctly, the output on the SOS in those was faster than a 4X2 so they slowed the rear end down to accompany it.
Switching from an SOS to a crash box in one of those would give you a slooow tractor.

Sean in PA · Feb 1, 2015

Norm,

The 1965-1975 3 cylinder S-O-S tractors had a different gear ratio in their rear end than the manual transmission 3 cylinder models of the same time period, but as Tony says the pre-1965 ones did not. The 3 cylinder 2000 and 3000 models only had a slight ratio difference between the S-O-S and other rear ends, 6.67:1 vs. 6.17:1, whereas the 3 cylinder 4000's with the double reduction rear axles had a much larger difference, with 6.67:1 on the S-O-S models vs. 3.50:1 on the others.

Dean · Feb 1, 2015

The single front wheel front pedestal assembly is not common while the common two wheel narrow front assemblies are a dime a dozen.

Dean

Norm43 · Feb 1, 2015

That's what I thought Dean. I have never even seen a 700 or 900 with the single tire setup but have read of them. Dont recall seeing a picture either. My 740 is a 2 wheel single front and this 901 is also. Earlier this year I had the chance to pick up 2 of the single wheel units for the 700/900 series from a scrapper so I grabbed them both. They came from southern Arizona. One is usable the way it is but could use a tire. The other will need bearings and a tire. I'm hoping it is a simple swap..

Zack(NC) · Feb 2, 2015

I have a 59 971 Diesel that came factory with the single front wheel like you have & it had the Ford 401 front mounted 2 row cultivators on it when i bought it from a buddy. I currently have a wide front end under it but switch it around from time to time. It takes as long to jack it up as it does to swap it around. The single front only have to loosen 4 bolts & they wont fall out pass the tire so they will stay there mine does anyways, the wide front is 6 bolts total 4 bolts to the front frame & the 2 bolts for steering. It's really simple to swap them around no more than 30 min by yourself but an extra hand never hurts to have to start the bolts neither.

Tom Bond · Feb 2, 2015

(quoted from post at 05:48:28 02/01/15) Thanks Tom. Nice pictures. Just wondering why you went to
a wide front. I really like the way the singles drive and look.

orm, sorry. The pictures may have been a bit deceiving in the order I uploaded them. I removed my wide front and replaced it with the narrow front. Actually used it this weekend in heavy snow and loved it. After you get the hang of it and using the brakes, you can spin that thing around like a top with the blade on it. One thing to make note of...don't get too carried away spinning it with the brakes when your by your kids basketball pole. They don't hold up well getting smacked with an 8ft. grader blade.

Colin King · Feb 2, 2015

That's a neat one! Glad to hear that it runs.

Colin, MN

Rob Mo. · Feb 2, 2015

Any future plans for the single front when you swap it out? Where are you located?

Norm43 · Feb 2, 2015

Got yah Tom. Yor tractor looks super with the NF. They really
drive nice don't they.

Question ... Are there 4 bolts holding the yoke to a round plate
on the bottom of the pedestal? And were the bolt holes all
tapped already? Looking at mine the two back ones are used
by the WFE set up and are obviously threaded. However, the
front two don't seem to have threads. That's just my
impression from a quick look in bad weather.

Email is open.

Norm43 · Feb 2, 2015

Rob ... Not sure what you are asking. I'm putting the single front on my tractor. Will have a wide front left over. Is that what you have interest in?

Norm43 · Feb 2, 2015

Zack ... Good info. The NF I got does not have the bolts Are they the same length as the two on the WFE?

Keith Williams · Feb 2, 2015

Tom,
Watch how you place your thumbs on the steering wheel!
With a narrow front end, that wheel can get spun really fast and if you hook your thumbs inside the wheel, you can get a broken thumb before you realize what happened.
All it takes is a front wheel hitting something or falling into a hole. I had the worst spins when plowing around curves. The front end would drop into the furrow and spin to the lock.
Keep safe!
Keith

Lanexa Speedway · Feb 3, 2015

(quoted from post at 11:40:56 02/01/15) That's what I thought Dean. I have never even seen a 700 or 900 with the single tire setup but have read of them. Dont recall seeing a picture either. My 740 is a 2 wheel single front and this 901 is also. Earlier this year I had the chance to pick up 2 of the single wheel units for the 700/900 series from a scrapper so I grabbed them both. They came from southern Arizona. One is usable the way it is but could use a tire. The other will need bearings and a tire. I'm hoping it is a simple swap..

Very cool score.

If you want to see some more pics of a single wheel machine, do a search under my user name. I think a few months ago I posted a bunch of pictures of a 971-1 that I dragged in and sold to a friend.

Kevin

Norm43 · Feb 3, 2015

Kevin ... I found your pictures, thanks. What I was saying is I
hadn't seen was a 740 or 960 with a single tire front end. I
wonder if any of the nice folks on this forum have any to share. I had seen a 901 before up in Idaho. Mine came from Idaho too. I live in northern Utah so it's not far for me to get up there.

Zack(NC) · Feb 7, 2015

(quoted from post at 04:55:54 02/03/15) Zack ... Good info. The NF I got does not have the bolts Are they the same length as the two on the WFE?

es, they should be the exact same bolts

Interesting 901

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