Oldest Ford Tractor with live PTO

martyh

Member
What is the oldest Ford tractor model with a live PTO? I know there are workarounds for transmission PTO but I want to run a chipper and obviously that's going to be difficult to do without a live PTO.
 
It may not be the oldest one with live PTO, but I use my Ford 2600 vintage 1980. My Machette Chipper(not made any more) does a very good job with self feed and will chip up to 3 inch pieces. A Ford 3600 would work just as well.
 
Why do you think you need live PTO to run a chipper? Are you talking about a wood chipper? Unless you are driving around and chipping
wood at the same time, live PTO is not required as the tractor is stationary while chipping wood.
 
I believe the 100 series with a 6 in the middle. 660, 860, 960, 760.....

Isn't a chipper for sitting still and chipping up tree branches? That's one item a live pto really wouldn't matter IMHO? You must have a different
sort of chipper or implement in mind?

Paul
 
Perhaps I don't understand what live pto means. I need to be able to run the pto shaft driven chipped with the tractor stationary.
 
Correct. You don't understand the different pto workings. :)

Transmission driven means the tractor has one clutch. Push it in, and -everything- stops getting power. Let the clutch out, and whatever you have selected on all spins up at the same time.

That is not very good for balers, snow blower, or big heavy spinning things you use -while driving-.

A chipper, however, it would be great for. You never need to drive and spin the chipper at the same time, so it don't matter. For a chipper it is a non issue. The tractor stays in neutral, and you put the pto on or off, using the clutch to make the change.

Lets put it another way. A transmission pto (not live) with the single clutch means the transmission and the pto get locked together. But you can choose any gear you want, including neutral, and you can have the pto on or off.

So sitting in neutral with the pto spinning the chipper will work well.

The troubles with a transmission pto is when you are baling for example.You are driving along baling and you come to a big lump of hay. Too much for the baler to handle. So you push in the clutch to stop moving - and that stops power the baler at the same time, so it garentees a slug. Takes a lot of talent to make that work out..... Same for a snowblower.

With a big rotary mower, the mower acts like a flywheel.... You drive along mowing grass, and you want to stop. So you push in the clutch. But the pto and the rear wheels are locked together because your shifter is in a gear, not neutral. So the big spinning mower continues to drive the tractor forward. This is exciting! To put it mildly.....

But you can run the pto just fine on and off while the tractor is in neutral, and then you don't have any problems.

It is only when you want to do both at the same time - move the tractor, and run the pto - that it gets awkward.

Its easier to show than to explain.......

Paul
 
martyh you are on the right track---don't bother to buy 1 that doesn't have live pto. In the future you are going to find yourself using it for other projects. For a few dollars more you can get 1 with it. It doesn't make sense to buy a tractor without it.
 
The next problem I see for the chipper is the lack of live hydraulics on an 8N. Without live hydraulics the chipper is going to be turning while I lift it on the 3 point. Or, I have to mechanically take the PTO driveshaft off of the tractor while I'm using the 3 point to take the chipper from location to location, yes? I am not interested in adding an aftermarket live hydraulics kit so I'll have to find a classic with live hydraulics. So, I guess that becomes my question, what is the oldest Ford with live hydraulics and a PTO shaft and 3 point?
 
Right - an 8N (or 9N or2N) would not be a good choice because of the lack of live hydraulics. All Fords from 1953 on have live hydraulics. If you want live pto as well (not needed for a chipper, but as others said, you may want it later), 1955 was the first year it was available. Any of the hundred series with a 6 as the middle digit of the model number.
 
(quoted from post at 10:04:18 08/21/15) Right - an 8N (or 9N or2N) would not be a good choice because of the lack of live hydraulics. All Fords from 1953 on have live hydraulics. If you want live pto as well (not needed for a chipper, but as others said, you may want it later), 1955 was the first year it was available. Any of the hundred series with a 6 as the middle digit of the model number.


I consider live hydraulics a must but I could live without live PTO. This will primarily be a mowing machine and also used to drive the chipper. I have a John Deere 770 (20hp at pto) with live hydraulics and live pto (2 stage clutch) that serves as my modern tractor. The 20hp of diesel at the PTO drives the chipper well but for the odd large piece it could use more power and the chipper is rated for 35 or 40hp. I will of course use an overrun clutch if I don't get live pto on my classic Ford.
 
I'd say look for any 800, 801, or 4-cylinder 4000. Or
900/901 if you like rowcrops. Those all have live
hydraulics and 45 h.p. or a bit more. Staying with a
single clutch/non-live pto will save you a bit on
purchase price, and in the event you have to replace
the clutch. I WOULD lean towards the 5-speed
because of better gear ratios.
 
(quoted from post at 13:19:22 08/21/15) I'd say look for any 800, 801, or 4-cylinder 4000. Or
900/901 if you like rowcrops. Those all have live
hydraulics and 45 h.p. or a bit more. Staying with a
single clutch/non-live pto will save you a bit on
purchase price, and in the event you have to replace
the clutch. I WOULD lean towards the 5-speed
because of better gear ratios.

Yeah, I have 8 forward 2 reverse on the John Deere 770 and find myself needing something in between both in forward and reverse. I am concerned about a classic Ford with only 4 gears. On the other hand, it's a classic right? So, if it takes a little longer to not abuse the machine, it just means more time enjoying my machine.
 
(quoted from post at 14:30:41 08/21/15)
(quoted from post at 13:19:22 08/21/15) I'd say look for any 800, 801, or 4-cylinder 4000. Or
900/901 if you like rowcrops. Those all have live
hydraulics and 45 h.p. or a bit more. Staying with a
single clutch/non-live pto will save you a bit on
purchase price, and in the event you have to replace
the clutch. I WOULD lean towards the 5-speed
because of better gear ratios.

Yeah, I have 8 forward 2 reverse on the John Deere 770 and find myself needing something in between both in forward and reverse. I am concerned about a classic Ford with only 4 gears. On the other hand, it's a classic right? So, if it takes a little longer to not abuse the machine, it just means more time enjoying my machine.

With what you have posted...I agree with FordFarmer..
850, 851, for the 5-speed and power,
860,861,960,961 or 4cyl 4000, for 5-speed,power, and live pto
but
I googled a pic of your Deere....if that is what you are used to now..very hard to go backwards in tractors.
I might consider just a [i:da195a539e]little[/i:da195a539e] newer. won't cost much more than a decent 861.
3000 or 4000 3cyl blue Ford with dual range trans, lots of diesel power and power steering...........
 
(quoted from post at 13:49:30 08/21/15)
(quoted from post at 14:30:41 08/21/15)
(quoted from post at 13:19:22 08/21/15) I'd say look for any 800, 801, or 4-cylinder 4000. Or
900/901 if you like rowcrops. Those all have live
hydraulics and 45 h.p. or a bit more. Staying with a
single clutch/non-live pto will save you a bit on
purchase price, and in the event you have to replace
the clutch. I WOULD lean towards the 5-speed
because of better gear ratios.

Yeah, I have 8 forward 2 reverse on the John Deere 770 and find myself needing something in between both in forward and reverse. I am concerned about a classic Ford with only 4 gears. On the other hand, it's a classic right? So, if it takes a little longer to not abuse the machine, it just means more time enjoying my machine.

With what you have posted...I agree with FordFarmer..
850, 851, for the 5-speed and power,
860,861,960,961 or 4cyl 4000, for 5-speed,power, and live pto
but
I googled a pic of your Deere....if that is what you are used to now..very hard to go backwards in tractors.
I might consider just a [i:b9b00bed1d]little[/i:b9b00bed1d] newer. won't cost much more than a decent 861.
3000 or 4000 3cyl blue Ford with dual range trans, lots of diesel power and power steering...........

I know what you mean about going backwards. However, I grew up on a McCormick Farm-All Cub and have hours pulling ganged reel mowers around with an 8N so I do understand what I am getting into. If I can ride around on a classic effectively and keep hours off the 4 wheel drive John Deere 770, I am open to a little less convenience. I was settled on a 3000 so I could use the square axle housing for mounting a ROPS. The CDC actually developed a NIOSH compliant ROPS for the 3000. But, I'm drawn to something older. As I learned here today, I will want 1953 or later because I definitely want live hydraulics and do not want to install an aftermarket kit to get it.
 
That so called live pto option was a doohicky add on that required a third hand to effectively use.
There is no comparing it to the effectiveness or ease of use of a true live or independent pto.
 
If you get a 5 speed make sure it does not jump out of 3rd gear under a load, the 5 speed fords are bad about it
Boss
 
There are cheap n easy workarounds for keeping the 3pt up without pro on. Transport lick prop, chains, etc.

Still I'd get a later model than an n
 
Better yet, get something with a 7 or 8 in the middle *7* or *8* and have 10 forward gears 😁 and independent PTO. All kidding aside, I love my 971 for brush hogging.

Chris
 
(reply to post at 21:47:32 08/23/15)


I jumped in and purchased a 640 (600 series with 4 speed, live hydraulics, 3 point and non live pto) with Sherman Step-up. That puts me in 1953-1957 era. I started a new thread regarding it.

Marty
 


I jumped in and purchased a 640 (600 series with 4 speed, live hydraulics, 3 point and non live pto) with Sherman Step-up. That puts me in 1953-1957 era. I started a new thread regarding it.

Marty[/quote]

Congratulations!
 

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