New to Tractors -- Ford NAA

bmegal · Sep 22, 2015

Hello, I'm completely new to the world of tractors and i own a small homestead. I'm looking for a small tractor to help with tilling the garden, tilling small food plots and blading the driveway.

My neighbor has a 53 Ford NAA for sale and I'm wondering if that would meet my needs. On paper it seems to have enough HP to run a 60" rotary tiller but does anyone have experience with this tractor and that size tiller? Is 4WD necessary to work with a rotary tiller?

Also, the current owner has not used the PTO, just the three point with his blade. Any watch outs that i should be looking for with this tractor?

I did some searching through the forums and I found discussions about tillers and other fords but not the NAA.

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

Much thanks!

Brady

Sean in PA · Sep 22, 2015

The NAA will be too fast, even in 1st gear, to run a PTO driven roto-tiller with the engine running at proper rpm's to obtain 540 rpm PTO speed. For a PTO driven roto-tiller you would want something newer in the Ford line-up, either a 1959+ tractor with a Select-O-Speed transmission, or a 1965+ tractor with a S-O-S, or 6 or 8 speed manual transmission and preferably live PTO if it has a manual trans.

bmegal · Sep 22, 2015

(quoted from post at 10:39:04 09/22/15) The NAA will be too fast, even in 1st gear, to run a PTO driven roto-tiller with the engine running at proper rpm's to obtain 540 rpm PTO speed. For a PTO driven roto-tiller you would want something newer in the Ford line-up, either a 1959+ tractor with a Select-O-Speed transmission, or a 1965+ tractor with a S-O-S, or 6 or 8 speed manual transmission and preferably live PTO if it has a manual trans.

Thanks Sean! That's definitely good to know

martyh · Sep 22, 2015

In case it wasn't clear enough yet, an NAA is not suitable for tilling. lol.

Flyguy30263 · Sep 22, 2015

I guess I shouldn't have read this thread. I've got a Jubilee and a Ford 105A 60" tiller that works just fine. Had it for several years and had no problems.

old · Sep 22, 2015

If you have good sandy soil ya maybe it will do ok but if you have soil like say 90% of us do it will NOT work at all. I have tried it on my 841 and what a joke. Even in soil I had tilled with my Troy Built till it would not till well

martyh · Sep 22, 2015

(quoted from post at 18:13:25 09/22/15) I guess I shouldn't have read this thread. I've got a Jubilee and a Ford 105A 60" tiller that works just fine. Had it for several years and had no problems.

You're doing 3.6mph at pto rpm. No way this is working the way tilling is supposed to. You might be the exception that is getting away with this or maybe are satisfied with your sprint across the garden but most people would agree tilling needs to be done at a much slower speed.

martyh · Sep 22, 2015

(quoted from post at 18:13:25 09/22/15) I guess I shouldn't have read this thread. I've got a Jubilee and a Ford 105A 60" tiller that works just fine. Had it for several years and had no problems.

You're doing 3.6mph at pto rpm. No way this is the working the way tilling is supposed to. You might be the exception that is getting away with this or maybe are satisfied with your sprint across the garden but most people would agree tilling needs to be done at a much slower speed.

Ultradog MN · Sep 23, 2015

If you don't mind my asking, what is his
asking price?
A lot of folks buy a tractor for a bit too
much $ only to find out they could have
gotten a lot more tractor for not much
more if they had waited or looked, learned
a bit more. At least you are smart to be
doing your homework here.
NAAs are very good tractors but even 1
series newer are better for a few reasons
and don't cost any more.
As for running a tiller; a lot of folks
want to do that these days. But keep in
mind that these tractors were made to use
a plow and disc and do an excellent job of
tillage with those implements.
I plow and disc several gardens for my
cousins every year and keep my plots up
too. Just an option to think about if that
NAA is a very good deal. If you really
think you want a tiller for your projects
consider a Ford 3000 with the 8 speed
transmission. It will run a tiller just
fine (or a plow and disc) will come with
several refinements and improvements over
an NAA and wont cost much more.

William Fissell · Sep 23, 2015

I till all the time with a MF 35 - in 1 low it tills ok. price may be a hair more than an NAA (I have an NAA also) but
will till and will also pull a plow or a disc.

The 35 cost me I think 3500 w tiller and a flail mower. Works great, no worries.

my $0.02

souNdguy · Sep 24, 2015

any aux trans?

what's yer soil like? straight sugar sand 8" deep or fluffed peat potting soil?

New to Tractors -- Ford NAA

bmegal

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Sean in PA

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bmegal

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martyh

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Flyguy30263

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old

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martyh

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martyh

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Ultradog MN

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William Fissell

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souNdguy

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