Ford 2000 (4 cylinder) with Select-O-Speed

ginom

New User
Hello, I am looking at purchasing a 4 cylinder, 1963, Ford 2000 with a Select-o-Speed. The tractor is in very good condition, runs very well, and is very fair price, but I am worried about the s-o-s
transmission. My research has indicated the the the later models )i.e. transmission casing C3NN) were much better than the earlier models. I have verified this particular tractor has the C3NN s-o-
s transmission. I have also read that parts are rare and expensive., but if you regularly change the oil, and keep the bands adjusted it should work well.

I have no experience with adjusting bands. Can some one tell me if it a hard task to adjust the bands and perform maintenance on this transmission. Do I need any special tools?

Worst case could I simply swap out the transmission for a standard gear drive transmission or would that be problematic.

Any advice and recommendations you could provide will be appreciated. Thank you!
 
I wouldn't think twice about buying one if the price were right. I have kept a complete 4 speed setup just in case I ran across one that was reasonable. The guys on this forum can guide you in servicing and repair.
Ron
 

Don't believe all the idle talk you have heard regarding the SOS. Most don't know what they are talking about. If it is working properly now, with just simple maintenance it might last another 50 years. Warm it up good, drain the oil, if it looks real bad perhaps a filter change would be in order. Buy a Servic? manual covering the year you have. Adjust the bands in accordance with the manual. Requires a screw driver and box end wrench. Be sure to uncouple transmission from differential. Enjoy.
 
(quoted from post at 14:13:42 05/14/17)
Don't believe all the idle talk you have heard regarding the SOS. Most don't know what they are talking about. Enjoy.

I'm glad you said that, Gene. I hate needing to be the one to do it. That should be one nice little tractor if it's been taken care of!
 
The later model ones like the one you describe are very reliable with even irregular maintenance.

As advised below, change the oil and filter (do yourself a VERY big favor and buy a proper service manual beforehand), adjust the bands, and adjust the PTO and shifter cables if necessary.

Yes, if necessary, the SOS can be replaced with a 4 or 5 speed changeover set up from a donor tractor but I would not do so.

Dean
 
What is a very fair price?
More than a couple grand and I would walk away.
There are a few guys here who love those transmissions and will Always give glowing reports of them.
There are also a few heretics here who will remind you that more Fords have been scrapped on account of those transmissions than all other Ford tractor transmissions combined. Take for an example, the Ford 6000s. They were a great tractor. But I'll bet there isn't 10% of them still in service today.
Why? Because of that transmission.
Those transmissions require more maintenance than a crash box - which they usually didn't get - and they are complicated enough that when something goes wrong with them few people know how to fix them. And they lurch and jerk a lot.
Of course if you mention that they jerk, those same people who like them just brush it off as operator error. Ha!
You mention being willing to swap out the SOS for a crash box if it goes bad. I would suggest you hold out for a non SOS to begin with and avoid that cost and hassle.
Again, if that tractor has very good rubber, good tin and decent paint, runs Good, has power steering and I could get it for a couple grand I would buy it. Otherwise, I would hold out and spend double that + for a non SOS machine.
 
If the selecto is working fine and the shifts are crisp with good care the tractor should be fine. If you want to use the tractor 3 or 4 hundred hours a year under heavy tillage I would pass. They make great PTO tractors and the road gear is faster.
 

Adjusting the bands is quick and easy. While it can be done with just a screwdriver you are supposed to use a torque wrench which will read to I believe 20 ft lbs.
 

I would pay more for an SOS tractor of that vintage than for a crash box.

Jerking and lurching on the first farm tractor powershift is minimal for something that old and is largely due to peeps that don't know how to operate them.

Shoot! Most people that are the age of these SOS tractors do a little jerking and lurching on their own . . . without any help! :lol:
 
The others have pretty well covered it. I will just add that the 2000 is the lowest h.p. tractor to use the Select-O-Speed. The same transmission was used in the 4-cylinder 4000, and I think even the 6000. That little 134 c.i. engine wasn't straining it any. If it's working right, I wouldn't be afraid of it.
 
Thank you for your help to better understand this unique tractor. Based on your response I did purchase the tractor (paid $2500). It ran very well through all gears, and everything works well. I just now need to replace the fuel shut off valve, which I understand is common problem with these tractors and change all the fluids. I hope I made a good decision. Thanks again for your help.
 

I had a long reply but I think we had a an auto sign out issue. I don't know if you got the first message. Your comment about swapping the tranny on the SOS caught my attention. I'm considering a 1962 SOS as a donor for my'63/64 industrial 4143 with front loader and backhoe attachment. It's a 4-speed tranny mounted to a 4 cylinder gas engine. Can you provide information or direct me where I can find the information on what series are swappable with the various transmissions? I found several 8-speeds but that four-speed on a 4000 series is a bit of a unicorn here in Southwest Louisiana.. Hence, my considering the SOS donor that I came across. Will the Driveline splines match as well as the tranny casing and plumbing? Are some of the other series Transmissions mateable to my 4000 Industrial series? Thanks!
 
(quoted from post at 13:29:48 05/14/17) The later model ones like the one you describe are very reliable with even irregular maintenance.

As advised below, change the oil and filter (do yourself a VERY big favor and buy a proper service manual beforehand), adjust the bands, and adjust the PTO and shifter cables if necessary.

Yes, if necessary, the SOS can be replaced with a 4 or 5 speed changeover set up from a donor tractor but I would not do so.

Dean

*correction, the potential doner is a '62 model 601 SOS. 4cyl gas and my tractor is a '63/64 4143 industrial 4cyl gas. 4speed manual (loader/backhoe model). Thanks
 
Agree with almost everything stated except the tranny swap.
If you want a SOS then buy it for that reason. If you want a manual transmission, then let this go and find the right tractor.
 
(quoted from post at 16:06:18 07/31/23) Agree with almost everything stated except the tranny swap.
If you want a SOS then buy it for that reason. If you want a manual transmission, then let this go and find the right tractor.

Thanks. I understand what you're likely saying about the SOS. The whole tractor is very clean and has other parts i need for a 54 jubilee like tires, etc. And they're only only asking $400, but, Less change is less potential problems. The difficulty is finding this unicorn " industrial" model in 4 speed. 63/63 ford industrial 4000 series isnt very common in southwest Louisiana and shipping isnt an option.
Any idea who could provide the info about which other model trannys will connect with my engine? Or where I can research that info? Thanks for your help.
 
*correction, the potential doner is a '62 model 601 SOS. 4cyl gas and my tractor is a '63/64 4143 industrial 4cyl gas. 4speed manual (loader/backhoe model).

I can find no references for a 4143 model Ford tractor. Did you mean 4140? That would be a heavy industrial 4000 made from '63-'64.
 

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