front plow

have an opportunity at a dearborn front mount grader/snow blade system for my 8n. any tips on what to look for? what is a good price? thank in advance!

tired of plowing snow backwards for the last 19 years...

Just look at it to make sure it's not plum wore out.....And make sure it's not 'sprung'.I'm not sure that there's enough of them out there to 'set' a price. If you are comfortable with the asking price,you better buy it. You may never find another one.

How true, If does what you want have to pay price as chances are you will never come on one again,

Some random thoughts:
I've had a couple of those.
My first advice is to make SURE you get all the brackets.
There are 4 of them. A pair that bolt under the rear axles and a pair that bolt onto the front axle. Without them the blade is unuseable.
They would not be just a simple job with a torch and welder to make either. I'm a good welder/fabricator so trust me on that.
Or you will look long and hard to find them if they aren't there.
Ford built two different blades that fit on the universal frame. Both are 6'. One is a dozer blade. It's not as tall as the snow blade and does not have trip springs.
The other blade was a snow blade. It was taller and had trip springs. Both work for snow but the snow blade is better. I would be willing to pay more for the snow blade

I don't know how your tractor is set up but you will absolutely need rear ballast and snow chains to use it effectively.
I had a 2N with the snow blade. I had wheel weights and good X chains on new tires.
It was an awesome little snow mover!
Price?
It's been a while since I've seen one for sale. But as handy, effective and easily removable a tool as they are I would gladly pay $600 plus for one.
Lastly, you didn't say if you have a front mount or side mount distributer.
If you have a front mount make sure you have good gaskets in it. Fine snow will sift through the radiator and kill your spark. More than once I was on my knees in a snowbank drying out my front mount. NO fun when it's cold out there.
There is an original owner/operators manual for free download on the other N Series Tractor board. Not the YT one. They won't let me post a link to that site. Google it or Email me if you can't find it and I'll send you a link.

Yes there are 4 brackets that you would never find if they are not with it. I have had one for my 2N since 1950, it is the doze blade and Dad put a 10" plank on top to increase height for deep snow. And heavy concrete wheel weights, calcium and at times chains and still would get stuck but not uncommon to try to buck thru 3' deep snow. When we would finally get it where a tractor could get thru then we hooked a chain to left front corner of blade and to second tractor to help pull the Ford to clean out and widen track. And the front of frame was all welded up when Dad got it as it spent the first year of its life plowing the downtown sidewalks in our local town. Had to make different cables a few times.

thanks. he said it has brackets but will need bolts and one cable. think he called it a dozer blade. i have calcium and chains. never thought of the snow in coil/dist. that would not be fun.

More extraneous thoughts:
Ford built that exact same snow blade till well into the 1960s - maybe 70s.
The push frames changed through the years to fit different tractors but the blades remained the same except the late ones were Blue. So if that one is a dozer blade you might keep your eyes open for a snow blade from a later model. Or if you found a junk snow blade I'm pretty sure the trip parts would swap onto yours.
The trip springs are good if you hit an obstacle.
I have a snow blade for my 3000.
It was a 6' Ford unit when I got it but I found a Dearborn one that had an aftermarket 7' blade on it. So I bought it, swapped blades then sold the Dearborn with the 6'. Blade is an exactly the same, just wider.
I've never seen or heard of another.
You can see they will push a bit of snow.

The 4 brackets can be made. I did. TSC has an angle iron bracket for the rears, which is exact width needed. Then weld and fabricate the pin receptle-holders. I made the fronts out of 4" square tube. I have replaced cable and cswagged connectors from a cable company in GR MI. I still have one right length one cable and the other cable was long but usable with cable clamps. I also fabricated a spring setup using a truck plow spring attached to the dozer/snow pin and top of blade.
An alsome pusher with my 2n, with loaded rears and 600-16 mutirib fronts and chains on rear. Broke the frame weld on rear this year, clearing fallen tree in my path in the woods (16" diameter). With snow I run in second and High range in my Sherman with the solid dozer attachment to blade removed. and the rear chain height to frame so blade just clears ground as it'll dig up gravel. Haven't perfected a blade depth slide yet due to blade tilt on sides of blade.
Charles Krammin Hasting MI Lake Michigan snow belt.

I believe the 8N has a longer front axle measurement from rear to front axle than a 2N and might require longer cables.
I paid $200 for the frame and blade. If you get or find the 4 mounts great. Dozer blade width can be welded on for snow.
Charles Krammin

I have a set of used usable cables. Name a price and shipping. I replaced mine with new fabricated one. Mail box open.
Charles Krammin Hastings MI

9N,2N,8Ns all had identical dimensions - Height, Width, Wheel Base, etc.

I just mounted my Dearborn snowplow frame on my 2n. I use in as my backup plow. I sell the dearborn or arps plows for $300/$400 when I have them. I'm talking good usable plow with good meat on the edge, all brackets,cables, ready to mount and plow. Last year I sold 3 sets, this year I have none.
The dozer blade is a shorter blade, not as wide as the snowplow blade. Blade is kind of squared off on the ends where the snowplow blade has winged ends also the snowplow blade will have a trip spring on it. The dozer blade will plow snow and is better for moving dirt and pushing brush and small trees over.
I have seen a lot of ads for dearborn snowplows that will have an ARPS frames. They see the tag for Dearborn on the blade and think the whole unit is dearborn. IMO the ARPS frame is a better strong frame.
Looking at the blade you want to make sure it's not bent and they the edge is good. sure you can replace the edge but if it's wore thru half the bolt holes some additional welding might be required. The blade may also have skid shoes which if you have a gravel driveway you will probably need them since you don't have position control.
Make sure you get all the brackets and rod for the 3pt lift and cables and pulleys are in good shape.
You already cover the weights and chain which you already have.
Couple things on the Dearborn frame to look for is if the frame laying flat on the ground is twisted and if there are breaks toward the front of the frame (I have seen some nasty weld jobs on these) also look at the blade attaching holes to see if they are waddled out and the piece of steel for the blade adjustment is attached and in good shape.
If any of the things I've talked about are not there or in poor condition it should effect the price.
When mounting your Dearborn frame if your rear wheels are set for moldboard dirt plow as my are you will have to tip the frame up on an angle to get it in or it will hit the tires, not a big deal. If you are unsure about anything on the plow and need to talk my email is open.

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Also there are rectangle steel pieces with a hole in the center that slip over the pin and keep the frame from coming out of the rear bracket. These can easily be made out of 1/4" flat stock. Anything that is not supplied and you will have to make up should effect the sales price. Check those pins for wear.

The chains at back are so you do not need skid shoes. And tires set for plowing just push the pins in back brackets in and you can just drive over the frame to get ready to hook it up, no need to tilt frame to get between tires, when Dad first got it pins were stuck and tire had to be widened to get it on, next year pins were loosened up and after that just drive on. If tires set at 48" tread cannot drive on but plow setting is 52" and you can unless you have way oversize tires on. Tractor came new with 10" tires but when 2 years old 11" were put on and are nor 12.4 tires with old size 11. You need 2 people to lift the back end of frame into place, one can do it but you have to lift each side a bit and keep blocking till it slides into place, 2 people can just lift and slide with no problems.

Same for Ferguson 20 & 30, not sure on 35. The NAA was longer, just could not turn blade to full angle for hitting tires.

You raise a couple of good points Leroy. I never thought of using the chains as limiter chain. I've always used them and took the rod out to use 3pt implements the same time my frame was on.
As far as pins go they have all been stuck/rusted in place. Always meaning to change them out but never seem to get around to it. Just take a floor jack and a couple of blocks and slide it into place.
Yes without the pins in the dirt plow setting 52" it will fit in between the tires.

picking it up Sunday am. cant wait to try it out.

If the blade is rusty I would strongly suggest hitting with a wire wheel and give a coat of gloss paint this way the snow will slide off easier. I have used silicone sprays and the paint works better. I use rustoleum silver. Brush or spray. Show some photos once you get it home.

Kirk

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was thinking about your comment about the snow killing the electrics. do you think some of the fine window screen on the front grill to stop the snow from getting in there might help?

i have to pull out onto a 45 mph state route to plow the end of my drive. sure wouldn't want it to die out there.