Shopping for an 8N

I'm looking for a 8n to pull my Dearborn Wood Bros. combine. I'm not sure what is a good deal, and what i should pass on. I live
in eastern Washington, and here are a couple CL adds that are up right now.

1. This one is close by,
http://spokane.craigslist.org/grd/4994295718.html

2. This one is about 2 hrs away.
http://spokane.craigslist.org/grd/4956994876.html

This seems to be the normal prices around here, unless they have a loader, then the price jumps to 3500, but i'm not interested
in a loader, there's even one with a cab and front blade for 4500. I'm wanting just the tractor, maybe a back blade and chains.
Anyway, any comments are appreciated, thanks.
 
(quoted from post at 05:46:20 05/28/15) I'm looking for a 8n to pull my Dearborn Wood Bros. combine. I'm not sure what is a good deal, and what i should pass on. I live
in eastern Washington, and here are a couple CL adds that are up right now.

1. This one is close by,
http://spokane.craigslist.org/grd/4994295718.html

2. This one is about 2 hrs away.
http://spokane.craigslist.org/grd/4956994876.html

This seems to be the normal prices around here, unless they have a loader, then the price jumps to 3500, but i'm not interested
in a loader, there's even one with a cab and front blade for 4500. I'm wanting just the tractor, maybe a back blade and chains.
Anyway, any comments are appreciated, thanks.

In the field? Parades?

Not a lot of folks out here who have A. experience with a pull behind combine and B experience with the N series tractor.

My first gut reaction is DON'T! I have a 6601 JD pull behind and a 1206 Farmall. The tractor dry tips the scales at 10,000 pounds. It's more tractor than the combine calls for yet in the field when the hopper is 1/2 full you can really feel it back there. And the 1206 has good disk brakes with power assist. I would not want, even for a parade to have a combine behind my 8N's and both have good brakes. Even with a fresh brake job the N just doesn't have really good brakes. In a parade stopping can become important, real import if a some jerk decides to walk in front of you or a small child darts out. In the field something like that can kill you if you need to stop on a hillside.

As far as the tractors are concerned the 2nd one seems to be the one I'd stay away from. "Beautifully redone"? 1. Look closely at the tin and you can see that it was dented up and not repaired correctly, just hammered out a little. 2. The paint isn't correct. Plus little things like the radiator cap and seat should be black and the Ford script on the side of the hood should be red. So it isn't beautifully anything. Someone slapped some pain on it and jacked up the price IMO. So I question the owner integrity.

SO even though the first could use a little TLC in the way of paint I'd go with that. No sense driving 2 hours just to pay for a bad paint job.

Rick
 
I agree with Oldtanker , N,s are great at some things , pulling a load is not one .
Low pulling power , inadequate brakes , no down pressure on the hydraulics will allow the load to raise the lift if you are trying to stop going down hill , then you do not have enough weight on the rear tires .......
 
Beautifully restored with the right side tire that has not much tread. I'd also go with the first one another positive on the first one is it has a side mount distributor.
 
My advice, compair prices for the N you look at to later models like 6xx and 8xx.. many times you can get a better, later model for not much more money.

I'd buy a 64- before I'd buy an N or naa.. etc.

And if you get a 5 spd or a 4 spd with a sherman combo, that will help with ground speeds... all depends on if your combine is self powered or not.
 
Nothing wrong with them but I would skip the Ns and go to a 600.
The Hundreds are SO much more capable.
That said, of the two you link to I too would take the first one.
 
(quoted from post at 09:58:37 05/28/15) My advice, compair prices for the N you look at to later models like 6xx and 8xx.. many times you can get a better, later model for not much more money.

I'd buy a 64- before I'd buy an N or naa.. etc.

And if you get a 5 spd or a 4 spd with a sherman combo, that will help with ground speeds... all depends on if your combine is self powered or not.

I looked on the local Craig's list yesterday , just window shopping . Average N prices were $1500 - $2500 for decent units . I saw two 3000's in that price range .

I will definatly keep an N on the farm . They are good about skipping through muddy fields with standing water without sinking .
 
ok.. whatever you think.

a 600 will do all an 8n will do and more, and is dimensionally nearly the same, and very similar in weight. factor in a bigger stock tire, and the ground pressure is likely same or less!
 
Don't anyone get upset, not knocking anyone but there you have it. One other person who talks about the brakes but no one who is talking about using a towed combine.

I know the combine in question is small but I don't think I'd want anything smaller that a 9XX series Ford in front of it and to be honest and knowing the braking system on it the late model Farmall H and M tractors had very good brakes and were considerably heavier than the N I'd opt for one of those.

Interestingly they show that combine behind an N for ads. Note with the under slung exhaust dragging through the small grain stubble. Now anyone who has been around small grains during combining knows just how easy it is to start a fire that way. Many grain field fires have been started through the years by truck exhaust. So the ad picture is bogus. Being self powered the combine has to weigh more than the an N. So anything more than flat ground isn't going to be good either. Especially if the combine plugs and you have to stop or it gets heavy and you want to slow down.

So if it's going to be show only I'd guess you would be OK with an N.

Rick
 
WOW! THANKS EVERYONE! WHAT A WEALTH OF INFORMATION! Yeah, 3 reasons i was thinking of a 8N, 1, it is what's pictured in the brochure, and 2. the combine already has a 8n motor, and 3. the n's are small, and can maneuver well... but i never stopped and thought about the actual use in the field. I'm pretty flat here, but y'all bring up some good points. I've heard of guys polling these with a TD..4? Thanks also on the critique of the adds i posted,,, much appreciated! Guess i'll look for a bigger Ford. I got a John Deere 2640, but that just wouldn't look right :)
 
(quoted from post at 14:29:55 05/28/15) WOW! THANKS EVERYONE! WHAT A WEALTH OF INFORMATION! Yeah, 3 reasons i was thinking of a 8N, 1, it is what's pictured in the brochure, and 2. the combine already has a 8n motor, and 3. the n's are small, and can maneuver well... but i never stopped and thought about the actual use in the field. I'm pretty flat here, but y'all bring up some good points. I've heard of guys polling these with a TD..4? Thanks also on the critique of the adds i posted,,, much appreciated! Guess i'll look for a bigger Ford. I got a John Deere 2640, but that just wouldn't look right :)

TD's were 5/6/9/14/15/18/20/24/25/35. For the most part they went up in size with the numbers. The TD35 is a good example of that not being true as it was a little 41 HP AG crawler. The next in the line up back them was the TD6 available both as an AG tractor or for construction with a blade or Drott loader. TD stood for Track Diesel. They never made a TD4 but they did make a T4 from 59-64 that targeted the AG market. That's also when they made the T and TD5. The T 4/5 TD5 were replaced by the TD 340 and discontinued sometime around 66. The 4/5/340 were available with a 540 PTO and a 3 point hitch plus a blade or loader. Because they were pretty small 5-6K weight range the did not sell well. The TD line was sold by IH before they failed and they no longer have support. Things like pins, bushings, rails, rollers, idlers, pads and sprockets are NLA. And if the undercarriage is shot it doesn't matter how good it runs it's worth little more than scrap.

The reason you are hearing about TD's out there is in that area crawlers were used a lot more for AG because of the terrain than in other areas.

AC, Cat, Oliver, Case, JD and IH sold some crawlers for AG at one time or another. AC sold out to Fiat, Oliver to Case and IH to Dresser. For a lot of years the only crawlers available to the AG market here in the US was Cat. JD and Case didn't bother with it as the market was too small. Dresser was later purchased by Komatsu. I have no idea when support for the old TD's was stopped but I was told it was after Komatsu took over Dresser.

Rick
 
I was just talking to someone today about an accident his uncle had with a N pulling a AC combine, and he said his uncle got a
crawler. I wouldn't have much use for a crawler. That was the other reason i was thinking small tractor is because i could use it
in my gardens for tilling and such. My JD is just too big for that. So anyway, i'm sittin here trying to justify another tractor,
but i can't do it.... yet. There is a M for sale close by though... hehe. Guess i'll put the money away n just wait. I still got a
couple months at least before i'm done with the combine. Then i was going to plant about 3 acres in winter wheat for next year
this fall. so i got lots of time. Some folks want me to put this in the local fair and parade but frankly, i don't think i've done
THAT good of job on it. I just want to use it, and while i had all this stuff tore down, i thought it could use some paint. Thanks
Rick, you guys are great!
 
(quoted from post at 16:30:55 05/28/15) So anyway, i'm sittin here trying to justify another tractor,
but i can't do it.... yet. quote]

What??? I'm trying to convince my wife I need one tractor for each implement! So that means I need 5 tractors in the 70-125 HP range, 3 in the 40-70 range and 9 more small tractors about the size of the N's or 6/800 series! Plus a dozer! Just can't get to take a 2nd job :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Rick
 
checked out your combine on youtube.
I know implements like that were made for the tractors of their day...
but...I wouldn't tow that thing across my yard with an N.
I'd skip the NAA and 600 series too...too light.
That Farmall M suggestion would be better.....got some beef to it.
Personally a Ford 4000 or so with dual range trans and wet brakes
would be my choice.

We used to haul a 1 axle ancient wagon with apple totes on it,
with a much more capable MF 135. Still had to weight the front end heavily so you could keep the wheels on the ground thru dips
and whoopdedoos. Stopping took some distance too.
 
I'm starting to wonder if that was the sort of sales pitch they used, to say, look, you can pull this with your N, because it's in
the brochure, and even in the manual, there is an attachment to put on the N draw bar for the hitch. Much bigger than an N, you
would run over the wheat with the tire before the header is able to cut it. When i towed it home with the pickup, it was just wide
enough to see the header in the driver's mirror. There is a super M not too far away that looks fairly decent,,, hmmm... Thanks.
 
Haha,, yeah, and a BI---------G shop to put them all in,,, so you could work on them in the winter of coarse :) I really wanted an
N,,, and i'm kinda bummed that it's not enough tractor to pull my combine safely. And, they woulda looked real good together too.
I was tellin no new parts that there is a super M not too far away, they are asking 1800 for it. I'll have to check, but i think
my 2640 is too wide and would smash the grain before the header.
 
(quoted from post at 05:04:18 05/29/15) Haha,, yeah, and a BI---------G shop to put them all in,,, so you could work on them in the winter of coarse :) I really wanted an
N,,, and i'm kinda bummed that it's not enough tractor to pull my combine safely. And, they woulda looked real good together too.
I was tellin no new parts that there is a super M not too far away, they are asking 1800 for it. I'll have to check, but i think
my 2640 is too wide and would smash the grain before the header.

The width of almost any farm tractor is adjustable with tire spacing. Just have to have the owners manual. They most often have step by step instructions on how to adjust them. The Super M is a pretty high demand tractor in my area for the collectors. For here, and location is everything, 1800 would be right in the ballpark depending on condition and tire for Super M.

Rick
 
[i:654c4848f0]Personally a Ford 4000 or so with dual range trans and wet brakes
would be my choice.[/i:654c4848f0]

Did someone mention a 3 cylinder 4000?
Now you're talking my language!
Here are a few that I've owned.
The yellow one is a 4400 but it is essentially the same tractor.

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IMG_0207.jpg


tractorride2010168.jpg


100_1842.jpg


100_1970.jpg


100_2079.jpg
 
(quoted from post at 14:29:55 05/28/15) WOW! THANKS EVERYONE! WHAT A WEALTH OF INFORMATION! Yeah, 3 reasons i was thinking of a 8N, 1, it is what's pictured in the brochure, and 2. the combine already has a 8n motor, and 3. the n's are small, and can maneuver well... but i never stopped and thought about the actual use in the field. I'm pretty flat here, but y'all bring up some good points. I've heard of guys polling these with a TD..4? Thanks also on the critique of the adds i posted,,, much appreciated! Guess i'll look for a bigger Ford. I got a John Deere 2640, but that just wouldn't look right :)

2009_8N_JD30combine.jpg


Late to the party here, but I actually *do* have experience pulling a towed combine (JD 30, PTO-driven) with an 8N (yootoob link). It worked after a fashion, but my ground speed was really too high and I probably left grain on the ground because of that. My ground is flat so brakes were never an issue. I would spin the combine up (in neutral on the tractor) before clutching into first, as it takes some grunt to get the combine going. Was okay once spinning, though.

If you do not already have a tractor, I would suggest you seriously consider something a bit larger +35HP and with a slower ground speed than an N series has… I no longer have the JD 30, but if I did, I'd run it behind the AC 190 I bought a couple years ago instead of the 8N.

es
 
(quoted from post at 10:29:31 05/28/15) ok.. whatever you think.

a 600 will do all an 8n will do and more, and is dimensionally nearly the same, and very similar in weight. factor in a bigger stock tire, and the ground pressure is likely same or less!

I am not knocking the hundred series at all , I would gladly use one . I would keep an 8n because I already have it . I don't see the hundred series for sale around here . Given a choice between an 8N , hundred series , or a 3000 in the $2K +/- price range I think I would go with a 3 cyl diesel . Of course one of each would be better .
 
Yeah, it looks ok,,, but,, i got to thinking today. I could just pull it with my JD2640, and use a draw bar, and set the pin over
some, just have to watch the turns. That's probably what i'll do. The problem with the older Farmal's is there's no 3 point, and
so getting a tiller, or something to justify it for me gets even harder,,, heck, i should just get a N for the rototiller aspect
haha... then, i could just park it with the combine for photo ops
:)
Thanks again Rick
 
The 3000's round here go for 4-5K they are popular, i had a gas one for a while, nice unit. But, it would blow my whole color
scheme :) but then again,, red white n blue 's not bad... I was tellin tanker that i think, for budget's sake, i'm gonna operate
it with my JD 2640, and use a draw bar to get it over some so i'm not smashing the wheat. The old farmalls are better priced than
the Fords round here. The problem for me with them is no 3 point, and so there's not much i could do with one but just pull the
combine,,, hard to justify a tractor for that. I was thinking though, i could still get a N because i'd like to upgrade to a
bigger rototiller... see,, i can figure a way to still get a N... there is a 600 for about 2200 i saw somewhere too, and a Jubilee
as well... Thanks you guys
 
Wow!!!! nice! I had a gas 3000, and a commander 6000
My combine's red,,, so red white n blue would be ok too! :)
Thanks!
And thanks to all of you guys,, you probably saved my life
:)
 
(quoted from post at 14:39:26 05/29/15) Wow!!!! nice! I had a gas 3000, and a commander 6000
My combine's red,,, so red white n blue would be ok too! :)
Thanks!
And thanks to all of you guys,, you probably saved my life
:)

Most people will tell you that an N without an under drive auxiliary transmission to slow it down is too fast for a rototiller.

And adding a 3 point to an my would be about 750-1000 depending on brand. They can be purchased new. I think your best bet if you want to keep it grey and red is something like a 901 Ford. They come with the 3 point. Don't know about ground speed though.

Rick
 

While it's certainly your decision, my humble opinion is that you should pass on any N for combine work.

It can be done, but it won't be easy, fun, nor very productive. I've done it.

I'm not suggesting you don't buy an N I love 'em and will probably always have one, just not for combining.

MVC-009F.jpg
 
Love the pic, thanks!
This combine has its own 8N motor, and so the pto is not an issue, however, ground speed would be. I just got done turning peas
under, and i'm going to take a chance on planting winter wheat in a couple acres this fall. By next year, i hope to have this ol
girl running good, and if nothing else, i can pull it with my JD. Thanks.
 

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