NEW FORD 8N (New To me..)

Hey all,

I'm a long time lurker on this board and I finally got a ford 8n. I'm in the process of bringing it back to life. Lots of projects with this.... I was hoping to be able to get in touch with Tony Jacobs as I'm interested in a 4x4 conversion. Can anybody help with connecting me with him or guide me in a 4x4 conversion.

Thanks!
Brian Good
 
(quoted from post at 08:49:51 08/18/16) Hey all,

I'm a long time lurker on this board and I finally got a ford 8n. I'm in the process of bringing it back to life. Lots of projects with this.... I was hoping to be able to get in touch with Tony Jacobs as I'm interested in a 4x4 conversion. Can anybody help with connecting me with him or guide me in a 4x4 conversion.

Thanks!
Brian Good

Man...that would be a lot of money to sink into an 8N. Is this just a fun project for you? Do you have other tractors?
 


Yeah, it could be costly... This is a project/hobby tractor for me. I have about three acres of property described at best a hobby farm? I do not have any other tractors. I do plan to use this for stuff. Thought this might be something unique. It already has a front end loader and the sherman combination transmission. Just curious to see what I could do with this thing.
 
(quoted from post at 09:33:59 08/18/16)

Yeah, it could be costly... This is a project/hobby tractor for me. I have about three acres of property described at best a hobby farm? I do not have any other tractors. I do plan to use this for stuff. Thought this might be something unique. It already has a front end loader and the sherman combination transmission. Just curious to see what I could do with this thing.

Well heck, if you've got the money and the time, then go for it. Be sure to take lots of pictures. :wink:

I've had an 8N for the last ten years. It has an FEL on it. I've worked the heck out of it on my 5 acres and my dirt roads.

But finally something came along in my neighborhood that I couldn't pass up. I picked up a 1963 Massey Ferguson 202 Workbull tractor. It has the FEL and power steering plus the Hi / Low transmission, not to mention the overhead valve engine with more power. When I get this running up to specs, I plan to take the FEL off the 8N and give the poor thing a break. I always wanted to see how it would handle without that FEL on it. It will then probably just be tasked with mowing.
 

I've heard mixed reviews regarding FEL's on this tractor, ranging from you're crazy! to they work great. What has been your experience with it?

Thanks!
Brian
 
(quoted from post at 09:47:53 08/18/16)
I've heard mixed reviews regarding FEL's on this tractor, ranging from you're crazy! to they work great. What has been your experience with it?

Thanks!
Brian

Well, in the first place, the "N" tractors were not built for FELs. The "N" is a nimble little tractor. If you put a loader on it, it turns into a slow lumbering hard steering water buffalo. My 8N has 6.50 X 16" light truck tires on it to handle the weight of the loader.

I've worked many many hours repairing my dirt roads with it. It has a smaller bucket at 40". I really would not put a larger bucket on it. When I get a bucket of wet dirt moving over my dirt roads I go as slow as I can go in first gear. The last thing I want to do is get the front end bouncing up and down on the ruts. Steering with a bucket of dirt is very hard. You really need to use the individual brakes for steering also. The brakes are not that good either with a bucket of dirt.

I have gotten by with it for ten years by babying this tractor since it's all I had. I didn't want to wind up with it laying down on it's oil pan. As I said, I've gotten by with it for ten years but a bucket on a "N" is not fun at all. Even with the empty bucket on the "N", you should only be turning that steering wheel if you are moving to minimize strain on the steering.

I didn't want to discourage your plans but if you are only going to have one tractor, I would go for something with more power and power steering to use as a loader tractor.

There may be people here who will tell you different but I have babied my 8N with that loader on it for ten years. Now I'll be glad to get that loader off of it and let it just be happy with mowing duties.
 
If you just have tons of money to play with then by all means convert to a 4x4.
But if you are just wanting a user tractor, park it when its too wet to use it.
As far as the FEL, I have one on an 8N. Been a great item to have. No, Ns don't make the best FEL tractors.
I've used mind for bush hogging. Works great if you are cutting threw thicket and need to push limbs out of the way.
By the time you find a tractor with power steering you can expect to pay 3 grand or more for it.
Ns are cheap. If you want a FEL on one I recommend also getting a second tractor.
But if you want only one, an N with a FEL will do the job. It's not just about moving rock and dirt around.
I've found many uses for the FEL. Raising singles to the roof. Going out and picking up a downed deer. Skinning a deer.
Pulling and replacing engines.
And much more.
 
As said, convert it if you have tons of
dough.
But keep in mind that when you're done
you'll still have a tractor with no live
hydraulics, no live pto, no power steering
and a loader that will do about 1/5 of what
a Bobcat would do if you rented one for half
a day.
 
(quoted from post at 17:49:38 08/18/16) As said, convert it if you have tons of
dough.
But keep in mind that when you're done
you'll still have a tractor with no live
hydraulics, no live pto, no power steering
and a loader that will do about 1/5 of what
a Bobcat would do if you rented one for half
a day.

True...don't expect to use the loader on the "N" for any type of digging project.
 
I have a Jubilee with a loader. I added power steering to it.
I had a 9N with a loader. I sold it because I couldn't steer it.
They sure beat a wheelbarrow, but once you ballast them up
to be usable loader tractors they are pretty much dedicated
to that purpose and you need another tractor to do other things.

It's your tractor, don't let my experiences dissuade you but if I
were going to spend that kind of money I would put the loader
on a newer tractor and the Elenco on an 8N as a show piece.
 
As others have stated, a 'N' is not made for a FEL.
Plus they are no fun to steer with a FEL with out a load. Never mind with.
I have a 43 2N with a Dearborn 19-61 FEL that came with a 5 ft wide 5/8 yard grain/snow bucket.
This year I built a easy disconnect adaptor as well as a much smaller bucket which make steering a 'little' easier.
Last year I needed to remove the complete FEL for engine rebuild and after fixing engine I drove it around minus the FEL.
Could turn steering wheel with one finger instead of wishing I was built like Arnold S.
I so am looking forward to having a tractor built for a FEL with power steering and all so I can remove it from my 2N.
As another stated below use it gently any time there are bumps.
I have 1st hand knowledge what they look like when front end parts break and they are sitting on the oil pan.
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Unless you have dough to burn I'd forget the 4WD on an N. As someone already said, you'll still have an old tractor that will have limited features. If you want a worker get a modern 4WD diesel with a hydrostatic trans. and good hydraulics and power steering. On new ones they have some great financing deals. I have a 9N and an 8N and they have been useful and I've gotten a lot of work done with them over the years just as they are. But I got a new small Mahindra (eMax 22 with FEL) that will work rings around the Ns. I wish I'd gotten one earlier.

I'd suggest that if you want a project just restore your current 8N for the experience and if you still want to go the next step get another one and do your mods on it.
 

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