Ford 601 + rear blade

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
Have a 1958 Ford 601, four speed. Thinking about getting a rear blade, for clearing light snow, wet snow. (for deep snow I have a 1333 snow blower)

Don't know whether to get a 6' or 7'. Want to be able to swing it around (180 degrees). Not sure the 7' will clear the back tires. Tractor supply in town has a 7' blade with a rubber squeegee for less than $400, $350 for a 6'. John Deere is $1,000 for 7'.

Any thoughts, experiences?
 
You may want to consider ballast in the tires, wheel weights or tire chains, double ring if you have ag tires, as traction is likely going to be an issue once you drop the blade down, yo don't have that as weight while pushing, especially if there is any packed snow or ice, or slight slope etc.
 
Don't think a 7' will swing around. Tractor supply blades are pretty light duty for any serious pushing. A used name brand would be better. Agree with loaded rear tires or weights.
 
a 7 foot wont swing, and a 6 foot wont cover the tire tracks when angled to the maximum , so you got to give up 1 or the other feature, a 601 should easily handle either size
 
Except the 7' your lift links are not long enough to let you swing the 7' blade around. Your tractor has the same lift arms as my 2N and the 7' will not rotate without taking it off, the 6' will and they will just clear the tires. The 7' I had for a 4100 series Ford (3 cylinder 4000 with 38" rear wheels and cat 2 lift and it would work good on it but it is just way too much blade for your tractor that is the approximatly same physical size as the 2N and the 601 is just a newer version of the NAA that I also had before the 4100 and you try putting a 7' blade on any of them and you will just have problems. Don't use the 7' any more, just keeping it because they are not worth enough to try to sell and as I have the cat 1 pins and it being able to be offset if I would decide I needed to I could bolt it to the ofset position and leave it up in air to just reach out and push off the top of the snow bank.
 
I don't understand this swinging the blade around on a 7 ft blade. I have a six foot and a seven foot. My seven footer is a woods and the main frame is longer than the one on the six footer. I have used both blades on many different tractors I have not had a problem swinging the blade around. They include 3 different compact kubotas, 8n ford, 231 Massey. 22 Massey, and my Super C with a 3pt. I will say sometimes I have to pull the top link in a little to get clearence to swing the blade.
I would compare the main frame on what ever you buy as you may not have any problem with a seven foot blade.
 
I don't know about a 7' swinging around. Might not.
I use an 8' back blade on my 3000 but the blade can be shifted to one side so I can still turn it around.
8' is just right otherwise.
Not sure about the 9/2/8Ns and Jubilees.
I do know that Ford changed the geometry of the 3 point linkage when they started the Hundred series. Not the same as the Ns and NAAs. Pretty sure the lift arms are longer on the later models.

100_10461.jpg
 
Get a 7ft on that can be offset a little then you will be able to swing around for pushing. Thats what i have on my B Farmall.
 
the fords lower link arms are probably shorter, i have a jubilee which is the same size as the 601, and the original 6 foot ford brand blade that came with it, to reverse the blade the lift has to be at mid height, then it will clear the rear tires by about 2 inches if all the way up it will hit the tire and cant be reversed, a 7 footer on these lower arms would have to be removed from the tractor, then the lift frame rotated, the reattached to the tractor, and thats a real pia!
 
On the later models 65 up (blue) they are longer but the 601 used the same arms as the first one did in 1939.
 
Thanks for all the replies.

Three point hitch setup is definitely NOT OEM. The tractor was originally owned by the Country DOT, had a side mower (sickle bar), mowing hillsides. Second owner just used it for pulling a large old reel mower. I'm the third owner. Good news is that the engine doesn't burn a drop of oil (never had a plow on it).

Bad news is that bottom hitch bars are NOT Ford. Measure 32" long center hole to center hole. With the bottom hitch bars horizon, they are about 5" past the rear tires. 6' blade should be able to swing around, maybe the 7' also if it is offset.

Lots of good info here. thanks for any more comments.
 

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