Ferguson to20 pto (new tractor owner)

New member...hoping to find a good community to help me through tractor ownership.

I just purchased a 1951 Henry Ferguson TO20 with a bunch on implements. The one that I am having trouble with is the brush hog. On this tractor the pto is active/active so in order to lift the implement, it also spins up the implement. Is there an add-on selective clutch that I can buy to allow me to have the pto on (on the tractor) and selectively engage the pto shaft? I would like to be able to lift and lower the implement without it engaging the mower blades.

Second question...Maybe same answer...

Overrun clutch or slip clutch or both?

I've spent my first two weeks with this tractor fighting with a bad carb, bad plug wires, bad distributor cap, etc. So I'm really fired up to put this tractor to work for my little (infancy) farm.

Welcome to the forum and congrats on the new tractor!
You absolutely need an over running coupler with a rotary cutter.
Without it the momentum of the blades will not let you stop the tractor.

You can either block the 3pt up and shut the PTO off for transport
or disconnect the PTO shaft and wire it up so you don't loose it.
then keep the PTO running to work the hydraulics.

As for the "live PTO" option, yes, there were some made.
Most, if you can find them, no longer work.
If you need that option you may want to trade up to a newer
tractor once you get your feet wet and learn what you want by
using this one. I like live PTO. I also like power steering. (hint)

Thanks for the input however i am interested in an option to be able to selectively engage the pto. It seems as though this should fbe a pretty common request. I imagine that some manufacturer has solved this issie.

It is a common thing to want for your TO20 but there has not been a kit made in over fifty years to make your tractor do what you want. Even then I have only seen one of them in my entire life and it was broken. This is one reason your TO20 was more than likely a cheaper tractor. One with Live hydraulics and PTo will easily be twice as much money as the normal TO 20 brings.
Things you can do to the TO 20 you have.

1) If your using the bushog then buy an over running clutch before you use the bushog again. The bushog acts like a giant fly wheel. So even with you pushing the clutch in to stop the bushog will back drive the transmission making the tractor still move in the direction you were going in. Add in the fact that the TO 20 brakes where not good when new and more than likely don't work well now, you can easily get hurt by not being able to stop when you want/need to without an over running clutch.

2) Guys with the older tractors without live hydraulics learned how to clutch the tractor and "pop" it into neutral real fast . Then with the clutch let back out they could raise or lower the hydraulics.

The bad news is your going to need to buy a newer model tractor to get the features you wanting to have in the TO20 tractor. The Ferguson TO35 was the first Ferguson to have live hydraulics and PTO.

Any thing you would do to enable the Ferg to do what you want would cost more than a tractor with LPTO most likely.

J D Seller is right in that you are hoping to get an old tractor to perform like a modern one and it just is not going to work. I own several antique tractors and I enjoy them but when it comes to using them for things like bush hogging I leave them in the shed and grab a more modern one with live pto and power steering Those Ferguson 20 and even the 30 models were much like the Ford N series tractors and a great tractor in their day but that was 75 years ago and they have outlasted their utility. You should have done more research before you bought it.

I buy and sell used farm tractors and equipment and I do run into some novice buyers from time to time. I am reminded of a man who came to look at a tractor that I had on my lot. He looked my tractor over and drove it around he was pleased with the power steering and the fact that it had a 3pt hitch and live pto. When he heard my price he thought it was reasonable. He then asked me if I would take a trade and I said sometimes and it depends on what it is and how much the owner thought it was worth. He than told me that he had a Farmall H and he had paid $3850 for it and he thought he should get that on trade. I told him I was not interested in it at any price and if it was so good why was he trading it. Well he said it did not have a 3 pt hitch , no live pto and no power steering. Why, I asked him would I or anyone else want it?

My point is that these novice hobby farmers often buy tractors without checking to see if they are going to be of any practical use to them. IT IS A FARM TRACTOR SO IT MUST BE WHAT I NEED!

I am close to 73 and on farm all my life and around Fergusons and had a 30 that is the same as yours only with a 9 cu in larger engine. I have NEVER hear of something like that. Ford had something for the NAA to make a live PTO but it was no good, never saw one of those either. own or owned Ford 9N, 2N, NAA, Ferguson 30 and lots of neighbors had Ferguson 20 & 30. You are wanting to fine something that would be as hard to find as a hens tooth, it just does not exist. The first Ferguson to do what you are wanting is a 35 and not sure if all ov then were set up with it and only could be set up with it at factory.

Congratulations on the new tractor.

I have a TO30, which very very similar to your TO20. I use mine for mowing quite a bit.

You definitely should have an over running clutch. You probably want some type of slip clutch or shear bolt on the mower if it doesn't have such a thing. It will save the tractor and/or the mower if you happen to hit something while mowing.

As far as being able to independently control the PTO and the hydraulics... probably almost anything is possible with enough money and some very skilled labor, but it is not easy and likely not worth while. The best approach if you wanted it would be to install a second hydraulic pump somewhere and plumb the 3 point hydraulics off of that. I've not seen one in person, but I have seen pictures and diagrams of those who have done it.

But, I have a tractor like yours and mow with it regularly. Would a newer one be more convenient from time to time? Yes. But I get everything done quite nicely with my TO30. And, frankly, I quite like the tractor after the years of owning it (my first and only tractor--so far).

Hop down to the Ferguson Forum for lots of help with your Ferguson from those who own and love them.

Congrats on your new Fergie. The posts you have received are good sound advice. Over running clutch and slipper clutch or shear pin...etc. My advice is to learn how to work with your non live PTO set up. Takes a little more skill and a little thought for work arounds but it can be done and your little 20 will get a lot done...more than you think it can do. Ive had one for 22 years and though I have since acquired newer ones I still keep it because it is tough, reliable and handy....and fun. Oh, and don't drag heavy stuff (logs etc) without some thought about wheelie control. They have been known to flip over occasionally. Respect that part about them

There was quite a bit of discussion about pulling things with a tractor in another post here recently. But bottom line is, never, ever ever pull from any point above the axle. I have a 9N and an 8N. The 9 has a draw bar that attaches at to the lower three point hitch arms with stay bars running up to the top link attachment point and sway bars to brackets under the fenders. The 8N has a dedicated draw bar that runs under the "pumpkin" and stays on the tractor for most uses (if I recall it has to come off when the brush hog is used). I'm not familiar with the Fergy but it would use either of these systems, probably the 3 pt. bar. If pulling a log or anything for that matter, make sure the front of it is off the ground. Should it dig in you could get a nasty jolt, break something, or worse, a back flip of the tractor. It would happen so fast you'd be dead in a second.

Similar issue with running on hillsides, creek banks, ditches... you can flip it over on yourself if not careful.

As far as the PTO shaft, never, ever, ever go near it until it has completely stopped turning, especially on a brush hog, lots of momentum in those blades. It can grab you and pull a limb off or suck you in to severe injury or your death.

Oh, and NO riders! How horrible to see your kid or grand kid slip off and disappear under a wheel or under the brush hog, you'd never get stopped in time.

Properly used these old tractors can be reasonably safe and productive for you, but use your head.

The Fergie and the 8N bouth use the same hitch parts but if you do not on either have that you have on the 8N then the way the 8N is set up works on them as well. Have a 9N, 2N and had a NAA and a Fregie 30. The Fergie used the exactly same underbody hitch used on the NAA or if I had an 8N it would have used.