Major locked rear wheels

I was given this old Major. Had to drag it from its resting place by force. The rear wheels are locked up. Differential housing has rust inside visible from access hole near the top link connection. It Could be the clutch or brakes too. All the tin is there, btw. Fuel tank has holes. No way to tell if motor is stuck. No radiator.
At best, Id like to try to start the motor and then go from there: A. Restore or B. Part it out. Either way I have to move it 2 miles from its present location. I can't get it on a borrowed trailer or a roll on wrecker with the rear locked up.
I'd appreciate any ideas.

what u mean u cant get it loaded? so what if they don't turn they will slide right up the ramps. even if you place plywood on the ramps it will slide easier. tie a snatch block to front of trailer and get a cable to tractor and truck or another tractor and pull backwards , has no choice but to go up there. I pretty much can guarantee that engine is seized.

Hi after owning many majors looking at this and what you say about it, who ever gave it to you just saved themselves a whole load of hassle L.O.L
It will cost you way more than it's worth to restore it right, you could probably find a complete runner to restore fairly cheap that you will actually have an idea whats wrong. Those old majors are famous for worn out motors even if it's not stuck, requiring a complete rebuild with crank machining, messed up fuel pumps, and dumping coolant in the oil pan due to block or sleeve corrosion, this ones sat a fair few years and you probably don't know why it was parked and for how long.

The old majors with the single stage clutch like this one seems to be aren't worth much at all, yes I see crazy prices advertised but some of them are for sale every spring round here. The newer 2 stage live pto power and supers aren't making much in some area's now either as they are over 50 years old. Not many had power assist steering many guys want if they use them,the supers had better brakes, hydraulics, and a differential lock to .

I used to fix up a few to sell here in Canada but it was more fun than profit with parts prices over 5 years ago. I just have a few rough ones better than this left in my collection, and I'm thinking of thinning that herd to if I can find buyers and not loose to much rather than scrap them.
Load it like rustred said, and unload it at a scrap yard they will get it off for you, then put that money to something else if you want a project. It sounds blunt but thats my thoughts on it from my experience.
Regards Robert

Thanks for the replies. I'll probably pass on the restore. Do any of the parts have value?

Hi Good move on not restoring. Parts depends where you are and who's looking for a good part you might have and wants to "pay" for it . some guys might want 3 point parts, a nice hood/ nose cone grills or fenders, your fenders are rough by the looks of it. The tires look shot, there is always guys looking for cheap good usable 30" rear tires for any tractors here.

guys used to look for those rear rims to for their majors if fluid had rotted theirs out. Does it have a raised pto drive unit on the back. It's a gearbox bolted on the back axle housing with a cranked engagement lever on. Those are a rarer option and make good money if complete on ebay. if you aren't sure post a picture and I'll tell you.

In this area the wrecking yards used to tell guys phone me for major parts they didn't have, the phone hasn't rung in over 5 years thats how quiet it's gone. Lots of nice stuff was shipped back to the UK by dealers in old tractor parts for concourse restorations, where guys needed nice original stuff. I don't think thats happening now either.

Maybe post pictures online in local classifieds and see if anybody calls in a week or 2 then scrap it if not. I do see lots of overpriced nice stuff and junk for majors on ebay, thats not selling either unless it's nice stuff in the U.K where the main market is. Regards Robert

It's probably the brakes that are seized. I moved mine by putting two bale chutes from an old
New Holland baler under the tires and hooking them to the front axle. Then slid it along easily.

The wheel weights and rims. Front rims are good on other tractors because they are much thicker
and don't crack from front end loader weight. I've often thought of building a heavy trailer using Fordson axle units. Upside down, perhaps. Steering gear is good for some projects. I've saved a lot of nuts and bolts. I'm always looking at things for projects, like pedals and levers and gages. Fordson nameplates have value. Ones for gas engine ones are scarce. Some
earlier ones had weak cam shaft gears, etc.

Not so sure you came out ahead on that gift.