Ford 8N vs Ford NAA vs Ford 600 series

How do these three tractors compare for someone who is looking to purchase a tractor but not shell out a lot of money?? I have heard a lot about the 8N and it appears that parts are fairly common to find, not sure about the other two. I only plan on using it to haul wood, plow snow, and maybe brushhog a little. My father owned a 9N and he always had pretty good luck with the tractor. I do remember him telling me that the brakes were always poor of the tractor, but for his needs around the house, the 9N always suited him. Any information would be much appreciated!!!

If it was to be my only tractor I would go with the 600 series.Much more advanced than the 8N and NAA.

JMHO

Vito

Go with the 600 series, alot better tractor for a few dollars more.

Just curious what makes the 600 series much more advanced than the 8N and the NAA??

Live Hyd and Live pto Not to be critical but if you don't know the advantages of lpto and live hyd you possibly should not buy a tractor

I have an NAA and have had 8n's, 2N's, and 9N's. Never had a 600 myself, but have friends that do.

The NAA uses the same basic rear and transmission as the older 8n with an upgraded overhead valve engine. The NAA hydraulics are improved over the 8n's (ie hydraulics independent of PTO operation) but are somewhat unique. The NAA's were only made 1953-54 and were replaced with the 600 series tractors. This two year lifespan makes parts a little harder to find. The 600 series tractor used the same basic engine as the NAA but had heavier, simpler rears and improved hydraulics all around. There were also upgraded transmission options along the way, ie SelectoSpeed, Five speeds, Live Power options, etc. The basic hundred series tractors lasted into the 60's and there are many more of them and correspondingly more parts available.

This summary is fairly simplistic and has exceptions, but these are the basic differences. If you are going to restore a tractor for show or hobby, any will do. If you really want a working tractor, the 600/800's are probably the way to go.

I just noticed that you want to bushhog with your tractor. I would not bushhog with an 8n,9n, or 2n. The hydraulics and PTO operation are not really efficient for this. The hydraulics do not work unless the PTO is turning. This makes control difficult. Also, you'll have more power and a heavier tractor with an NAA or Hundred series.

I would also skip the N Series and the NAA Jubilee Fords.
Buy the 600 and don't look back.
As for live pto, on a smaller tractor it's not that important in my opinion.
Nice for baling hay or running a snow blower but not imperative. If I had to choose between lpto and power steering I would pick PS about 2 to 1.

If it doesn't have live pto and live hydraulics, stay away from the turkey.
The reason so many N series are for sale is because they don"t have live pto and live hydraulics.
The N series doesn't have enough weight to pull the scum off of rice pudding.

I say go with the 600 or 601 series tractors, all the hundred series have live hydraulics BUT NOT ALL have live PTO's ie the 641 has live hyd but no live PTO and a 4 speed trans ,while the 651 has live hyd a 2 stage clutch giving live PTO and 5 speed trans. The 601 series have approx 12 more hp very noticeable when mowing and bushhoging and they are notably heaver duty just an overall newer improved tractor. I have a 8N that I've owned for 30+ yrs and a 641 both are great tractors the 8n has served me very well but the 641 is a better tractor.
While live PTO is nice it is not needed if using a finishing mower or a bushhog install a over-running clutch and all will be find.
Its very obvious that anyone saying a 8N has no power has never operated a good running one they will compete with any 209 hp tractor made and do better than many.
GB in MN

I'm sure the 600 is a great tractor, but never had one. I'm not trying to steer you toward the 8N, but I just want to say in its defense it has always done everything I asked it do. As for live pto and hydro, I can't say that I ever missed it; you don't miss what you don't have and don't know about, I suppose. I cleared my land using my 8N and a bushhog, and you wouldn't believe some of the things I put it through. It came through like a champ.

I still have the 8N, but I "restored" it and it's now on light duty, mainly for sentimental reasons (it was my dad's). The heavy grunt work now goes to the JD 1020.

i'd have to ditto ultradog.

the 8n are nice and all.. easy to fix.. etc. but jumping ahead a bit gets you more goodies... for about the same price.

most small fords go for 1500$ - 3000$ 9n thru 1964 4000's

the naa is a step int he right direction with the 134ci OHV engine.. but then stumbles and falls a bit on the hyds parts in that they ere only made for 2 years so replacemnt aprts are scarce, and upgrade aux hyds are scarce to 'make it yourself' style. continuing back.. still same old axle hub design.. that and no real trans upgrade.

jump to an 00/01+ series and you have lots of trans option.. hyds parts more common.. aux hyds options.. better rear axle hubs. maybee live pto.. maybee power steering..e tc.

I hardly look at anything older than a 55 anymore...

Well, that is kinda like saying that just because YOU drive a subdivision slushbox car with automatic transmission, power everything and an external_link bunper sticker....

That my 4x4 with a 4 speed manual trans and manual locking hubs is so primitive that I should walk.

Regards,

Brad

You forgot the part about more N owners have been killed when their tractor flipped than all of the wars since the dawn of man.
Why, you can get killed just by looking at an N.

i would go for a later 2000 or 3000 worth more ifu wanta use them or even a 135 massey but thats wat i think

THe 650 & 651 do not have live power, the 660 & 661 do have and are 5 speed transmission tractors and if you are thinking of a mower like that then get something with the live power so the mower does not push you up a tree, want you to be able to be around and for somebody that is not completely famiular with the non live pto that can be deadly.

I've help quite a few people with their first tractors over the last 20 year some didn't have a clue about one are how to operate one but I always tried to steer them in the right direction based on what they needed one for. I don.t agree with your statement that this gentleman may not need a tractor. I've bought quite a few things over the years that I didn't know anything about but found people that did and they helped me learn what I needed to know. This forum is about helping people out. So with that said Cory like most everybody else said look for a tractor with live pto and live hydraulics and stay away from the grey market imports

Sure lots of heat over a simple subject.

1. I have never owned any of the tractors mentioned.

2. To run a rotary mower, live pto is highly reccommended for safety reasons as stated above. The big blades and stump jumper have a flywheel effect and will keep the tractor moving with the clutch pedal pushed in, possibly in a direction you don't want to go.

3. Live hydraulics are extremely desirable for convenience and safety reasons. I think the only tractor mentioned by the op without live hydraulics is the 8n, but I vould be mistaken.

Power steering is a big plus, but might be hard to find on even the 600. Add on PS units are availiable for the 3-4000 Fords.


KEH

if you are only going to haul wood, blade snow, and light brush hog an 8n will fit the bill. you may find that once you have your tractor you want to do a few more things. with that in mind the 600/601 series can do more.

if you only want to spend 1500 bucks get the N
if you want to spend 2500 bucks get the 600

either one of these is likely a non-live pto. (a 660/661 is a live pto but not as common) if you have a non-live pto you need a over run clutch ($60 at TSC)

just my 2cents

-paul

I own a quite a few of these tractors, and I love them all.
The guys have given you some good advice, so I'm only adding.
As far as price goes, the 8N is the cheapest to purchase.
But watch CraigsList etc carefully. Many times you'll find a Jubilee or
hundred series incorrectly listed as an 8N and can get it cheap.
Think of the 8N as basically the same as your Dad's 9N. Same HP
unless you get a later model with about 3 more ponies, brakes that
must be well maintained to be reasonable, same non-live PTO.
But the N's have got the job done since 1939, and parts are everywhere.
Improvements for the 8N over the 9N were position control on the
hydraulics, a four speed transmission versus the three and a redesigned
rear end. Some folks don't think the last two were really improvements.
The Jube has live hydraulics and the red tiger engine. Both awesome.
Otherwise for your use the only benefit I see is a little more weight.
My Jube is probably the most used tractor on the place. Mine has a loader
and home built power steering.
Hundred series tractors have more refined live hydraulics as others
said, are more plentiful than the Jube's for used parts. (except row crops!)
New parts for most things on all are available after market.
If you consider any x00 series with a live PTO/two stage clutch, check the
clutch out well. Parts are available, but pricey for the two stage.
ORC is a must for brush hogging on any non-live PTO tractor regardless
of brand or model in my opinion.
Once you have a loader tractor, you'll wonder how you ever got along
without one.
If you have any intention of putting a loader on it in the future, power
steering or the ability to add it is a HUGE consideration.
Even bigger is the front axle. Thousands of the N's have loaders on them,
but they really weren't designed for that, and they can be damaged fairly
easily. The later models or industrial models are better suited for that task.
Good luck, and let us know what you get!

Hey, B & D, good to hear from you again. Thought maybe you had gone away mad. But no one can resist a good N series thread.

For my part, I grew up with an 8N- it was the only tractor Dad ever had. When he got rid of it, I didn't ask to have first pick. IMHO, someone who's handle is lost in the mists of time had it right several years ago- "N's are very handy tractors. For going down to get the mail. If you don't have too much mail."

Its very obvious that anyone saying a 8N has no
power has never operated a good running one they
will compete with any 209 hp tractor made and do
better than many.


209 hp, is that a typo?

I'm not a fan of the 9n/2n/8n/NAA tractors. Until very recently these were way, way overpriced for what they are. I would go with a 6/800 or newer if I could find one. Live hyd is nice, live PTO...I'm on the fence in a tractor this size. My brush hog has it's own over running clutch. I use my 800 on my haybine and I like the fact that when I hit the clutch everything stops NOW! It's saved me from damaging the haybine a couple times where a couple of my other rigs with live PTO would have probably hurt it because I had to clutch and find the pto lever and disengage it. Just my two cents.

PS is a great thing on a tractor. Make my day much nicer.

Go look at a JD750 compact with 4x4 way handier then the N series and I even pulled more with ours then the neighbor did with his 800 series Ford.

Any of the early gear drive compacts with 4x4 are going to be much better to use and the prices are not too bad on them because of the age of them. Ford & Kubota had some good compact models too.

All you have listed are great little tractors - and will do what you are asking - and more! Lack of hydraulics and live PTO has never been a real issue - and the part about them "flipping over" is a wive's tale. That was the FordSON "N". Why spend twice (or more) the cash to get a fancy machine when you can get a worker cheaper.

I noticed you didn't mention you were going to tend a garden with your tractor but I'll go ahead and mention this, the 641 is to fast to operate a roto-tiller.

Just mentioning that since that is about the only other thing I want out of my 641.

Of the ones you list... the 600 series is the best. Preference is given to the 660 model of that series given it has a 5 speed transmission AND live PTO.
The 'N's do not have live PTO. More importantly, they do not have live hydraulics... so the PTO must be engaged to make the hydraulics work. This isn't so charming when you're dealing with mowers and other such things that you probably want to transport with the PTO disengaged.
The NAA/Jubilee incorporates some basic 'N' features with slight upgrades that gave it an overhead valve engine and live hydraulics.. All of them have 4 speed transmissions that many people find too fast to run rototillers effectively.
As far as I'm concerned, none of them have the power to pull a sick wh0re off a pi$s pot.... but I suppose as 30 hp tractors go, that's the way of things.

I would suggest that in your search, keep your eyes open for 2/3/4000 Fords with 3 cylinder engines. Generally you can get them with live or independent PTO (4000), diesel engine, 8 speed transmission.... for not a whole lot more money than an 8N today. For the longest time the 8N was one of the most overpriced pieces of iron available for all it would do. It was like some little cottage industry all in it's own world... Prices may have finally settled some, but they've settled on the 2/3/4000 quite a bit too. It's not uncommon to but a gas 3000 with manual steering and 8 speed transmission for about the same money as an 8N now... at least around here. The 3000 would be a LOT better tractor for mabey a very small amount more money.


Rod

(quoted from post at 01:51:36 05/15/13) THe 650 & 651 do not have live power, the 660 & 661 do have and are 5 speed transmission tractors and if you are thinking of a mower like that then get something with the live power so the mower does not push you up a tree, want you to be able to be around and for somebody that is not completely famiular with the non live pto that can be deadly.

Click to expand...

Jeez, with an over running coupler that's just not a issue!

Apparently you have never owned an over run coupler either.

Brad