Which model tractor should I get?

JohnV2000

Member
So far this forum has helped me a lot. I drove up to Charlie Burgh Implement this morning and looked at some old tractors. He has a Ferguson TO-20, a Ford 8N, and a couple Farmall H’s for $900. They all run and they have descent to good tires, with the exception of the Ford 8N having a leaky rear tire.

Which model would be best for me and what you recommend? I’ll be mainly using it to drag logs and drive through my woods on some trails. The terrain is quite uneven. Eventually I might want to power a log splitter or something.
 
Does the Ferguson have live pto? If you are driving it through the woods, it's
lower profile makes it less prone to tipping over and it can get under the trees
easier. The farmalls may or may not have a hydraulic system needed to run a wood
splitter. My choice would be the Fergie.
Ben
 
Not sure any of those models have the hydraulics needed to run a log splitter, unless your going to get a PTO pump. If the trails are wooded and uneven, the Ferguson and Ford would
be better for stability and lower height in the woods. Even if the H's have a wide front end, you are still going to be sitting much higher up than the other two.

Make sure what ever one you get, you rig up your pulling appropriately so you don't flip a tractor on top of yourself!
 
Not having 3-pt would be a serious shortcoming - think back blade, disk, finish mower, post hole digger

Doubt if any of those hydraulic systems will make a logsplitter speedy.
 
The Farmall doesn’t have a 3 point hitch, so that might actually narrow down my search to between the Ford and Ferguson. I’m not sure if it’s a Ferguson TO-20 or TO-30. It has headlights and the steering column is stamped TO-3551.
 
Don't worry about trying to power a log splitter with an older tractor. Get a log splitter with it's own engine and a 3000 PSI dual stage hydraulic system. The low volume 800 to 1000 PSI hydraulic systems on older tractors won't have the power or the speed to run a log splitter and running a 30 HP engine at full throttle will burn two to four times as much fuel as a 5 to 8 HP engine on the splitter.
 
I have been dragging logs out of the woods for years with my 8N.
I would not want the H in the woods on uneven ground. If every thing works on the Fergy and Ford, I would choose the one with the best tires.
Get a wood splitter with an engine on it. Then your tractor can drag logs or pull a trailer to haul wood.
My wood splitting operation.
Richard in NW SC
cvphoto5615.jpg
 
He will also need to redesign any commercial spitter or build his own splitter to get a cylinder twice the diameter of what is used on commercial splitters with 3000 PSI hydraulics.
 
Look well into the radiator when they have been run and preferably hot. An iridescent oily sheen is fine but milkshake is bad.
 
I started with 2 ?51 8N?s and they kept me plenty busy making
them to my liking. The Ferguson would serve you well also.
You can always look for a good set of used tires if you pick the
N. Save up again for a log splitter with its own engine. Good
luck with your choice.
 
The Farmall H will drag a lot more than either of the others, I do not believe any of them have live hydraulics or live PTO.

That being said, I would wait for a tractor with live hydraulics and live PTO, not having them makes the tractors almost useless
for anything other than dragging stuff.

Rich
 
I don't know about the Ferguson but the 8Ns
have the most ridiculously FAST reverse
ever installed in a tractor.
When I "upgraded" from a 2N to an 8N I
swapped my good running 2N engine into the
8N and the smokey 8n engine into the 2n
then sold it.
The first time I drove the 8N I hated that
reverse and immediately knew I wouldn't own
it for long.
I didn't either.
 
I think you are 18 years old, right? Get an inexpensive tractor in working condition that fits your needs for the next summer or two and make plans to sell it at a 20 to 50 percent lose when you are done with it.

At 18, a tractor can soon become a burden like owning a horse, very large pet, airplane or boat. You may find yourself being held back from moving to a better job or to school because you need spend too much of your limited time and money to maintain, feed and house your new burden. Have fun with your tractor, but don't be afraid to jettison it when it becomes a burden you don't need anymore. Once you are established and have excess money to burn you can try out dozens of new hobbies and keep the few that you really enjoy. You will probably upgrade the hobbies that you do keep several times too.
 
If you'll keep looking and find a Ferguson TO35, Ferguson 40 or 50, MH50, with live hydraulics and PTO, and power steering, anything with those features, you will be grateful you did.

Probably going to be in the same price range, just more useful, better designed, but still field serviceable and simple to repair.
 

I’d say I’m most certainly a collector things. While the 3 point hitch and live hydraulics are useful, I’m really looking at getting this tractor as a collection piece that I’ll drive around a little and use it as the opportunity arises. Practically speaking, I have no use for any tractor. However, I really love tractors and I’d like to start my collection now. I don’t really see myself selling this tractor anytime in the future, in fact, I’d even consider getting a second tractor in the somewhat near future just to keep collecting.

However, from what I’ve read on this thread, the Farmall H seems to be the most powerful but it might not be the best for uneven ground. For me, just driving around my property for fun, something stable is a must.
 
SS55 ..... lots of good advice passed along to the young fella ..... yours would be about the best I've seen so far. He wouldn't be the first guy to look back and say to himself ..... "if I only had that $2800 I sunk into that tractor when I bought it and fixed it up."
 

I will say, I occupy 100% of my free time. I road bike and mountain bike every day and I’m splitting wood when I’m not biking or at school. I hope a tractor can become another favorite hobby of mine alongside biking, shooting, woodworking, etc.
 
I was raised on Olivers. I bought a Farmall C 16 years ago cheap with the thought of selling it. Now it would be hard to let it go. If I was you I would go for the H Farmall since an Oliver 66 was not in the hunt.
 
What is all this crap about tipping over tractors. Unless your working on steep mountain sides you will not tip an old Narrow front over any easier than that fergie or ford. I have never come near to it with the rear tires set on 60 inch centers for 30 inch rows. Can it be tipped over yes, with some common sense it will not happen. We have had those old narrow fronts for over 50 years. Never had any of the fergie's or fords. Neighbors had one he baled with for us and it would spin all the way up the hills the H would pull the whole load with out spinning.
 
if you are pulling logs and you hook up in the wrong place. those little fords and fergies will flip over backwards where an H wont. the H will have
better hydraulics than the other two.
 
I have a 135 Massey Ferguson gas tractor i absolutely love it. Has plenty of power for what i do .Small enough to get in the woods and around
in the yard. Very stable tractor . Also live PTO. Cheap to own. And also small enough you can haul around with a 3/4 ton truck ..I actually
totally rebuilt this tractor few years ago i use it to work around the house and wouldnt trade it for the world.
 
First off DO NOT CONSIDER any tractor with a narrow front end or over 28" rear tires. TOO dangerous for you and what you are talking about even if it was flat land. The tall tractor can catch a limb easier and pull you off the tractor. Second tractor I drove was a Farmal H so I do know what they are, it was a narrow front end .And if you get a front tire in a rut you CANNOT steer them. I used it on many an acre farming, also used and had 2 John Deere B's and 2 A's. Rode a lot easier than the Farmall, Now it was better for certain jobs than the Deere but I would rather drive them. But that is not on your list and that is a good thing. Any tractor with bigger than that 28" tire very good chance it will at least catch you with a limb and try to pull you off of it. Where you straddle the transmission you set lower yet with less chance of that limb getting you unlike the Farmall that you set high on the flat top of the transmission case that makes you set even higher than the MF 50 mentioned even tho they will likely have the 38" wheels. I grew up with a 2N ford and have had a NAA and also a TO-30 Ferguson. I have heard of the Fergusons having problems with cracked blocks but I nor any of the neighbors around that had the TO-30, 6 that I am counting now had that problem but that was all 30-40 years ago. The TO-20 has the pil filter in bottom of crank case, the TO_30 has it mounted on the side of the engine. I liked mine but as of now I think it would be harder to get parts for that the 8N and I cannot see that the overhead valve engine was any better than the flat head in the Fords. I now have that 2N that Dad bought new when I was 8 months old. And I also have a 9N. The big question on the 8N is does it have a side mount distributor and if it does then does it have the tack in the dash or does it have the front mount distributor. Front mount is older and harder to work on at 23 HP, early side mount is about 25 HP and late about 27 HP, the same as the Farmal H and a TO-30 is 29 Hp. So powerwise so close you would never notice a difference. Some of the TO-30's had 26" tires that would be hard to find now. and both the 26" or 24" tires would cost more than the 28" for that 8N. Where someone was complaining about a too fast of a reverce I cannot believe it is that bad (I dought he ever tried a Deere with there very fast reverce) But as I understand the last 8N built in 52 that reverce was modified to slow them down. But if you do get an 8N and that is the way better tractor for you make sure you get an after market swinging drawbar for it and put drawbar in short and low position and you will have a lot better steering with a load behind than the orignal style swinging drawbar. The Ferguson is better than the orignal Ford drawbar but not as good as the Aftermarket that I had on both the NAA and the TO-30. True you will get more bounce on a Ford or Ferguson on rough ground that The Farmall because on the Farmall you are setting directly on top of the axle so it does not bounce like setting ahead of the front axle but you are not going to be working plowed ground for 10 hours a day so do not think about that. The best possible tractor for you would be a 52 8N, second would be a late 50 to 51 8N. And the think about a tire going down is check the condition of the rim to make sure there is not a rust problem making it loose air. And if in future you would want to take it someplace for show or tractor drive just make a hitch that fastens to front axle and pull it. Your truck is plenty to do that. About the only thing you should ever consider for use on a 3 point hitch is just a rear blade or a finnishing mower. A disk hangs to far back to let you have good control of tractor by wanting to piviot on rear tires and take weight off of front tires.
 
Well the Furgi and the Ford are more stable tractors for riding around on uneven terrain, but those two
tractors have killed more novice operators hauling logs than any other tractor models and brands.
You mentioned enjoying dirt bikes. You can't pick a Fergi or Ford off of yourself when they land on top of
you.
Are you really ready and prepared to operate a tractor
Loren
 
When I was a kid we had a John Deere A & B. Had some hills on the farm and never tipped either of them over. Neither had live power or live hydraulics and yet we managed to bale hay, chop and pick corn and whatever else was needed. Live power and hydraulics are nice but a tractor without them is certainly useable if you know how.
 
Hope nobody is scaring you about owning a tractor. But everyone here does have somewhat of a valid point. Personally i believe it takes a lot
of common sense to operate a tractor. Yes a tractor will turn over on you. Dont hook a chain to a stump thinking it will just pull it out.
well it want. But it will lift the front of the tractor up and turn over on you and crush you before you can blink an eye. Common sense and
wisdom says dont do that to start with. Also what i have learned on here a lot of the guys here farm and have been farming all there lives
and they know tractors and they farm a large amount of acreage. Myself i am more of a hobby farmer. I bush hog,drill post holes, plow and
disc my Dove fields and i till up flower beds for the wife. And thats why i speak so highly of a 135 Massey.I have operated both the ford 8n
9n but i perfer the 135 massey for a few reasons . I am not doing 100s of acres and if i was i would be asking these guys what i would be
needing. And like one has said yes those small fords and masseys have killed a lot of farmers back in the day but so have horses and cars.
And it sounds like your not needing a big tractor either i dont know this as fact but just sounds like it. But whatever you get please use
commmon sense and dont get hurt.
 
Thanks everyone! Someone said that I said I ride dirt bikes, I don’t, when I said bikes I meant pedal powered bikes. I’m an avid cyclist and have biked 8500+ miles this year. No engines on my bikes! But anyways, when it comes to powered vehicles, my experience is an SUV, a sedan, a gator UTV, and my grandpa’s Ford New Holland Front Loader (didn’t drive it much).

Anyways, I’m going to keep going some research and once I get the money I’ll make my decision, based on what I’ve read on this forum. I’ll keep you posted and I’ll make sure to post pictures once I get my tractor.
 
Go ahead and pick up the 8N. I know you want to start tinkering on a machine right away. Parts are available galore. In the rare event you dont want to keep it, you
should not get hurt much at all on the resale. I bike about 4,000 miles a year so if you are doing 8,500 you are riding far too much and need to direct some of your
energy elsewhere :>, that 8N would be a good place to start. Keep in mind however your BEST investment in time and money is yourself. Dont let the tractor come before your
studies at Penn State.
 
I would go with the 8n first and the Farmall second. 8n's are handy little tractors. Easy to work on and parts are available anywhere.
 

The good of a 8N is they have became very cheap, parts tractors can be found dirt cheap so you can look for a few parts tractors to keep one running...

Most N guys I have kept up with on the 8N board have slowly moved up to a Ford 3000. I don't see a thang wrong with starting out on a N if the price is right...

Myself I would take the N over a TO20 a TO20 is a 9/2N with a OHV engine... They were not popular around here its rare I get to work on one parts are harder to come by and the engines are pron to internal cracks...

If you step up to a MF35/135 they are the real deal its no different than moving up from a N to a ford 3000 you would think you hit the lottery...
 
Here is my take on everything. The three choices you presented are all easy to work on and easy to get parts for. Which one do you like the best? You have established the fact that you have no use for it. So does it really matter which one you buy? They will all do fine driving around the yard, dragging a few things. Which color do you like better? Red? Buy the Farmall. Already have a Ford truck? Buy the Ford tractor to go with it. Which one do you like to sit on the best? Personally I would buy the H Farmall. I've never cared for the way you sit on a Ford or Ferguson. I would not be concerned about tipping over. Drive up and down hills, not side to side. No abrupt cornering. Whatever you buy, you will need to get used to the way it drives and handles on flat open ground. Once you are comfortable, you will know where you should and should not drive. I am not much older than you, 23. I bought my first tractor when I was 14. A UTE Minneapolis Moline. I have no use for it whatsoever. That still hasn't stopped me from buying more. Have a G900, G950, G1000 Vista. 100 hp tractors with 3 point and good hydraulics. Don't have a use for any of them either, but they are fun to wrench on, drive around, and take to shows. You probably will never look back and say "I really wish I had that $900". I know I never have.
 
(quoted from post at 19:37:25 12/10/18)
I don’t really care about useful. I want it for collecting and just to own it. Any usage would be a bonus.

If you want a tractor go buy a tractor better to get one now before you are married and have responsibilities. I think it’s good that someone that’s younger is interested in these old machines. We need more or this is going to be a dying hobby. As I have said before on other forums this is a hobby. You need to know what you spend on these pieces of iron you will prob never recoup. As long as you know that going into it then have fun. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them if you like them. Everyone’s preference is different myself I like the narrow front better than the wide ones. Any tractor can turn over if you are careless in what your doing. Take things slow when you start operating them and learn “your” tractor they are all different and handle differently. If your not real mechanically inclined I am sure there is some older tractor guys in your area that would be more than happy to help you out or give you some advise.
 
I would keep looking around. Watch craigslist. Try to find some tractor events. I have a 8n and a to30. They're handy little tractors but wouldn't be my first choice. Everyone and their dog has one around here. Good deals come along all the time. Go kick some tires.
 
Thanks! My main consideration besides looks is ease of maintaining the tractor. Of the Ford 8N, Farmall H, and Ferguson TO20, which ones will be easy to find parts and work on?
 
(quoted from post at 09:05:53 12/11/18) Thanks! My main consideration besides looks is ease of maintaining the tractor. Of the Ford 8N, Farmall H, and Ferguson TO20, which ones will be easy to find parts and work on?

Of those 3 I'd go with the Fergie, then the Farmall (a toss up actually) and the 8N in last place. If you decide you want a Ford, get at least up into the Hundred series.
 
(quoted from post at 08:05:53 12/11/18) Thanks! My main consideration besides looks is ease of maintaining the tractor. Of the Ford 8N, Farmall H, and Ferguson TO20, which ones will be easy to find parts and work on?
Where are you going to store or work on your tractor? If your door heighth is 7' or less you may want to consider the Ford or Fergie so you can easily get in the door with removing the muffler and having to duck everytime you go in or out.
I have an 8n and an H both work and run well. I prefer the 8n over the H for 3pt stuff but rarely use because I also have a 861. For flat towing and pulling the H has got it hands down for things like the hay rake, hay wagon and for pulling logs off the hill. Have bolsters on an old hay wagon for logs mind you we don't stack the logs real high, but works great. The H gearing can crawl or speed down the road where the 8n just knows how to speed. Throughout the wood processing season the N is the trailer queen, we park it next to the splitter and haul the split wood to the wood shed next to the outside furnace. One caution about any of them is if you can drive them check that they don't jump out of gear when heading down a slope. Can be a real Oh Shout moment! None of them have great brakes so learn not to count on them.
IMHO if you want an all around tractor to do more stuff look for an 800 series Ford or comparable MF, Case, AC. etc.
From easily maintained point of view My H is by far the easiest to repair and maintain. but none require a rocket science degree that can't be fixed without a little research and help from these guys at YT. Availabity to parts is a big deal whether new or used. In my area Fords Farmalls and JD's are the easiest where there are parts still laying in the hedge rows a few avid scrap collectors and a salvage yard about 30 miles away.
Can't speak to alot of other brands but I'm sure there out there given time to look.
The narrow front end doesn't scare me but it take getting used to, I put it anywhere I put the 861 or 8N. The most dangerous tractor I have is a newer NH with 4wd that I take more risks with.
I don't have any experience with the Fergie in fact I never even seen one in person until 2 years ago at a local tractor show. Not much help there.
Hopefully you can make a good decision with some educated reasoning from all these guys. But one of my greatest failings in life was to not following my own instincts many times and having regret. Use what you've learned and I'm sure you have a favorite we just haven't heard it yet. What color tractor do you want? I don't think there is a wrong answer.
Like OllieJunkie says "Go kick some tires"
Most of us grew up knowing what tractor we would buy, there must be reason or memory that's making you want a tractor. Surely you have pictured yourself riding on a tractor. What kind of tractor was that?
 
The TO-20 is same as a TO-30 from tranny back and the rear end is same as the 9n-2N Ford but all 9N-2N are 3 speed and all TO-20, TO-30 are 4 speed. Entirely different tranny and brake setup. My 2N has the differential from a TO-30 in it asnd is the first majer work Dad or I ever did following the instrustions from the Ferguson dealer that was the only mechanic in shop.
 
(quoted from post at 21:47:27 12/10/18) First off DO NOT CONSIDER any tractor with a narrow front end or over 28" rear tires. TOO dangerous for you and what you are talking about even if it was flat land. The tall tractor can catch a limb easier and pull you off the tractor. Second tractor I drove was a Farmal H so I do know what they are, it was a narrow front end .And if you get a front tire in a rut you CANNOT steer them. I used it on many an acre farming, also used and had 2 John Deere B's and 2 A's. Rode a lot easier than the Farmall, Now it was better for certain jobs than the Deere but I would rather drive them. But that is not on your list and that is a good thing. Any tractor with bigger than that 28" tire very good chance it will at least catch you with a limb and try to pull you off of it. Where you straddle the transmission you set lower yet with less chance of that limb getting you unlike the Farmall that you set high on the flat top of the transmission case that makes you set even higher than the MF 50 mentioned even tho they will likely have the 38" wheels. I grew up with a 2N ford and have had a NAA and also a TO-30 Ferguson. I have heard of the Fergusons having problems with cracked blocks but I nor any of the neighbors around that had the TO-30, 6 that I am counting now had that problem but that was all 30-40 years ago. The TO-20 has the pil filter in bottom of crank case, the TO_30 has it mounted on the side of the engine. I liked mine but as of now I think it would be harder to get parts for that the 8N and I cannot see that the overhead valve engine was any better than the flat head in the Fords. I now have that 2N that Dad bought new when I was 8 months old. And I also have a 9N. The big question on the 8N is does it have a side mount distributor and if it does then does it have the tack in the dash or does it have the front mount distributor. Front mount is older and harder to work on at 23 HP, early side mount is about 25 HP and late about 27 HP, the same as the Farmal H and a TO-30 is 29 Hp. So powerwise so close you would never notice a difference. Some of the TO-30's had 26" tires that would be hard to find now. and both the 26" or 24" tires would cost more than the 28" for that 8N. Where someone was complaining about a too fast of a reverce I cannot believe it is that bad (I dought he ever tried a Deere with there very fast reverce) But as I understand the last 8N built in 52 that reverce was modified to slow them down. But if you do get an 8N and that is the way better tractor for you make sure you get an after market swinging drawbar for it and put drawbar in short and low position and you will have a lot better steering with a load behind than the orignal style swinging drawbar. The Ferguson is better than the orignal Ford drawbar but not as good as the Aftermarket that I had on both the NAA and the TO-30. True you will get more bounce on a Ford or Ferguson on rough ground that The Farmall because on the Farmall you are setting directly on top of the axle so it does not bounce like setting ahead of the front axle but you are not going to be working plowed ground for 10 hours a day so do not think about that. The best possible tractor for you would be a 52 8N, second would be a late 50 to 51 8N. And the think about a tire going down is check the condition of the rim to make sure there is not a rust problem making it loose air. And if in future you would want to take it someplace for show or tractor drive just make a hitch that fastens to front axle and pull it. Your truck is plenty to do that. About the only thing you should ever consider for use on a 3 point hitch is just a rear blade or a finnishing mower. A disk hangs to far back to let you have good control of tractor by wanting to piviot on rear tires and take weight off of front tires.

If only even half of this were true! Where in the world did you get all of this false information?
 
There’s some great advice on this forum, not just about tractors but also life in general. I’m going to follow my instincts and buy the tractor that I like the most - which for now is a tough decision. I might have to drive them both to see what appeals to me the most.
 
If you are thinking about a tractor, don't bother with a n ford. I started running those in the early 1960's
and very soon realized how bad they were. 4 people I know have been killed with those darn things. Keep
looking, you can find something far better.
 
Tread would fly for me but how's the cracking from dry rot on the side walls and even between the bars, I just lost one with that much tread side wall blew out from dry rot. I believe it to be 40-50 year old tire. I was in the house with tractor parked out in the side yard thought someone had shot off a shot gun. Glad I wasn't standing beside it.
 



mvphoto27887.jpg


Here’s a side view of the tires. They have minor cracking but for all I know that could be normal for a 1940 tractor.
 
Are there 2 different tires, wouldn't be a big deal to me as long as there's not a big height difference. I don't have any experience with those closed center ribs others can tell you better. I would believe there would be a traction difference.
mvphoto27901.jpg
 
One thing I'm not sure has been mentioned yet are BRAKES. I've come across too many of those Fergusons and Ford N-series with bad brakes or no brakes whatsoever. It's not like they're even difficult to get at on those tractors, as they're mounted outboard at the wheels. Mostly people just think they lack the mechanical acuity to do anything about them, so they live with it, and it can come around to bite you on the rear, especially in the woods.
 

I have several tractors, the 8-N always seems to be the tractor I go to for work in the works. It is low to get under hanging limbs and small enough to maneuver around trees. As to the leaking rear wheel - is the rim rusty - if so the tire may be or has been filled with a calcium chloride solution for weight (traction). A leak in this case tends to require rim replacement due to the rust/corrosion. You may want to understand this or have the dealer repair the tire before purchase.

I am sure any of the tractors on your shopping list will do the job for you - it is a manner of the one that strikes your fancy. Finally, all the tractors are 60 - 70 years old, using one for a few days should not decrease the value. Maybe the dealer will let you try one for a week, since they are all the same price you could just exchange for another.
 

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