1970ish ford 4000 sos

Jdslipp · Jun 16, 2019

Hey, I am looking at a ford 4000 I believe it is around 1970 I m going to try it out next weekend. It has a sos tranny and I m a bit worried about that. I have never used one before and with everything I have read I m not sure if I should just pass on the tractor and look for another. I want to do some yard work with it and logging as well I planed to add the power beyond block on it as well . But if it s not worth my time I m just not sure what to do .... any thoughts?
Thanks

Dean · Jun 16, 2019

Insufficient information, but the later model SOS transmissions, e.g., three cylinder 4000, are just about bullet proof.

Dean

SVcummins · Jun 16, 2019

They are ok as long as they are working parts were
nonexistent 20 years ago. The one I drove had one
or two gears that when you shifted up you were
actually going slower than you were in the Lower
gear

sotxbill · Jun 17, 2019

If you understand that parts are nearly impossible, and someone who knows how to work on it,... is impossible, and then... it works perfectly and... its highly discounted... then yes.

I have had several and got them working perfectly, and sold them years later working perfectly.

Texasmark1 · Jun 17, 2019

On guessing what life it may have left, there are 3 "band" adjustment screws on the side of the tranny housing, 1 on one side (forget which) and 2 on the
other. The adjustment is a threaded screw with a lock nut. Mine was a '63 and there were few threads remaining, which I assumed meant the bands
were pretty well worn out....since I loosened the lock nut and screwed them in till snug.....or whatever the I&T after market manual said to get a hard shift
out of it....been too long to remember. Bands work just like on an old automatic transmission in a car, forget the technical term for planetary gears and all
that.

Other problem I had with mine was in the winter when the gear oil was thick, the PTO did a slow turn at idle in N and PTO lever pushed in....seemed to be
adjusted properly otherwise. On a 3 cyl that surely has trans-hyd fluid, like my '65 3000, that shouldn't be a problem.

The 10 gears are neat for anything you want to do with it, especially running a 3 pt tiller.

Destroked 450 · Jun 17, 2019

I have a 801 with SOS trans and my 69 4000 had SOS trans when I got it.
SOS is a good trans but are known to strip out the splines on the input shaft, what happened to my 4000's SOS and two of my brothers 671 SOS tractors.
New input shafts are no longer available and used ones are near impossible to find.
I think the 3 cylinder 4000 is one of the best but for a first time buyer I recommend you find one with the standard 8x2 manual trans.
I converted my 4000 from SOS to 8x2 manual but it's not a cheap or simple conversion.

showcrop · Jun 17, 2019

If you tell where you live you may find that you have someone not too far away that is known to work on them. There is a work-around for a stripped input shaft.

Jdslipp · Jun 17, 2019

I am in New Brunswick this is the first and only sos ford I have seen I appreciate all the comments for my questions

1970ish ford 4000 sos

Jdslipp

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Dean

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SVcummins

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sotxbill

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Texasmark1

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Destroked 450

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showcrop

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Jdslipp

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