Ford 1920 Questions

   / Ford 1920 Questions #1  

jrdepew

Silver Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2012
Messages
164
Location
Johns Island, SC
Tractor
Ford 1920, JD LT180
Hello again,

I am going to look at a ford 1920 on Sunday. It is listed at 11,500 OBO with a loader, and has 1200 hours. The owner claims it is extra nice with good tires, so I am hoping it is in really good shape for 1200 hours. I have read of these same tractors with over 4k hours, so there is still a ton of life left in it.

Anyone know if I can replace the ROPS with a folding one? I am not sure how tall this tractor is to the top of the ROPS but I am guessing I will need a folding one to get it in my garage. Anyone modify a ROPS to make a folding one? (Flame suit on, I know this can be a can of worms)?

Anything I should look for, being that this would be my first tractor?

Does anyone make a set of pallet forks that would be easy to put on to replace the bucket? I will be moving brush piles and pallets so this is important.

Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks,
Joe
 
   / Ford 1920 Questions #2  
Hello again,

I am going to look at a ford 1920 on Sunday. It is listed at 11,500 OBO with a loader, and has 1200 hours. The owner claims it is extra nice with good tires, so I am hoping it is in really good shape for 1200 hours. I have read of these same tractors with over 4k hours, so there is still a ton of life left in it.

Anyone know if I can replace the ROPS with a folding one? I am not sure how tall this tractor is to the top of the ROPS but I am guessing I will need a folding one to get it in my garage. Anyone modify a ROPS to make a folding one? (Flame suit on, I know this can be a can of worms)?

Anything I should look for, being that this would be my first tractor?

Does anyone make a set of pallet forks that would be easy to put on to replace the bucket? I will be moving brush piles and pallets so this is important.

Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks,
Joe


Have you checked tractorhouse for prices or for other models that would have the folding ROPS and a quick-attach bucket. My feeling is that it will be less expensive to get a model that has these features than to modify this model.
 
   / Ford 1920 Questions #3  
One big thing to check is whether the PTO is the optional live version. If not, mowing, and brush hogging will be more of a pain....and even simple stuff like moving snow with a rear blade. Pull the snow, stop. Put in neutral, release the clutch, raise the 3pt. Push in clutch, put back in gear, move, drop blade, and repeat....etc.

For just a bit more, you can buy a new tractor with the same amount of power, quick attach bucket, and folding ROPS.
 
   / Ford 1920 Questions #4  
I'm a big fan of the mid to large '20-series' Ford/NH CUTs, and just traded in my 1520 for a T1520 which is also much like the recent and similar TC30 in power, controls, FEL, etc. Folks don't part with xx20s easily, and I never did find my 'right deal' & 'right features' combo, and choice of tires on a 1920. btw: after 12 yrs my little 23hp ran like the day I bought it at trade-in time. The proof meter was stuck at 27xx hrs from day one and I'd put another several hun on it without incident or service other than bolt tightening (checking), grease, fuel and filters. I had to throw in a JD 1520 (~50hp) to get the new price down to what you're looking at.

Details I'd look for:
Tires- As much as condition I'd want to be sure they were the right type for your intended use. (most likely R1 'ags')

Transmission- You'd have the basic '4x12' the 12x12 'synchro-shuttle' or the 'sydro-shuttle' to look for. Much as the shuttles offer similar convenience with a FEL the 4x12 has the least to go wrong and perhaps the least to attend to service & maintenance-wise.

Loader- 7308 is great and would do you best vs 7108 or anything else. (slam-dunk)

ROPS- I doubt there's an easy way to equip or modify a folding ROPS to any '20'. I got away with fixed by having an 8' garage door (winter plowing time) and parking in a barn with 13' 9" door clearance. See HFT for a (silver) tarp and use milk/juice bottle weights to hold it snug when it sits outdoors. An extra rope over that (secured vs weighted) can help keep it generally in place on the windiest days. (BTDT, and if it doesn't rain that often you'd still not want to park under trees, even with covers)

I finally chose the (new) T1520 for the 30-some HP, familiar controls, tire options (R4s), QA bucket, and HST features. There's just no way a 1920 was going to have the goodies I now demand. A TC30 could have done much of that, but folks don't part with them easily either, and they all (Shibaura-sourced) are rugged machines.

:2cents: Philosophical insight: As with boats, your first will teach you what you'd want a 'next one' to be. Amaxwell's & bart's wise comments ring musically to me :thumbsup:, as this could be the machine I might someday be buried with. ('Sonny' can more easily sell-off the Harleys when I'm gone) If you only ever have one tractor, IMO a 1920 will have made you happy once you get over the parking & tire things.

If you jump, be sure to let us know what you went with and how you like it. If you hesitate, compare to TC30 for similar ability (maybe no FROPS) and see if you can find as good a deal, esp if HST which makes PTO use simpler/easier too. (JMHO, there)
 
   / Ford 1920 Questions
  • Thread Starter
#5  
One big thing to check is whether the PTO is the optional live version. If not, mowing, and brush hogging will be more of a pain....and even simple stuff like moving snow with a rear blade. Pull the snow, stop. Put in neutral, release the clutch, raise the 3pt. Push in clutch, put back in gear, move, drop blade, and repeat....etc.

For just a bit more, you can buy a new tractor with the same amount of power, quick attach bucket, and folding ROPS.



I can't even seem to get close when looking at new stuff. A Kioti CK20S HST would be nice, but are much smaller are 12,999 cash price. The kioti CK230 is going for around 17k here, and these are before tax prices. I have yet to look into LS as there doesn't seem to be a close dealer that stocks more than 1-2 tractors. Same for Mahindra. Kubota and JD have close dealers but they are 19k+ for even looking close to a tractor this size.

The tractor has a canopy which I would like to keep (I burn easily :laughing:), and also has 1 rear remote. However it doesn't have a Q/A loader. It does have the live pto (two stage clutch).

Keem em coming,
Joe
 
   / Ford 1920 Questions
  • Thread Starter
#6  
I'm a big fan of the mid to large '20-series' Ford/NH CUTs, and just traded in my 1520 for a T1520 which is also much like the recent and similar TC30 in power, controls, FEL, etc. Folks don't part with xx20s easily, and I never did find my 'right deal' & 'right features' combo, and choice of tires on a 1920. btw: after 12 yrs my little 23hp ran like the day I bought it at trade-in time. The proof meter was stuck at 27xx hrs from day one and I'd put another several hun on it without incident or service other than bolt tightening (checking), grease, fuel and filters. I had to throw in a JD 1520 (~50hp) to get the new price down to what you're looking at.

Details I'd look for:
Tires- As much as condition I'd want to be sure they were the right type for your intended use. (most likely R1 'ags')

Transmission- You'd have the basic '4x12' the 12x12 'synchro-shuttle' or the 'sydro-shuttle' to look for. Much as the shuttles offer similar convenience with a FEL the 4x12 has the least to go wrong and perhaps the least to attend to service & maintenance-wise.

Loader- 7308 is great and would do you best vs 7108 or anything else. (slam-dunk)

ROPS- I doubt there's an easy way to equip or modify a folding ROPS to any '20'. I got away with fixed by having an 8' garage door (winter plowing time) and parking in a barn with 13' 9" door clearance. See HFT for a (silver) tarp and use milk/juice bottle weights to hold it snug when it sits outdoors. An extra rope over that (secured vs weighted) can help keep it generally in place on the windiest days. (BTDT, and if it doesn't rain that often you'd still not want to park under trees, even with covers)

I finally chose the (new) T1520 for the 30-some HP, familiar controls, tire options (R4s), QA bucket, and HST features. There's just no way a 1920 was going to have the goodies I now demand. A TC30 could have done much of that, but folks don't part with them easily either, and they all (Shibaura-sourced) are rugged machines.

:2cents: Philosophical insight: As with boats, your first will teach you what you'd want a 'next one' to be. Amaxwell's & bart's wise comments ring musically to me :thumbsup:, as this could be the machine I might someday be buried with. ('Sonny' can more easily sell-off the Harleys when I'm gone) If you only ever have one tractor, IMO a 1920 will have made you happy once you get over the parking & tire things.

If you jump, be sure to let us know what you went with and how you like it. If you hesitate, compare to TC30 for similar ability (maybe no FROPS) and see if you can find as good a deal, esp if HST which makes PTO use simpler/easier too. (JMHO, there)

Thanks for the info. The 1920 does have the 7108 loader (I can't seem to find specs on this loader easily). How does it compare to the 7308?

It is a shuttle shift 12x12.

As far as tires go, I have some decent hills on the property. The tractor current has R1's. I honestly haven't driven enough tractors to know if I want R1, R4, or turf tires for my land. It can get a bit soggy in some areas when it rains as I have clay not too far down.

Thanks for the information!
Joe
 
   / Ford 1920 Questions #7  
1920's are nice tractors and I may still have had mine if it weren't for the basic level transmission and no skid steer QA on the loader. Let me know if you get it because I still have some stuff you might be able to use, like an aftermarket ITS manual for the XX20 series, a lever I made to control the 3PH while hooking up attachments when behind the tractor, and some leftover parts.
 
   / Ford 1920 Questions #8  
Joe, can't really say anything bad about the 7108. AFAIK the loaders are pretty much interchangeable in capacity and my '73' was put on when my 'baby' came out of freeway mowing service with MI DOT. Lacking fax I'll try to PM you some info from the manual I have for the '71'. (as in today) QA may mean a bit less without remote hydraulics for the fancier tools.

R1s should have you moving around pretty well on soggy hillsides and in 2wd much of the time elsewhere to spare strain on the drivetrain. They might wear down a bit faster on pavement over time, but lawn damage is the worst you'd get from R1s. btw: I dropped both the 1520's fronts (turfs) and landed on the fram when back-filling a neighbor's septic field. Pushed my way out backwards by digging in & curling the bucket.

I&T's "FO-46" shop service manual covers the series well and lets you compare your model's specs to the others. (see 'jmc' above) You'll see that some important mechanical stuff underneath is shared with the beefy 2120. :thumbsup: 'Range' selection isn't synchro but your 4 forward speeds are so you might be shifting on the fly without dub'l-clutching.

I imagine you'd have the dual-plate clutch. (shuttle-equipped is not 'bare-bones') If so, PTO engagement can be checked/adjusted via an oval-shaped access port on the side. Sounds like you're as impressed with the tractor (& the deal) as I am. btw: My new toy is close in 'rated' hp but not much else for almost $6k more. :mur: jon
 
   / Ford 1920 Questions #9  
   / Ford 1920 Questions #10  
optional live pto?

it hought they were all live ont hat model.

my 12x4 was dual clutcha nd live. and that's the basic tranny.

I loved my 1920... 4x4 and all.
 
 
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