Buying Advice undecided about an 8n or international

[coachruss]

I'm having a really hard time deciding about a buying a really nice 8n vs. an average international harvester 424.

I have horses so mowing will really be a minimum. what I'm really going to do is digging post holes and maybe small tiling a garden once or twice a year. my concern is the non live pto on the 8n. that concerns me. I'm going to be able to get this 8N for about $1600,is in excellent condition. the harvester is going to cost me $1900.


my question is digging 3'foot post holes with the 8n . I've never had a tractor without a live or independent pto. I have some thick Clay in certain spots but it didn't effect me manually digging holes. someone give some insight please

 

[coralhead]

The problem digging with a non-live pto is that the auger and the lift are running together. If you want to stop the auger and lift the digger while not turning, you have a problem. I've dug many holes with my Ferguson TO-30 , If you have to stop the auger and lift out of the hole you cannot do it without disconnecting the PTO shaft, also traveling from Hole to Hole you have to keep the pto turning to keep the lift up. Much better with a live pto to dig holes.

 

[Sgt Maj]

What coralhead said is exactly right. Also, the hydraulics only lift, and gravity is all you have for down. I'm sure you know there is no reverse on the PHD so when you get it stuck, have a big pipe wrench handy.
You can do almost anything with the 8N though, if you have to and are patient enough. I've used an 8N with a PHD and got the job done, but it would have been so much easier with live pto. I had a lot of clay and ledge to work around...

I haven't done any roto-tilling with an 8N but i hear that even in low gear the 8N ground speed is too fast for a tiller, unless you have a Howard gear reducer or similar.

 

[Sportsman762]

The 424 will be nicer to use with a live PTO, power steering. Just make sure it has a 3 point hitch and not the fast hitch. The power steering is nice. When we bought a second tractor that had power steering my father commented about how much tighter the new tractor turned. (the turning radius of the new tractor is 50% larger than the 8n we had) It was that he was turning the wheels lock to lock, whereas with the 8n it required both hands to pull the wheel all the way over. An 8N is borderline unusable with a tiller. However at 1.5 mph the 424 is not that great either. As noted above the 424 will do much better with a post hole digger. The 424 I believe also has differential lock. This is great for when your working in mud.

The biggest problem with the 424 is the cost of parts. Any tractor you buy for under $2000 is going to see a wrench. The parts for the 424 will most likely be double than the cost for an 8N and in some cases even higher. You can basically build an 8n from the parts available for it new. A 424 will have parts that are no longer available from CIH or the aftermarket and will have to be purchased from a salvage yard.

If your not confident in your ability to do repairs on either unit or have to have a mechanic do the work. Then you might want to save your money and look at newer machines that cost more $$$. I hate to sound pessimistic, however tractors do break, hence why the repair section is the third forum listed.

 

[coachruss]

thank you guys for your input. the international doesn't have power steering so that is a drawback.

I did find an international b275 for about $1600. so I may check it out. I've heard about the glow plugs for the b275 are an issue. you guys know much about the b275? probably the same with the parts.

I also found a case 430 diesel. Guy wants $1800 for it. I havent look at either yet.

 

[mapper]

The work that you wish to do, drilling fence post holes and running a tiller are both things that an 8N is ill suited to do for the reasons stated above. The 8N does not have power steering and they are pretty stiff at low speed, used to get a heck of a workout on mine when doing mowing and blade work with it.

 

[Walker1]

8n pto and lift both work with the transmission in neutral and the clutch engaged, so a PHD should work fine. I enjoyed my 8N, except for the front mount dizzy. It was also a little light in weight, at about 200 pounds or so, vs the 424 at 4000. It was also a little lacking in horse power at 27 vs the 424 at 36. Also, I would prefer a diesel over a gas engine if available.

 

[RickB]

8n pro and lift both work with the transmission in neutral and the clutch engaged, so a PHD should work fine.

That's your opinion. I disagree and there is already a detailed response in this thread that describes why I think you are wrong, and other info that supports the IH being a much better choice if it is in operable condition.

 

[motownbrowne]

The 8n was a great machine in the early 50s. Save your pennies for a couple more months and get something better. Something with: live power (2 stage clutch is okay too), power steering, and live hydraulics. Even something as early as a Ford 600 can be found with these options. These features are absolutely worth whatever extra money you'll pay for them.

I've got a lot of hours on an 8n, in the past, and hopefully almost none in the future.

 

[Walker1]

That's your opinion. I disagree and there is already a detailed response in this thread that describes why I think you are wrong, and other info that supports the IH being a much better choice if it is in operable condition.

I said it should work, not that it was the best solution, and went on to give reasons why I would chose the newer, bigger, heavier, higher horse tractor.