Case 400 tractor 1958 50hp (Dependable?)

[AllWaysBreakinSomething]

Was the Case 400 a dependable tractor? Where there any common issues to look out for. I'm interested in the tractor. Looks good for age but don't want to buy a problematic tractor.

Thanks for any input.

Here is the post by the owner.

Case 400 Case o Matic Farm Tractor

 

[R W]

Have not had anything to do with a 400, but did a lot of work with the LA
and 500, they were great tractors.

 

[geneP]

It's difficult to tell from the pictures, but it looks like it has the eagle hitch. If so, it might be hard to find implements for it.

 

[bjr]

I suppose I'll get beat up here, but here goes. I work with a machinist that tried to repair a Case with the Case-a-matic. Real long story shortened is they wound scrapping out tractor. There was a funky slot thing on the rear of the crankshaft to the transmission that got stripped or broken. Tractor was simply not repairable so they got out of it. If you get it just run it till it quits moving then call a scrapper. bjr

 

[GrandpaDave]

Was the Case 400 a dependable tractor? Where there any common issues to look out for. I'm interested in the tractor. Looks good for age but don't want to buy a problematic tractor.

Thanks for any input.

Here is the post by the owner.

Case 400 Case o Matic Farm Tractor

My dad bought a new 400 in 1956, it was the best tractor he ever owned!! we put well over 10,000 hours on it. It had a standard transmission. In the mid '60s he bought a "newer" model 400 (made after 1958). It was smaller in size and power (35-40 hp). It did have the Case-O-Matic transmission. It was not near the tractor the older 400 was.

 

[GrandpaDave]

My dad bought a new 400 in1956. It was the best tractor he ever had!! we put well over 10,000 hours o n it. It had a standard transmission. In the mid-60s he bought a "newer" 400 made after 1958. It was smaller in size and hp and had the Case-O-Matic transmission. I recently bought some land and looked hard for a 1956-1958 model 400, but could not find one.

 

[GrandpaDave]

The 400 you are talking about was made after 1958. Case-O-matic was not available on the 1958 model.

 

[wyoeng]

When my father started farming on his own in 1959 his first tractor was a Case 400 with a single front. It did everything. When I was old enough I drove it for many hours and found it to be a good tractor. The transmission was clunky to shift but rock solid. We sold it in 1982 when he quit farming. It is cetainly dated compared to new equipment but it was a great tractor in its day.

 

[Soggy Bottom Outdoors]

I have a '62 Case 830 Case-o-Matic and a '58-59 800 Case a matic. The 830 has an 8x2 transmission and the 800 has Cases 8x2 "fork in spagetti" transmission. Neither transmision has given trouble, but I hardly ever use the Case a matic part in my operation. The "half a gear down" shift is not helpful for me. I would prefer dry standard clutchs. Both tractors have Eagle hitch. The lift arms go straight up and down, very little side to side swing. Most equipment will fit but not all, you'll need to be a little creative. I have a set of Case plows that "pivot" because the lift arms don't swing. I don't know about the 400 but both my tractors have down pressure on the 3PH. More later if you need it.

 

[DJ54]

I had a 530 with the Case-o-matic. No problems either with the trans, although I was told at the time torque converter's were pretty expensive. For kicks, I looked for a used one, and that time (15 years ago) it was $1800.00. One thing to remember, they are like most tractor of the era with Torque Amplifiers systems.. They will freewheel when in the low side, when going down a hill.

Just guessing here, but I'd bet most reasons why the torque converters went out, was from using it as a braking system, when freewheeling too fast, and shifting to lock up the torque converter.

I'm thinking that would have been a great tractor on a 3 pt. tiller.

Brake seals seemed to be a problem of that era tractor too. The disc's can be cleaned up by boiling the oil out with a propane torch, and some brake cleaner. Seals locally are about $15.00, but I found a place to get the same CR seal for about half that. Just takes a week to get them. And getting the seal over the splines without ruining the seal seems impossible without the proper tool. But through another forum I found out, wrapping the splines with electrical tape, from the inside outward, and coating with oil works great..!! Plus the fact you only do one side at a time, or the pinion shaft will drop. It pays to have a good shop manual..!!