1st Tractor - several questions 1952 Ferguson TO30

   / 1st Tractor - several questions 1952 Ferguson TO30
  • Thread Starter
#51  
I had one of those "tiny tach's" for my riding mower. It was great, it had a tach, it had an hour meter, I loved it, until the battery pooped out 2 or so years later. The batteries on those are not replaceable. That tach was forty dollars. Now it is a useless piece of plastic. I hate disposeable things like that. I want a REAL tach on it. And I don't really care if it devalues the tractor.

There is always the "pod mount" option too, that wouldn't change the orginal dash...
 
   / 1st Tractor - several questions 1952 Ferguson TO30
  • Thread Starter
#52  
I had one of those "tiny tach's" for my riding mower. It was great, it had a tach, it had an hour meter, I loved it, until the battery pooped out 2 or so years later. The batteries on those are not replaceable. That tach was forty dollars. Now it is a useless piece of plastic. I hate disposeable things like that. I want a REAL tach on it. And I don't really care if it devalues the tractor.

There is always the "pod mount" option too, that wouldn't change the orginal dash...
 
   / 1st Tractor - several questions 1952 Ferguson TO30 #53  
You may stumble on to a TO-35 or MF-35 dash assembly on EBAY now and then. Or at the least, the gauges from one. It shouldn't be too difficult to "adapt" them to the TO-30. (There's a dash panel on there now I do believe)

As SoundGuy mentioned, COLLECTORS generally don't like "butchering" tractors by adding features (at the expense of altering original parts) to modernize or improve. But for the casual user who ISN'T planning on turning one into a show tractor, a small modification won't drop the value too far. (MIGHT even increase it to the right buyer)

Down-side....Spend a bunch to get all the old, original tach, just to have it fail, because, after all, it IS 50 years old....

Those digital, battery tachs are worth replacing every few years for the simplicity and accuracy at a reasonable price. (Most "O.E.M." tachs nowdays aren't the direct replacements that people hope for. The old stock ran out and new (read CHEAPER) generics are sold through O.E.M. sources now. (Bought one for an MF 50 we're starting to re-do. Looks like junk compared to original.)
 
   / 1st Tractor - several questions 1952 Ferguson TO30 #54  
You may stumble on to a TO-35 or MF-35 dash assembly on EBAY now and then. Or at the least, the gauges from one. It shouldn't be too difficult to "adapt" them to the TO-30. (There's a dash panel on there now I do believe)

As SoundGuy mentioned, COLLECTORS generally don't like "butchering" tractors by adding features (at the expense of altering original parts) to modernize or improve. But for the casual user who ISN'T planning on turning one into a show tractor, a small modification won't drop the value too far. (MIGHT even increase it to the right buyer)

Down-side....Spend a bunch to get all the old, original tach, just to have it fail, because, after all, it IS 50 years old....

Those digital, battery tachs are worth replacing every few years for the simplicity and accuracy at a reasonable price. (Most "O.E.M." tachs nowdays aren't the direct replacements that people hope for. The old stock ran out and new (read CHEAPER) generics are sold through O.E.M. sources now. (Bought one for an MF 50 we're starting to re-do. Looks like junk compared to original.)
 
   / 1st Tractor - several questions 1952 Ferguson TO30
  • Thread Starter
#55  
Assuming I just forgo the tach, how do I know when I have the right RPM's for any given job. I don't instinctively know this. I can ride a dirt bike with no tach and know when to shift, I can drive a stick car and know when to shift... But I don't know what an overrevving 1952 Ferguson sounds like. The man I bought it from said don't run high RPM's, but I don't really know the "sweet spot" in the RPM's by the sound of this tractor. That is why I was considering a tach... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
   / 1st Tractor - several questions 1952 Ferguson TO30
  • Thread Starter
#56  
Assuming I just forgo the tach, how do I know when I have the right RPM's for any given job. I don't instinctively know this. I can ride a dirt bike with no tach and know when to shift, I can drive a stick car and know when to shift... But I don't know what an overrevving 1952 Ferguson sounds like. The man I bought it from said don't run high RPM's, but I don't really know the "sweet spot" in the RPM's by the sound of this tractor. That is why I was considering a tach... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
   / 1st Tractor - several questions 1952 Ferguson TO30 #57  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The batteries on those are not replaceable )</font>

Why not? Ya got a soldering iron? If you know what voltage it runs on.. I'd think you should be able to repower it fairly easilly... you just need to identify where it references the positive and where it references the negative.. the rest is a few drips of solder away, even if you have to run wires to a remote battery box, or to a regulator and tap into the tractor electrical system...

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I want a REAL tach on it. And I don't really care if it devalues the tractor )</font>

Find out if the gov is setup to run a tach.. if so.. slap one on..

Soundguy
 
   / 1st Tractor - several questions 1952 Ferguson TO30 #58  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The batteries on those are not replaceable )</font>

Why not? Ya got a soldering iron? If you know what voltage it runs on.. I'd think you should be able to repower it fairly easilly... you just need to identify where it references the positive and where it references the negative.. the rest is a few drips of solder away, even if you have to run wires to a remote battery box, or to a regulator and tap into the tractor electrical system...

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I want a REAL tach on it. And I don't really care if it devalues the tractor )</font>

Find out if the gov is setup to run a tach.. if so.. slap one on..

Soundguy
 
   / 1st Tractor - several questions 1952 Ferguson TO30 #59  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Assuming I just forgo the tach, how do I know when I have the right RPM's for any given job. I don't instinctively know this )</font>

Find the rpm range for the engine, check to see what rpm you can achieve, using an ignition scope, then reference what engine rpm coresponds to your pto rpm.. again.. set pto rpm with engine scope hooked up ( many timing lights will give you rpm.. ).. mark that area on your throttle quad with a black marker.. If your governor works.. you should be close.. even if it loads up a bit. Get used to the feel and sound of theat rpm, and you will be able to set the throttle without looking at the black mark.

As for jobs / rpm.. Ilike to mow at or just above 540 pto rpm.. for other jobs like dragging or blading, i pick a gear / throttle setting to let me get the work done, at a safe speed, that doesn't lug the engine.

For seeding with a spreader.. i routinely use a higher than pto rpm.. like a belt pulley speed.. it really gets the seed out there.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( But I don't know what an overrevving 1952 Ferguson )</font>

Don't worry.. it's a governed engine!

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The man I bought it from said don't run high RPM's )</font>

Again.. don't worry.. your engine isn't a high rpm engine... look at it's max rpm range in your manual.. now go out and look at your car. your car is probably 4000-6000 rpm.. your tractor may be 2500 rpm... In any case.. your tractor can be run in it's entire throttle range in any gear.. that's what road gear and hi throttle was for... to get where you were going...

I like that.. 'don't run hi rpm' that's a good one... that's like buying a gun and the seller telling you not to shoot it 'very much' /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Soundguy
 
   / 1st Tractor - several questions 1952 Ferguson TO30 #60  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Assuming I just forgo the tach, how do I know when I have the right RPM's for any given job. I don't instinctively know this )</font>

Find the rpm range for the engine, check to see what rpm you can achieve, using an ignition scope, then reference what engine rpm coresponds to your pto rpm.. again.. set pto rpm with engine scope hooked up ( many timing lights will give you rpm.. ).. mark that area on your throttle quad with a black marker.. If your governor works.. you should be close.. even if it loads up a bit. Get used to the feel and sound of theat rpm, and you will be able to set the throttle without looking at the black mark.

As for jobs / rpm.. Ilike to mow at or just above 540 pto rpm.. for other jobs like dragging or blading, i pick a gear / throttle setting to let me get the work done, at a safe speed, that doesn't lug the engine.

For seeding with a spreader.. i routinely use a higher than pto rpm.. like a belt pulley speed.. it really gets the seed out there.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( But I don't know what an overrevving 1952 Ferguson )</font>

Don't worry.. it's a governed engine!

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The man I bought it from said don't run high RPM's )</font>

Again.. don't worry.. your engine isn't a high rpm engine... look at it's max rpm range in your manual.. now go out and look at your car. your car is probably 4000-6000 rpm.. your tractor may be 2500 rpm... In any case.. your tractor can be run in it's entire throttle range in any gear.. that's what road gear and hi throttle was for... to get where you were going...

I like that.. 'don't run hi rpm' that's a good one... that's like buying a gun and the seller telling you not to shoot it 'very much' /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Soundguy
 
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