Buying Advice undecided about an 8n or international

[RickB]

Apparently Creamer, Rick B has a tude about 8Ns. FWIW, I wouldn't pay more than $800 for an 8N, and would recommend you increase your budget a bit and get as big and new a tractor as you can afford.

I certainly do. And I see you don't value them highly, either.

If I needed a tractor I would not settle for a 60 year old example of one having cutting edge 1948 technology. $1900 for just about any functional tractor with live PTO and live 3PT & hydraulics is not too much to pay, and certainly $300 is a bargain premium for the advantages the IH's features offer as compared to the Ford.

 

[gwstang]

The problem with post hole digging with a Gray tractor is that you are half out of control all the time. That if nothing else makes the thing dangerous to a certain extent. You are literally flying that damned auger constantly dipping and bobbing which wears you out believe me. That's with 2 of you. Then when you get stuck you can't stop it in time and out comes the shovels, bars pick, ughhh. Then if you are really unlucky you will get into some clay a bit too deep and it grabs. Backing out of that is a nightmare and more often than not you end up removing it and taking the auger cover off and removing the auger so you can back and wiggle and dig it up out of the clay. Did I miss something:thumbdown:

Oh my goodness, you have made me laugh my head off. Everything you said is sooooo true. I have a '52 8N sidemount dist. that I used for many years with a PHD. Half out of control is the best description I have ever heard! I got the dang PHD stuck many times and had to walk the walk of shame back to the barn for a big pipe wrench and long breaker bar....lol my wife would just snicker at me. I have relegated the N to finishing mower duty since I have the new Kubota to play with... I did get the PHD stuck twice using it though. I think the chickens snickered at me that time as they were watching.

 

[Creamer]

I am just thinking of the time when i was in high school and my brother and I were trying to set some posts in a cattle lot. We had a Danuser PHD with a 12" auger on the back of a 1967 JD 4020 and even with that much downforce, i.e. back end of tractor lifting we could not get it to go into the hard clay ground. We finally did on about the 4th iteration of dumping water in the hole and waiting for about an hour - each time we got a little farther. I am just thinking of no down pressure and it doesn't sound good for this application.

 

[motownbrowne]

I am just thinking of the time when i was in high school and my brother and I were trying to set some posts in a cattle lot. We had a Danuser PHD with a 12" auger on the back of a 1967 JD 4020 and even with that much downforce, i.e. back end of tractor lifting we could not get it to go into the hard clay ground. We finally did on about the 4th iteration of dumping water in the hole and waiting for about an hour - each time we got a little farther. I am just thinking of no down pressure and it doesn't sound good for this application.

Not really sure about the down force you're talking about. To the best of my knowledge the 4020 like almost all tractors has no down pressure on the 3 point. There are kits to add it, maybe that's what you're talking about?

 

[bcp]

Or a PHD with a downforce kit added,

Bruce

 

[coachruss]

Kind of worried about finding parts for the International , im going to look at a Massy Ferguson 150 tomorrow. Guy wants $1700, comes with a cutter. Guy wont budge from the international. Kind of undecided at the moment on what I want to do.

 

[GPintheMitten]

Been there. PHD with an 8N (well mine was a 2N) is a PITA. Got it stuck too many times. Then you spend all your time and energy to extract it. It's a man killer. And as mentioned, too fast of ground speed for a rototiller.

 

[GPintheMitten]

I did like my 2N for clearing the drive of snow, using the box blade and rear blade for driveway grooming. Also did ok for brush hogging and finish mower. It did ok for plowing and discing the garden, but no where close to a rototiller on my kubota.

 

[GManBart]

Apparently Creamer, Rick B has a tude about 8Ns. Just to put it in perspective. Having an 8N is a heck of a lot better than having no tractor at all. You have to understand that any of those early tractor are rudimentary at best. Once you get into 60s and newer the functionality improves greatly. Live hydraulics and PTO are a great improvement.

There were tractors in the 1950s with both live PTO and live hydraulics. In fact, the NAA which replaced the 8N in 1953 was available with both.

 

[coachruss]

I'm struggling with this issue. my mind says I need to get the 424 international for $1900 is on a 12 volt system. the case 430 is $1650 diesel on a 6 volt. the 424 is a little stronger. anything I need to know about with each? thanks guys