rScotty
Super Member
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2001
- Messages
- 9,565
- Location
- Rural mountains - Colorado
- Tractor
- Kubota M59, JD530, JD310SG. Restoring Yanmar YM165D
Well if you happen to have read my other thread, I've decided to go with a ford 8n. I still like the yanmars but changed up my budget and could get alot more for the money...implements included . I appreciate all the feedback and I notice kenmac and a couple others commenting on both my threads. .....tthank you, cause I have a lot to learn. Not sure if I asked the wrong questions or not but I joined and posted similar questions on the hoye forum and got nothing but crickets. Not talking bad about that site, learned alot and purchased their book, just stating my short term experience. So your responses here have been helpful. Wish me luck cause I'll be picking up my first tractor on friday..2 days from today. Thanks again and God bless
I've had both old American tractors and newer Compacts. One thing that will let you know immediately if an older American tractor like an 8N is in good shape is the steering effort. On a tractor you are steering and turning constantly. Steering was a problem for most the US made machines of that era. Compounded by a heavy front end and poor steering geometry. However, replacement steering parts are available and will always be one of the first thing to be replaced when upgrading an older machine. Easy and not too expensive. But the steering will still be crazy hard compared to a compact. Using larger balloon type tires or small automotive tires pumped up hard on the front exle of the 8N will help the steering a bit, but choose them carefully. You want a narrow tire with a flat tread and that means a search.
The older American tractors are just fine - maybe better than the compacts - for pulling implements.... Especially heavy implements. The lack of an independent PTO makes them inferior to most of the Compacts for PTO work, but for general 3pt work with a pulled implement the old American tractors are very nice. Engines are simple, dependable, and quiet.
For any type of PTO work you would prefer a compact tractor with an independent PTO. Well, that's not quite true. For bush-hogging a large flat field the 8N will be fine once you get going.
Some of the larger compacts have enough hydraulic flow to power accessory hydraulic implements, but the 8N and the smaller compacts are deficient in flow rate and pressure. Both can have/ should have an auxillary hydraulic pump fitted if you plan to use any hydraulics more demanding than the OEM 3pt hitch.
For use with a loader, the 8N is not nearly so nice in any respect as the simplest loader on even a small compact tractor. A loader on an 8N will lift a load, but it won't be able to "work" the loader in dirt like a compact does so well. The 8N is also not nearly so good in the snow - in either 2WD or 4WD. Chains help.
However, I actually prefer something like the 8N for pulling a wagon or when I have to travel any distance or for work in a larger rougher field. And of course they are beautiful things and that's worth a bunch all by itself.
I don't think that anyone has ever stopped by to tell me how beautiful my Yanmars or Kubotas looked, but if you park the 8N where people can see it, be expecting a few gawkers.
Luck, rScotty