'58 Ford 841 Powermaster question?

[Matt Hightower]

Looking at a '58 Ford 841 Powermaster tractor. The transmission is stamped with 841-S above the serial number.

I was hoping you all could help me with two questions:

1. I've read that the -S designation is for a Sherman Combo, but there is no lever on the left side of the tractor for the Sherman where I'd expect it to be (like on an 8N)?

2. It has a unit about 4-5 inches wide between the transmission and rear end that I've never seen before. The unit's housing extends out on the left side of the tractor with what appears to be an output shaft (?) that faces rearward and a threaded lever on the housing that rotates around the shaft.

I'm sorry, I don't have any pictures of the unit. Hopefully it will ring a bell with someone...

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Guesseral]

Identifying Old Ford Tractors

This is the link to determine what the serial numbers mean and yes the S means a sherman transmission. Many of these sherman transmissions are inside of the ford transmissions and increase the functions of the factory unit, but some bolt in between the factory units the problem is I can't remember what they do.

 

[Guesseral]

Sherman Transmissions

Here see if any of these are what you were looking at!

 

[Matt Hightower]

Thanks for the response Guesseral!

All of the Shermans I've ever seen go inside the existing housing in front of the Ford transmission. What troubles me with this one and its "-S" designation, is that there is neither a lever nor a hole where the lever would be.

As to the unit about 4-5 inches wide between the transmission and rear end, I don't think it's a Sherman. The unit's housing extends out on the left side of the tractor with what appears to be an output shaft (?) that faces rearward and a threaded lever on the housing that you can move up and down around the shaft. As far as I know, auxiliary transmissions would not have an output shaft on them. Could it be some soft of aftermarket mid-mount PTO? My first thought was 4WD conversion, but the shaft faces back not forward.

I'm at a loss on this one!

 

[Ultradog MN]

This is incorrect.
The Sherman transmissions were installed in front of the 4 speed transmission - in the bell housing.
The only tranny that I know of that added about 4 or 5 inches between the transmission was the Everett transmission. It reduced the groundspeed by something like 100 to 1. For trenching.
Matt, does it look like the one in the picture?

 

[Matt Hightower]

Well, yes and no. That's where it is, but it's only about half that thick and doesn't have anything on top; no lever, no holes. On the left side of the tractor the housing bulges out with what appears to be an output shaft (?) that faces straight back and a threaded lever perpendicular to it that you can move up and down.

The "output shaft" is an approximately 1" dia. solid steel shaft with a hole drilled through it. It looks similar to the input shaft on our bush hog's gearbox (although smaller in diameter I think).

Any ideas?

 

[Jerry/MT]

Well, yes and no. That's where it is, but it's only about half that thick and doesn't have anything on top; no lever, no holes. On the left side of the tractor the housing bulges out with what appears to be an output shaft (?) that faces straight back and a threaded lever perpendicular to it that you can move up and down.

The "output shaft" is an approximately 1" dia. solid steel shaft with a hole drilled through it. It looks similar to the input shaft on our bush hog's gearbox (although smaller in diameter I think).

Any ideas?

There was a Howard auxilliary transmissission that bolted beween the transmission and the rear axle and was used for rototiller equipped tractors. That maybe what you have.

 

[Matt Hightower]

The Howard goes between the transmission and rear axle but they still bolt to each other, correct? That is, it doesn't increase the length of the tractor. Plus the Howards have either a lever above the PTO lever or on the other side replacing the dipstick, right?

Whatever this tractor has bolts between the transmission and the rear axle with a housing that spaces them about 4-5 inches apart; e.g. increasing the wheelbase of the tractor that 4-5 inches. The only lever is the small (3") lever perpendicular to what appears to be a rearward facing output shaft coming out of the inserted housing between the transmission and rear axle and facing the rear axle.

 

[Jerry/MT]

The Howard goes between the transmission and rear axle but they still bolt to each other, correct? That is, it doesn't increase the length of the tractor. Plus the Howards have either a lever above the PTO lever or on the other side replacing the dipstick, right?

Whatever this tractor has bolts between the transmission and the rear axle with a housing that spaces them about 4-5 inches apart; e.g. increasing the wheelbase of the tractor that 4-5 inches. The only lever is the small (3") lever perpendicular to what appears to be a rearward facing output shaft coming out of the inserted housing between the transmission and rear axle and facing the rear axle.

Yeah the Howard was all internal and did not extend the wheel base.

 

[Soundguy]

is the shaft on the left side? if so perhaps soemthing for a 4wd.

a pic would REALLY help.

ditto what UD said. sherman go ahead of the ford tranny hidden in the bellhousing, repalcing the input shaft. not INSIDE the tranny like the other poster stated.

soundguy