Can someone educate me on 1950's Farmall TA's ?

[sixdogs]

Can someone give me an education on the 1950's Farmalls with a Torque Amplifier? I've always avoided them just because everyone said to so I know very little. But---I've found a 1950's Farmall that I'm thinking of buying as a parade tractor but it has a TA.

I know models with a TA sell for less than models without one. I heard that TA repairs are costly but I've also heard you can operate the tractor just fine as long as you don't use the TA. I'm not even sure what that means.

Can anyone fill me in with what is and what isn't, how they work, etc. Thank you in advance. Buy the tractor if the price is right or skip it?

 

[oldnslo]

Typically when the TA fails you still have one functioning speed range. Been way to many years to be 100% certain but I think they fail in high range.

Don’t remember what failed on them either but it was expensive to fix 50 years ago so farmers just ran them without functioning TA. I know my grandfather, uncle, and neighbors all did. This was on models like 300, 450, etc.

 

[texas42]

I think the first Farmall with T/A was the 1954 Super MTA.
Then after that the T/A was available in the numbered series 300, 350, 400, 450

 

[sixdogs]

How does a torque amplifier work? Is it extra gears like HI-LO? Is it a part of the transmission or an add-on piece?

 

[Cycledude]

It’s a Sprag clutch, they are very handy when working like they are supposed to work but they do eventually fail and need to be replaced.

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