Farmall B hauling width

[rossco]

I have a 1943 Farmall B. It was my wife's grandfather's and then her dad's. I had a friend of mine use his deckover gooseneck to haul it to our place in the country a few years back. Now, I am soon to be building a shop at my house and would like to bring it home to get her running and restore it to its former glory. Eventually, I would like to trailer it and take it to some shows or a church picnic now and then, but am not sure how narrow the rear wheels can be adjusted in. I have a 16' lowboy trailer and it only measures 77" inside the fenderwells. Can the B's wheels be narrowed this far? Thanks

 

[DJ54]

I copied this from a Farmall page, and seems to match info I found in my "150 Years of IH" book. I have a BN, and know it is 8" narrower on the rear, than a B, but wasn't sure how far in you could set it, without looking in my op manual, and it, is at the other farm.

*****************************************************
IH produced the Farmall BN from 1940 to 1947, and there were about 1500 of them produced. The Farmall BN is the same tractor as the Farmall B, except for a few rear wheel changes. It provides a narrower rear wheel tread, varying in 4 inch increments. It would allow the rear wheel to be placed from 56 to 84 inches apart,

*** while the B only allowed the wheels to stretch from 64 to 92 inches. The BN was designed to work row crops, such as beets and potatoes. ***

 

[rossco]

So, do you think the 64" is measured from inside the tires, or outside the tires. The inside of my trailer is 77" tight against the fenders. Sounds like it may work with them adjusted all the way in as far as they will go. Any idea how these adjust? It's been so long since I really looked at the rear wheels. Do you have to take the rims apart and bolt them up differently, or can you adjust with them still mounted? Thanks for your response.

 

[DJ54]

Just a guess, but I'd say that measurement would be 64" on center.

The rims have 4 loops on them. You will need to remove, the 4 bolts holding it on the center hub, then with the loops to the outside of the rim, mount it to the inside of the center hub. You'll just have to check, and see where they are set now. Unless it was set for a specific row setting, probably mounted to the outside of the center hub/disc for easier service.

Some center hubs were stamped steel disc's, and others were cast hubs, for more weight.

If it has the original sized tires, set in all the way, it may very well, just fit.

 

[art]

I would think the a standard B would be well under the 77" spacing between the wheel wells.

I also would hate the thoughts of attempting to loosen the wheel bolts if I didn't have to!

A BN will have a narrow front end and is not offset like a standard B or A chassis and actually had long axles coming out both sides of the center section and they were driven from the center if my memory is working right.

 

[hardtack]

I had to run out to the barn and get my Farmall B original owners manual for this one.

The B had an adjustable tread with on the rear wheels. They could be varied from 64 to 92 inches on center. This was done by reversing the wheel disc and four different ways of mounting the rear tire rims. I believe the reason for so much variation was the fact the B was designed primarily as a cultivating tractor. This way the farmer could vary the width rear wheels depending on his planting row placing

General width, according to the manual, was 79 1/2 inches with a 64 inch offset and 100 1/2 with a 92 inch offset. Of course this could change with modern tires being different than those in the 1940's.

I know this doesn't really answer your question, but I hope it helps. The best thing to do is to get a tape measure and check it out. I don't know how comfortable I'd be towing a tractor that didn't sit fully on the trailer.

 

[rossco]

Thanks all for the info. At least I know they can be narrowed. Now I'll just have to take some time and get the rear wheels off. I'll probably just bring both wheels to the house so I can use my impact on them to adjust. I need to put new tires on them anyways. The little tractor is pretty rough, but with a little TLC, I know my son's and I can get it looking good again.

 

[DJ54]

A BN is definitely off set like the A & B, as far a seating. It is identical to the B, including narrow front, extended axles on both sides, other than it is 8" narrower through the differential housings.

 

[Soundguy]

The best thing to do is to get a tape measure and check it out. I don't know how comfortable I'd be towing a tractor that didn't sit fully on the trailer.

ditto on the tape measure.

as for it not setting on.. I think it's the distance between his fender wells he's worried about.

if it was a deckover he could jimmy it with a couple 2x12's across it at the rear where the tires sat..

 

[rossco]

Thanks for the clarification Soundguy. Yeah, I defiinitely want it to go in between the fenderwells. It also has pipe top rails that are as wide as the wells. Now, I just need to get my shop built so I can get the B home. It's pretty neat that this old B was used to replace horse drawn implements that my wife's grandfather used. A couple of the old implements were still sitting around, so I brought them home and have them sitting in the yard for decoration. Boy has farming come a long way!