Ford 9N's Final Farewell

OkieG · Apr 10, 2003

Ford 9N\'s Final Farewell

Two days ago, a patient scheduled for cataract surgery didn't show up. The only word we got was. "tractor accident".

Yesterday we found out the story: 80+ year old gentleman (the patient) was selling his Ford 9N. The tractor is 50+ years old and had served him well. He started the tractor, while standing beside it, to show a prospective buyer how easy it starts. He didn't notice it was "in gear". It started and lurched forward knocking the old man to the ground. The rear tire then proceeded to run over him. Brushog was attached. PTO was not engaged! Whew!! All this, while the buyer stood helplessly watching.

Battle damage: Cuts, scrapes and cracked ribs.

Result: Buyer came back next day and bought the tractor.
And cataract surgery was successfully performed....one day late.

The tractor's final farewell almost killed the owner.

OkieG

Soundguy · Apr 10, 2003

Re: Ford 9N\'s Final Farewell

Yikes.... The owner must have bypassed the OEM starter button... either that or it was not functioning as they have a starter interlock to prevent that sort of thing. But yeah.. he was real lucky.

Soundguy

OkieG · Apr 10, 2003

Re: Ford 9N\'s Final Farewell

I don't know enough about the 9N or clutch tractors to even ask about the starter button or interlock. It would be interesting to know.

My tractor is a hydrostat. Often, I will stand beside the tractor and start it...to let it warm up for a minute while I tend to something else. Either the implements are touching the ground or the brake is set...unless I forget. I've never had the tractor lurch...there doesn't seem to be any safety feature to prevent starting from beside the tractor. Perhaps hydrostats don't pose a threat!? I don't know. But, it has me thinking.

OkieG

Soundguy · Apr 10, 2003

Re: Ford 9N\'s Final Farewell

I pretty much never start the tractor from the ground.. and as a habbit.. I usually press the clutch too.. can't hurt...

Soundguy

Casimir · Apr 10, 2003

Re: Ford 9N\'s Final Farewell

Some hydrostats (my 1520, for instance) do have a clutch switch that prevents the tractor from being started unless the clutch is depressed. The switch quick working properly, so I immediately spent the $12 to buy a new one and took 5 minutes to R&R. That is one safety device I really like.

beenthere · Apr 10, 2003

Re: Ford 9N\'s Final Farewell

Sounds like it was maybe a good selling point - as the tractor engine is in pretty good condition if it will start with the tractor in gear. Battery was good too. The buyer had to have been impressed just a bit that this tractor started under that load.

Not impuning the tragedy that happened at all. And not a good way to start the tractor, I agree.

Rubintropfen · Apr 10, 2003

Re: Ford 9N\'s Final Farewell

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The owner must have bypassed the OEM starter button)</font>

Maybe. The very earliest Ford 9N's did not have a starter interlock. The story is that this was added after Henry Ford ran over his foot while starting one of the tractors. See Identifying Ford N Tractors for more info.