Small Raking Tractor

[tessiers]

I have a 53 Farmall Super C that was supposed to be a my raking tractor, as it stands I don't use it much, don't like the way it drives, I un-hook the Ford NAA from the tedder and rake with that. I have the chance to trade the Farmall for a Ford 8n. I assume the 8n is about the same as the NAA so I think I would like it. Anyone here raking with an 8n? What do you all think?

Thanks
Jason

 

[AKfish]

I have a 53 Farmall Super C that was supposed to be a my raking tractor, as it stands I don't use it much, don't like the way it drives, I un-hook the Ford NAA from the tedder and rake with that. I have the chance to trade the Farmall for a Ford 8n. I assume the 8n is about the same as the NAA so I think I would like it. Anyone here raking with an 8n? What do you all think?

Thanks
Jason

I like my FIL's 9N. It's quick and nimble and doesn't beat the ground down. Has the Hi/Lo tranny option which helps quite a bit. I was hoping to use it to rake and tedd with, but the 3pt hydraulics need to be rebuilt. I've been using it to spread fertilizer but, the 3pt has gotten too weak to handle the 500-600lb loads right now. New parts arrived on Thurs-Fri so, I'm gonna rebuild it this week.

We'll see how everything works out in July... be in touch!

AKfish

 

[Ted Summey]

I'm partial to the Farmalls but we have a neighbor that uses an 8n to rake and Tedder hay. It works well for that. If the Super C has a tricycle fronted I understand why you might prefer an 8n.

 

[rankrank1]

If you like the NAA as a rake tractor then you will like the 8N possibly even better as a rake tractor as it will burn a bit less fuel due to being less powerful but that should not pose a problem raking. 8N Forward gears 1-4 will be same speeds as NAA. Reverse on early 8N will be a bit faster than NAA, Reverse on last year or two 8N will be same as NAA.

8N will be slightly more nimble than NAA as far as handling due to shorter wheelbase. No live pto and no live hydraulics on 8N. NAA is also not a live pto, but NAA does have live hydraulics. As a rake tractor these should pose zero issues.

In my opinion the last year or two of 8N's with the distributer out the side of the motor are the most desirable, but I would easily make a trade of a Farmall C for any year 8N. (I would have to think harder on trading if it was a 9N or 2N. 9N's and 2N's only have 3 forward speeds and brake pedals are on opposite sides instead of together on right foot side. Even then I would probably make the trade if nice enough.)

My experience: I spent many hours on Dad's side distributer 8N as a young teenager disking, bush hogging, cultivating soybeans with a 2 row cultivator, and running a Dearborn cage loader. Of course that was a few years ago back in the early 1980's. I do have a Jubilee now, but it needs TLC.