The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Tractor capability is more closely correlated to tractor weight than any other single (1) specification.
The compact tractor era functionally began when Henry Ford licensed Harry Ferguson's tractor and Three Point Hitch design in 1939. The tractor industry uniformly adopted the Three Point Hitch after 1955, when Ferguson's patents began to expire and his tractor and Three Point Hitch design were available to industry participants besides Ford open source.
There were tractors before the Ford 9N, including earlier Fords. However, less efficient, pre-TPH tractors did not clearly outperform draft animals and not many pre-TPH tractors were sold.
Ford's first Ferguson TPH tractor:
Ford 9N
1939 - 1942 |
N Series |
Utility tractor |
Ford 9N Power | |
Drawbar (claimed): | 12.68 hp
9.5 kW |
Belt (claimed): | 20.29 hp
15.1 kW |
Plows: | 2 (14-inch) |
Drawbar (tested): | 16.31 hp
12.2 kW |
Engine (net): | 23.56 hp
17.6 kW |
Ford 9N Weight | |
Shipping: | 2140 lbs
970 kg |
Operating: | 2900 lbs
1315 kg |
Ballasted: | 3375 lbs
1530 kg |
Mechanical | |
Chassis: | 2WD |
Steering: | manual |
| |
Cab: | Open operator station |
Transmission: | 3-speed |
Lots of grain threshers, well pumps and (laundry) washing machines ran off Ford 9N PTOs. Ford tractors often preceded grid electrical power on the farm by years.
Horses and mules continued to work USA farms through the 1950s.