tacticalturnip
Elite Member
When that new tractor hits your property you'll wish you'd done it sooner; those payments are difficult to swallow, but the tractor will make most of the month more fun.
To upgrade or not
- Thread starter 19528nford
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When that new tractor hits your property you'll wish you'd done it sooner; those payments are difficult to swallow, but the tractor will make most of the month more fun.
bottletree
New member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2020
- Messages
- 20
- Tractor
- 790
My first tractor was a 8N. Sold it 20 yrs ago but still miss it. It was 6volts of aggravation, but if the old guy spent a lot on fixing it up, why not keep it. Start looking for something with more capabilities and use the 8N for small jobs. I hate to get rid of things
Gord Baker
Platinum Member
Keep the N, install an 8 Volt battery with trickle charger set on 6V.
After careful research and price checks buy a small Tractor with extras and Cab. 6' bush hog takes considerable HP.
After careful research and price checks buy a small Tractor with extras and Cab. 6' bush hog takes considerable HP.
I can make the argument either way when spending someone else's money:
Edit: Came up with 7 reasons for new, and 7 against; just to show my ability to argue both sides
For:
1. a $350/month payment on a tractor is probably around what you pay for cell phones, internet, TV, and you have no lasting asset
2. If you break it down, your only paying something like an additional $15/hour of operation, if your running 20-30 hours per month
3. No gasoline, carburetor, worrying about ethanol gas, can't keep a full take of gas sit or it goes bad; less fire hazard, especially when Bush hogging
4. new tractor is 'safer' on about a dozen different fronts (this might work on a wife)
5. ease of operation, including wife, kids, ect; not that you can't let someone else run the 8N, but we can all admit they have their special things to watch out for
6. it might be able to be used on taxes, depending on your situation
7. I pretty much garrantee you will find uses for any new features on the new tractor, even if you don't know it now. Lights, phone charger, cruise control, loader,
Against:
1) a down payment could be spent doing a near complete rebuild on the 8N
2) it doesn't sound like down time really hurts you much, so even if the Ford breaks down, your not taking calls from mad clients
3) you have a known product, with known problems; new will have problems/irritating thing, you just don't know what they are yet
4) if the 8N its in the rain/weather, or heck burns down, your not out much
5) Insurance, and other hidden expenses you don't see factored into those "low monthly payments" you see advertised
6) if you get the new one; are you going to want to pick up another $5k in attachments?
7) don't know with these exact models; but you probably have better ground clearance with the ford; and way less hoses, filters, guards. ect hanging up on brush as you mow
Edit: Came up with 7 reasons for new, and 7 against; just to show my ability to argue both sides
For:
1. a $350/month payment on a tractor is probably around what you pay for cell phones, internet, TV, and you have no lasting asset
2. If you break it down, your only paying something like an additional $15/hour of operation, if your running 20-30 hours per month
3. No gasoline, carburetor, worrying about ethanol gas, can't keep a full take of gas sit or it goes bad; less fire hazard, especially when Bush hogging
4. new tractor is 'safer' on about a dozen different fronts (this might work on a wife)
5. ease of operation, including wife, kids, ect; not that you can't let someone else run the 8N, but we can all admit they have their special things to watch out for
6. it might be able to be used on taxes, depending on your situation
7. I pretty much garrantee you will find uses for any new features on the new tractor, even if you don't know it now. Lights, phone charger, cruise control, loader,
Against:
1) a down payment could be spent doing a near complete rebuild on the 8N
2) it doesn't sound like down time really hurts you much, so even if the Ford breaks down, your not taking calls from mad clients
3) you have a known product, with known problems; new will have problems/irritating thing, you just don't know what they are yet
4) if the 8N its in the rain/weather, or heck burns down, your not out much
5) Insurance, and other hidden expenses you don't see factored into those "low monthly payments" you see advertised
6) if you get the new one; are you going to want to pick up another $5k in attachments?
7) don't know with these exact models; but you probably have better ground clearance with the ford; and way less hoses, filters, guards. ect hanging up on brush as you mow
Last edited:
RaydaKub
Veteran Member
"The tractor is light, has no power steering and loader work will wear out the wimpy front axle faster."
My dad welded up his own loader for the 8N made out of F20 Farmall frame. He used it for 30 years scooping silage every day, used it to clean the feedlot yearly, snow all winter long, and dirt, rocks, or anything else as needed. He had replaced the thin front wheels with more like car tires, but maybe he welded car rims onto the 8N hubs. The pile of material he moved with it would shame most other tractors in service today of any size. I think he replaced the front wheel bearings 1 time. He had had to split it for the clutch once, and it needed it again when he sold it. Had the rims replaced once for CalChr rust. Had about 500 lbs on the 3pt. But you put in a full day if you ran it all day long.
My dad welded up his own loader for the 8N made out of F20 Farmall frame. He used it for 30 years scooping silage every day, used it to clean the feedlot yearly, snow all winter long, and dirt, rocks, or anything else as needed. He had replaced the thin front wheels with more like car tires, but maybe he welded car rims onto the 8N hubs. The pile of material he moved with it would shame most other tractors in service today of any size. I think he replaced the front wheel bearings 1 time. He had had to split it for the clutch once, and it needed it again when he sold it. Had the rims replaced once for CalChr rust. Had about 500 lbs on the 3pt. But you put in a full day if you ran it all day long.
MarblemountLane
Bronze Member
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2007
- Messages
- 59
- Location
- Skagit Valley, Washington
- Tractor
- Massey Ferguson 204 circa 1959
“Upgrade” is a relative term, one that depends on your budget. I grew up around a 1948 8N. Dad eventually upgraded to a 1962 Fordson Super Major (not before breaking the 8N in two with the FEL, twice). My budget is limited, as is my use (retired guy managing his woodlot, not a production farmer). To me, my early (one web site says my serial number is from 1959) Massey Ferguson 204 represents an upgrade from a Ford 8N.
Look hard at your need and application. Look harder at your budget. Choose wisely. After all, a Jubilee is an upgrade fron an 8N.
Look hard at your need and application. Look harder at your budget. Choose wisely. After all, a Jubilee is an upgrade fron an 8N.
Bob64
New member
Upgrade and keep the 8n at least for a year or two. Years ago I had a Kubota B7200 (17 hp), (bought it 2nd hand with just under 500 hours on it) small but it did a lot of work that I couldn't have done otherwise. Eventually I ran low on jobs it could handle so upgraded to a 2nd hand Kubota L3010 with about 250 hours on it. Great machine and I still love it to this day but wish I could have kept the B7200 also because it would fit into places I can't get to with my larger tractor. I'm still glad I upgraded.
Is it just me, or didn't Massey used to have a build/configuration tool on the website, but not now. The Massey 1526 or the small 1800 are both nice tractors, the TYM/RK seem nice, Mahindra, and more. I think one of the big attractions with Rural King, is you see the actual price, and can look without any pressure, when your just window shopping.
To the OP, not that I would go this direction; but a 10 or 15 year old, 2wd, 30-50hp, gear tractor, open station, without a loader might be found for 6-12k; and would still be miles ahead of what your working with. Lot of times school boards, park departments, ect have these for mowing ball fields, and they might have 1000-2000 hours, but there isn't a lot of demand for them, so it pushes the price down.
Edit: some of the 70s, 80s and early 90s tractors can be hard to get parts for, so just keep that in mind. That's one thing an 8N or MF 35/135 had going for it. Heck autozone probably has everything that you can't find at a local hardware store.
