What to ask when looking at a Jubilee?

jinman · Mar 18, 2005

Chris did a great job on his Jubilee, but I can't let him get away with showing his restoration without showing mine too. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif The attachment shows some highlights.

My NAA is out of service and badly in need of some TLC. I worked it hard for almost 10 years with very few major problems. Then, it seemed like several things broke at the same time shortly after I bought my NH TC45D. I just haven't had the motivation to fix the NAA. It may show up for sale on ebay or TBN soon. It has brand spanking new tires and wheels with the front wheels filled with foam. If I sell it, I'll try to get my tire and wheel money at least. We'll see... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

YardSolutions · Mar 18, 2005

How about a Jubilee with a loader and Backhoe? I know the BH isn't OEM, not sure of the FEL? It's not a golden, but is reasonably good shape. I'd hate to drop 5-6 K for something worth less. :confused

jinman · Mar 19, 2005

( How about a Jubilee with a loader and Backhoe? I know the BH isn't OEM, not sure of the FEL? It's not a golden, but is reasonably good shape. I'd hate to drop 5-6 K for something worth less. )

If I wanted a loader and a BH, I would NOT buy a Jubilee or any other 2WD Ford farm tractor. These old tractors had no power steering, very simple hydraulics, and a structure engineered for farming with draft implements. Some of them had manure loaders, but the smallest little 4WD sub-CUT has a better loader and more capability. I'd spend my $5-6k somewhere else. My experience with a '60s model 2WD Industrial Ford tractor with a huge undercarriage makes me say you could spend that $6,000 on a used Terramite and come out way ahead of what that old industrial Ford could do. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

GabeTX · Mar 19, 2005

Went to check it out this morning.

Unfortunately, despite having talked to the dealer on the phone and being told that it ran well, it wouldn't start. He said something about sitting out there all winter and mentioned the points; said his mechanic should have it running by 10:30 AM Monday. Seemed slightly embarassed.

I did check as much as I could though, and mostly it looked good. No play on the rear wheels, no oil on the hubs or near the PTO, coolant was clean, engine oil looked like normal engine oil (clean, but not fresh), although other then being cranked a few times the engine hadn't been doing anything.

No real rust problems, except on the seat, which had a hole or two in it. There was condensation in all the gauges. No hood ornament. The hydraulic pump (or what I thought was the hydraulic pump...) was a cylinder, its axis aligned front-to-back with the tractor, mounted towards the back of the engine on the right.

It certainly had more then 1 sump (I saw 2--the engine oil and another on the upper part of the engine; left side of the tractor).

Didn't get a SN--realized afterwards I was looking near the wrong part. This is all very new to me. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Soundguy you mentioned getting the manuals--know a good place to order them from online? Even if I don't end up with this particular tractor, I think this (NAA or Jubilee) is the route I want to go.

GabeTX · Mar 19, 2005

Also, what size implements should I be looking at for this? The dealer said it was more powerful then an 8N, and could pull a 6' mower. Reasonable? I plan on mowing relatively frequently, so I think I'll usually be mowing stuff well under a foot high.

What about a size for a back blade?

Those are the only two "size dependent" implements I'm interested in getting from the get go.

Unless there's an implement that will remove bulldozer tracks from heavy clay soil. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

RickB · Mar 20, 2005

A Jub is OK as a collector tractor, but I would not buy one at typical retail price as a work tractor. Many of the components are different from the later Hundred Series and are specific to the '53-'54 tractors. I like mass commonality in older equipment, that helps ensure a ready supply of new and used parts. I'll bet for the asking price you can find a tractor 10-15 years newer that will be serviceable for longer at less cost than the Jub you are looking at.

Soundguy · Mar 21, 2005

Nice nose job. i had to do a nose job on mine as well. Had a bit of rust holes here and there, and had to rebuild a few contours.

Great job.

Soundguy

Soundguy · Mar 21, 2005

( Also, what size implements should I be looking at for this )

it will pull a 6' rotary mower fine.

For a back blade.. ( angle blade ).. I'd go 6', and 7' if in snow. If we are talking box blade.. 5-6' depending on what you do with it. if heavy stuff.. stay with 5'.

As for the 'other sump' you mentioned.. what were you talking about.???

The crankcase is of course seperate from everything else ( it's not a motor cycle! ). Then you have the tranny sump, the hyd sump, and the diffy sump.

An 8n had the crankcase sump, and then a combined tranny/hyd/diffy sump.

The others pointed out soem good info. If you want power steering.. hold out for a 660 or later model ( 860 preferably ). The 660 had live pto, and some had optional power steering. the 860 had live pto and power steering.

Course.. you could keep holding out and bump another few dollars and get a 3000.. very capable machine both for loaders or backhoe.

Soundguy

Soundguy

Soundguy · Mar 21, 2005

( Many of the components are different from the later Hundred Series and are specific to the '53-'54 tractors. I like mass commonality in older equipment, that helps ensure a ready supply of new and used parts. )

Parts aren't an issue. Not sure where you heard that.

Many of the brake and rear end parts are 8n parts. Lots of the tranny parts are 8n parts.

Simple things like tires, rims, are 8n interchangeable.

Many steering parts are 8n parts.

Sheet metal on the 54 and hundred series are virtually identical and will interchange if you don't care about the size of the hand crank hole.

Red tiger 134ci engine is the same engine for all 134ci models.

That leaves the hyd top cover, of which the piston and cyl, and relief valve are still NH serviced items.. includingt the seals and orings! Hyd pump can be pricey.. but does have rebuild kits available. Later hundred series pumps will bolt right up, but are ahigher flow rate.. more like 4gpm compaired to 2.8gpm. This makes for eratic draft control ( too fast) and quick 3pt lift movement. There are workarounds however.

steering and tranny differences between the 53/54 and the 55 and up units.

There is even a factory alternator upgrade kit, with brackets for the 53 and up.

So far I've had no problem getting any part for my NAA. The big real difference in parts seems to be the hyd top cover, when you are trying to look at commonalities between the naa and 8n, and the NAA and the hundred series.

That and the actual tranny/diffy castings.. etc.

Soundguy

GabeTX · Mar 21, 2005

( As for the 'other sump' you mentioned.. what were you talking about.???)
Earlier you mentioned that a difference between the 8n and the NAA was that the latter had seperate sumps for the differential, transmission, and hydraulic system, whereas the 8n had one. I saw an additional sump that wasn't anywhere near 5 gallons, so it couldn't have been an 8n. That's all I was trying to say.

The idiot-proof method of looking at the hood emblem didn't work because there was no hood emblem. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I can't see myself holding out for more tractor. This is already more then I really need! After I get the fences put up, it's primarily going to be a mower.

The dealer is jerking me around a bit (was told it "ran well," drove out Saturday and it wouldn't start; was told his mechanic would have it running by 10:30 today, called and was told mechanic hadn't showed; told to call back at 12:30, then 5 PM... grr.) but I'm still interested in the thing so we'll see how it goes.