N Series Ford Tractors...Are They Worth It?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ก.ย. 2019
- Crazy D gets asked if an N Series Ford Tractor is worth his money. Now Crazy D wants to go over them and talk about what makes them worth your money or what makes them not worth it.
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![How I Plow With My Ford 8n [[Dearborn 10-152]]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ltBYgJcrnOg/mqdefault.jpg)
Best tractor for the money. I've used one for the last 70 years, and never regretted it. I own a very early 9N, and a '52 8N. Both did my farm work, no failures. And if I couldn't have one today, I'd give up farming!!!!! Remember, Henry Ford was the leader in making Ferguson's hydraulic system work on a tractor, and all the tractor manufacturing companies since have copied the 3 point system. They are simple to fix, easy to operate, and don't tip over like some other "red" and "green" brands. Crazy D is correct on some of the difficulties, but remember, they are 68 to 81 years old and back then we didn't have the modern conveniences like we have on today's tractors. And these old tractors will still be going after the modern ones die. Just visit a tractor salvage yard and note all the "modern" ones already being salvages out because of poor workmanship, or some modern part which failed easily. Ford N series, the best yet.
Money’s worth ??? People charge $45 an hour bush hogging in Texas. The average price is $2,500 for one divided by $45 is 55 hours. So, 55 hours of bush hogging and it’s paid for.
I love my 51'. It saved my home from flooding during Imelda! I needed a tractor that would run a ditch even in the worst weather. It came through with flying colors. Best all around farm tractor money can buy.
I spent hundreds of hours on an 8N working on my Dad's Wisconsin dairy and beef farm. Everything from mowing or conditioning hay, to pulling the baler, to spreading manure to disking corn rows after harvest. There is a photo of me sitting on the seat at one year with both parents and the mower Dad bought with the tractor in 1950. That engine can be made to run for ever.
To work on the front distributor, take it off the motor by removing two bolts. That’s how I do mine, it’s a lot easier
I feel like the "it'll wear out soon" argument has been around since the 50s-60s and look they're still going just fine. For the money these things are an incredible value
I sure appreciate the honesty on your pricing of the N series it all makes perfect sense.
I owned a 1950 8N and loved it. The tractor did everything I needed and chugged along without any issues.
I'm from the Memphis and my Grandfather had a tractor dealership downtown many years ago. My Dad and all of his four brothers and five sisters worked there at one time or another. That being said; when my Dad retired from the local International Harvester plant, he sold parts for mainly N series Ford tractors along with a few Massey Fergusons. I wish my Dad was still around to see your channel and I want to thank you for bringing back so many memories from helping him with buying and parting out these vehicles. My Dad's oldest brother was a mechanic on many different types of vehicles; from Airplanes, a variety of Diesel trucks and tractors. He liked and worked on Allis Chambers the most. Thanks again.
Very good video. You couldn't be more correct in your answer. Keep up the great work and videos. Many blessings to you and yours
I have a 52 model that I bought in 1974 for $50. It had a bunch of stuck valves. It has the Sherman aux. transmission that gives it 4 forward gears in three ranges. Back in the 70s and 80s I had a welding and machine shop and used it around the shop to move trailers and s tuff. I also had 10 acres where I used it to mow regularly. It worked fine for mowing but you need an over run clutch on the pto. When you step on the clutch it does not disengage the pto from the trans. and the inertia of the spinning mower will push you right a fence.
Most people could only afford tractors of that size back in the 1940's thru 1950's and I would love to have one today if I could afford it. I got to drive the Massey Ferguson tractor in 1965 thru 1966 and the tractor was new then and we used it to help clear out a pasture with and the tractor was great. My grandfather had a Ford Tractor built during that era after he retired from GM and moved back to Arkansas and used it until he could not do any work any longer.
Sidney Mathious I have been reading your posts for several years now. It seems you and I have the same tastes in tractor videos. I wish you a very Merry Christmas down here in Alabama.
I have a 51 also! I bought it over 20 years ago and have mowed and yorked rake it seems like the whole country since then and it has been absolutely flawless! I understand it does not have the lift capacity of a new one, but if you know what you are doing and operate it accordingly it absolutely perfect! I also know everything gets old and needs attention that is a fact of life and these tractors are no different. It is really the value for the money!
Good video, this will be very useful for those in the market.
I use my 8n to get the mail. Perfect for that.
Good job for one of them
Made over 500k Ford 8N series. The 2 most popular selling tractors are the Fordson and the Ford N series. Not a modern tractor but can do the job.
My Dad bought one (1949) in the fall of 1966 for $125, rebuilt it over the winter and brought it home in March of ‘67. We farmed with that tractor from 1967 til 2000. The tractor last ran in 2002 and is in need of overhaul.
I'd love on of these 8N's only because here in the UK there are none, or they're rare as hen's teeth. Here they were all 'grey Fergies', aka TE 20's..I don;t think I've ever seen one badged as a Ford. Looking at it from a grey Ferguson perspective..an 8N certainly looks a different and interesting machine. I love the oversize tyres on the rear too.
I might be a little partial to the N series, it's my first tractor ever. I picked up a '44 9N a few months ago. I run a 5ft brush hog and a 5ft box blade with it. Works fine for me.
Still using my 8N for deer food plots and brush hogging.
Just curious, do you mainly use a disc or plow for plots or both?
Great video. It’s obvious you know and truly love these tractors. You know their pros and cons. Thanks for the good info.
Compared to a farmall cub, the N series are great and far more useful! Thanks crazy D!
far all cub is a row crop tractor for small acreages a specialty tractor for cultivation Ford n and Massey good for pulling small trailers no power
Cubs are capable of alot more then people think. Will they outwork an N? Absolutly not. But with good ballast for traction, downpressure on the hydros, etc theyll do quite a bit. It just sucks cause changing attachments is a bitch and you can only use cub specfic ones
the N series tractor ARE worth having. I loved mine!
I bought my 9N last week for $1,900 is great shape and I use it only for York raking my mile long driveway . I have no complaints and glad I bought it.
Just picked up cherry 8n already converted to 12 volt, new tires,Sherman trans (cable operated cable frozen ) side distributor using to move boat and other trailers on my property paid $1825.00 mechanic by trade so fits my bill just fine!!!! Ask the EQ doc if I have to split it to replace Sherman cable for me 😁😁
Love your knowledgeable advice, Thankyou !!!
Worked with a Cajun in South La. who bought an 8N for hunting, Said it was cheaper than a 4 wheeler and could do more with it
Wow
There isnt a spot a N wont get out of.
I just said the same thing
Best response I've seen and I came close to buying one quite a few years ago, but opted for an NAA for less money. I farmed with a 600 and 841; still own the 600, but none will do the work I need done. I have a soft spot for the old iron, but nostalgia don't get the job done.
A live pto is a must on a work tractor,The only way life can suck more is if you get an old rig with a hand clutch and a loader.
Yes!! Indeed
They are great old Tractors. Sometimes having the clutch control the lift and P.T O. Is kinda nice, but it can be aggravating too. We have a 1940 9 N with the Sherman Step that give You 6 Forward Gears and 2 Reverses and it doubles the P.T.O. speed. They will fly with a Bush Hogg, or a cycle mower, but make sure You keep grease in the gearbox. It goes so fast that it will burn the seals up in a bush hog.
I have been keeping an eye open for one of these to maintain my road.
Ive had my 1945 2n for nearly a year now. Dearborn trip loader. It was in good but not currently running shape. All it took was a couple hundred dollars in tuneup parts, a little tinkering and basic maintenance, and it runs and works like a dream. I do wish for live PTO and proper position control some rare times, but overall is a great machine that is powerful enough to multiply my productivity 10x on my small acreage/ homestead.. pulling and tearing out small trees and stumps, post hole digging. Moving rocks, moving dirt, pulling fence posts, dragging logs, pulling trailer fulls of cordwood, it does it all and is reletively economical on fuel and other maintenance costs
You're right they are good for mowing and grade your driveway, but anything more it's just to small. I have a 2n and 9n. Thanks
Vital information, thanks much
As someone new into this. From my perspective, it will get you started. If you wreck it you lost 2500, rather than 100k on the learning curve.
You have one of the best channels on YT!
Well from everybody here at crazy D's equipment we say thank you very much I hope you keep enjoying the videos and we are definitely trying to do our best
I agree on the depends upon what you do with one. I had A Farmal Super A.It was very hard to get onto especially for a man of a larger stature as I am. ,so I sold it for that reason. An offset cultivator tractor is not good for everyday work.
As I said in the other video comments, I bought a 1949 2N which I have not picked up yet
Once again,Thanks
Thanks for covering the N tractors. Got a 9n in Florida that has a lot of problems. Not many old tractor machanics in these parts. May have to fix it myself.
They really are crazy easy to work on, engine wise. I know next to nothing and with a mechanic's tool set with standard sizes I got my grandpa's running like a top.
Haven't had to tackle much else but at that point it'd be tools and space in the garage to do a proper tear down and follow some suggestions D gave.
I bought mine fot $800. I converted it to 12 volt with an a mirror electronic point. Now the problem I have is the touchy starter.
Still running a 1946 to cut about 500 acres of fire lines and stuff. Probably the absolute limit of it's capabilities and stalls out when trying to pull through thick soil so the modern air conditioned deere are more readily used
If you get a well maintained one, they are good.
If you get one that wasn't cared for, its a money pit.
The N series were the cats meow when they came out. Every tractor today owes its three point hitch to the Ford n series of course the three points system was Harry Ferguson’s invention.
I find learning about this stuff neat, despite the fact that I neither have a tractor, nor have the land or need for one. But what I would really be interested in seeing is small engine stuff e.g. lawnmowers, rototillers, edgers, etc. Apart from my lawnmower, all my yard equipment is ancient. Recently I repaired my edger (probably from the 40s/50s, and crazy dangerous. Like dragging a chainsaw alongside a concrete sidewalk), and am currently working on one of my two rototillers (probably similar age). The rototiller apparently needs a keyway that is very uncommon (but fortunately cheap), as the specialist I got it from had never had to sell one before. My other rototiller is a monster, and has an enormous engine (strong enough to literally drag my 6'4, 300lb ass) Anyway, this whole experience has gotten me interested in antique motors and stuff like that. I think it'd be neat content to see.
Keep it up! 👍
The most annoying thing about the '41 9N that I had was the 3-pt wasn't live, I had to let off the clutch whenever I wanted to raise the 3-pt which meant I had to shift it to neutral if I wasn't moving. Besides that the old tractor ran great and never gave any issues.
Great video!
Amen.
An overrun coupler is only $60. I don't understand why people don't do basic safety and convenience upgrades
These tractors are great tractors for what they can do.
How much you're willing to work.
They're simple tractors. Don't think they're a lazy man's tractor. To many men has become to lazy. Thinking the tractor should do all it's own. To make a garden, bushhog, subsoil, pole boom,
Scoop pan, pulling logs, scrape blade work, a simple man's tractor. To do simple jobs.
You was right on the money on depends what you want to do with the tractor. Have to remember a lot people that bought those new may have still been using hay burners, lot of farms were up till the end of WW2, so they were in hog heaven with these, sooo much better than following a mule or horse around all day.
I overhauled one with new rings and bearings, it was easy. Used to to drag trees out of the woodlands.
My buddys dad passed away 2 months ago and he's been wanting to get his old 8n going again. Gonna rip it down and give it a hone, rings, and a set of main bearings as well. May i ask where you got your parts from?
@@alec4453 I was just a teenager in the 70s. That's what we did. Honed the cylinders, put in new bearings. My dad bought the parts but I'm not sure where he got them and he isn't around anymore.
You might try Napa auto parts. They were the biggest parts store back then and they can get stuff for things other than automobiles.
Mowing(6'sickle bar), tedding, raking, plowing, disking, cultivating, large gardens, small produce operation... Beats a team of work horses!
All he needed was a pair of check chains for his mower. You can never hold a mower level with draft control on a 2N/9N. I put 8N pumps and lift covers in mine. Position control is a must.
I just swapped my top link out for a hydraulic link and i can keep my shit as level as i need too.
Good review
Don't regret buying my 8N Still using it and put ng it to work
I think the fact that Ford didn't rely on tricycle front ends went a long way for their enduring acceptance.
YES ! You can Buy it , work it and sell it for the same money you paid for or even more most of the time ! I'm just keeping mine because they are such under valued tractors. BANG FOR THE BUCK !
I'd have a fleet of them if I could. My 41 9n was great, my 49 8n gets my fire wood,keeps my driveway maintained, bush hogs my 16 acre field twice a year. It won't last forever but I'll fix it when it breaks. No monthly payment to make
N series ford will fit in most sheds can pull a 2-14 plow. Mine has a loader which gives it live hydraulic it runs a wood splitter. It can lift heavy objects. Right now I’m trying to get the engine running. Old machines break down they are still useful.
Of course this is my opinion, but I've found my 2n to be worth every penny. True, live pto and hydraulics are nice, but my old girl always fires up and has mowed and disced enough pasture to pay for herself many times over.
Love my '41 9n. Box blade and brushhog, and move my trailers. And all the neighbors are jealous because it starts like a charm and it's oldest thing around except a few trees. Paid 550 and love doing all the work on it.
Got a 41 also.
I have a 9N for hayrides and parades. It seems to be the perfect vehicle for me.
I made money with my 8N bush hogging for 30 year's bought it for $1200 . My cousin got a little tractor for $10,000 that's not heavy enough to do much of anything.
good advice , crazy d
..not sure where you are located, but $800.00 will NOT get you one around here that runs and functions decent, if at all..non-running ones that have sat outside for years fetch $500.00...$1800.00 will get you a rough runner that is useable but may have some issues...$2500.00-$2800.00 is about average for a decent one..yes, I have seen restored ones for $3500.00-$5000.00..are they worth it?..maybe not to me, but IF they are RESTORED correctly, not "restored" by slopping on some red and white paint, maybe they ARE worth it...I mean, if a new off-brand Chinese-made compact tractor is worth $6000.00-$14000.00, why WOULDN'T a nice example of one of these be worth $3500.00-$5000.00?..A heavier and more stable tractor, AND- regardless of it's age, I bet in ten years, an N-series tractor will have better parts availability and cheaper parts(and much less depreciation), than that Chinese tractor..no, they are not without drawbacks(my biggest complaint about them is the way-too-high-speeded reverse gear, especially in the 8N's), but the compact tractors have drawbacks as well...and one final thing for me personally, they are simpler to work on, with no electronics, and they are gas-powered..I wish SOMEONE made a new gas-powered tractor...
To keep the mower from raising while using it disconnect the top link from the mower.
For that type of money other more usable models might be better, in OZ we got the equivalent little TE20 fergies, alot of new weekend warriors would get into trouble with brushhogs as soon as that clutch went in, hard to find one with a straight front on it.
I just got a 8n and I skid logs out and haul wood to my house just plow my garden and will be getting it ready to plow snow
You do not have to remove the “tin” on front mount distributor “N”s to service them. Just lay the coil aside, remove the two distributor bolts and pull out the distributor and service it on the bench. The offset of the blade on the back of the distributor allows only one position for installation.
I have done some impressive stuff with these old fords but that was 30 years ago
Yep but I bet you still could
I would still buy one to carry stuff around, but... well no land for this. But put some paint and now you have not only and working tractor, but you also have a tractor that is good for scenery, movies, pictures, work and so on. :)
I do a lot of stuff with my N's I have a 8N with a Sherman combo live hyd conversion and a rare Sherman live PTO conversion. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I should make a video of it
Sell it to me kevin i would pay 7k it is factory
@@teresajohnson849 wait til I die, come to the auction. Thats the only way Trusty Rusty is leaving here LOL
I would like to see how the live P.T.O. works.
I bought two 8n fords last week. I paid $600 for one and $750 for the other with a front-end loader already on it. Neither ran but it only took a few minutes each to get them going. There is no other piece of equipment that can be bought for this price that does so much.
I've had my 1952 8N for 5 years and gotten a ton of use from it with little trouble. I can't even buy a decent riding mower for what I paid for it and it does a lot more work.
Great video Crazy D. I never liked the 9n due to the brake/clutch configuration. Live PTO can kinda be had on the 8n, 2n, or 9n with a slip clutch. There is also a leveling kit you can buy for your tractor. Anyone with a small garden, i would reccomend the the N Series
is it sold
A slip clutch isn't "kinda" live pto. It just prevents the pto attachment from pushing the tractor.
Great Video thanks!
The hydraulic system is a positive pressure system that's how they control pressure both sides of piston that's why t
Is it any good in the bog. To bring home a transport box of turf.
I wondered if you'd be able to shed some light on my situation. I am out on 9 acres in Tennessee and I have a brand new Kubota bx23s that has less than 25 hours on it. Here is my debate. Yes, I could go buy a deck or a brush hog for the Kubota to mow my acreage, but for the cost of either of those implements I could be looking at getting a decent 8n with a brush hog instead... plus I've always wanted an 8n. I was curious as to what you'd recommend to someone in that situation? Should I spend $1600+ on a brush hog or just find a decent 8n? Thanks! Love the videos!
Get an N series and a finish mower, if you have scrub brush get a brush hog. I have a 9N with brush hog, my 2 acres are rough scrub brush. Then I take the box blade and do sections at a time as time allows.
I have 2 reefer engines, I would love to do a N diesel swap! better power and fuel econ. BUT I feel this things have way too tall of a 1st gear
I have owned one for 28 years I now have 3 and would like to have more
I think for typically around the 2 grand or so in decent shape, these normally go for to have a mower and occasionally using it for gardening for what you pay for these used you can't find a better value. I wouldn't put my livelyhood on it as you said but when for the price the alternative is a used garden tractor that is nowhere near as useful you can't go wrong.
I have an opportunity to get one for 1500 and want to use it for the disk furrow on 5 acres is it worth it to me?
Is there a video on the jubilee upgrade process?
You need chains to hold the mower at the correct height. My 9N did a lot of mowing in its time
Look up a thing called a zane thang . swear to god it works . it allows the three point to hold position . ya order it and install it . simple simple.
Exactly!
How much is the 8N on consignment ? I'm interested!!
I have an 8N, do you have a one bottom plow for it?
I need front wheel weights for a 1944 Ford N2 New or used
dang good tractors still use one but not for large farms anymore.
i had a 9n from 1940 i redid and i think the 1st gear seems lower than the 52 8n i have now
That's the best answer,, these tractors are limited to what they will do,, that's why they're not expensive
They can be beneficial,, and they can be a burden
First I agree... I have a 1948 I was trying to get all back together just to drive in a parade’s and a tractor show in my home town.. it just needs a hood fenders and wheels paint, plugs and wires yelp doing the 12 volt thing.. had it in a shop and man they screw me and put me on a 3 year back burner and took me for about $4,000.... I can’t get on it I’m disabled and about 450 pounds weight from bed 5 yrs.. if u know anyone that can finish this job I would appreciate it and will to pay.... out town peanut festival is coming up again the 6 yrs of missing the show and paraded.. I have 3 grandsons and love tractor lol The is a family inheritance tractor what makes it bad I started restoring it until I got down.. yelp the money in it right now I could have bought a new $20,000 tractor, but this ones not for sale, just need a honest man... I just found your channel and are loving them we could be twins Lol!! I say this with a kind heart my brother.... keep up the great videos....GOD BLESS👍🙏
Thanks for video. What is the option for pto that’s not live. For example if you are bush hogging with a N series is there a device that will not push you over the hill when you push the clutch in to stop. Is there any videos out there that will help.
It's called an orc or over riding clutch. $80 and available virtually anywhere. Be sure you get the right size for your pto shaft.
Yes, its called a clutch override. Try tractor supply.
The older small tractors are always in good demand here as people buy them for hobby farms and small acreage.
I have a collection of both Ford and IH tractors...like them both....but these tractors have transitioned from the farm to really just a large "lawn and garden" tractor....too small and impractical for the farm but great for pulling a trailer, plowing snow or use it in the woods...because of no live pto I don't want to use it with a brushhog or almost any pto application for that matter....like the art deco styling
@@rogerwilliams7541 overrun couplers are cheap and easy to install
those tractors even brand new back in the day they were S 800 dollars they were made in the late 1940s and early 1950s they were made 4 the small farms mostly garden tractors bush hogging cutting grass w a belly mower cutting and raking hay and dragging the drive way and alot of them was used 2 haul wood most of those old tractors had been changed over 2 / 12volt a long time ago 😊😊 IM surprised they even still make a 6 volt tractor battery anymore they don't have the cranking amps of a 12 volt battery they turn the engine over alot faster 😊😅 U can take a hand crank and turn the engine over faster than a old 6 volt battery / when they kept tuned up like they should be good sparkplugs good points and other items in good shape they start when U turn the key 🗝 😊 that's the way they should start all of the time ⌚ 😊 OMG 4 29 2O24
What’s one with a loader worth?
My 6V 8N starts quicker than any other piece if equipment I own. It is the same as my CJ2a. 6V works just fine, if you aren't looking for accessories, as long as everything is in proper working order. Don't perpetuate the myth 6V doesn't work.
I use my 9N on a cultivator
I love my 49 8N! I use it to brush cut, plow with a two row, disc blade, grade and lift heavy objects with my lift pole. Yes, I need to replace the lift piston but as for now it works great. I also use it to pull the kids around on a barrel train.
Really...to put it in perspective...they stack up well against modern compacts in their power range when you consider price. You can pay 1500-2k for a good functioning N or pay 20k+ for a modern compact that really, besides convienence, safety, and speed the N will do the same jobs (minus FEL work). Not to mention the N is cheaper to fix, much eaiser to work on, and will last the rest of your lifetime.
how much for the tractor?
I am selling it and buying a stronger a larger tractor, I love my 8 N. A great log puller in the woods.
Isn't he backwards on the 9N having one o-ring and the jubilee having 3? The Jubilee lift cyl piston is a single o-ring with a leather or teflon backring. It was designed to replace the older 3-ring steel piston ring setup.
When I rebuild my dad's 9n hydraulic system it just had the steel cylinder with one o-ring and with the one in my 8N couple years ago I restored a golden jubilee from ground up and it had three o-rings on a aluminum cylinder to run the three-point hydraulics
@@gobig1416 My 1943 2N had a factory 3-ring piston setup, just like an automobile piston; I replaced it with the aluminum one with the single rubber o-ring setup that I see advised on here in a few videos.
I actually am more satisfied with it being six volt and it starts very easily. I wonder if 12 volt conversions slam the starter drive unnecessarily.
Yeah i don't agree with this guy about converting to 12 volt. Usually the only people that convert to 12 volt are the guys with a worn out motor with terrible compression and thats the only way it will start cold. And screw you D, every 8N is worth the money.
S Wilson well when it gets to be 30 below you kinda need it to be 12 volt