[AT] most uncomfortable to drive tractor

[Alan Nadeau]

The shooting club I belong to has an early-70s Ford 4000.  I've taken over 
bushogging and road scraping chores mostly because nobody else really want 
to operate this wheeled club.  I don't mind, having run stuff from that era 
when it was NEW.  Of course, my Grandfather had enough sense to buy Deere. 
:)

So, other than just a little time on an 8N, this is the first Fudd I have 
been involved with.  There is not one control that is easy to reach and/or 
operate.  Sorry, the throttle and steering wheel aren't bad.  Once you get 
beyond that it goes downhill rapidly.  The PTO clutch has such a long throw 
I can't full stroke it without having to adjust my body at mid-point.  Same 
for the 3 pt lever, dropping the bushhog or box scraper requires either the 
arms of Orangutan (sp) or a lean/bend to get your hand down far enough. 
Diff. lock is so far back that I can barely get my boot back there and then 
I have to lift my whole leg to get my foot on top of the miniature pedal. 
Brake lock is a lift and turn affair way down by the footrest, they could 
have made it easy by making the handle 6" higher but that would have taken 
$.05 more worth of material.  Loader controls are under the seat and inboard 
of your right leg.  Power steering pump is under the fixed half of the hood, 
you need a funnel with a hose or offset tubing spout to put oil in it. 
Transmission and differential/hydraulic fluid levels are checked by removing 
plugs in the side of the case.  Not a big deal BUT, the plugs are at the 
same level, and inboard of the footrests.  VERY fine threads, easy to cross 
thread, and not even any room to get your fingers on them.  I have to use an 
open end wrench, coming in from the top, and you can only swing it 60° at a 
time.  Not a big deal taking it out, the ground will catch it once it falls 
free, but putting it back in is an absolute horror show.  I have yet to find 
a way to press in on the plug head and turn it with a wrench.  Just NO room! 
They could have stamped out a couple cutouts in the footrest or put 
dipsticks in the top of the case, no need for that they had dipsticks enough 
on the design team.

Other than that it runs good and has plenty of power to run a 6' hog in 
anything the tractor can push down/run over.  3 cyl. gasser, thirsty gasser 
when hogging, I do kinda wish it was the diesel version.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <jtchall at nc.rr.com>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2013 3:07 PM
Subject: [AT] most uncomfortable to drive tractor


> Either the list is dead or March Madness has everyone glued to the 
> boob-tube.
>
> I drove an 8N Ford yesterday as well as a 135 Massey. I couldn’t help but 
> thinking they are very uncomfortable tractors to operate.  My biggest 
> complaint is difficulty getting off and on as well as no where to put your 
> feet where you can quickly and easily access the pedals. The brake pedal 
> arrangement on the 8N was the worst. Maybe these tractors would be 
> comfortable if you are 5”2” with a size 8 shoe.
>
>
> Since traffic is low, let’s hear your vote for most uncomfortable to drive 
> old tractor. Just a few rules to keep us on track:
>
> 1) No body cares how reliable your grandpas 30hp tractor was running 25 
> hrs a day 8 days a week farming 15,000 acres (not including double crop 
> acres). The question is was it comfortable to use.
>
> 2) Most early (primitive) tractors in my opinion were uncomfortable to 
> drive without question. About the time styled tractors came out around 
> 1940, things were beginning to get standardized. So lets go back no 
> further than the Farmall letter series (or your favorite paint colors 
> equivalent models)
>
> 3) Nothing newer than 1980. By then AC units in cabs were becoming 
> reliable, cabs were roomier, and air-ride seats were coming onto the 
> scene.
>
>
> I vote for the 8N Ford.
>
> John Hall
>
> PS, to the Ford and Massey owners on the list, those tractors are still 
> too popular and sell for too much money as chore tractors for you to take 
> any offense to my comments, unless your basketball team has already been 
> sent home and you just need to vent.
>
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