35 Years in the Making! (1 Viewer)

[Michael B]

Congratulations!

 

[knuckle47]

@WarDamnEagle believe it or not…. The larger bucket slips into the smaller bucket and has 2 bolts holding it on. The man used it as a snow plow for the last 30 years

 

[knuckle47]

While I’m at it, is there a site you guys may know of where I can find out some things about mods to this unit…
A.) power steering …a pipe dream I’m thinking
B.) a hydraulic tilt for the bucket…. Currently has a drop pin. A lever pulls the pin and the bucket falls
C.) improved brakes
D.) best tried and true engine oil, fluids and hydraulic oils

thats only after 9 minutes of driving it. As always, thanks

 

[greenbeast]

While I’m at it, is there a site you guys may know of where I can find out some things about mods to this unit…
A.) power steering …a pipe dream I’m thinking
B.) a hydraulic tilt for the bucket…. Currently has a drop pin. A lever pulls the pin and the bucket falls
C.) improved brakes
D.) best tried and true engine oil, fluids and hydraulic oils

thats only after 9 minutes of driving it. As always, thanks

Check out “my tractor forum” seems like I asked some things there in past.

 

[knuckle47]

Well that search worked well and had me join 2 other forums and register with 3 sites for parts. Looks like way too much reading. But…there are more parts for this then FJ40’s and they only made about 525,000 tractors

 

[LDowney]

A.) power steering Agree, unlikely
B.) a hydraulic tilt for the bucket Probably possible/viable if you have aftermarket (engine driven) hydraulics for the loader.
C.) improved brakes Well adjusted functional brakes= yes You may need to develop the technique of partial standing (on the brakes) as you drive.
D.) best tried and true engine oil, fluids and hydraulic oils Clean fresh fluids. Correct weight/viscosity. Fancy/high price is not required. This is a tractor ... a vintage tractor ... she will thrive on a fluids change

Possibly too bold, but I would like to suggest a few items for your list

E.) speed knob on steering wheel Remove and throw that away as quickly you can. It is a danger rather than an aid, especially with no PS and a loader.
F.) other maintenance Radiator flush (boil out), belts, thermostat, water hoses, repacked wheel bearings, ... Tractor are so robust and over built that decades can shoot by and basic items can get over looked.
G.) rear tire fluid Adding water into the tubes of the rear tires was a common solution as wheel weights. However, over the decades the associated condensation can cause the wheel rims to rust from the inside out. Checking for fluid in the tires and condition of the rims would be a useful check (maybe next summer or if you are going to put new rubber on her in the next year or two)

Congratulations.

 

[knuckle47]

@LDowney makes great sense… I would do this on almost any vintage vehicle so why not. Thanks for these suggestions, they will not go unheeded

for weeks we’ve had 50’s and 60’s during the day.. now that I have a few things i’d like to do…the highs are in the 30’s. Too cold for me these days

would you think most of the time, the tractor stays in low range for dragging logs and scooping gravel? I am not familiar with its ability beyond the ride up my driveway

 

[WarDamnEagle]

If you do add water to the rear tires, it needs to be an appropriate antifreeze mix.

 

[greenbeast]

Check into beet juice, that’s what I had put in my big tractor.

 

[PIP]

If you want a modern tractor that is easy to use and efficient, it would be best to buy that tractor.

Those tractors are OK for running a brush hog. Although it will use 50 gallons of gas to do the work a Kubota will do on 5 gallons of diesel. It will overheat on hot days. You will have to work on the points every spring and you will curse 6 volt batteries.

I bought a 1956 D47U dozer in minty shape when I was 18. From a friends dad for a great price I thought. It had a 4 way blade, hyster winch, and even a rare dealer installed turbo. I thought it would be great when I eventually bought land.

Fast forward 20 years. I bought my land and needed to move a few hundred cubic yards of dirt. That Cat was stored inside all that time and started regularly. But it wasn't ready for work. It needed a month of work to get it ready. Several friends and family members with dirt experience strongly advised me to sell the old D4 and pay a pro or buy a modern machine.

I didn't have the time to work on the old Cat and it was sinking in that it was an antique that would beat me to death running it and take forever to do the job I needed it for.

I sold that Cat for $2500 (what I paid for it) and a friend brought his big Dresser over and did the whole job in one day for $1500.

 

[knuckle47]

@PIP that is actually good advice but those days are gone for me. Today, if I have a fallen tree out in the woods, I can drag it back, if I need a scoop or two of R-blend in a settled area….I’ll fill it in. I have said similar things with my brother with whom I have a 36’ sport fishing boat. That sucker sits in a marina $4500.00 a season, Fuel $600-800 For 1 complete fill-up… Winter storage $1200 plus regular maintenance… one year we paid over $2000.00 a pound for a few filets. If you charter a private captain and his boat to go fishing all day… maybe $1000.00…DONE

But of course you miss out on coming up with rhythmic patterns for a few choice words all summer long, and other levels of fun. But as I said, for me, I don’t need a spade and a garden cart or a chainsaw with bad knees and a torn rotator cuff, arthritis and a bottle full of tramadol IF this will make things a touch simpler

my neighbor up the road has a new Kubota L ??(46?) and a new Kubota excavator. He’s younger and told me a dozen times to call him if I needed to get something done. Generous offer but…I really gotta do it myself. Additionally, I am a tinkerer and this my turn out as pretty as my FJ40 one day

You‘re right though…practical, however I’m beyond practical with what’s left

 

[PIP]

@PIP that is actually good advice but those days are gone for me. Today, if I have a fallen tree out in the woods, I can drag it back, if I need a scoop or two of R-blend in a settled area….I’ll fill it in. I have said similar things with my brother with whom I have a 36’ sport fishing boat. That sucker sits in a marina $4500.00 a season, Fuel $600-800 For 1 complete fill-up… Winter storage $1200 plus regular maintenance… one year we paid over $2000.00 a pound for a few filets. If you charter a private captain and his boat to go fishing all day… maybe $1000.00…DONE

But of course you miss out on coming up with rhythmic patterns for a few choice words all summer long, and other levels of fun. But as I said, for me, I don’t need a spade and a garden cart or a chainsaw with bad knees and a torn rotator cuff, arthritis and a bottle full of tramadol IF this will make things a touch simpler

my neighbor up the road has a new Kubota L ??(46?) and a new Kubota excavator. He’s younger and told me a dozen times to call him if I needed to get something done. Generous offer but…I really gotta do it myself. Additionally, I am a tinkerer and this my turn out as pretty as my FJ40 one day

You‘re right though…practical, however I’m beyond practical with what’s left

I wouldn't suggest calling in a pro every time you need to move a scoop of dirt. I was thinking more along the lines of how when you try to modernize an older piece of equipment you can quickly exceed the cost of just buying a newer machine that has all those things.

One other thing I forgot about those early farm tractors- The gears are super high! It's like they intended you to mow or plow at 15 MPH. I mowed a lot with a JD model M and a Ford 8N a good friend had on his farm when we were kids. I remember that model M was so tricky because you could flip it right over with too much throttle on a hill and there was a fine line between lugging the engine down so low you stalled it and going so fast that your primary concern was just holding on for life so you weren't bucked off and chewed through the mower.

Iirc there was a company that made an underdrive gearbox for the 2n/8n/9n tractors. Sherman Transmission? The friend that had one always daydreamed about having one so you could run a mower or tiller without putting your life on the line. Something like that might be a worthwhile upgrade if you find it's geared higher than you like.

 

[knuckle47]

@PIP GEEZ. That is some powerful description….”chewed through the mower”? Fully understood and agree with you regarding cost. My ‘56 t-bird was a nice deal for me but by the time i‘d converted it back to nearly full stock and replaced all of the mediocre parts it was $10000.00 more. Could have just sprung for the more restored version and be done with it BUT, I did learn a bunch and that education was worth it all…to me.

This 8N has about 3500’ on it since I’ve owned it. A trip up my driveway in 1st gear seamed manageable. A huge learning curve but … necessary. I have read about the Sherman Transmissions, over-run clutches for the PTO and 12v conversions. They all seem like great ideas and granted a more modern tractor already has them, but with what I need this for, it should do well. I happy enough right now being able to move my 120 gallon compressor to the pole barn!

 

[knuckle47]

When I learned to ride a motorcycle back in 1968 I had a 650 Yamaha and everyone told me that in a few weeks, that will feel too small. Been riding Harley dressers since 1974 and of course those Comments were right.

I have the Ford 8N tractor here a few weeks and driving it up my road was nerve wrackin. A bit shaky and more than I thought I could handle…well, that was 2 weeks ago. I am bouncing along my woods like a tricycle, almost seems too small. Today I used it to lift a few parts of the 4 post lift. Heavy stuff and maybe too heavy for the 8N. The 17’ long runways are bolted to the shipping frame and moving it 1’ took a bit of horsepower. Weight listed at around 1000lbs as bolted together. I started to lose traction on the new crushed concrete but got the job done and assembled 2 of the 4 posts and got them standing upright… weather cooperated. 57 degrees and sunny

 

[knuckle47]

This lift has been sitting under a 20’ rubber blanket since August. Leaves started to pack under it

 

[knuckle47]

So since this is a 2 man job and I have no one here, I going to get this left assembled before I turn 70 in a few weeks. The sucker is so heavy I have trouble moving and lifting things in place but it is coming along. Made a few wooden dollys to move the heavier parts around to position

 

[WarDamnEagle]

That doesn't look very easy to do by yourself. I was pretty impressed with the two guys that installed my two post lift. They just slid the posts off the flatbed truck until the bottom flange end was on the floor. That gave them enough leverage to stand them upright without too much effort. They then walked them into place and anchored them.

 

[knuckle47]

@WarDamnEagle well, seeing done then, you know… 2 of my best friends are much older than me and both offered but I cannot allow them to get in here and exert that kind of energy….like me, they believe they are 35 years old but you can double that and add another 1/2 dozen years. One main reason I bought the tractor…but it has several uses for me aside from this one. Bought the engine hoist to use for the tractor if needed but mostly to swing this 17’ runways into position. I was nervous but that kind of thing has never stopped me before. No risk no reward? When I used the bucket on the tractor to lift the first set of posts, as the rose about 8“ off the floor it was like a slow swinging pendulum…as the went perpendicular to the floor, I lowered in place like it had been done 100 times before. Impressed the hell out of me.

Now I have the simple stuff in place to attach and connect. A benefit for me next…the lift can be my elevator to the trusses to store light weight boxes and keep the floor “empty”

your observation is truly appreciated coming from someone who has been there. thank you

 

[PIP]

Lifts vary a lot in weight. One of my 2 posts is a Rotary from the 70's. Each column weighs 1500 lbs. No way anyone is standing those up themselves. My other 9K 2 post is a modern cheaper unit. Western I think? Each post might be 400 lbs. I can stand those up myself.

If you ever get the chance, check out Mohawk's HD 2 post lifts. Mohawks are absurdly nice. Very, very heavy.

 

[knuckle47]

So it is 4:54pm eastern…the lift is done… forgot I need 3 gallons of AW32 hydraulic oil to make it work so…tomorrow

here is more of the process

@PIP I had enough trouble moving only the two runways using the 8N tractor. They weigh around 1200 lbs total as attached to the shipping frame according to the manufacturer. But, I did get them off the ground to move them….individually was a piece o’ cake. I had trouble moving a 300lb post