Ford 8N Tractor (1 Viewer)

[BILT4ME]

Funny thing, @BILT4ME , I had taken the tire chains off during the summer and they were lying right next to the tractor….under the snow. the flats were not really an issue but going back up the road on a rise, it slipped in place like it was tied down. Dragged the chains, very heavy for an old guy, and got them in place to drive on and from that point on…perfect

that hot shower felt great !

We had two sets of chains. Flat ones like you described and ice chains that had huge links and were like driving over 6" diameter rocks.

Riding on a tractor with no cab just inches away from those rear tires and chains was truly terrifying. Especially when in road gear moving from farm to farm.

 

[knuckle47]

I have the rear fenders… I just always need the 4 carriage bolts to set them back on…2 bolts each fender but like 5” long

 

[BILT4ME]

The Oliver tractor had a heater housing that was a canvas covered frame that wrapped around the hood and channeled the heat back to an area around the driver. It would take two people about four hours to install it or remove it, so it got installed in the late fall and taken off in spring.

 

[knuckle47]

This thing as a clamp on umbrella

 

[BILT4ME]

We had a huge Westendorf brand loader. That brand could do more than any other I ever operated. Better hydraulics and range of motion.

We would dig holes, smooth driveways, push snow, feed silage to the cows, and haul manure out of the barn. It could hold enough that it would sometimes lift the rear of the tractor off the ground if we didn't have fluid filled tires. Most of our tractors had fluid filled rear tires.

 

[knuckle47]

Because this bucket is artificially larger, when I move crushed concrete, I find I can easily overload it and if I raise the loader too high, I can feel that happening also. I try to remember not to do that. Right now, this is ok but I was thinking about filling the tires

 

[BILT4ME]

Because this bucket is artificially larger, when I move crushed concrete, I find I can easily overload it and if I raise the loader too high, I can feel that happening also. I try to remember not to do that. Right now, this is ok but I was thinking about filling the tires

You can either fill the tires or buy and install rear wheel weights that fit inside the rims.

 

[knuckle47]

Did your tires have that Beet Juice? I heard that this is what they use?

 

[BILT4ME]

Did your tires have that Beet Juice? I heard that this is what they use?

No. Mind you this was 40+ years ago.

All our tires had inner tubes and those were filled with a saline solution. You had to check tire pressures with the valve stem at the top, had to wash it off so none of the solution would get on the rim.
We had a tire service in our area change / pump them full or empty when it had to happen. They would come out with a truck to do the solution.

It really improved traction in the fields and areas where we worked with them. Only one of our tractors didn't had fluid filled tires and that's because it was a warm weather only, no external implement and only one set of two way hydraulics tractor. Minimal work. We even had it in the outside tire on the combine to offset the weight for when part of the unit wasn't on the tractor frame. Had to fill the steering tires on that one to keep the rear steering axle on the ground.

 

[knuckle47]

Thank you for the clarification…. So, the weights are probably the easy way out….!

 

[BILT4ME]

Thank you for the clarification…. So, the weights are probably the easy way out….!

Yes. A much cheaper option, but still a PITA to install, and you need to get creative on how to install them and bolt them to the wheel, as you don't take off the wheel, lay it on the ground, then install.

The weights have to be installed in position on the tractor and if you stack weights, they must be all bolted in one stack typically. Depends on the weight design.
Another option are "suitcase" weights that hang on the rear, but you need a bar to hang them on. Usually a 1/2" or 1" thick bar (I don't recall which) that bolts to the rear frame, but you can lift each weight into position, as they are about 75 LB each. Then you can bolt them on to secure them. These are more available and less interference with wheels, but reduces access and hydraulics lift area on the rear. Maybe that's no big deal for you.

Tractor pullers use the suitcase weights for what they do.
Suitcase weights

Wheel weights look like this:

These happen to be available on CL local to me for a Ford Commander tractor. About 1120 LB for $1680. Then you need grade 8 bolts to install them.

Right now, you could probably find a local fabricator that would make some suitcase plate weights out of 1/2" thick or something carbon steel for about $5/LB as long as they're not painted.

Another source of info:
Yesterday's Tractor parts

 

[knuckle47]

So…things just clicked…the previous owner had a 30 gallon steel drum filled with concrete he added to the back near the 3-point hitch to increase the rear loading. I leave the back blade on 95% of the time and things are doing ok currently.

i tend to believe SO FAR, that I should be ok for what I do with the tractor. I’ve seen the suitcase weights available and your costs are very simila. My other problem that now that I am older and weaker, I just can’t move stuff around easily any more and …. It’s just me and my wife…she can’t be helping me in this one.