Originally posted by klutchman04
No offense ford fans i am partially one my self but half my family is TOTAL PREDJIDus against fords and the other half love em to death and my only experience with ford tractors was with an 8N and it was a semi good one and what i have heard is true. Such as the transmission get so hot it burns your legs. but i have thought maybe that is the muffler heating the transmission and the heat just transfers. and what i also heard is that the breaks are horrible and wich they were but what good i have heard is that they pull alot for there size and boy is that true good steering and much pulling but i do see alot of mechanical faults in what there is. I also have heard storys of many deaths on the old Fordson Regularr. Tell me what you think -Paul
I can offer my insight as I have restored a number of Fords over the years. From 8Ns to 600 and 800 series, 861 Powermaster, Ford 3000s, Ford 4000s and Ford 6610. I have always maintained a Ford for my personal land use, but would never shy away from any good tractor whether it was an Oliver, JD, Case, MM, Farmall or Kubota. I am not a tractor brand lover, just a tractor lover.
As for as the Ford 8N, you do realize that over 500,000 of these were produced and sold within only a short 5 year timeframe. It is a 50yr. marvel to basic ingenuity and engineering. I am not ever aware of a problem with an overheating tranny. Have you ever seen the tremendously sized resevoir that stores the tranny and hydraulic fluid? It you get that to overheat, you have a much bigger problem than was ever standard on a good running 8N. Not too many problems with brakes on the 8Ns, more problems with some of the 2Ns and 9Ns with regard to the seals etc. Steering and pulling/plowing power is exception for a flat 4 gas design. Overall for the money, a good running especially restored 8N will last you a good 50 years with basic maintenance - no problem. That is exceptional. How many LT/GT/CUTs do you expect to be around and working in 2054? Probably not too many.
Well, I could go on and on. There was a Fordson Tractor that was referred to as the "Widow Maker" --- I think it was the steel wheel model which when carrying loads on rough/uneven surfaces would readily jolt the rider and the load.
Other than that, Fords have always been exceptionally good tractors. Both to work on (parts availability) and operation.
Just my opinion.
Andy