On Tuesday, April 28, 2020 at 6:12:57 PM UTC-4, Jim Wilkins wrote:
I do love this old tractor. I had the head rebuilt a few years ago.
With any luck she'll out live me. :^)

George H.

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Thanks for the TO20 recommendation. I used my machine shop to build a
hydraulic front end loader attachment for my 18HP garden tractor to clear
snow, for which it worked quite well, however the tractor isn't heavy or
strong enough to more than scratch at our rocky New England soil.

I'm looking at small Kubotas but would consider anything for which I can
still get parts that I can't make. For instance although I machined a new
steering sector gear and linkage for it I can't harden and temper such parts
very well in my wood stove.

Oh I'm not sure it's a recommendation. It's just what I stumbled upon.
And yes it's very nice that the local Massey-Ferguson dealer still has
parts for it. (And knowledgeable guys behind the counter.) Old tractors
are nice 'cause they use to let a model run for several years... and
there were lots of them made.

Bad things,
it has no (external) hydraulics, and the pto/ hydraulic pump share
the pto power... so you have to engage the pto to raise the 3-pt hitch.
The lift(3-pt hitch) only has raise and lower positions...
but I added this gizmo that does some feedback and allows for
intermediate heights.

The brakes* are kinda wimpy... but maybe this is typical of tractors?

It's got a six speed transmission. (I've never had it in 5th 'road'
gear.) Which I hear is preferred to the four speed Ford 9-N,
but I've never driven a 9-N so don't know.

George H.


*I only fixed the brakes a few years ago... who needs brakes?
My son wanted to drive the tractor for "take your tractor to school
day" But it was a rainy crappy day and didn't happen.