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Guy: Like you, I've never seen any high Utility 340. You don't see them in the later 504, 544 and 656 either. I would think after IH changed the configuration of those Farmalls, there would have been little demand for a Hi-Utility. If one looks at the evolution of these tractors from the 300 onward, the Farmall and Utilities became more alike with each model change. It had to happen if the Farmall was ever going to be sucessful with mounted equipment. It didn't matter whether the hitch was fast hitch or 3 point hitch, they had to get that operators platform out of the way to give the hitch the lifting range needed for the varried types of equipment. It had to change, customers were demanding it. No one liked getting poked in the back on a Farmall 300 by some part of the implement, even less having the seat taken out from under you, on a Farmall 560D as you lowered that 4 row corn planter, on the move in 3rd gear at 1800 rpm. Believe me I had that experience, lever for changing row markers hooked the seat as well as my trousers. I managed to get my foot on clutch, but could not reach throttle, shutoff or gear shift. It is not much fun trying to hold clutch pedal down on a 560 from that position. I had to be rescued. Finally, anyone who grew up on letter series, 00 series, etc. with standard drawbar were used to mounting from behind rear wheel. It was relatively safe with standard drawbar. Add a fast hitch, it became dangerous. I still have a few scars on my legs to prove this, and those scars weren't the worst part, if one happened to straddle some part of that hitch when he slipped. Yes, I can remember a couple of jolts in the groin area. Add to that, farmers always have ocasionally found it necessary to mount or dismount with pto running, much safer to mount or dismount in front of rear wheel if it has to be done.
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