Re: Which was a better tractor

Posted by LenNH on November 17, 2007 at 10:46:58 from (75.69.99.42):

In Reply to: Which was a better tractor posted by Idaho Ron on November 14, 2007 at 19:43:40:

Another 2 cents worth, devalued by inflation.
When talking about "lack of power" in one tractor or another, we need to go back to the times when the older tractors were made. When I was just becoming aware of tractors, around the age of 6 months in the early 30s, they were designed to pull their "rated load" at about 3 mph. This used to be called "plowing speed," probably because a tractor on steel wheels wastes enormous amounts of power just driving those lugs into the ground--the result is that 3 mph is about tops for working speed, AND, even if they would pull their rated load at a higher speed, the operator would have suffered enormously (on sod, not so bad; on gravel, awful, abominable, bone-shaking, hellish, horrible; been there). Even tractors of the H and M generation were designed to pull their rated loads in second gear (a bit over 3 mph).
Today, we see tractors zooming across the fields with enormous plows, doing between 4 and 5 mph, I'd guess, but these have rubber tires, four-wheel drive often enough, enormous power, and probably plows designed to require less effort at high speeds).
My point is that a 9N, 2N, 8N would probably pull 2 14" plows at 3 mph (with the 3-point hitch; perhaps not with a standard drawbar and pull-behind plow), but if we pit them against later tractors, we are likely to be disappointed in the power. Incidentally, a very-early Ford sales brochure for the 9N (1939--in my so-called collection of this kind of stuff) shows the tractor pulling a 2-bottom plow. Obviously, in second gear, because third is road speed only.
I think I said this in another letter in this column, but I'll have to say that for "utility" work (mowing in tight quarters, pulling a trailer around to bring in firewood, that sort of thing), the low-slung tractors are a delight.
I have probably climbed up on an F-20, F-12, H or Super M about 9,999,999 times, as my arthritic hips will testify. Loved 'em, love 'em, but for the light jobs requiring lots of ons and offs, the low-slung tractors are the nicest. I've only had one "real" Ford, a 2N that I bought VERY used in about 1985, but I had the impression that the quality of build was very good. I say real because the little Ford 1100 I recently bought for mowing and wood-hauling is Japanese (haven't had it long, but it, too, appears to be a high-quality product). I liked the 2N, and only sold it when I left my country place and didn't need it anymore. The 1100 is a lot more modern, and has much nicer placement of controls--brake pedals, shift levers, throttle, etc., and it, too is fun to drive--kinda like a low-slung sports car.

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