Re: need advice on buying a 9N
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Posted by Gerald on October 13, 1998 at 07:48:36:
In Reply to: need advice on buying a 9N posted by diane on October 13, 1998 at 04:43:22:
: I'm new to tractors and looking to buy a 9N at an auction
: this weekend. It's a 1949 with hydraulic lift and owned by same
: person for 30 years. Overhauled 15 years ago, starts ok, needs
: paint. I'm planning to use it on my 4 acres for field mowing, a garden
: and possibly a small Christmas tree area. I think I would only use
: it 10-15 times a year. Is this a good tractor for someone new to them?
: Is it easy to maintain myself? Thanks for your advice. The 9N was made from '39 to '41. Then the 2N with war time simplifications was made though practically indistinguishable from the 9N, until the 8N came out in '48. The number signifies the last digit of the year. The 9N has three speeds forward and steering gear that will break your arm if you hit a clod with a front wheel while the 8N has 4 speeds forward and a more modern ball worm steering gear that won't break your arm that way. I had an 8N. It was too light for most garden work like plowing with the Dearborn 2 bottom plow. And life with a bush hog and no over running clutch was more exciting than necessary. The bush hog needs the over running clutch, because the PTO shaft is simply an extension of the second shaft of the transmission and so drives the wheels when the clutch is disengaged. If you force a stop or hit a building you can twist off the PTO shaft. The 'N tractors have simple hydraulics that are a bother to adapt to external uses. The aluminum hydraulic pump is easily damaged by accumulated condensation in the bottom of the transmission/rear axle housing. I replaced the 8N with a MF-135 twice the weight and horsepower, infinitely better hydraulics, power steering 12 speeds forward 4 reverse, pulls a 9 foot mower at ratings, a 6 foot flail mower, and a larger 2 bottom plow smoothly. The loader was over sized and is now on a JD 4020 (a little big for garden work but a much better laborer than the MF-135). I'd suggest forgetting the Ford 'N family and looking for something a couple decades younger. You won't pay more and will get a lot more tractor. If you insist on a model of a tractor, go buy the owner's and shop manuals for that model so you can KNOW what's there and what's not there before you get burned by an owner who stretches the truth or doesn't know... Gerald
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