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 | Lana McCormick
Join Date: Posts: 1 
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2001-02-27 24767
Am looking at, possibly to buy, a Ford 9N tractor. Year unknown yet but the last owner barn kept it for 30 years and didn't do much heavy work with it, he was not the first owner so I know it is older than 30 years. The body (hood included) is in excellent condition, has new brakes, points, plugs, and manifold. Tires in good condition also. Has a 3-point hitch and PTO. Runs good to my knowledge. The tractor would be used to plow a small garden, brush hog pasture, occasionally grade 1/2 mi. of road, pull small farm trailer and other misc. jobs on a 10 acre flat to rolling farm. It doesn't have any attachments being sold with it and the asking price is $2,200. This will be my first tractor so very inexperienced and would appreciate expert opinions.
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| Paul Fox
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-02-27 24770
I bet I'm going to stir up a BUNCH of hate and discontent with this, but here goes: The Ford N is one of the most over-rated, yuppified tractors on the face of the earth. Ground speeds are too fast for many applications, especially tilling. You'll need an overrunning clutch to keep the rotary mower (bush hog) from pushing the tractor around. Prices on Ford N's and Farmall Cubs are out of all reason because they're "cute". He's going to get that price from somebody, so you're not likely to talk him down any. Also, there are significant differences between the 2N, 9N and 8N. It's easy to get confused, and many people don't really know which is which. Personally, I'd keep looking. ....
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| Bird Senter
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 962 
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2001-02-27 24774
Hmmm, Lana, Paul is right in his evaluation of the tractor. At the same time, if you like it, well, as he said, that's a darned good price and he'll be able to get that much for it. ....
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| charlie
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-02-27 24779
i wouldn't call them over rated.in their day they got a lot of work done.if it's a 9n it's at least 54 years old.the 9 was built from 1939 till 1947.it has no live hydraulic which means you have to run the pto to make the 3 point lift work.if you push the clutch in the lift stops.the 9n also has a 3 speed tranny where as the 8n had a 4 speed. on the 9 the left hand brake is on the left side behind the clutch.another way to tell for sure it's a 9n is to count the lug bolts on the rear wheels.the 9 has 6 in a wide pattern were as the 8n has 8 in a tight pattern.good luck with what ever you do. ....
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| Bird Senter
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 962
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2001-02-27 24780
Charlie, I hope I didn't mislead anyone; didn't intend to. As you said, the 8N and 9N were fine tractors, in their day. The 1939 Ford was a fine car, too, in its day. And both can still be used today; the tractors more so than the cars maybe. But compared to modern cars and tractors, I'd say they ain't much, but they're a darned sight better than no car or tractor at all. ....
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| Dave M
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-02-28 24811
Actually, the last of the 9N's were produced in 1941, and 2N production was started prior to 1942.
I grew up with a 1952 8N, and while you can get a lot done with it if you are patient, persistent, and mechanically inclined, you can get better, newer tractors for the same or not much more money. With that said, if my brother would give it up I would be happy to give my grandfather's 8N a permanent home.
I would only buy a 9N or 2N if no other tractor was available that would do the work and fit my budget.
Things you will not be able to do with a 9/2/8N:
Brush hog slow - 1st gear is too darn fast.
Precisely control implement height on 9/2N - draft control only.
Pick up PTO-driven implement without running PTO or disconnecting shaft (PITA).
Run a standard 3 pt. snowblower - bad gearing and dead PTO.
....
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| Ted Kennedy
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-02-28 24812
Lana, in response to what Paul said, "yuppified" does seem to describe the situation in my area of New England. Certain machines for yard work have become in vogue with the newly rich, young, earth sensitive, couples buying the $650K plus homes. Locke reel mowers, Ford N tractors, International/Farmall Cubs, for God knows what reasons, are sought after and bought at premium prices. Landscapers I know that have 8N's have been offered over $5K, no questions asked, for ratty old 2N's. It almost seems like they are status symbols and I see the young folks towing their wooden trailers around the grounds, but don't see anything concrete ever being done with them. In fact, some of my customers have them and one family piled the kids on the trailer and drove to where I was working just to watch. As for work, and I've seen them come and go, you couldn't do much worse. For some draft applications like raking and towing, they are adequate. But don't look for them to be worth their keep against a modern machine. MFWD, open center hydraulics, adjustable operator stations, hydrostatic drive, four cylinder front end loaders, etc. were all improvements over the offerings of the early Fords, and for good reasons. ....
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| Bird Senter
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 962
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2001-02-28 24819
Nearly 6 years ago, I had a neighbor who sold his place and was moving. He had a 9N that he used to mow his pasture with a brush hog. Both the tractor and the brush hog were rusted out junk, brake on one side didn't work, ran rough, had a wire rigged to the carb. for a throttle, etc. He offered to sell it to me for $1,800. Now you COULD get that piece of junk to run and you COULD mow with it, but you didn't know whether it would run 10 minutes from now. Anyway, when I told him I didn't think I wanted it, he put an ad in the local newspaper and the very next morning he had two guys at once showed up with the cash in their hands to buy it. ....
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| turfman
Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 97 midwest
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2001-02-28 24820
I have a 1948 8N that we got in 1967 (we though it was old then)and it is indespensible. I also have JD4400, JD955. There are certian jobs that require a 8N. This is fine grading and seeding on hills. Nothing made today that doesn't cost a fortune will hold a sidehill like an 8N. I know that you will grill me on this. I have tried them all. This machine costs me about 150 bucks a year to keep running and I put about 30 to 40 hrs on it. But the hours are on terrain that can't be run with anything else. I hold hills with mine that a Cat D5LGP can't run sideways on. If somebody had smarts they would manufacture another one of these simple, elegant old beauties. I just keeps going. Mine is special, has 3 ranges, not too many of those. I love my old girl and she aint for sale!!! ....
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| kay
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-02-28 24830
Turfman is absolutely correct - and I note that he supports the 8N, not the 2N or the 9N (big differences), although the PTO and 3 pt lift still require the clutch to be engaged (either in neutral or on the go) to function. The 8N's have their place and are great little tractors for specific things. Some of these features would be great on our new compacts, and maybe someday........
Also note that in the old days (early 40's with the 9N, 2N, and the Ferguson TO-20 and TO-30), you had to be a contortionist to operate the left brake and the clutch at the same time -- similar to the New Hollands of today when trying to move forward (or backward) using the hydrostatic and a wheel brake at the same time. Get those engineers out of the office and on the tractors (as if they could find the time). ....
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| charlie
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-02-28 24833
good point,turfman.i read an article in a magazine a few years ago about a sod farmer in minnesota who pulled a 8' brillion behind a farmall h on steel wheels to sow fields with on account it was so light.i wish i had a way to post a picture i found of my dad on his first 8n.he's sitting on the tractor with a wagon full of tools.on the back of the piture it says, going to work 1947.thats when the family bussiness got started and is still going today.the oldest one we have now is a '61 601 workmaster.the 3rd generation would like to replace it but it's gonna stay as long as i do.kay talks about the brake system on the boomers.i agree that it could be improved,but with the super steer we don't have a lot of problems.good luck to all. ....
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 | Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada 
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2001-03-01 24852
Charlie, your comments stirred a thought or two. First it's interesting how little Ag equip. seems to have changed over the years, we also have several pieces dating WAY back that still more than earn their keep, as an example, we still maintain a LOT of driveways and lanes with a "Adams" grader that was built to (and did) go behind a horse or two, it works as well today as anything else we could put to the task (and is probably a he** of a lot more fun!!). The reason I mention this is your comment about the SuperSteer feature that NH made so much fuss about, albiet that may have had something to do with Green axle problems, but I happened a cross a VERY old Kubota at a clients the other day, it had a gear-to-gear steering mechanisim (as they still do today) which is the principle of the NH SuperSteer. The owner stated he bought the machine because it was so technically advanced for the time, being a 4wd, gear-to-gear steering diesel compact. I have an ad. in an old (1947?) Popular Mechanics, it calls a Farmall the same, 'technologically advanced'......hmmmmmm. Best of luck. ....
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| Huffy10
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 2 Missouri
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2003-01-24 48084
Turfman,
Would that be a Sherman 3spd on your 8N? We had a 52 with fel and an old Henry Backhoe, talk about optimism! The Sherman was the only sane thing about the rig. I spent many summer after school let out trenching sewer lines in the country with that rig.
Huffy10 ....
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| Canuck
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 15 Manitoba Canada
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2003-01-25 48098
I am mostly disappointed in the comments here. There has been a 9N in my family for almost 45 years and has been used for all kinds of work.It is a damn good tractor and will still be around after everybody on this list is long dead. So lets show a little respect for this machine.
No, this tractor can't do everything but you will never buy a better tractor for the price made by anybody, anywhere, anytime. You also have to know what the hell you are doing to run one. Whining weekend experts who have calluses on their butts instead of their hands need to learn a few more things from old timers still. ....
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| kay
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2003-01-25 48122
Canuck
Keep cool and become a member. Ranting won't win over the "weekenders" and the 9N was a good tractor however..... ....
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| dedgrass
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 1 illinois
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2003-04-21 53488
Had one. never again! If you have real work to do and you need to get it done in a reasonable amount of time and done SAFELY, please reconsider the 9N and look into a compact diesel. I had a 9N and restored it from the ground up. Dangerous PTO, terrible carburetion design, but as said previously, a great tool in it's time. Compact diesel w/4wd & loader will get you in & out economically and safely. Started with 2wd & front plow, then went to 4wd & loader + tiller. I've dug a root cellar & expanded my pond with this beast. No maintenance bills in 6 years of TOUGH duty.
my $.02. ....
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