any input on a Ford 4000 tractor?

lunagardens · #1 09/11/10, 07:10 AM

I am looking at a Ford 4000 tractor for purchase. It has DIESEL fueling,
2WD, 8SPD .
Picture link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thefarmchick/4979462196/
Before I travel down to the dealer, I would like to get some input from others on their experience or knowledge of this tractor.
This would be my first tractor. I want to use it as a tractor, not parade it.

Are implements hard to find in the Ohio area? Parts? How about maintence or other mechanical workings? I have not spoken wih the dealer yet, waiting on the call back, but how about power for use in the new crop field-discing and such. I am female and not to put a stereotype with being so, but would you consider it something not too hard to handle?
Any other input on it would be appreciated.
Thanks guys. Being considered a newer tractor by the tractor collectors around here, I have not had much luck finding more information on this one.

Jolly · #2 09/11/10, 07:25 AM

You see a lot more 2000 and 3000 series Fords around smaller places than 4000 series tractors. The 4000 is getting into that commercial hay operation, etc. size vs. the around-the-house utility tractor. All the smaller thousand series Fords have been decent tracors.

I don't think parts availability is much of an issue. As with all used tractors, condition is king.

taylorlambert · #3 09/11/10, 07:54 AM

Weve had a 4000 FOrd at work for the last 10 to 12 years. Ousrs has an added canopy and rollbar. One thing I can tell you about that tractor in your picture its the industrial version of a 4000. The ag version like we have at work has an axle on the front with drop down spindles for crop clearance. That tractor has the the straight axle for heavier work like loader or grading and lower gravity for mowing slopes.. I own an industrial 3550 Ford industrial tractor. It has a loader with a backhoe attachment to. Its a 75 model and is a workhorse. Also the one in the pic has the bright yellow Ford Industrial paint coming through.

One thing that concerns me about that tractor in the picture is that steering box arm from the steering box out to the fron end I dont see a power assist stearing cylinder on it. It may have an internal one on the gear box but most had the external cylinder set up like mine andthe one at work. You can buy an add on Powersteering set up pretty reasonably. Parts can be had at any Case NewHolland dealership.

As for being reliable we hdid have to have the fuel injector pump rebuilt last year as some watery fuel got in it and it froze last winter. But for the last 10 or so years this tractor has bushogged 70 open acres atthe landfill and others sites around the plant. Plowed our work gardens and disked them.
Puleld trailers, box bladed, used a small tree grubber to pull out 3 inch diameter trees, seeded and fertilized finished cells. Pulled leveling boxes around on 100 acre parking lots, pulled landscaping rakes and used a rear dirt scoop to move small ammounts of soil to our various land scaping around the site.
We have had some rough operators on it to. I i dont see hows its survived lol.

My advice would be to run it for about an hour to 45 minutes and see if they will put an implement behind it to try the lift. Get it hot and check the transmission fluid, and the oil after warm. look for white smoke or excessive black smoke. RUn through all the gears to check for excessivie noise or whining. If possible hook to a ground engaging implement and lupp it to load the tractor down. Also remote hydraulics are a good thing on the rear that can run various implements like log splitters. Also check the PTO to.

**clovis** · #4 09/11/10, 08:05 AM

How many hours are on the tractor?

lunagardens · #5 09/11/10, 08:06 AM

Thank you both.
Jolly~ I am in talks with the owner of land behind us for putting in a B.O sunflower field & hay. I am the "farmer" in the family as my husband is the career person. Pricing has been the problem in these parts. So many collectors bring the prices way high so I have broadened my interest to anything that will get the job done & fit in a tight budget.

Thank you for the feed back.
taylorlambert~ thank you for such great information on your experience with it. I will be printing out what you wrote to take with me when I go down to look at it. I know I will forget some of what you mentioned due to being excited about my first tractor. Not that it is a sure deal but I have desired a tractor for years and now I can actually start looking for the purchase.
great tips!

fordy · #6 09/11/10, 08:13 AM

.................Agree with all Taylor says , esppecially about the small industrial tractors having stronger and heavier frames . With a 2 wheel drive tractor one way too achieve traction is thru wheel weights and adding water\antifreeze in the rear tires . I owned a Ford 340A for 12 years and it had wheel weights both inside and outside on each rear wheel , they were 75 pounds each for 300 pounds total . Plus it had several hundred pounds of antifreeze and water in the rear tires .
..................On my 340A the frontend loader had it's OWN hydraulic pump which mean't it was much stronger and faster plus there was alot more steel in the arms and body of the tractor frame as well . The most efficient use of your time is too educate yourself about the models of farm vs light industrial tractors available , BEFORE you spend your money ! Don't get in a hurry , Ignorance = $$$ , out of your pocket ! , fordy

taylorlambert · #7 09/11/10, 08:17 AM

No problem on it, Theres probably someintin im missing. But overall a 4000 is a good machine. We do alot of work with ours, Ive bpulled 3 bottom plows and will proabably run it a little today. Ive run been around them most of my life. They are small enough to do smaller work and big enough to do big work. Ipp try to get some pics of it at work today. The industrail tractor probably wont have draft control on the lift but out ag version lacks it to. Ours was made in England. The design of them was so good that after they were out of production Long and Farmtrak also used their old castings to make their tractors. Also implents the tractor is eiter Category I or II standards so implements are easy to find. If you can get a few more pics around it like the back would and side I might can help with a few more details.

taylorlambert · #8 09/11/10, 08:20 AM

Can you get a few more pics around the rear and the other sides. I maght can tell some more about it. Also ceck the brakes good because the brakes are in internal wet brakes and PITA to work on. O good shop can fix them but tats a big factor on the cost. The lift should be Cat I or II and implements shoud be easy to get.

sammyd · #9 09/11/10, 08:50 AM

at around 50 HP it should do what you need it to do. Find out if the tires are loaded so you have plenty of traction for tillage.
As to machinery, I'd let the dealer or a helpful farmer nearby give you some advice. Soil condition vary so much area to area that what works well for some might be a disaster for you.
If the price was right I'd bring it home..an all around handy machine

Beeman · #10 09/11/10, 03:00 PM

That's a good sized tractor. As someone pointed out that's a commercial tractor which was originally yellow and it doesn't have power steering. The tires look brand new which is a plus. Be sure to check the condition of the rear wheels. Since it's about 40 years old it has probably been used hard at times. Hard starting in cold weather is a problem with those diesels when they have compression, when they start to wear people put the ether to them and really wear them out faster.

rancher1913 · #11 09/11/10, 03:58 PM

i have a 3000,4000,5000,9000 and wouldn't trade any of them. parts are easy to get, your local new holland dealer is the oem parts supplier and most times they have in stock anything you might need. the 4000 is a tad big for a garden but great in about any other job, it will handle a three bottom plow and with duels it will pull a 15 foot disk or sweep. i've had mine since they were new and love them, my wife loves the 3000 for her garden but hates the bigger ones because they have cabs and kind of overwhelm her. also NAPA can get aftermarket parts for the fords.

seedspreader · #12 09/11/10, 06:19 PM

I had an industrial Massey Ferguson. Although heavier, you couldn't adjust the width of the wheels for use in the field on crops. Keep that in mind if you are wanting to farm with it.

lunagardens · #13 09/12/10, 06:16 AM

Thanks guys for all the great input, the guy called me back and the other person looking at it bought it. Oh well.

Then I found another Ford from a local guy whom said he is out of town with it at the moment helping a friend do some work on their land and is using this ford 2n (1947) to get things done.
Here is a link to the pic:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thefarmchick/4982464430/
his ad reads:
1947 FORD 2N TRACTOR, RUNS GREAT, GOOD TIRES AND FENDERS, FRONT OF HOOD IS DENTED, 3POINT AND PTO IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION $1250
I spoke with him last night and am going out to look it over.It has been for sale awhile but everyone calls him seems to want a "show tractor", which this one has those few dents so they lose interest. He said its not a collector tractor but it does not interfere with it "working for living". I told him I want a tractor that will work for a living not for showing off. LOL. So I am grabbing a friend to go check it out. This era of fords seem to be popular around here. I heard the 8 is better then the 9 but have not heard much about the 2N.
Any input on this one? Sorry to change it up on you guys. But while were on the subject of old ford tractors-which seem to be what I like the most- thought I would ask.

mullberry · #14 09/12/10, 07:41 AM

look imt other brands also. Kubota 4x4 & deere

lunagardens · #15 09/12/10, 08:42 AM

My budget is pretty low so the other brands around here are out of my reach. I am not choosy on brands. Just the price.

When you add in the price of implements to my budget range, it keeps it low enough to where I do not bust the bank. The fords are just very plentiful around here. Not to mention I like the look of them. This particular one is a favorite look and I have friends who are collectors of this ford era so plenty of help to do any trouble shooting. The best part is they would not charge anything just so they can play it. LOL. They keep telling me it is blasemy with what my plan is for a paint job. The plan is for MY tractor to match my Roto Hoe back tine tiller- Watermelon pink with black stripes and a SS skull/crossbones decal on the side.

A true "Farm Chick" tractor. My husband is not happy since he wants to play with it too but I informed him if he wants to play with the Farmer of this homes toys, then do not tell me what I can or can not paint it or he can just have frozen grocery aisle food.

He's a good sport about it but it will be year before I can afford a pro paint job-so he has that time to play away, so enjoy it while he can.

rancher1913 · #16 09/12/10, 03:10 PM

remember the ford "n" series does not have live pto and can be a bit underpowered for modern attachments.

silverbackMP · #17 09/12/10, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lunagardens

Thanks guys for all the great input, the guy called me back and the other person looking at it bought it. Oh well.

Then I found another Ford from a local guy whom said he is out of town with it at the moment helping a friend do some work on their land and is using this ford 2n (1947) to get things done.
Here is a link to the pic:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thefarmchick/4982464430/
his ad reads:
1947 FORD 2N TRACTOR, RUNS GREAT, GOOD TIRES AND FENDERS, FRONT OF HOOD IS DENTED, 3POINT AND PTO IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION $1250
I.

That 4000 will work circles around that 2N; I wouldn't take a 2n if someone gave it to me (well, I would but then I would sell it). Ever want a front end loader?--impossible to very cumbersome with the 2N. The 2n will not have live PTO, power steering is near to impossible, and most importantly of all, does not have hydraulics. Also, a heck of alot lower horse power; moreover the gearing is not suitable for a tiller if you have that in your plans.

Edit--just read the other guy bought the 4000. I would look for a 3000 if fords are plentiful in your area. I am partial to perkins powered Masseys myself.

Beeman · #18 09/12/10, 07:30 PM

A 2N?, Just say no. The reason people want a 2N parade tractor is that is what they are best suited for in todays world. Research the hundreds of other threads about working with a 2N or 9N. I would steer clear of an 8N if you really want a tractor that will work comfortably for you. Of course all of the early Ford tractor people will now jump in and tell you how great they are. I own an 8N and have owned it for 25 years, I thought it was the greatest tractor in the world as it was my first and only tractor. Then I made the mistake of buying a 2600 Ford and now my 8N is used to move trailers around.

taylorlambert · #19 09/12/10, 11:58 PM

I agree on the 2,8,9 N tractors. They were good in the day but you cant as stated use a loader, Power steering, live hydraulics with out modifications. I put an old Dearborn loaderon an 8N one time when I was younger and it was a pig to run. They could be slowed down to make them run a tiller but it required an aditional set of gearing.

My yanmar has live hydraulics but the pto isnt and it can be a pain finish mowing and sometimes bushogging and baling about keeping up momentum. MF made great tractors the 135 is a goody but if you get a gas burner make sure the engine is a Continental Gas motor Not Perkins. If its a Diesel get the Perkins.

The Ford New hollands any of them, Case also mad a good tractor, Moline White and Oliver are good but some are getting tesy for parts. Most of the IHC tractors were workhorses.

Id probably continue the search for a Ford Thousand series, Im waiting for a new tractor to be bought at work. When it does Im gonna buy the old 4000. I like the long hood and stying to. THese tractors were tough many other machinery makers used them for power units to run their machines.

HoosierHog · #20 09/13/10, 11:06 AM

I Have a 1965 ford 4000 and i love it! And not all 3cyl ford 4000 are 50hp many were rated at 46hp depends on the the year. The 4000 you were looking at looks to be ok but you should start it up and drive it around and run it through all the gears and make sure the 3pt works check the lights and gauges and make sure the pto works properly check the fluid levels. the 4000 will pull a 3 bottom 14in plow in most soils and maybe a 12ft disc with enough weight it will run a 3pt tiller and 6ft box scraper 7ft rear blade and it can run most balers and haybines up to 9ft its a very versatal tractor for the small acrage. I am a ford fan big time and i think the N series fords are good tractors and many farmed lots of acrage with them for a long time but i dont recomend the N series it doesnt have enough umph to run brush mower and it cant run a tiller for several reasons. it doesnt have a live pto wich means that if your mowing the momentum from the mower will push you forward even when the clutch is pressed i could go on and on. Its a good tractor when used by some one who knows how to farm with them i dont recomend them at all to a homesteader or property owner. you should also look for ford 3000, 2000, 3600, 861, 661 all have live pto and atleast 30 hp but from the two tractors you have found you will be miles ahead if you get the ford