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11/08/11, 04:15 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Rusk, TX
Posts: 130
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Ford 8n and a brush hog for HILLS?
Just picked up 30 acres of hilly land. About 10 acres of it is rolling pastures that need to be mowed. It is mostly weeds and brushy stuff about 8" tall. Would a 8n and a 5' brush hog be able to cut on hills? I know a 8n isn't powerful but there are plenty of them for sale around here.
thanks
Austin
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11/08/11, 04:40 PM
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Murphy was an optimist ;)
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 21,544
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I have bushhogged a lot of hillsides with a to20 ferguson as well as a a 9n ford using my trusty old dixie woods cutter 5' rotary mower. Your 8n is slightly larger and a bit more power than either of those. The things to watch for.... be sure you use an override clutch on the pto so you can stop the tractor. this is a MUST for safety as those tractors do not have live power and will push you over a bank without it. Be sure to mow up and down instead of crosswise on steep ground. Lose the third arm and use a chain in its place on the toplink if you are mowing across ditches and gullys, otherwise you will end up stuck with your tractor drive wheels hanging in the air going across them. happy mowing! 
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11/08/11, 04:41 PM
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Clinton, Louisiana
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Louisiana
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The 8N would cut it, just go slow. We had one when I was growing up, but while I was bush hogging, if you pushed on the clutch to stop, the bush hog would still push the tractor a good ways before it stopped, so I would have to allow for this. If it is too steep, any tractor could tip over and I don't think you can widen out the back tires on the 8N to be more stable. Just thoughts from memory!
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11/08/11, 05:07 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Eastern North Carolina
Posts: 34,225
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If you can safely drive the tractor on the hill, you can mow it.
Youd' be better off though to find a tractor with a "live" PTO so you have more control
If you DO get an 8N or similar, DO get an "over-running clutch" so the tractor will stop moving when you depress the clutch and the mower is still turning
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11/08/11, 05:34 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 16,317
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I wouldnt have an early Ford product on the place, Why do you think theres so many of them around? Likely for sale, or broke down, or junk to be used for parts. If your not yet, u get it and youll become a very good machanic, OR youll pay the price of a good tractor for someone else to machanic for you. Youll also learn a few new cuss words plus put extra wear on the ones you know already know/use.
As was said, GET AN OVERRIDEING CLUTCH to go inbetween the fords (I wont demean the word tractor by useing it here), pto and the pto shaft on the mower. Learn to put the gearshift into nutrial when wanting to stop. The front wheels can be extended out from the engine, AND the back wheels can be turned around to spread them out.
Make sure your brakes work GREAT before brush hogging with it.
What are you paying for the outfit??
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11/08/11, 08:19 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 457
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The 8N is simply to operate, repair, the parts are available all over, and there are quite a few out there. I have a couple of them and they will cut hills...I prefer going down if possible...any tractor is dangerous.
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11/08/11, 08:33 PM
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 7,692
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Look for a Jubilee. Looks just like the older Fords but has live pto. Oddly they usually sell cheaper than an 8N. I'd much rather have a Jubilee. Though there are lot 60s era tractors with live pto, even diesels that will sell less than a restored 8N. Just be careful that diesel isnt some oddball thing with no parts available. The big names had their oddball stuff. Just cause its painted green or red doesnt mean it has parts support. The old Fords arent particularly great tractors but the parts are cheap and you can find just about any part you want, either used or as a reproduction.
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11/08/11, 08:52 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Northern Michigan (U.P.)
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Brush hogs and snowblowers are more difficult to operate with tractors that lack live pto. But you asked if it would do it. I think it would be able to do it. It would be hard if you had bigger brush and needed to slow down or stop while the brush hog kept going. The Ford 9N fails that way. But if you go in a slow enough gear for the steepest hill, you won't have the trouble of changing gears and the pto stopping.
The old Fords do not have a first gear that is slow enough for a rototiller or a reverse that's slow enough for a snow blower.
But if Grandpa lived on raw milk and bacon fat and drove a Ford 9N, I 'spose you can too.
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11/08/11, 09:50 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: MN
Posts: 7,610
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HermitJohn
Look for a Jubilee. Looks just like the older Fords but has live pto.
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I believe the Jub had live hydraulics, but the first Ford with live pto was the 100 series with a '6' in the middle - 660, 760, 860, 0r 960. (Don't know that they made each of those?)
I just looked on TractorData, and they say they had a transmission pto (not live), but then list live as an option. I'm not aware of that from the factory, but I've been wrong before..... Anyhow, most of them would not be live pto?
--->Paul
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11/08/11, 10:02 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Eastern North Carolina
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Quote:
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Look for a Jubilee. Looks just like the older Fords but has live pto
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Nope.
The PTO doesn't disengage seperately on an NAA
It does have live hydraulics, and more horsepower
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11/08/11, 10:16 PM
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 7,692
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I am sure you are right. I was confusing live hydraulics with live pto in my clouded brain. Been too long since I've been around one I guess.
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"Well, then ignore what I have to say and go with what works for you." -Eliot Coleman
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11/08/11, 10:48 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Rusk, TX
Posts: 130
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Thanks everyone. I put myself through college as a motorcycle mechanic and now I'm a vintage ford truck nut (and gen 1 mercury cougars....) so I'm ok around classics. Most of the setups I've seen on craigslist are $1500 - 2500 with the brush hogs included. I've even seen some with a post hole digger attachment. I haven't gone to look at any of these yet, but will be doing so in the spring (tax return). Now that I know a 8N can do it, I'm pretty excited. I love classic fords.
thanks
Austin
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11/08/11, 11:00 PM
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Zone 7
Posts: 10,559
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dablack
Where are you located?
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11/09/11, 06:49 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Rusk, TX
Posts: 130
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We are in the Lufkin, TX area.
thanks
Austin
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11/09/11, 06:56 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Northern Michigan (U.P.)
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11/09/11, 07:04 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 5,205
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I think I would take a look at the A-C WD45 as a first tractor these days. More power, live PTO, live hydraulics, and power shift rear wheels. With a wide front end, it would be more versatile and you might fit a FEL to it. One with the three point hitch conversion would be ideal. This said from a loyal Ford 9N owner who has used the five foot bush hog on level ground, but not on hills.
Google Yesterday's Tractors for more info: http://www.ytmag.com/
geo
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11/09/11, 12:51 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 16,317
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Agree with you whole heartedly Geo.
IF you get a ford, Remember that if you want a post hole digger, you have to get one with a bit that will augur itself down, as a ford dont have downward push. Ihat works by gravity and weight. It only has lift.
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11/09/11, 12:51 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 16,317
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At least the n series
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11/09/11, 01:26 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Eastern North Carolina
Posts: 34,225
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Quote:
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a ford dont have downward push
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None of them push down on the 3 pt hitch
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11/09/11, 09:14 PM
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Jack of all trades
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: kentuck
Posts: 317
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Yvonne's hubby
Lose the third arm and use a chain in its place on the toplink if you are mowing across ditches and gullys, otherwise you will end up stuck with your tractor drive wheels hanging in the air going across them. happy mowing! |
Replacing the top link with a chain is a surefire way to DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is nothing to prevent the mower from coming up over on top of the operator. Especially with a low tractor like an 8n.
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