M or Super M

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Ed in TX

New User

• Oct 25, 2008

• #1

I just bought a Farmall tractor. I'm pretty sure it's an M or a Super M but the number tag is too beat up to read. Do they stamp the serial number anywhere? What is the main difference to look for to tell if it's an M or a Super M?

 

glennster

Well-known Member

• Oct 25, 2008

• #1

check the brakes if it has band type brakes, big tin cover, its an m. if it has disc brakes, cast brake cover, it is either a very late m or a super m. there were aftermarket lambert disc brakes for the earlier m's tho.

 

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Norvin

New User

• Oct 25, 2008

• #1

The Super's had the battery under the seat instead of under the gas tank.

 

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Deer Slayer

Member

• Oct 25, 2008

• #1

Distributor side of block, look carefully under dirt & grease, on a smooth flat area; it will say 248 (M) or 264 (Super M)...

 

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Hugh MacKay

Well-known Member

• Oct 25, 2008

• #1

Ed: Just about all the physical differences can be added to an M. Your best bet is go to casting date codes. Every major casting on the tractor has one. They are day and month by number and year by letter. About 1/2" high cast in place digits with what looks like a round head, blade type screw cast between each of day, month and year. R is 1948, S is 1949, U and T are both 1950, V was not used, W is 1951, X is 1952, Y is 1953 and Z is 1954, A is 1955. A wont matter with a SM, I just include that to show they started over.

Another feature with the SM, aroumnd 1952-53 IH started casting letters C-then 3 numbers, indicating a carburated engine and numbers are the cubic inches. I believe SM is 264 but not certain, I'll stand corrected on that.

 

Bob M

Well-known Member

• Oct 25, 2008

• #1

Ed - Like Hugh suggests look for the date codes on the larger castings. A Super M will have X, Y or Z - and possibly W for a very early Super M - for the last date code (year) character. Year characters lower in the alphabet mean it"s a regular M.

Also as Hugh notes, a Super M will have "C264" cast prominently in the upper right side of the block above the oil filter canister.

Norvin - Early production (the "Stage I") Super M have the battery box under the gas tank. The battery box did not get relocated beneath the seat until the Stage II (live hydraulics) Super M.

 

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Ed in TX

New User

• Oct 25, 2008

• #1

Thanks everyone,
The battery is mounted on the left side of the tractor next to the engine. I haven't seen that in any of the pictures I've looked at. I'm guessing it's a super because there is a large square tank under the fuel tank, looks like live hydraulics. I'll look for the rest of the numbers tomorrow.

 

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Andy Motteberg

Well-known Member

• Oct 25, 2008

• #1

The serial # is stamped on a flat spot on the engine block, below the spark plug hole. Look for casting codes, 10-25-M would mean October 25th, 1943. The letter is the year. Does it have disc or band brakes? Battery under the tank or under the seat?

1939 - I
1940 - J
1941 - K
1942 - L
1943 - M
1944 - N
1945 - O
1946 - P
1947 - Q
1948 - R
1949 - S
1950 - T
1951 - W
1952 - X
1953 - Y
1954 - Z

 

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CNKS

Well-known Member

• Oct 25, 2008

• #1

If it is a M or Super M, or an H or Super H for that matter, the factory mounting for the battery was never next to the engine. On the H/Stage 1 Super H it was on the left side of the clutch housing, on the M/Stage 1 Super M it was mounted in front of the rear gas tank bracket behind the belt pulley drive. On the Stage 2 Super H and M it was under the seat. Sounds like yours has been modified.

 

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CNKS

Well-known Member

• Oct 25, 2008

• #1

1951, U and W.

 

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Alan Chalou

New User

• Oct 25, 2008

• #1

Another way for a quick check is, if it has a square I H badge on the front of the grill. All super series have these as apposed to having a Farmall badge.

 

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Hugh MacKay

Well-known Member

• Oct 25, 2008

• #1

Alan: Those can be switched, cast is the only sure answer. I've seen guys switch them, because of personal preference.

 

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Hugh MacKay

Well-known Member

• Oct 25, 2008

• #1

Andy: Who said the date code year was M or 1943? I fail to see it in anyone's post.

 

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Ed in TX

New User

• Oct 25, 2008

• #1

Don't pay any attention to the decall or badges, the previous owner did that.
<a href="http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Zedd59/?action=view¤t=trailer.jpg" target="_blank">

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Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Oct 26, 2008

• #1

For what it's worth I have a '53 SM with the battery under the tank. Doesn't have any pitting on the deck under the seat like it had a battery there. It also is a non live hydraulic and PTO model. Had A belt pulley on it and a square badge on the grille.

 

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Hugh MacKay

Well-known Member

• Oct 26, 2008

• #1

Ed: Is this the tractor in question? Photo shows a FARMALL badge above grill, indicating an M, we can't see the brakes, rear wheels and rims not clear enough. All those things can be changed, just as the model decal can.

If you want positive ID go to cast in place numbers and letters

 

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Andy Motteberg

Well-known Member

• Oct 26, 2008

• #1

That was just an example code, not his tractor. Trying to explain to him what a casting code is.

Andy

 

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Dave 2N

Well-known Member

• Oct 26, 2008

• #1

From the looks of the hydraulics on it, I'm saying SuperM. Hydraulics are plumbed just like the ones on my super M.

Does it have disc brakes? If yes, it's a Super m.

 

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Hugh MacKay

Well-known Member

• Oct 26, 2008

• #1

Dave: Both the hydraulics and disk brakes can be added to an M. If they were truly trying to trick someone it would have been much easier to change the Farmall badge at top of grill to an IH badge.

I think it's a tractor made from parts of two or more tractors.

 

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Dave 2N

Well-known Member

• Oct 27, 2008

• #1

Could be. Amazing what one finds when you delve into these tractors.

 

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Hugh MacKay

Well-known Member

• Oct 27, 2008

• #1

Dave: I once drove some distance to look at what was advertized as a stage two SH. It had proper live hydraulics and front bolster, proper wide front. That is all I can say for certain was SH. Badge at top of grill was Farmall. Battery was on left something like a W series tractor. Seat was older H and it had band brakes.

I pointed out to him what he had, and he got right on the offensive, told me I didn't know what I was talking about. He said the tractor had been bought new by a neighbor about mile away, and he knew the tractor since new. It turned into a shouting match and as I went to check date codes, he ordered me off his property.