IH/Farmall 504 vs 2504

I have an old 2504 with a loader. What I would like more than that is a diesel ag tractor for a couple acre garden and brushhogging. I understand that the 2504 is the industrial version of the 504. If that is true, for a projest, could I just swap the front axles, rear axles and wheels, and the 3 point hitch and in essence have a 504? Do they bolt right up? What else would I need to do and is this even possible. Just fixing up stuff, and if I am going to fix it up, I might as well make it what I need. Thank you.

my understanding is that what you have is closest to the 504 utility model (ag or general purpose). There were 504 Farmalls (row crop, medium to high clearance underneath) and 504 Internationals (utility, low to medium clearance underneath). The utility model is designed for pretty much anything you can think of doing with a tractor. it loses it's usefulness in cultivating (weed control) taller crops, as it will knock them down with the lower axle heights. Generally these days, cultivating (in the weed control sense) is not done due to development of sprays and genetically modified plants.

So you are really close to having a utility ag model already. The biggest thing to make it ag is tires. There may be gearing and governed throttle issues with some industrial type machines compared to ag counterparts, but those are minor. My belief is that tire type defines the tractor's purpose. You may have a foot throttle and no three point or pto, but one could likely order an agricultural version with foot throttle and no 3 pt or pto if desired. tell us what you have and what you don't--be specific or show pictures.

what do you have for wheels and tires right now? an ag tractor needs to have deep, wide spaced chevron type lugs designed for traction in the field and at least some adjustability to wheel width. The tire size should have and "R-?" near it--r-1 is ag, r-2 is rice (very deep chevron,looks like a mudder), -3 i think is industrial (shallow and dense chevron); there is also a diamond turf tread (like your lawn mower) available in many sizes. again, be specific and or show pictures.

I'm not the most helpful but i hope i got you started. goto caseih.com and click on the links to the parts catalog online and look at the 504 items. You'll see many similarities and then some of the differences in the ag vs industrial versions and how it all fits together.

good luck
karl f

Thank you. Right now I definitely have the industrial tires. Tha is the first thing I need to address. I have no adjustability of either avle, which I would like to change. I have only a hand throttle. I have a shuttle shift which I will obviously live with. And I have PTO but no 3 point hich. I will try and get some pics.

The Farmall and Utility/Industrial are two completely different platforms. About the only thing they share in common is the engine.

It's definitely not as if you can take the Farmall components and bolt them on to the Utility or Industrial frame, and even if you could you would have to buy an entire tractor to get all the parts you'd need for a project like that.

Similar thing goes for making an Industrial into a Utility. While you CAN get the parts and bolt them on, you need too many parts to make it economically feasible, not to mention sourcing all those parts. Again, best course of action would be to buy a complete tractor with all the parts you need.

If you pick pick up a non-running junker with all the parts you need cheap, and are into wrenching, go for it. Otherwise, you'll be better off looking for a complete running tractor, especially if your time is worth anything to you or you don't have any desire to get into major projects like this.

You don't want to do all that. You can cultivate with an industrial provided the crops are not too tall. I am assuming it is not one of the "lo boy" tractors that IH made in certain series, I'm not that familiar with the variations in 504's. As to clearance, the Ford 2N,9N,8N were designed to cultivate with and probably have less clearance than your 2504. I have cultivated sorghum, etc with utility tractors with rear mount cultivators. You have to have a 3 point, and if the wheels are not adjustable, you have to have row widths that match the existing wheel spacing. A lot of vegetable crops are planted in narrow rows, but you can adjust the row width to your tires if you have to. That said, your tractor is a little large for what you want to do. You would really be better off with a 240 or 404, etc in the row crop versions, or else go back to the C or H with a 3 point.

I have a IH 2504 that is sitting around not doing anything. My dad bought it a while ago and it was never used. I've expressed interest in the tractor if I really knew what I could do with it.. Basically, it is set up for pull type implements. It looks like a stout workhorse, how hard would it be to make this tractor into something that wouls lift implements? From what I understand, this tractor was used to mow Texas highways back in the day with a belly mower, which did not come with the tractor.