IT Manual on IH

I finally obtained a shop manual for my 706 and it seems to be lacking a lot of the basic info.It covers 14 models. I had an IT for a David Brown and an Allis, and as I recalled, they were much more comprehensive, and showed more basic info as well as exploded views. At any rate, I am looking for one that has more basic info. This one has "IH-32" in the upper right corner of the front cover. Any suggestions?

Get a hold of the actually IH manuals, reproductions are sold on this site or though Jennsales them self.


Andrew

For good quality reprint IH manuals go to www.external_link
K-Mo

Lee, my experience with the various manuals on my letter series Farmalls is that the I&T and the IH manuals are complementary. A great deal of overlap -- in fact, most of what is in the I&T is ripped right from the pages of the IH manuals, but there is enough unique to each that is has been handy to have both.

My experience with the Jensales manuals has not been good. My opinion, and it is just that, is that the same manuals available from external_link are superior both in quality of reproduction (especially when it comes to the half-tone B&W photo illustrations) and the durability of the paper they're printed on. Easier to read and they hold up much better when greasy thumbs get to turning the pages looking for an answer.

I'm not at all acquainted with Jensales's catalog, but external_link has a whole range of manuals for the 706 and others, Owner's, Operator's, and shop manuals for the whole tractor and any number of sub-systems -- hydraulics, etc.

They'd be worth a look. But if you do enough work on the tractor, you'll eventually find the I&T will be worth the money you laid out for it.

Jensales has a massive catalog. Much more extensive than Binder. Little pricey for my tastes but the unusual manuals are available there. At least that is my experience.

Scotty, I thought you'd been around Farmalls for a while, I can't believe you'd think an I&T manual is of ANY use if a guy had a factory manual at hand!

Or, as B&D says, they I&T manuals are GREAT for slapping unruly hogs!

Agreed.....I&T are better than nothing, but thats about it. There is a reason the genuine manuals are anywhere 3 to 10 times as thick. Some of that reason is larger print, but most of the reason is more and better info.

LOL! and I hear ya, Bob.

As much as I&T rips off the IH manuals, I've been amazed at how they can be completely opaque on things where the IH manuals are merely vague. Their comment, "The engineering will be obvious upon disassembly," is a favorite of mine. Not. Especially when disassembly isn't going as it appears it should.

That said, if one is going deep enough into a tractor and working one's way back out(resurrecting a fencerow find might be an example) I've found enough little nuggets/gems in the I&T (Ex: the IH-8 on the Letter Series, the tables with identifying stampings that identify different battery ignition distibutors and the degree and RPMs of spark advances), that it has been worth having, whether for my own work or having at hand to help out folks with questions here on the board.

I tend to go to the IH manuals first and, in life, the parts manuals with their pictures that illustrate where things really go and the part number listings, have been as useful as the manuals.

Still, the I&T has got by carcass out of a couple of jams.

I figger if he already has it, it's worth him keepin' it.

Even to drive unruly hogs until he finds that odd something useful in it.

Keep in mind that there is no manual that is going to take you through disassembling and reassembling the tractor step-by-step. If that's what you're looking for, don't bother.

We like to complain that there are no mechanics... Well, back when the 706 manuals were written, the guys that worked in IH dealer shops were MECHANICS. They only needed a general description, and maybe an exploded view, to work from.

That's what you're going to get with any book. It will be vague because the expectation was that they were "speaking" to an experienced mechanic who could figure out how to get things apart and didn't need...

1. Remove bolt A by turning counter-clockwise with a 3/8" box wrench.
2. Remove bolt B by turning counter-clockwise with a 3/8" box wrench.
3. Remove bolt C by turning counter-clockwise with a 3/8" box wrench.
4. Remove bolt D by turning counter-clockwise with a 3/8" box wrench.
5. Lift cover E. If cover does not come off easily, use a utility knife between the cover and the pump body to loosen the gasket....

Wow, this "b b alert" site must be awesome!

As a back yard mechanic I find the I & T manual pretty helpfull but I've also found having a parts book and the other manuals available can all work together to get me through what I am trying to do. If I was a trained mechanic I might have a different story.

If you want to pass some time, do a google search for b b alert.

No, I dont need to know which direction to turn the wrench. My point was, I have had manuals that were better than this one, and was looking for suggestions on one.

I've had trouble with several of the Jennsales manuals, but I guess it depends on who they get the material from. My Jennsales IH manuals are some of the most unorganized and convoluted I've ever seen. I suspect because for some tractors, IH spread much of the info out in many smaller "Blue Ribbon" manuals - and never had it all in one big book.

On the subject of IT manuals, I love them. Back when I worked for a Deere dealership, we also did a lot of other tractor work. Especially IH/Farmall after the local IH dealer went out of business. IT books will sometimes have some specs that the main factory manuals do not.

We had several copies of every IT manual printed. We were on the IT mailing list and also got updates to old manuals, now and then. I have them all here in my shop now. They used to cost $3 apiece. Having info on most all tractors was a great asset in our shop.

And a few comments about IT and quality of info? Originally, they were made for experienced mechanics and meant to be "quick reference" guides. Not something to hold somebody's hand and lead them all the way though every repair. For some tractors the info is excellent and to the point. In our Deere shop we had all the Deere factory tech manuals. But, even so, even when working on Deere tractors, we often used the IT instead for "quick reference." If something was very complicated, then we'd use the Deere factory manuals. The boss also got ticked when we got the Deere manuals greasy. No problem with the $3 IT manuals.

I still have a repair shop and work on many makes of tractors. On the rare occasions when an IT book does not have the info I need, I sometimes find it is not in the factory book either.
But, I guess that depends on which factory book. I just got done working on an IH B414 and a 3414. All the info for them, from IH, was spread across many, many Blue Ribbon manuals. Transmission, Fuel injection, electric, hydraulics, etc. That's a lot of books.

To each his own, I guess. I love the IT books and appreciate being able to find facts fast and NOT have to suffer through endless fluff. Now, I can't say I've bought a new one in awhile, so can't comment on present quality. I also know the price is no longer $3.

By the way, the IT "Standard Units" book is one of the most useful in my shop. Where else can you find some much condensed data on clutches, carbs, magnetos, generators, starters, etc. for all makes in one book?

I agree that the parts books are great. They show the exploded view of each component as well as the original part number. This make it much easier to order replacements or gaskets, etc.