Picked up a 53 Farmall Super M, have questions

I have to go to Phoenix to get it. Anyone know how narrow you can make these by turning the rear wheels around? It sits at 86-88 inches wide now and that is a little wide for my trailer. It has 15 inch wide rear tires I believe.

A little work to do on the road, but it is possible but it is a two or three man job unless you have a hoist. If simply sliding the tire all the way in on the axel is not enough, remove the tire and cast center from the axel and reverse the wheel. Reinstall the reversed wheel at a setting narrow enough for your trailer. Do this on both sides (only if you have to). Remember if the tires are full of water or salt they are very heavy and you may need a hoist to move the tires. Do not lay tires down but lean them against a stable surface. If you do not feel comfortable doing this you may wish to pay the local tire store that sells tractor tires to do it for you. If you do not have a hoist to carry along and the seller can't help, you may wish to go to a local rental place and get one for the job. Should the tires be filled with water only, you may wish to remove the water for shipping. It would make your work easier.

There is a trick to moving tires on an axel by removing the bottom wedge completely and leaning the tire over while letting the jack down. Once leaned in the direction you wish to move the tire jack the axel up until the tire is picked up. Don't get greedy and only move the tire a couple of inches each time. If you are having to work alone it may be only an inch at a time. When you jack it up it will move to the new center location. Repeat this until the center is where you want it to be. This is tricky and normally requires two people for tires the size on the M.

If the M is too wide to fit your trailer, it just might be too heavy also. If your trailer is the standard car hauler with tandem 3,500# rated axles, it ain't gonna work.

nice looking tractor

You can easily turn the tires around to narrow it up to less than 75 inches if necessary. The bad part is you are gonna mess that nice red paint up....

That tractor likely weights about 5500 lbs. Just be aware of your trailers capacity as others have pointed out.

Good luck and hope it goes well for you. It is a real nice looking SM indeed.

No one else said it, so I will, if by yourself, and/or don,t have a heavy enough truck/trailer you may be much safer having it hauled for you.
Just an option.

Your Super M looks like a regular M to me... did you get the serial number to check?

I jack the tractor up so the tires just skid on the ground. You can then push them or move them with a bar. Sometimes you can only flip one around have have it narrow enough.
Like they said, a lot of times an M will overload a car hauler.

That' what I was wondering. Looks like somebody got a little "decal happy". :>)

Didn't the SMs come out in '54?

Allan

(quoted from post at 05:37:19 05/18/11) That' what I was wondering. Looks like somebody got a little "decal happy". :&gt

Didn't the SMs come out in '54?

Allan

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Super Ms came out in '52, and the first SMs were not much different from an M, other than being more powerful. The Super MTA came out in '54.

In the one picture looking through the hole in the rear cast wheel you can see a disc brake cover. Thats not a 100% guarantee its a super, but it probably is. Don't think the front cast wheels and the rims are original for a SM.
Good looking tractor anyway.

Great looking Super there :!: Reminds me of my Dad's '53 he owned since new that I finally sold a year ago. :roll:

You should place an ad on the Hauling Schedule under Community. Some trucker may need a load on a return trip. Hal

(quoted from post at 04:18:56 05/18/11) Your Super M looks like a regular M to me... did you get the serial number to check?

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How can you tell unless you see the brakes?

(quoted from post at 17:24:07 05/18/11)

(quoted from post at 04:18:56 05/18/11) Your Super M looks like a regular M to me... did you get the serial number to check?

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How can you tell unless you see the brakes?

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Serial number prefix for a Super is SM. Prefix for a Farmall M is FBK. In addition, the casting codes will tell at least part of the story, not to mention the M will have a part number on the engine block behind the oil filter, and the Super M will have "C 264" in that same area.

(quoted from post at 18:36:48 05/18/11)

(quoted from post at 17:24:07 05/18/11)

(quoted from post at 04:18:56 05/18/11) Your Super M looks like a regular M to me... did you get the serial number to check?

Click to expand...

How can you tell unless you see the brakes?

Click to expand...

Serial number prefix for a Super is SM. Prefix for a Farmall M is FBK. In addition, the casting codes will tell at least part of the story, not to mention the M will have a part number on the engine block behind the oil filter, and the Super M will have "C 264" in that same area.

Click to expand...

Sorry, I meant from the picture in the original post.