H wide front end

Joe in CA · Apr 9, 2012

Rumor holds that wide front end on the standard H model and the row-crop front end can be swapped out easily.

Are there any issues with the steering or any other concerns?

Also, out here having the wide front will literally double the value of the machine. Is this pretty common? Narrow fronts can be had for $1000, but the cheapest wide I have found is $2200!

mike1972chev · Apr 10, 2012

Yea,It is a "bolt on".

Chances are,your framerails wont be drilled for the rear pivot for the wishbone/ball socket.(If you are using the NEWER style of IH brand widefront??? Its not that bad to do.)Most other brands just totally bolt on.

IH Widefront ends here in the midwest go for about $500 to $1000 for a decent one. MOST tractors HERE were "row cropper narrow fronts" their whole farm lives.Location,location,location!!!

Issues,you WILL NOT have NEAR the tight turning radius with a wide front as you did with that narrow.You can spot turn the narrow on a dime!!! Wide front,add a few feet!!! lol

George Rausch · Apr 10, 2012

Had my narrow H for many years, always thought a wide front was cool, saw one, bought it, and what a pain. The wheels were so far out in front, you couldn't steer around anything. Got rid of it, and I stick with the narrow front end. It'd be OK if the wheels weren't so far out in front. My opinion.

mike1972chev · Apr 10, 2012

Too "add" to what George said below. The OLD STYLE IH wide front sticks out WAAAAYYYY farther in the front the the later style and the steering linkage is the MOST foreward part of the tractor.I have seen TONS of these bent up from impact and collision.

They can cause issues.(Juse like the "Eagle Pearch"???? Steering draglink on an old DC Case!!! OUCH !!!!!! lol)

Dean Olson · Apr 10, 2012

My experience mirrors George's. Just HAD to have the original wide front end on my 53SH. Took it off about a month later. Fortunatley I got all my money back. Labor to recondition, install/remove was on me.

Asking price does seem to be more with WFE but I won't buy another one.

redgems · Apr 10, 2012

Sorry off topic,
Joe are you going to Calif.Antique Farm Equipment Show??
Tulare Ca. April 20-21-22/12
Would like to meet a fellow Calif .Collector
My e-mail is open of you want to p.m. me, Tony

Joe in CA · Apr 10, 2012

Yea, I'm going this year. Should be a great show if it's not raining.

Email wouldn't work. But I'm probably just doing it wrong...?

Athol Carr · Apr 10, 2012

The original IH wide front had two mounting options, either way out in front which meant a longer wheel-base and much greater turning circle but the side mount cultivators could be fitted in behind the axle or in a rear-mount position where the wheel-base was almost the same as the narrow front wheel-base giving a shorter tractor, a better turning circle but the side-mount implements would not fit. My grandfather had an M in 1945 to replace the 1939 M (narrow front as that was all that was available during the war) which had the wide front set in the short wheel-base position. My father said much easier for ploughing, just drop the front wheel in the furrow and the tractor steered itself. It was never used for row-crop work, just needed the long axles to work slightly more safely on the river terraces. It is probably me sitting on the tractor in 1945

David G · Apr 10, 2012

I have a factory wide front for my H, and it can be swapped out in about 1/2 hour. My Dad had to drill the holes in the frame when he got it for the wishbone.

I really prefer the narrow front for most things.

mike1972chev · Apr 10, 2012

Thanks Athol!

I yet learned something else new today. I like the old "technical stuff"

BTW,I am "stealing" that m photo for my collection. ALL kinds of cool there!!!

Mike in Wisconsin · Apr 10, 2012

I had a chance to buy an H with the old style IH "way out in front" wide front. I don't hardly own enough land to turn that rig around! It did look cool but was a monster to try to turn it around. I bought a narrow front H later and am very glad I did. It would have run cirlces around the wide front H.

Old-F20 · Apr 10, 2012

Heres our H with the 'old style' wide front set in the forward position, showing the second postion as Athol pointed out.. I guess i dont mind it much like it is, but i do know that wide fronts turn longer so i didnt have any pre-concieived notinos in my head it would pivot around. this setup works great for plowing and over rougher ground i think it rides a little smoother given the wheelbase. jmho

DC Snider · Apr 11, 2012

Old F20,

Not to stray off topic, but your U.S. Army "H" is one of my "favorite" unrestored, original tractors! Beautiful!

Old-F20 · Apr 11, 2012

(quoted from post at 08:51:56 04/11/12) Old F20,

Not to stray off topic, but your U.S. Army "H" is one of my "favorite" unrestored, original tractors! Beautiful!

Thanks DC

i am fond of original unmolested tractors and would rather take one of them over a show queen any day of the week. the majority of what i have is nicr original stuff, and as long as i own them they will STAY ORIGINAL!

H wide front end

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