what size farmall is safe for me

I am trying to plant 3 small patches of deer feed, maybe tug on a truck stuck in the mud and maybe pull a wagon with 5-10 people on it. But mostly own an antique i think is neat to have. I want to use original implements & am not worried about a 3pt hitch. I bought a farmall c but turns out it was bored for tractor pulls and no good to run more than 20 minutes. Without math equasions or technical transportation saftey data does anyone know from experience if a super A or B will be big enough? I feel top heavy on the c but maybe I just need more practice. My fields are flat but there are hills between the three. I like the idea of more power but a bigger tractor seems harder to transport if I needed to but not out of the question. Maybe an AC d-12 or 14 or B? I like the red better but am really stuck on what to get? I don't live at the farm, I'm there once a month. Thanks

If you are going to leave tractor at the farm and not going to be hauling it, I wouldn't worry about the size at all. Go ahead and get one a little bigger than you need, especially if you can get a better deal on it versus a smaller one. Narrow fronts don't like mud. Wide front be alot better for that. I personally won't have a tractor on the farm smaller than an H. But that is just me. Unless you already got some of your own drag equipment, you can go either way on the 3-point issue. I will say this though, if only farming 3 little old patches, a 3 point might be more convenient. Might cost you more to acquire the implements though.

Get your self another SuperC.One with a wide
front.Really wont be much more "stabil",but will
make you 'feel' safer.A fasthitch(or 3 point) would be extremly
handy.Pretty easy to install as well.

One Question,why is your present SC only good for 20 minutes? A 'puller'? no radiator/cooling system?Btw,as was also said,since you wont be hauling it,a bigger tractor would be nice/handy.An H with wide and 3 point would be the 'cats meow'.

I have a 1946 farmall b and it is sweet ,low to the
ground and easy to get on , not big horse power but
not dead it should spin if overloaded I have played
but not pulled mine hard , it will pull start a
farmall 460 .

The C you have should be fine and dandy. The system can be returned to reasonable (modest power) and run for days. If extreme compression has been created by tall pistons and milled head, replacements should be easy to find. If it is a puller engine and running well, trade it for the same Farmall C or SC to someone that will use the puller aspect of yours. The stability is not in question, they are not tippy. Driven with reasonable caution, they do not tip. Do not go sideways on hills steeper than about 15 degrees.
I have operated narrow fronts almost exclusively and never tipped one or gotten a wheel off the ground. Jim

(reply to post at 22:40:43 05/12/14)

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The farm is 3 hours from my house w/o electric, just a cabin my dad built in a remote area. 230 acres, 11 of it field seperated by a river. I'm trying to pick up where he left off in caring for the place but we never owned a tractor. I do have experience operating heavy equipment tho. I don't own a trailer that could move it so once it there that's it. I thought something smaller would be easier to take to a shop etc. But if it wont do the work than I don't want it. I saw a guy on here saying he pulled a hay ride with a cub so I thought a super a or b would, idk. The guy who sold me my c was a real scammer, lied about a lot. I had a mechanic tell me it had an oil leak that would be expensive & the four exhaust pipes led him to think it had been modified and would overheat if I farmed with it. It aso has broken hydralics. I feel like who knows what else is wrong. I just want to unload it & get a different one. There are 2 c's, a b, a 200, and a super a for sale in my area. My current c has a wide front I could use on a different c but ill take a loss selling my without it.

A Farmall C should be fine if you can find a nice stock C, a Super C would be a sweet upgrade. I wouldn't rule out a solid H, Super H or M though, plenty of power, very stable as long as you use your head, easy to work on, and a lot of fun. as far as moving it, an M with the wheels dished in should fit on a standard 7,000# twin axle trailer, they are not that expensive and people have them everywhere, may even be able to rent one. Dished out the tires are a bit to wide to fit between the wheel wells and you would need a "deck over" trailer. Good hunting, give us pictures, we love pics!!! ~Anthony

Except for no fenders, that looks a lot like my Super C. I traded the original tricycle front end for a wide, like the one pictured. Now it steers hard and takes about 40 acres in which to turn around!

How about a utility configuration tractor, like maybe a 485?

I like the M. They can be had really cheap for the HP that you get.

Narrow fronts don't like mud, but you can get a wide front and an aftermarket 3 point and use modern implements.

Also, an M will pull any hay ride you can think of.

Check out this site - it was my inspiration to get my M. I still use my M to plant and plow sometimes. It is a great tractor.

http://www.rocketroberts.com/farmall/farmallm.htm

This looks like what you might want to do with it.

HI and my 2 cents, I don't farm it but use an M for heavy stuff and 300&350 U's for general stuff.
The bigger machine will burn more gas, the M figure about 2 1/2 gal an hour when really working.
Somebody else can tell you how many acres per hour that would be per machine.
You have no electricity, so battery charging should be discussed. 6 volt or 12. You can get the solar panels cheap 'nuff to charge and run a few lights at camp, but I have never seen one in 6 volt. I run my M on magneto only. I keep it well maintained and it's 2 or 3 pulls on the crank to start a cold engine. No generator, voltage regulator, or starter and it's very reliable.
You'll probably want hydraulics of some kind and the older machines are less likely to have "live" systems.
If you see fresh paint, look deeper.

lots of good advice.
mine...
Super C will do all you ask and is a very handy, all around good tractor, though usually expensive for a good one.
Super A or a BN will do just fine if you want something a little smaller.( a B too, though they are a little harder to trailer because of their width)
If not too big a H will easily do your work, and in my area is always the cheapest to buy of these listed.

4 exaust pipes? Someone built it for a puller. Not
saying you cant farm with it, but longevity could
be a problem. (Some are rebuilt more often than
others with aftermarket parts that simply wont
last, all for a 5 dollar plastic trophy.) The 200
is justa little more tractor than the Super C, and
your front end should fit, but it sounds like
youre worried about tip over, well, any of them
can do that, and the A variants to are less stable to me
since they are more narrow. With what youve told
us, Id buy the 200, spread the rear tires out to a
comfrtable width and put the wide front on. The
200 will be more useful, to me, than a Super A, or
anything else, and be better for you vs a bigger
tractor.

From what you have described get an SC or 200 with a two point and scrounge up a three point conversion. The SC has very strong lugging power for its size and will pull small logs etc. For the small patches get pull behind equipment or three point mounted. If no one has ever shown you how to use the front mounted equipment it will give you some trouble and the time it takes to mount and dismount is long (why it went out of favor). Also it is model specific. A B or BN will not have hydraulics and you will be limited to pull behind equipment only. Stick with the rear pull or mounted 3-point equipment which offers you the flexibility of replacing the tractor with a newer model without having to replace the equipment. Otherwise a good SA will do just fine once you learn to use the front mounted cultivators.

Remember that the old Farmalls do not have live PTO and that limits how you use the tractors to pull bush hogs or stalk cutters. I have operated these types from early childhood and know that you have to kick the PTO out of gear if you get into a tight place and that is an automatic response. In order to pull this type PTO equipment you should consider an overrunning clutch.

I sure like my 2 Super C's with fast hitch to garden with. I've
collected quit a few fast hitch and mounted implements. In my
area the Super C's are cheaper Than the Super A's.

I have 2 Super H's and a 300. The 300 is my shredding rig. I
maintain 13 acres. These are my hobby tractors.

When I need to get work done I have newer JD5103 with
loader, grapple bucket, pallet forks, & hay spear.

Trying to maintain that much land you'll want more than 1
tractor and one with a loader.
I have set up a tractor for each specific task I want to do. Do I NEED that many, probably not but I sure like them.

Another possibility that no one has mentioned is a
300 utility

For what it sounds like you want to do why don't you look at some of the Fords in the 800 series or Farmall 300 or 350 in a utility model.

I agree with the people saying trade your's for a stock C or better yet, a Super C or 200. They will surprise you what they will pull for their size, small implements are cheap and easy to find, and if you have a SC or 200 with Fast-Hitch and implements, all the better. We farmed 100 acres (60 of tillable ground) with a Super C for 2 or 3 years and it handled it very well, and after adding more farm land, it made a great second tractor. They are good enough that Dad had either a C or Super C from 1949 until after he died and Mom left the farm in the late '90s. He wouldn't be caught without one. also IMO a narrow front is better due to the turning radius and they do not wear out like a wide one.

Get one that built to be cranked because that is what you will be doing a lot without electricity!
I love my W-30 that is easy to crank start and has a much power as an M.

I am mostly an IH fan, but when getting the most bang for the buck an AC D-14 or 15 is one of the better buys for a smaller tractor. At least around our part of the country.

I think the 300 and 350 would be great choices as well and still have the older sheet metal. I think you're on the right track. Nothing wrong with a Super C or C, etc... just get one that's not been messed with. I like the B as well (grew up with one... and now own it myself). Friendly little tractor with a wide stance. You can haul 10 people on a wagon, but I'd only do it on flat or nearly flat land. It's got the oomph but you might get pushed going downhill. That being said, I remember my grandfather and uncle hauling well over two tons in a wagon with the B up and down hills.

A 300 or 350U would be a great versatile tractor and low to the ground for those hills. They'd also have an independent PTO should you want to use pto implements (like a broadcast spreader)

One other thing to think about, since you have no electricity at the farm, is the ability to take out and put in the battery. The C can be a PIA to put a battering into. H is much easier. Super M, 300-450's are even easier. I'd also want 12 volts instead of 6.

A trailer with 8 people on it isnt that much of a load for the A B or C. Just take it slow and make sure the brakes are good.

I'm with John M on the 200 and I'd forget about the wide front and use a maneuverable narrow front. The 200 is just a later model Super C with different sheet metal and maybe a little more hp. You think in your mine a wide front is more stable from the stance on the ground but in reality I've seen some statists that more wide fronts are involved in roll-overs then the narrow front tractors probably because people think they won't roll over. Since you believe a narrow front is roll-over prone you will have the embedded instinct not to chance unsafe terrain and in reality be safer then taking a chance with a wide front which is thought to be safer. A narrow front will be less expensive and will provide the maneuverability needed when working with small food plots. The 200 will be all the tractor you would require for the other activities you envision using the tractor.
If you opt for the 200 you might want to convert it to 12 volts so you would be able to jump start it with your vehicle if the battery is low and won't start the tractor in the non-electric location at the cabin. Having an alternator in the charging circuit will probably provide better charging capability without much maintenance being in a seldom used environment that appears where you will be operating the tractor. A 200 is very easy to convert to 12 volt due to the existing generator location being totally exposed. Also, if you can find a few pieces of fast hitch equipment that you will need for your food plots you will find they are very easy to mount in lieu of mounted or semi-mounted implements. They are easy to find with a little effort. Most Farmall 200's were equipped with the 2 point fast hitch which will only require a single person to attach to the tractor. Hope all of this helps in your decision on a tractor since you appear to only really want to consider the red brand, Hal.

(reply to post at 15:45:24 05/13/14)

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Wow, you all really know your stuff. Sounds like if I want a super A I can get one and dog it pretty hard, only a few less HP than a c. A Ford would probably be the best for me but I don't like them. Would I get in trouble if I painted a d-12 red (just kidding). I'm in MD & old implements are not that available but id still like to use the draw bar style to keep it simple, a harrow, single bottom, chains, maybe disk. I'm going to look at some again this weekend, I'm sure ill be back with questions. I appreciate your time and feedback. If anyone has anymore thoughts or info, please post.
Thanks

A's and B's are meant for cultivating small fields. They'll do ok with a sickle mower, or for plowing snow in a driveway. They should be left to those tasks.

Pulling trucks out of mud - pulling a wagon with people on it - sure the a/b/c's CAN do that in the right conditions, but you'll almost certainly be left wanting more tractor. The problem is they just don't have the weight, even if they have enough power. Tires will spin pretty easily, even with wheel weights. Plus you need a lot of weight to safely handle a wagon loaded with people going up and down hills. I'd cross a's and b's right of the list for that.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe the H is about 1000 pounds heavier than the c.

I wouldn't go smaller than an H for what you want to do with it. I'd call that entry level for you.

In fact, I'd calculate what you can transport safely, and work backwards from there. Get the most tractor you can.

If you like an H you'll love an M if you can swing it. Always better to go too large than too small.

I think you'll find the prices aren't all that different between the various letter models. They go up a little with size, but shop around and you can get a good deal on anything.

For your needs, I personally would probably take an M over a 300 to save money, and have a little more power. 300's are a great tractor, but being newer will tend to go for a good amount more money.

I think a 400 would probably set you back more than you want to be set back.

That is a good point you bring up about implements.

Most people don't consider availability when they recommend implements to someone just getting into this.

Take for example, Fast Hitch. Fast Hitch is great; you basically back into the implement to hook it up. Takes seconds.

The problem with Fast Hitch is implement availability. Finding the implement you need, in usable condition, at a fair price, within driving distance, is often difficult. You want to plant your garden NOW, not 5 years from now when you've finally managed to gather all the implements you need.

3pt hitch implements are the most common and the most easily obtained. It may cost more, but you can get them NOW.

To effectively use 3pt implements you really need a tractor that was designed to use them. The add-on 3pt hitches work ok, but not great for things like plowing as a general rule.

(reply to post at 07:20:29 05/14/14)

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Unless I can see and consider an AC d-12 I guess ill be getting another c
I looked at one an old guy put $ into, nice guy. Unfortunately he put a three point hitch on it and wants to get his money back out of it. It seems fine but he paint brushed over a fair amount of rust. He also said the axle seal leaked from being overfilled. Seemed to run & operate good. He said one buyer told him it was missing but he said the gas was bad & new gas fixed it. There is another one nearby that was restored 10 years ago, the owner is an equipment salesman. His ad says "runs good". Any suggestions on what to look for so I don't get burned again? I know my way around a c a little better now.
thanks