Ford 8N for snow removal?

I'm a complete noob to tractors. But I'm looking to purchase an older one for snow removal. I own a commercial building with a parking lot for about 25 cars. The only purpose for this tractor would be to remove snow, probably about 10 times a year. I would prefer a loader to a snow plow, because I can stack the snow higher, so we'll have more parking. the lot is level, except a very slight grade at the entry.

My budget is $3000 or less. If I spend more, I'd probably go ahead and hire a snow removal service, or get a plow on my truck. Therefore, I'm looking at older antique tractors. I'm handy, so I'm not scared of maintaining them, but it'd be nice if it'd start when I need it too. I've been reading that a tricycle tractor is a bad idea for snow removal (tippy and hard to steer in the snow).

I'm wondering if a tractor is a good option - will it be maneuverable enough to do snow removal in a lot?

Around here (RI and MASS) I'm seeing a bunch of Ford 8N/9N/2N with loaders. I've seen a few others that have similar capacities - a JD 40U, Ford 600, and a few other brands. The Ford 8Ns seem very popular with bucket loaders. Most of these buckets are 4' wide, some are 6' wide. I'd assume that a 6' bucket would be better to remove snow fast, but the 4' bucket would work. The tractor would need to live outdoors, but I'll find a good cover for it.

I'm wondering if this is a good option. Also wondering about ballast, live hydraulics, etc. I'm concerned that if the hydraulics don't work unless you are moving, that it won't work for snow removal - IE: I'll scoop up a big bucket of snow, but not be able to raise it unless I'm moving. I can't guarantee I'll always be moving. (for example, if I push a load up towards the building, then want to raise it and move it away from the building).

Again, I don't know anything and will be learning on the job, so to speak.

Put a plow on your truck.

While you "could" likely find an N-series tractor with loader within your price range, you also need to understand that these older machines need lots of TLC. IF you can find one that has been completely overhauled, it might likely be reliable. Then again, it might not.

These older tractors have survived mostly because they cost less than new and because they are fairly easy to work on.

If your budget is $3,000, and as you're needing it for commercial purposes, I'd HIGHLY recommend saving the headaches and hiring the job done -- provided you have been happy with local snow removal services.

Lastly, I used to have a JD 4010 with front loader and 3-pt 2-stage snow blower. I'm now using a 2001 1/2-ton Dodge extended cab 4x4 with Western poly plow. If it meant going back to the 4010 for snow removal, you couldn't give it back to me! I'll never go back to a tractor, especially one without a cab!

Keep in mind that I live WAY in the boonies, and I have lots of area to pile snow. The pickup simply starts easier in cold weather than any tractor I've had, and I have full comfort. Is also very windy here. For when it's not windy, I'd love to have a small tractor (such as an N) to putz around with at my leisure, but definitely not if other folks will be relying on me to get the job done with it.

For 3 grand$ in my area you could do a whole lot better than an 8N for a snow removal tractor,a good loader on it would most likely put you over $$$$,but you could outfit it with a good blade
as your truck wouldn't have a loader if you put a blade on it.Where do you live? I have a good running IH 464 Industrial with shuttle I'll sell you for $2500 has 3pt.

Unless the Ford 8N has an engine driven hydraulic pump on the front end it would not have live hydraulics. I have found few good uses for a Ford 8N. Even pushing snow I would prefer the snow plow on a pickup over an 8N.

Get a good aluminum scoop shovel .You will move about the same amount of snow and the back wheels won't be spinning around. There are a lot better machines for snow removal. Get a straight frame gas loader. Like a old Trogen or such. You can buy a old Michigan straight frame with a Detroit 4 banger in it and it will last for years. And cheep to buy. .The Old Scovy.

"I'm concerned that if the hydraulics don't work unless you are moving"

That statement isn't quite accurate. The hydraulics don't work unless
the PTO and the clutch are engaged. You don't have to be moving.
Put the transmission in neutral, let the clutch out and they work.
That is, the factory hydraulics or a PTO hydraulic pump.
A front mounted pump gives you live hydraulics.

I plowed snow here in Michigan for years with the N series, so I
can tell you they are light in the rear for that job too. Especially
with a loader on the front. You would need loaded rear tires or
wheel weights (or both) and in most cases, tire chains.

I still use a Ford tractor to remove snow. I just bought a little
bigger one. I use this Ford 3000 with a front blade and a rear
mounted snow blower now and the rider for walkways, etc.
We call the rider "mini-me". I'd prefer a front mounted blower on
the bigger tractor too, but we can't have everything all at once!

BTW, the 3000 has live hydraulics, live PTO, power steering,
eight forward speeds, two reverse speeds and was within your
budget when I bought it. It's not currently for sale though.

Welcome to the forum.

8N would work OK for snow removal, provided it has an engine driven hydraulic pump (on the front of the tractor- shaft goes through the crank hole and is attached to the front crankshaft pulley of the engine, runs whenever the engine is running). I think most of them are that arrangement, because aside from the clumsiness of a "dead" PTO, the low hydraulic capacity of the tractor pump would make for very slow operation of the loader. I'm assuming that you need to pile the snow up (more than a snowplow on a pickup could) because of limited space. You'll also need to get chains for the tractor. Best if the loader is as wide as the tractor (6 feet would be fine).

It is possible to use a loader with the tractor pump- but you have to shift out of gear then let out the clutch to make the hydraulics operate. Its a pain, but you can get by if you have to.

Use of a scoop shovel to clear 25 spaces is not recommended if you're over 50, unless you have really good life insurance.

NO POWER STEERING enough said.. find something newer.

hire a snow removal service. If you buy the ford; you will be hiring one, anyway!

Not a strength of the 8N and just going to Lowes this afternoon I see a local person just invested in an 8N and front blade as it was sitting fresh in the driveway. Anyhow I agree with those who say plowing with the 8N will get old fairly quick like. Either a truck with a plow or find something like a Farmall 300 with loader. The Farmall tractor will sit high so less chance of the belly catching a drift and get hung up versus the 8N. It's possible that the Farmall may even have power steering and an enclosure for the money you want to spend. The best way to get the most for your money is the auction circuit versus Craigslist or Ebay. If you have any friends that understand simple automotive type mechanics it will pay to have them help you investigate any potential purchase even if you need to buy them a steak dinner at an expensive restaurant.

OK, that's a lot of good info.

Yes, I ideally need to pile the snow higher because of limited space. I could buy a separate plow truck (a yard truck/junker) really cheap. It would be more comfortable than being outside on an open tractor. I could however use the tractor for other tasks. The rear of my property could become a lot more useful if I could excavate about 20 or 30 yards of junk out of it. So, I do have ulterior motives for wanting a small tractor loader.

It's too large to snowblow or shovel, and the city is awesome at pushing icebergs into the driveway, which are a bear to get rid of. Last year I was chipping these out with a hand shovel and doing the sidewalks manually, and eventually the snow service would come and do the lot. The main reason I don't want to hire a snow service is the amount of time they take to come. Sometimes we are not able to use the building for most of the day while we wait for them. Last year it wasn't so bad, because it was just my business in the building, but this year we will have 2 tenants, and they will be screaming if they can't get to work.

Sounds like if I can find a tractor w/a cab and live hydraulics I'd be a lot happier. And maybe I should consider just getting a plow. If I can't, I'll need:

- ideally, live hydraulics
- loaded tires, or load them myself, and/or wheel weights
- chains, or get chains
- power steering would be awesome
- 6 foot bucket or as wide as the tractor, because otherwise I'm driving over snow as I dig out.

I have the same problem with a service. Can't get them here
when I need them so I don't use them.

Also keep in mind that a front end loader with a bucket is the
slowest method I've ever used to move snow. Especially if you get
a lot of snow. A blade mounted to the front end loader is faster and
will still lift as high. A snowblower is even faster if the snow's not
too wet and heavy.

I like the cab, but heat housers are also available which will at
least block the wind and bring some heat back from the engine.
I've had better luck with the canvas ones than the vinyl ones,
but this one slapped on my old 2N had a roof and rear curtain.

You will likely also want to have additional ballast weight on the rear. If the tractor has 3-pt (most do, but not all), then it would be very easy to make that ballast using concrete. If you choose to go that route, could ask folks for suggestions on this also.

No Problems! I've used both front and rear blade with mine, and I like the rear blade better. I also have a long drive that is up a hill. To me, the larger tractors are harder to use on snow.

We had a 8N with a live hyd loader, hyd bucket also. Had fluid in tires wheel weights and a 1/2 barrel of concrete on the back. It was awsum, Dad traded it for a 350 utility on about 58 or59. It wasn't as good a loader tractor. Slower and didn't shift as good from forward to reverse. A skid steer with chains would be the fastest. I clean our church lot with a compact John Deere. Cab 4 wheel drive. Just has a 6 ft bucket. Also a 8 ft blade on back. Pretty fast. Do 2 more churches on the way home. A blade with wings would be better. Anything will work as long as it is dependable. Happy hunting!

I have a 7 ft blade on my Jubilee. I have to put chains on mine or it will just spin it wheels.

If I'm not mistaken the hydraulics on all the older N's only works when the PTO is spinning, so you'll have to be moving to make 3 pt work or put it in neutral and let disengage the clutch.

I would go with tractors built after 1952. If I needed another tractor I would seriously look at the 600-900's and avoid the SOS.

I used to have an uncle "d" Sisson. Dean Sisson. From New York ! Enough about that. I have a 300 Farmall I put a 7' blower on in the winter. We get a bunch of snow here in Western New York. I probably have around 3000 invested in both, but use the tractor for a bunch of other things !

IH 350 Utility with power steering converted to 12v. Loaded rear tires and chains. Using a front pump on the loader. An 8nhas dramatically hard steering with a loader. I own both and would not consider the 8n.
A Massy 135 or 165 are also good animals. Heat Houser is your friend. Jim

I've seen those old Ford tractors sell at auction for less than $1,000. I think there is better options for what you want to do.

We are in the Lake Effect snow region on the Eastern shore of Lake Michigan. I have several tractors, one MFWD with a a loader, and a cab tractor. If I want to move snow, I use my pickup with plow attached. It is faster, more comfortable, more efficient, and probably safer for that job. I can pile snow nearly as high as the tractor with loader, and way faster. The only time I use the loader is the rare time I need down pressure to scrape the pavement bare, or if the piles creep too close to the parking areas. A three-point blower would come in handy maybe once every three years or so, I have yet to pick one up.

I love the simplicity of the N series Fords, they are cool little tractors. They just are not enough, any more.

8 n ford would be the worst thing you can buy. I ran those pieces of junk when I was a teenager. Thank god we were only 1.75 miles from town. My brothers and I were always dragging 1 of them to the dealership. Around here at farm sales they bring 8-900.00 if they run on sale day. They are almost totally useless with a loader, been there run them. Brakes are very poor. A old ford mechanic who spent his life time working at a ford dealership once told me "henry ford designed the brakes on an N ford to be just a little better than the brakes on a horse drawn wagon". Which is what they replaced. A snow plow on a pickup would be a far better. deal.

As a guy who has used a 9n for years to plow the mile and a half drive way to our ranch, I would say find something better. It will do it, but there are better options in your price range. I used a 9n with chains, filled tires and a back blade. If you do get a 8n make some sort of wieght for the blade as it needs weight for busting up ice chunks and whatnot. Also, piling with it can be done to some extent, but not very high or easy

I have a Farmall 300 that I use for snow removal. It has a loader with a hydraulic bucket. I can pile snow a lot higher than you could with a pickup and blade. It has power steering and live hydraulics. I gave $2500 for it and it works well for me.

OK, I'd never put a plow on a truck again. Trucks are made to carry or pull stuff. The trannies and frames are not designed with pushing in mind. I made more money off guys with plows on pickups when I worked as a mechanic! In the winter that was our bread, butter, cake and gravy. And I'd never consider an 8N with a loader for snow removal unless I lived in the Florida keys. Hire it done.

Rick

As just about everyone else has said, the N-series tractors are not great choices for snow removal. Anything with live hydraulics will be a better choice.

Anyone who says you can't use a tricycle-gear row crop tractor for snow removal probably hasn't actually used one. On ice and deep snow, you'll rely more on brakes for steering than the front wheels, and the tricycle front end can turn shorter than a standard. Most row-crop tractor sit higher than their standard equivalents, giving them a slight advantage in deep snow. My tractor is a row-crop Ford 4000 (essentially a 961), and I've used it for snow removal for almost 20 years. I have chains and ballast in the tires. It wasn't that great until I broke down and got a heavy rear blade for it, a 7 foot Woods HBL84-2. Before that I had a lightweight 6 foot blade that tended to float over the snow, was too narrow and lacked offset. Note that a new blade like mine will blow most of your $3K budget.

Personally, I think you won't be able to find a satisfactory solution for less than $3K. If you already own a 4WD pickup, mounting a blade on it would do the job; just don't succumb to the temptation of doing snow removal on the side if you want it to last. But if you only do your own lot it should last a long time. Don't think about using a salt spreader; they are death to pickup trucks.

Another thought is to find a used plow truck that still runs. It will be a rust bucket, but if it never leaves your lot, who cares? It just needs to start reliably.

And, to get to the root of the problem, you need to fire your previous plow service and arrange for a better one yesterday. Perhaps you were getting a really good deal or did not have formal agreement, but a retail/industrial rental property needs proper maintenance. Anything that inhibits a tenant from conducting profit-making business needs to be rectified immediately, or you run the risk of losing that tenant and possibly not replacing them (word gets around really quickly). Timely snow removal and safe walkways are basics- rare is the landlord that can truly afford a vacancy or liability claim.

After listening to everyone I'm probably going to get one of the many 100K miles rustbucket plow trucks that can be had on craigslist for $2K or less. It will always live in the lot itself, so it doesn't need to be licensed or insured. I sure would like a tractor though, for other reasons.

Either put a good plow on your truck or find an industrial tractor with a loader. Don't waste your money on the 8N.

Take your time, and don't "necessarily" buy a ready-to-work plow rig. As someone else mentioned, plowing is hard on truck frames. Also, plow trucks tend to be more rusty than usual.

In our case, we bought the pickup, then bought the plow. All I had to do then was buy the mounting bracket for my specific truck.

Again, I highly recommend a Dodge with the 4wd shift-on-the-floor, as it's the ONLY truck I know of that can shift between 2wd/4-hi/4lo from a standstill position. Most trucks have to roll some distance to engage.