8N/9N?

How do I tell the difference from a Ford 8N and a 9N?

Look at the transmission. 3-speed is a 9n/2n, 4-speed is 8n. The front wheels on a 9n/2n are held on with 5-lug nuts on a large circle. 8n has 6-lug nuts on a small circle.

The 8N will be the underpowered, overpriced, barely able to get out of it's own way tractor with the brakes on the right side. The 9n will be the same thing with a brake on each side.

The n's aren't as over priced as they used to be. I saw a couple of running ones sell at auction over the weekend. They each sold for less than a grand. Both were running condition with decent tires. A couple years ago they would have gotten $2500 each. The price is now comparable to any other tractor from the 40's.

like the N alot, you can tell.
larry

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John Smiths site

Ya, no wonder they only sold 500,000+ 8N's! Just think how many they would have sold if they were a good tractor. LoL Dave

They sold because they were cheap. They appealed to loyal owners for Ford Cars & trucks. And anything was better than walking around a feild while looking up a horses behind.

They sold 500,000 because they were Starship Enterprise technology compared to anything else that was offered in 1940. In 100 years mine will still probably be mowing ditchbanks and plowing snow in somebodies driveway. Still by far the most popular tractors on this forum by two or threefold.

gotta admit he has a point.
l cook

Some wag on here awhile back, in a similar thread, defended the N Fords: They're great for stuff like going down to get the mail. If you don't have too much mail.

When you think about what else was available when they came out (what, about 1937?), they were light-years ahead in convenience and ease of operation. And much more powerful than a team of Percherons.

My dad operated a grade A dairy in the '50's and 60's (then beef and horses), and an 8N was the only tractor he ever had. For whatever reasons, I had no real sentimental feelings for it, and turned it down when he asked if I wanted it.

Larry,I'm on your side,I have mostly Cases,but have 2 "8N"'s and they are used all the time on the farm,they had true cat 1. 3 point hitch,when everyone thought they had the best 3 point.I have no problem with someone laughing at them,but you cant agrue with success,500,000 says it.PERIOD

That's the same rational as saying " eat cr*p, 500,000 flies can't be wrong".

Actually selling 500,000 tractors is a success story,no matter what direction or unusual comment that is made against it.This little tractor had some great ideas,and today there are 1000's of them still working,few tractor companies can say they same for their products

There was a farm magazine story a number of years ago about the market distribution of the N series. I wish I could find it for this discussion. It stated that the majority of the N series tractors were sold to customers (when new) that did not make a living from production agriculture. They came at a time when Americans were starting to desire something akin to what a garden tractor is now. A lot of home owners in the 1940's had a need for something that could put in a garden, mow a small lot (with a sickle bar at that time) and plow the driveway in winter. Similarly, a lot of municipalities found a need for something that could mow roadsides (under trees), do light landscaping, and plow walkways/ parking lots. Ford came out with a product at the right time that suited a lot of applications.
My personal experience talking to people that were running farms at that time considered the N's as a secondary tractor that most could not justify to have. A tractor here in upstate NY (outside of apple country, vineyards were few then) had to handle a manure spreader in winter, cultivate corn that was 30" tall or more, and have enough PTO power to run the early combines, balers, and harvesters. Areas the N's were not the most adept at.
In my mind, the N's reputation as a straight up farm tractor is overblown. However, I do not want to take away from someone's pleasant memory of decades ago.

I was in a hurry earlier and just realized this should have posted under one of the lower posts. I will also take this opportunity to rely my grandfather's account (via my father). In spring 1940, the local Ford dealer brought out a 9N to try. It only took him two hours to figure that the 9N did not fit his needs. Biggest complaint was it ran out of power with 2 - 14's on the heavy flats (as well as not having the row crop profile) and he was not going to consider a smaller plow. He was told that 9N would turn as much ground as a Farmall M in the same amount of time. His health even at that time was not the best and whatever he bought had to be easy on him for comfort. He really wanted the Deere GM (this was a couple years after the 9N demo) because it handled 3 - 14's where ever it went and the price was right. In the end, he bought the Farmall M we have today because he thought was easier on his body and was generally was a good tractor. He removed the third bottom in the heavy fields.

Mike- I own Percherons and there has never been an 8/9/2N that had the power and traction of a good team. What did the horses in was the 3 pt, PTO and the fact any moron can drive a tractor. It takes some skill to be a good teamster.

My dad was into draft horses as well, and I went to quite a few "plowings" with him. I'm still thinkin' that in a plowing contest between a team of horses and an 8N, I'd hafta bet on the Ford :>)

Depends on the ground and plows. Lets make it interesting and add some water to the furrows or take them to the woods.

In the end it all comes down to what you prefer. I prefer access to both types of power.