350 utility IH

grasshoppertym · Mar 20, 2010

i have just bought my first tracor to do some mild landscaping on my own yard and maybe a little snow removal too. what i have bought is a 1957 international 350 utility with a front bucket, its a gas motor with a 2 point hitch with the 3rd point added, and pto. it doesn't have any other options that i know of but i'm new to tractors and all i know is what i have read on the www in the last couple of weeks. i have it in the shop now having some minor repairs and maintenance done on it so it is top notch when i bring her home. it has been convertd to 12v, and overall seems to be in decent condition other than the fadded paint but that is minor.
the question i would like to ask first is: are these good tractors overall?
and is there anything that i should be aware of or keep an eye on? also any idea why these were only made for 3 years?
sorry for the long write up. Mike from Callander Ontario, Canada

Redwing 03 · Mar 20, 2010

I had a 350 utility for many years. It was an excellent workhorse. Most all IH tractors with a HI - LO torque develop problems sooner or later. Does your torque work strong and smooth? In my opinion you should mostly use the high range as much as possible, and when you shift to low or high, do it quickly and don"t let it slip excessively while shifting. Overall I loved my 350-U It seemed very powerful for it"s size, and I liked having down pressure on the 3 point hitch for post hole digger and grader blade. I think mine was one of the later ones and I believe it"s 12 volt system was factory. Good Luck -- Doug - Ohio

Jeff B. · Mar 20, 2010

I have a 350U with a backhoe-loader hang on unit on it. I agree that it is a powerful tractor. Easy to drive. My father in law was a tractor mechanic for many years in rural Nebraska, and he helped me overhaul mine several years ago. He also mentioned that the torque amplifier is a weak point in those tractors. Mine doesn't have one, so I can't offer any more than that, but overall I think they're a fine machine. Not a bad looking one either if the sheet metal is intact. I hope you enjoy yours.

Leyland-270 · Mar 21, 2010

I have a 300U with a Ford loader, two point/three point, live pto, power steering, and TA.

Great little tractor but they have limitations that they are capable of exceeding causing damage to the tractor. My loader will lift over a 1000 lbs, I have done it but it is very hard on the front end. I have seen many of them with broken front bolsters, or repaired axles.

If you have a live pto use the seasonal disconnect located on the underside of the tractor to prevent unneeded wear. Also do not use the TA to slow the tractor down, and make sure the TA is forward when going down hill. These are a complicated tractor compared to an H Farmall so you will want to get an owners and service manual for it.

Good luck with it.

grasshoppertym · Mar 21, 2010

(quoted from post at 20:34:16 03/20/10) I had a 350 utility for many years. It was an excellent workhorse. Most all IH tractors with a HI - LO torque develop problems sooner or later. Does your torque work strong and smooth? In my opinion you should mostly use the high range as much as possible, and when you shift to low or high, do it quickly and don"t let it slip excessively while shifting. Overall I loved my 350-U It seemed very powerful for it"s size, and I liked having down pressure on the 3 point hitch for post hole digger and grader blade. I think mine was one of the later ones and I believe it"s 12 volt system was factory. Good Luck -- Doug - Ohio

thanks for that, mine doesn't have the 'TA' so i won't have to worry about it blowing up and everyone says they are trouble.

grasshoppertym · Mar 21, 2010

thanks, i am also interested in getting a back hoe for mine. can you tell me what to look for in one? are there certain units that this tractor can run (hp wise) and some that it can't? and do they work well or is it better to rent a true back hoe? mike

grasshoppertym · Mar 21, 2010

as i am new to tractors i don't know if my pto is live or not, how do i tell the difference and what would the disconnect look like on the underside of the tractor? all i know is that there is a lever beside the seat to engage and dis-engage the pto. is that what you mean by a disconnect?

350 utility IH

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