Would like some help picking a Ford 4000 or talk me into another model.

[bob p mn]

I also had a 2010, we used it for several years then it developed engine trouble and the rest of the tractor was poor enough so it was sold for salvage. I believe my brother sold it to All States our host now. That being said I now own both a 1967 4000 gas and a 4610 diesel. I've never been around a 4600 but I assume it must be close to the 4610 and I just love that tractor. Looking at the link you posted that looks like a nice clean tractor and with that quick attach loader I also agree that it is definitely a decent price. I have a heavy duty 6' Alamo rotary mower I use quite a bit on mine and it handles that with ease. But you should use an over running clutch on the PTO as it is easy to take the PTO brake out with fast shutdowns of the PTO. Happy shopping and Good Luck in your purchase, Bob.

 

[TheBrokenFarmer]

Money spent is gone forever.......What you have to keep, with you, is what you bought with that money. I guarantee that you will quickly forget the purchase price if you are happy with the machine........BTDT!

On "quick attach buckets": Decades ago I bought a JD 4020 (just under 100 hp for a size benchmark). I found and bought a loader with "permanently....sorta.... attached bucket". The loader to bucket interface had 4 attachment points; 2 from the frame of the loader and 2 from the hydraulic cylinders that change the pitch of the bucket.....and nothing said that the length of the cylinders was/would be exactly the same when you got ready to hook them up! Working alone "that bucket DID NOT want to be attached to that loader frame"!!!!!!!
Fast forward: Buy a different tractor with a quick attach loader and the loader had a "skid steer" type of attachment for any implements you choose to install. 2 levers easily flipped and you just back out of one implement and up under the next implement, raise it slightly with the loader, push the 2 locking levers back down, and get after your business....piece of cake.

If you work alone and only have one implement to install.....a bucket for example, and it remains permanently mounted, then it doesn't matter the type of interface......if not, do yourself a favor and don't walk, RUN away from that potential investment!!!!!!!

Thanks for the reply. Yes I like that tractor and I'm going to go take a look at it this week. I had to do some nonsense stuff with my truck this weekend but its taken care of now.

I'm a little confused about your last paragraph. I'm mostly buying this tractor to mow with but I'd like to move hay around and I'd like to have a bucket to move gravel around from time to time, but I'm the type of person to buy more capability than I need knowing I'll grow into it. I'm not sure how often I want to switch ends but the bobcat style quick attach makes a lot of sense to me. Are you saying that won't work with this particular tractor?

 

[cjunrau]

I think he is saying if you want to hook up a bale fork and then a bucket and back and forth then do not buy unless you want to spend the money and make it quick attach like a skid steer loader.

 

[TheBrokenFarmer]

Is this the type of equipment needed to rig up a quick attach setup? On the order of $500?

quick attach

I can weld anything so I'm fine with doing the labor part myself. I think this would make a lot of sense.

 

[Jim.ME]

Is this the type of equipment needed to rig up a quick attach setup? On the order of $500?

quick attach

I can weld anything so I'm fine with doing the labor part myself. I think this would make a lot of sense.

The adapter you linked is for the JD Global quick attach system to skid steer quick attach system.

Different loaders are not the same where the boom arms and bucket cylinders/linkage attach, so it is not a one fits all deal.

If you can fabricate, get one from eBay, fabricate and put the ears you need for the loader you get on it. They can be had for less than $275. We are running a couple of them. About the biggest thing (other than installing ears) I have done is taken the latching assembly apart and did a little shimming and tapering square corners where they machined steps in the cam rods which caught at times latching the lock pins down.

Your bucket ears will give you a pattern and layout.

 

[TheBrokenFarmer]

The adapter you linked is for the JD Global quick attach system to skid steer quick attach system.

Different loaders are not the same where the boom arms and bucket cylinders/linkage attach, so it is not a one fits all deal.

If you can fabricate, get one from eBay, fabricate and put the ears you need for the loader you get on it. They can be had for less than $275. We are running a couple of them. About the biggest thing (other than installing ears) I have done is taken the latching assembly apart and did a little shimming and tapering square corners where they machined steps in the cam rods which caught at times latching the lock pins down.

Your bucket ears will give you a pattern and layout.

View attachment 148352

Understood. Thank you

 

[Fritz Maurer]

4610's are good tractors but they do have engine problems. Cavitation in the blocks and the tops popping off the Headland pistons. I have rebored and sleeved the blocks and replaced the pistons in my share of those.

The top comes off the piston and it doesn't take out the entire engine?

 

[Welding man]

The top comes off the piston and it doesn't take out the entire engine?

The blocks are so heavy and massive that I have personally never seen a 3 cylinder block that was damaged beyond repair. We had a 4600 SU that broke the connecting rod bolts and beat the dickens out of the crank and the bottom of the cylinder. Put a new crank in it, bored and sleeved that cylinder and put it back together. It is still running. Have seen them drop valve seats and beat a piston to death. Bore, sleeve, magniflux an mill head and put it back together. These are tough engines.

 

[TheBrokenFarmer]

The blocks are so heavy and massive that I have personally never seen a 3 cylinder block that was damaged beyond repair. We had a 4600 SU that broke the connecting rod bolts and beat the dickens out of the crank and the bottom of the cylinder. Put a new crank in it, bored and sleeved that cylinder and put it back together. It is still running. Have seen them drop valve seats and beat a piston to death. Bore, sleeve, magniflux a mill head and put it back together. These are tough engines.

And it appears that parts are available when something like that happens. I’m not afraid of a project but with my 2010 it just wasn’t possible to find replacements.

 

[Texasmark]

Thanks for the reply. Yes I like that tractor and I'm going to go take a look at it this week. I had to do some nonsense stuff with my truck this weekend but its taken care of now.

I'm a little confused about your last paragraph. I'm mostly buying this tractor to mow with but I'd like to move hay around and I'd like to have a bucket to move gravel around from time to time, but I'm the type of person to buy more capability than I need knowing I'll grow into it. I'm not sure how often I want to switch ends but the bobcat style quick attach makes a lot of sense to me. Are you saying that won't work with this particular tractor?

You need an adapter installed on the FEL. Either the mfgr. puts one on when the FEL is manufactured, or you seek after market adapters made to fit your particular FEL. Most current, over the last who knows how many years other than JD to name one (I know because my neighbors has a 2016 JD 4052R with a FEL which has the JD loader connection, not the skid steer), manufacture their loaders with this adapter. A lot of implements for FELs are manufactured with the skid steer connection.......it just makes sense......the system is popular so it is plentiful, it's quick and easy, not that expensive and just WORKS! With this common connection point, you can install a bucket, pallet forks, or hay spike, working alone in less than a minute.....if you are good at it.....I change these 3 implements on both my FEL tractors (25 and 65 HP, different brands) and usually I have to go at it a couple of times to get the fit right before lifting on the 65 horse. Sometimes I think the mfgr. of the 65 HP loader got their dimensions off slightly.

 

[TheBrokenFarmer]

Brough home this beauty yesterday. Everything looks good on it.

The engine was rebuilt a couple years ago. The guys name who did it are penned onto the valve covers. The oil still looks brand new.

The old man I bought it from even went and bought me a bucket for it at the local auction. No idea why he was willing to do that, but I’m grateful.

I need to weld on some hand controls to make it for for me. I need to tighten the left side fender as it rocks a bit. And I need to figure out what to do with the bucket. I’m debating on cutting off those mounting plates and welding on some new ones at the right spacing. I’m also thinking about mounting on a skid steer style quick attack system that will work for a bucket and the hay spears. Any advice here is appreciated.

Any suggestions for what else to do before putting it to work? Ive checked the oil, hydraulic oil and water levels and they’re all in range.

 

[Destroked 450]

These would be a good investment to keep the lift arms away from the tires

The assembly date on the block indicates the tractor is a early 79 model
8L24B = 1978, Nov 24 on day shift is when the engine was assembled
Engines were normally assembled a few days to less than a couple months before the tractors final assembly

 

[bob p mn]

I agree with Destroked on those stabilizers, my 7710 came with those on, I believe factory installed. I have since added them on My 4000 and have a set waiting to be installed on my 7700. They eliminate the fighting with the rigid stabilizers while installing or removing your 3 pt. implements. Your 4600 is a nice clean looking tractor, I hope it serves you well. And if you have to change the brackets on the bucket anyway I would seriously consider going with the skid steer plate now. My Son went that way with the Duall loader on his 8340 and has been real happy with that decision.

 

[TheBrokenFarmer]

These would be a good investment to keep the lift arms away from the tires
View attachment 149005

The assembly date on the block indicates the tractor is a early 79 model
8L24B = 1978, Nov 24 on day shift is when the engine was assembled
Engines were normally assembled a few days to less than a couple months before the tractors final assembly

View attachment 149006

So that has a bracket on the right side frame that supports the lift arms and keeps them from swaying

 

[TheBrokenFarmer]

These would be a good investment to keep the lift arms away from the tires
View attachment 149005

The assembly date on the block indicates the tractor is a early 79 model
8L24B = 1978, Nov 24 on day shift is when the engine was assembled
Engines were normally assembled a few days to less than a couple months before the tractors final assembly

View attachment 149006

Can you post a link for that? I can't find the one for the ford 4600 here on the site.

 

[showcrop]

Can you post a link for that? I can't find the one for the ford 4600 here on the site.

"sway bars" are available in many different forms from many sources. They are a universal fit. Not model specific.

 

[SkipperII]

If you search "Skid steer loader quick attach", you will find the lock mechanisms, and adapter plates, at about any price that you want to pay. I have installed several, and have been pleasantly surpeised by the quality of even the cheap ones.

 

[Destroked 450]

Can you post a link for that? I can't find the one for the ford 4600 here on the site.

The stabilizers are universal but there is a left and right side bracket that clamps to the rear axle
Look for ones for a 65/later 4000. The 3 cylinder 4000, 4600, 4610, 4630, 3910, 3930 all use the same adjustable stabilizers

I just googled Ford stabilizer kit and got several hits for both 4000, 4600, 4610 and for 5000, 5600 models
5000, 5600 uses a different kit

 

[stoughtonfarmboy]

Facebook marketplace can be a place to find an adapter plate. I found one reasonably priced to go from JDQA to SSQA. Made it so I could use my grapple with a SSQA system and my neighbor's posthole digger with SSQA system.

Ken

 

[TheBrokenFarmer]

I got my hand controls fitted and was able to mow my property today. Wow is all I can say. Granted I coming from a 60's Deere 2010 with broken power steering, a 3pt that was either all the way up or all the way down depending on its mood... but I was smiling the whole time. I'm very happy with it.

I've ordered a stabilizer. This one.

Is the idea that the bracket mounts with the ubolts to the left rear axle and then the that arm grabs the left 3pt hitch arm at the mid-span-bolt to keep it from swaying? Can someone post a picture of their Ford tractor with one of these installed? Is the idea that you only need the left side or the right side and not both?