New to tractors, grandpa is selling his and trying to determine value - any help appreciated!

[Ultradog MN]

What area of Missouri are you in?? The 3000 was one of Fords worst tractors but better then an 8N but still not all that much better

Are you kidding??
I had Ford Ns for 4 or 5 years and I had 3000s for most of 20 years. Comparing a 3000 to an N is like comparing a Harley to a Moped.

 

[LukeTSherman]

I have had Ford 3000s for decades. I like diesels because they are just less trouble. I started with gassers until I could afford a diesel. 2700 hours on that tractor, with any kind of reasonable upkeep is fine. Power Steering is a BIG plus. Good rubber is a BIG plus. Looking at the overall condition says it was cared for. If the instrument panel doesn't work ebay has them at a good price.....surely YT sells them also but I do a lot of shopping with ebay and I just go to them first without another thought. The tractor has an 8 speed transmission which is the better tranny for this tractor. It probably has a Live transmission/clutch arrangement:

The clutch has 2 discs, one controlling the ground speed and the other the PTO. With the clutch all the way down both are disengaged. When you let the clutch out (let the pedal rise) about 1/4 the total distance, the PTO (if the lever is in the active region...lever is on the left side behind your foot...) is activated and starts spinning. As you let the clutch out more, about 3/4 the way all the way up the ground speed is engaged. This transmission is perfect for digging post holes in a straight line.

A service manual is your best friend. I and T makes one that dealers used to stock...maybe still do, and places like ebay sells used OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) Ford manuals. Usually the first thing you do is change all the fluids and check the air filter (the big black circle on the left side of the cowling) for cleanliness. I use the Motorcraft FL-1A engine oil filter and 15w-40 HD oil...both reasonably priced at Walmart. The tranny and differential use THD (tranny, hydraulic, differential) fluid. Radiator gets 50-50 mix and full is the top of the coils when the engine is cold....it will expand and fill the tank as the fluid heats up. Don't forget to get a grease gun and red grease and go over the whole tractor hitting the grease zerks , especially on the front king pins....pump grease into the zerk until you see it coming out the top of the vertical portion (kingpin) of the front end.....its adjacent to the top of the front tires where it oozes out when the pin area is full, zerk is in the middle rear of the pin.

On safety, be careful on hills if driving parallel to the hill....you don't want a tip over. Any thing you pull needs to be below the rear axle which forces the front tires down.....above the rear axle is inviting a rear up.....front tires off the ground.....unsafe!

Good luck

That's some really fantastic info and tips, thanks for the detailed information!

 

[buickanddeere]

3000 for certain

 

[RTR]

I sold this 8n for $4,500 and it was only listed a week! Having said that I do not care to own another one. In my opinion, they are only good for light work like pulling a wagon, lite plowing and disking, and parading around. They are a bit dangerous and obsolete for any real work or PTO work. Get the 3000 Ford.

 

[old]

I sold this 8n for $4,500 and it was only listed a week! Having said that I do not care to own another one. In my opinion, they are only good for light work like pulling a wagon, lite plowing and disking, and parading around. They are a bit dangerous and obsolete for any real work or PTO work. Get the 3000 Ford. View attachment 167712

That appears to be the older front mount distributor 8N and yes they where not as good as the later side mount distributor 8Ns

 

[JWA]

That appears to be the older front mount distributor 8N and yes they where not as good as the later side mount distributor 8Ns

Still waiting on your clarification of your comment on the 3000 being Ford's worst tractor.

 

[RTR]

That appears to be the older front mount distributor 8N and yes they where not as good as the later side mount distributor 8Ns

that is correct

 

[sotxbill]

8

Still waiting on your clarification of your comment on the 3000 being Ford's worst tracto

I sold this 8n for $4,500 and it was only listed a week! Having said that I do not care to own another one. In my opinion, they are only good for light work like pulling a wagon, lite plowing and disking, and parading around. They are a bit dangerous and obsolete for any real work or PTO work. Get the 3000 Ford. View attachment 167712

The 8n was no more dangerous than any modern tractor. However the 2n/9n definitely had some problems. First off 9/2 came with pegs and no running boards, so it was easy to slide off the peg and fall to the ground and get run over. Second was the left brake and clutch were on the left side, so that in a emergency stop, you snapped in the clutch and the right brake... and in many cases spinning the tractor to the right, is into the creek, tree or fence. My uncle had to have is 9n pulled out the creek several times. BUT then there is the "transmission pto" on many models up through and to the 70s... that when you had to make a stop, pushed in the clutch, the shredder connected to the rear of the transmission, continued to wind down but push/drive the tractor forwards and through a fence or two, and many even a creek. This problem existed on many many many many tractors of all makes, and was fixed with simply installing a over-running clutch on the pto. SO, yes the 8n did have the same problems that a 1975 ford 2000 with a 4 speed transmission had and all the models before it. The 4 speed probably was still there up to '81????

 

[dbNga]

I'm looking for a tractor for a 10 acre lot in Missouri with my home on it. It's mostly flat, about 60% field and 40% wooded. I expect to use it for snow, gravel driveway maintenance, mowing regularly with the occasional other projects like post hole digging, and moving material with a dirt scoop or similar attachment. I've attached images of a Ford 3000 my grandpa is selling, I know the battery needs replacing but very little beyond that. Immediate thoughts/details on the apparent condition and features of this tractor? Appreciate the help!

Before this opportunity I was planning on keeping it simple and getting an 8N as they're a bit cheaper and available in my area and seemed to have the specs I need (at least if I added a clutch to the PTO for things like a brush hog), Is the Ford 3000 a worthy upgrade, or should I keep it simple?
View attachment 167507View attachment 167508View attachment 167509View attachment 167510View attachment 167511View attachment 167512

This tractor is perfectly optioned: 1-power steering, 2-live pto/maybe independent pto, 3-power adjust wheels if you ever want to do old time farming, 4- belly drawbar for towing/pulling, 5- lights and bumper, 6- looks like upgraded seat for the era. 7- looks like it has rear remote installed. Gas may be a negative for some but power is so close it's not a big deal. At today's prices gas may come back in favor. Today's gas does not like to sit weeks on end in carbureted engines so use non ethanol if it sits a lot and use a treatment to preserve the non ethanol such as sta-bil or seafoam, your choice. If you are in an extremely cold winter you will need to treat the diesel to keep from jelling. It was grandpa's tractor go get it. I have an 8n and I have always described it as one heartbeat from a mule. It's useful. but has its limits. You"ll be much happier with the 3000.

 

[Ultradog MN]

This tractor is perfectly optioned: 1-power steering, 2-live pto/maybe independent pto, 3-power adjust wheels if you ever want to do old time farming, 4- belly drawbar for towing/pulling, 5- lights and bumper, 6- looks like upgraded seat for the era. 7- looks like it has rear remote installed. Gas may be a negative for some but power is so close it's not a big deal. At today's prices gas may come back in favor. Today's gas does not like to sit weeks on end in carbureted engines so use non ethanol if it sits a lot and use a treatment to preserve the non ethanol such as sta-bil or seafoam, your choice. If you are in an extremely cold winter you will need to treat the diesel to keep from jelling. It was grandpa's tractor go get it. I have an 8n and I have always described it as one heartbeat from a mule. It's useful. but has its limits. You"ll be much happier with the 3000.

Good post.
The 3000s (if so optioned) would have had Live pto. 4000s and larger were Independent pto.

 

[showcrop]

This tractor is perfectly optioned: 1-power steering, 2-live pto/maybe independent pto, 3-power adjust wheels if you ever want to do old time farming, 4- belly drawbar for towing/pulling, 5- lights and bumper, 6- looks like upgraded seat for the era. 7- looks like it has rear remote installed. Gas may be a negative for some but power is so close it's not a big deal. At today's prices gas may come back in favor. Today's gas does not like to sit weeks on end in carbureted engines so use non ethanol if it sits a lot and use a treatment to preserve the non ethanol such as sta-bil or seafoam, your choice. If you are in an extremely cold winter you will need to treat the diesel to keep from jelling. It was grandpa's tractor go get it. I have an 8n and I have always described it as one heartbeat from a mule. It's useful. but has its limits. You"ll be much happier with the 3000.

Non-ethanol gas isn't needed when sitting for long periods. You need only to keep the tank full. No moisture gets in if air isn't going in and out.

 

[GermantownGreen]

Mid-missouri

I'm in Henry county. I'd say anything around 2500-3000. Like others said you only have one chance to own a family tractor. Your heart will never be right if you let it leave. 3000 will do everything you want.
Set up the situation for sale.... If they get an offer from someone else, you ask to have the last right of refusal, you can up the bid and buy the tractor, and smile every time you climb on it. GG Wes