1953 Ferguson TEA20 buying tips

[Bob Zerunkle]

Hello everyone,

I'm in need of a working tractor for my property. I was able to manage this year with a 18hp garden tractor but I need to up the ante. My budget isnt much so there hasn't been a whole lot of options but a "Little grey Fergie" has come up for sale. According to the owner who I spoke with on the phone, it runs well. He replaced this spring the plug, ignition wires, and distributor cap. I've become pretty familiar with gas engines recently and I understand these old machines are easy to work with. Only issue is that the hydraulics aren't currently working, but he said they worked in the fall. It comes with a loader (no bucket), scraper, and is asking extra for a rear bucket that attaches to 3 pt hitch , and a 2 furrow plow. He's asking $1800CAD.

My questions are what should I look for, does anything stand out in the pics? And what do you guys think its worth even in your area? Also, am I crazy for wanting to run firewood, move dirt and work the soil with a 70 year old tractor?
Going to look at it tomorrow and just thought I would drop by the place all the tractor experts hang out lol. I hope I'm not asking for too much here, I hope maybe someone enjoys helping a fella out. I have attached some pics. Thanks.

 

[Majorman]

I have had one on a loader for 40 years, not fast but better than a shovel. Does not have live
hydraulics or PTO so every time you change gear both the hydraulics and the PTO stop working. Bit
of a bind but you get used to it. Different if you have an engine mounted pump for the loader.
separate from the tractor hydraulics.

Could have an odd sized PTO output shaft.

You will need an over run clutch on the drive to any PTO implement.

Parts are still available from after market suppliers. If it is a TEA it could have a Standard
Motor Company engine which are a good engine.

Price here in England would not be too bad but I would like to know more about the hydraulic
fault, they are usually pretty bomb proof. Again, parts are available but would want to make
adjustments to the price. Spares to recondition the pump from Agriline would cost around 200
British pounds, 340 Canadian Dollars at todays rate.

Maybe a Petrol MF 35 or Fordson Dexta might be a better bet, but again, both are 60 years old but
have the advantage of live hydraulics and PTO. Other makes are available like IH and David Brown.

 

[showcrop]

That would be a reasonable price with working hydraulics, and decent rear tires. The picture shows OK tread and the wheel rims don't look bad but I can't see if they are cracked very badly.

 

[Pete in Holland MI]

Depending on how flexible you are, that sort of loader requires you to be a pretty good gymnist to be able to get into & out of the seat. If
you do buy, add some stair-tread tape on every member that you intend to step on to mount/dismount.

Note too that front end loaders on these tractors without power steering make them pretty heavy to steer.

 

[Bob N.Y.]

It appears the loader is plumbed into the tractor hydraulics. Did you verify that the pto is engaged? The hydraulic pump doesn't run unless the pto shaft is turning.

 

[Leroy]

Take that loader off and scrap it, you want one that you can get on the
tractor without breaking a leg.

 

[Crazy Horse]

More than one Fergie or Ford has suffered stress fractur damage at the front end axle support lugging that loader and loads around year after
year. Look carefully, some claim they really were not a tractor designed to take the stress of a loader. The loader looks like it was
designed by a chiropractor to drum up business .... LOL !!

 

[caterpillar guy]

Up your plan those were not a very good loader tractor. TO light in the rear and poor front end fro a loader. IF the loader is your primary need then look at skid steers or bigger tractors with loaders on them. One with hydraulic issues to start out the gate with is not what you want to begin with either. For the price he's asking I would expect the hydraulics to work also. You can buy other tractors for the same kind of money with everything working if you shop. Just keep in mind you don't have to buy a tractor to get your work done they need to sell one to keep the doors open. Time is on your side for tractors. Look at other places than just immediate local too.

 

[OregonAaron]

Speaking as a guy who got along with a couple tractors with sloooowww hydraulics and loaders without power steering- save your money and get something more adequate. You will be happier in the end.

 

[Moonlite37]

I believe the photo is a 20 ad a 1953 should be a 30 small issue.I agree with most other posters

 

[Texasmark]

That loader design and the Ford of the era were close cousins. I bought a salvage Ford 4000, 4 cyl ('63-65 era) with a loader such as
that where the pump was driven off the front of the crankshaft and the fluid was contained in the pipes.

The front axle was inverted showing a very professional welding of the front axle at the pivot point where it had cracked as a result of
loader work. I got it running and found that the front tires weren't made for loader work (would sink on soft ground)with that loader
and with no power steering it took both hands and a good grunt to turn it.

My advice is to look elsewhere.

 

[Texasmark]

If you must have it, take the loader off and sell it.....(I did mine and got half the purchase price of the tractor for it ) and get a 3 point gin pole and a 3 point scoop and you will have something that works.

 

[ss55]

I did not see an update yet.

You will climb on and off a tractor hundreds if not thousands of times while you own it. Before you buy, try climbing on and off it 5 or 10 times in a row to see how well that works for you. I would have trouble crawling on and off that one.

In the early 1960s two neighbors bought similar N series Fords with loaders. Within a year both were replaced with more modern tractors with full hydraulic loaders, live hydraulics, live PTO and power steering. One was replaced by a Deere 2020 and the other was replaced by a Massey 65, both were much better tractors and loaders.

Price would be about $1300 - $1400 US$ ? That is probably about right if the hydraulics worked. The seller would have to pay me to take that loader. Only one rear tire chain?