48 John Deere A

[Pmer]

I'd like to make my styled A lighter. Is it possible to take some of the styled parts off and put unstyled parts on? Seems like the unstyled A's are lighter, would an unstyled front end (rails and all) and rear end (diff.) fit.

Is there much mixing and matching that can be done for weight reduction? I pull it 4500 with some weight to move around but would like to get in 4000.

 

[Drew]

My 49 A is 4100 with a 190lb driver. 6 ply Firestone TFR 18.4 on Mahnke super lites, light bull gears, light axles ordered which is another-50lbs. No machine work done to case other than required for crankshaft and block installation. Still has stock radiator and fan shaft.

With a small radiator, remove fan shaft and machine work to main case and rear housing 4000 is easy.

 

[MSD]

Friend pulls with us with an unstyled A and he gets into 3750 with some weights on it. It's been on a pretty good diet. Lighten bull gears-loose 70 pounds total, lighten differential- loose 30 pounds, rear axle has another 40 to 50 pounds that aren't needed, crankcase can loose another 40 to 50 depending on how carried away you want to get, hollow axles and weld on hubs will save close to 100 total. Aluminum radiator with electric fan, hollow steering shaft in the pedestal, remove old gas tank and replace with a 3 gal aluminum, aluminum platform, aluminum pulling hitch light weight rims, light brand of tires. It all adds up depending on what you want to do to it. The front end is lighter and the axle housing is also. They should bolt up.

 

[Dblair]

I've seen them with all the tin removed and they look like unstyled