Farmall B

[dgray64]

How much actual power does a Farmall B have. I grew up with Ford 8Ns then progressed to larger tractors. Retired now, I need a tractor to pull a few Mesquite stumps (from long dead trees). These are normally easy to pull. I also want to scratch the pasture some and get some new grass seed in. Sure wish it would rain here in central TX. Anyway, I have my eye on an old B that has been sitting for some time, but isn't locked up. Would this little tractor do that kind of work? If it will do the work, what should I offer for it? Thanks.

 

[old]

As per the Neb test list it has about 18hp. They are not bad little tractors but a tad bit wide on the trail. I have what I call my BA which is half B and half A and I use it to mow hay

 

[Janicholson]

I believe it will be a bit more powerful than the Ford, with better turning. As is, not running, and the tires are not rotted off, about a grand. If the tires are toast, about 450. The sheet metal looks pretty straight. Jim

 

[leon]

May just be the photo, but the front pedestal shure looks goofy - as in bent back!

 

[old]

Real hard to say which would have more pull the 8N or the B. The B comes in as per the Neb test smaller but then the gearing could have a lot to do with true power but the 8N comes in at 23HP which is 5HP bigger then the B can be real hard to compare and I have had or have both right now if you count my BA since it is the front of a B and the back of an A.

 

[fixerupper]

The B is a mighty puller for only having 18 horses. We've had one with a 60" belly mower for about forty years. When it's pulling the mower it's a little lacking but if it's drawbar is hooked to something in low gear it pulls like an OX. I don't know where the pulling power comes from but it'll really lean into the harness. Looks like there's weight in the right rear wheel. If the rear wheels have the cast centers and one weight on each side it will have plenty of traction, at least in our Iowa soil. Jim

 

[gene bender]

I-H moved the pedestal back for easier steering soon after production started in 39.

 

[gene bender]

The B did set a record for total wt pulling the wt at the Neb test. You can get 23HP with new hi dome kits by increasing bore to 3 1/8 from the original 3in bore making it have 123 cu in from the original 113.

 

[Farmall Bob]

Hi Gene,
It depends on how much you really need it. If you"re retired and need something to keep you busy, this is a great toy to have. I paid $650 for my Farmall C (10) years ago, and all it needed was a timing gear. Someone on here sold me one and that C"s been pulling strong ever since.
Give him a low ball figure and see what he says, you can always go up, but can never go down once you set price.
Bob

 

[dgray64]

Thanks. I'm working on getting it. I'll let you know how it works out. I think I'm going to really like it.

 

[Red Dave]

My B has the 3-1/8, high compression pistons and dynos at 24 HP. I set the governor so that it runs no more than a few RPM over stock. You can easily run one at way over 2,000 RPM and get more HP on a dyno, but I think that is tempting fate on these old engines.

I have wheel weights on front and back, but no liquid in the tires. It runs out of traction well before it runs out of power.

I don't know if it pulls as hard, or harder than a Ford N, but it is way, way more manuverable.

 

[old]

I would have to agree and disagree on how maneuverable they are. Yes they will turn faster and sharper but the 8N will fit between things that a B will get hung up on. I still remember the first B we picked up that was dead and boy oh boy it sure was not fun loading on the trailer I have since at that time the rials did not come down at a slant so we had to figure out how to make the tire climb a 12 inch high rail but I fixed that since

 

[Edchainsaw]

I dont think you can really compare the to fairly.
the N fords 3pt kind makes things really hard to beat. (no I am not a ford fan) a 9N will plow with a 2 bottom plow and I dont see many B"s able do to traction issues--- if you have enough weight (look at the nebraska test for ballast added to each)

I like my B but if I had to get something to really use Iwould question the comparison.

 

[LMack]

Well we did compare and we had both a Farmall A, SA, C, SC, 200, and 240 at different times as well as a Ford Jubilee, 640 and Dexter 2000. The Fords did fine in the field pulling plows but were lacking in the lugging department pulling logs or heavy loads. With the 24" wheels and the low axil they were more likely to "flip" under heavy load. You also rode low on the Ford with your legs around the transmission, rough on hot days. The low ride also put the driver down in the dust worse than the high riding Farmalls. Pulling a shreader on a Ford was pure misery. For us older guys getting on and off the B will be more difficult than on a Ford.

 

[gene bender]

That answers the puzzle of how many horses the big sleeves will make

 

[mkirsch]

The tractor in the picture looks like a BN. N stands for Narrow, as in a BN is 8" narrower than a B.

These same basic engines ran 1800RPM in the Super C's, and 2100RPM in the 140 and 240.

 

[dej(Jed)]

(quoted from post at 20:07:53 03/04/13) How much actual power does a Farmall B have. I grew up with Ford 8Ns then progressed to larger tractors. Retired now, I need a tractor to pull a few Mesquite stumps (from long dead trees). These are normally easy to pull. I also want to scratch the pasture some and get some new grass seed in. Sure wish it would rain here in central TX. Anyway, I have my eye on an old B that has been sitting for some time, but isn't locked up. Would this little tractor do that kind of work? If it will do the work, what should I offer for it? Thanks.

16 hp/18hp/22hp/24hp ? LOL! Nobody knwos for sure! Dyno my butt. They all pull differnet. It is hitch, drawbar, tires, engine tune up, etc that determines what they will do. Don't take a lot of what you read here as Gospel. Put some weights on the front of that BN(it isn't a B) and you will drag an 8N all over the place. Heck we ran a PTO baler on one for years. They have good power, but are light in the front for heavy pulling.

 

[SouthernFarmall]

The B used a 113 cubic inch engine and the 140 and Super C
used 123 cubic inch engines. I am pretty sure they all ran at
1400 RPMs.

SF

 

[kopeck]

(quoted from post at 06:46:18 03/06/13) The tractor in the picture looks like a BN. N stands for Narrow, as in a BN is 8" narrower than a B.

These same basic engines ran 1800RPM in the Super C's, and 2100RPM in the 140 and 240.

I can see some space between the seat bracket and the fender so it looks like a B, not a BN to me.

That being said with that seat setup I bet she rides hard!

My grandfather moved the world with a BN. He also had an A and the big tractor, a 200!

K

 

[mkirsch]

That's not a standard seat frame.

I'd agree with you about the gap if the normal seat brackets were used, but that seat frame is fabricated out of angle steel, and the gap is pretty small.

As I recall the gap between the seat frame and fender on a normal B is big enough to drive a Mack truck through. Since the gap is fairly close with this fabbed-up frame, and the tractor just has the proportions of a BN in the picture, I still say BN.

 

[kopeck]

(quoted from post at 12:55:31 03/06/13) That's not a standard seat frame.

I'd agree with you about the gap if the normal seat brackets were used, but that seat frame is fabricated out of angle steel, and the gap is pretty small.

As I recall the gap between the seat frame and fender on a normal B is big enough to drive a Mack truck through. Since the gap is fairly close with this fabbed-up frame, and the tractor just has the proportions of a BN in the picture, I still say BN.

That's a standard bracket, look close and you can see the holes. What's on top though is fabricated though.

The distance isn't that big between the fender and the support, maybe a couple of inches. This is the best picture I could find in short order:

K