Last trike front

[doug in missouri]

Just wonder who had the last trike front. DOUG

 

[farmersamm]

They still make 'em

 

[used red MN]

LOL farmersam!
These are what I recall from a previous discussion.
IH x86 series built to 1981
For JD I am less certain on I know the xx40 series built to ‘82 were available in a narrow front, now much less certain if the xx50 built through ‘88 and the xx55 series built through ‘92 offered that option. I want to say recently either here or on AgTalk I saw a cleaned up open station 50 series with a narrow front but I am not certain.
Others will have to give you info on other brands like AC, Ford and White
If you meant a single front wheel, that info would have to come from someone else as well.

 

[Adrian Billheimer]

They still make 'emView attachment 125056

Where can I get plans for that!

 

[Non-farmer]

For JD I am less certain on I know the xx40 series built to ‘82 were available in a narrow front

I will assume that was a styled narrow front

 

[m16ty]

They went away for the most part in the mid ‘70s. Even on the models that offered a narrow front and produced into the ‘80s, I think the narrow front was drooped as an option toward the end of the production run.

Even today I think companies make aftermarket conversion kits to put narrow fronts on new tractors, for very special applications.

 

[Phil in Pa]

Just wonder who had the last trike front. DOUG

Dairy I worked at in the 80's had a Ford 5000 narrow, probably an early 70's tractor.

 

[used red MN]

They went away for the most part in the mid ‘70s. Even on the models that offered a narrow front and produced into the ‘80s, I think the narrow front was drooped as an option toward the end of the production run.

Even today I think companies make aftermarket conversion kits to put narrow fronts on new tractors, for very special applications.

I am confident if you were the guy ordering the last tractor of the IH x86 model or the Deere x40 series you could have gotten a narrow front. Were they sent out to dealers as common stock? I would say the answer is probably no.
To clarify on the Deere side I don’t think it was an option offered on the 46xx and 48xx models on the xx30 & xx40 models. (and yes I know there was never a 4830 row crop model)

 

[Tx Jim]

I agree JD 4040 was last JD tractor built '78-'82 that was offered from factory with tricycle frt end.

 

[caterpillar guy]

I would expect that by the later 80's most were bigger HP so then MFWD was beginning to take hold with more power they needed the front axle driving to get the power to the ground and therefore more interest in the MFWD versus going to a narrow front also the planter and such were starting to get bigger so they could turn them around with a MFWD on and still make the turn into the rows. By then the MFWD was also being refined to turn shorter than those old Coleman's and early ELwood's fronts on thew Tractors they were sold to for them. I do like a narrow front an a 2WD tractor for thr turning radius on them over a wide front .I'm not going to go find the narrow front to change them though. And the tipping part is old wives tales .I've never tipped a narrow over in all the years I ran tractors . We still have the H and MD with them yet. And those wide fronts took 40 acres to turn them around.

 

[m16ty]

I am confident if you were the guy ordering the last tractor of the IH x86 model or the Deere x40 series you could have gotten a narrow front. Were they sent out to dealers as common stock? I would say the answer is probably no.
To clarify on the Deere side I don’t think it was an option offered on the 46xx and 48xx models on the xx30 & xx40 models. (and yes I know there was never a 4830 row crop model)

I’d have to see one to prove me wrong. It’s my understanding that at least IH didn’t even have stock available for narrow front toward the end of the 86 production run. Basically production stopped on building the narrow front components around the mid 1970s at the latest (maybe earlier), after that you could order a narrow front until all the stock of parts were used up.
By 1970 the switch from narrow to wide was compete for the most part. The few narrow fronts sold were just some holdouts from earlier times and the rare special application.

 

[m16ty]

I would expect that by the later 80's most were bigger HP so then MFWD was beginning to take hold with more power they needed the front axle driving to get the power to the ground and therefore more interest in the MFWD versus going to a narrow front also the planter and such were starting to get bigger so they could turn them around with a MFWD on and still make the turn into the rows. By then the MFWD was also being refined to turn shorter than those old Coleman's and early ELwood's fronts on thew Tractors they were sold to for them. I do like a narrow front an a 2WD tractor for thr turning radius on them over a wide front .I'm not going to go find the narrow front to change them though. And the tipping part is old wives tales .I've never tipped a narrow over in all the years I ran tractors . We still have the H and MD with them yet. And those wide fronts took 40 acres to turn them around.

I’ve got a 806 I’ve converted to narrow and I have a narrow front sitting in the shop to change out my Oliver 1850. Narrow fronts are a little less unstable on hilly ground, but it’s not as much as people think. People get a false sense of security with a wide front, failing to realize that the front axle is on a pivot point.
I like the narrows because they are so much more maneuverable and they look better on some models.

 

[Rich'sToys]

People get a false sense of security with a narrow front, failing to realize that the front axle is on a pivot point.

I assume you meant wide front? I agree.

 

[used red MN]

I’d have to see one to prove me wrong. It’s my understanding that at least IH didn’t even have stock available for narrow front toward the end of the 86 production run. Basically production stopped on building the narrow front components around the mid 1970s at the latest (maybe earlier), after that you could order a narrow front until all the stock of parts were used up.
By 1970 the switch from narrow to wide was compete for the most part. The few narrow fronts sold were just some holdouts from earlier times and the rare special application.

You are probably right, I think it also depends on the area. Narrow fronts were more common in some areas. I think 1970 is a fairly early date to say that is when they were essentially phased out. I would agree with mid 1970s when the 66 series IH and the 40 series Deeres were in production.

 

[m16ty]

I assume you meant wide front? I agree.

You are correct, I edited it.

 

[m16ty]

You are probably right, I think it also depends on the area. Narrow fronts were more common in some areas. I think 1970 is a fairly early date to say that is when they were essentially phased out. I would agree with mid 1970s when the 66 series IH and the 40 series Deeres were in production.

Narrow fronts were popular here in TN through the ‘50s and then everybody swapped to wide. In other words, if you find a tractor made before 1960 it would be rare for it to be wide, if it was made after 1960 it’s rare for it to be narrow.
We always farmed with AC, and I bet I’ve seen close to 100 WD45 tractors. Production numbers said they built far more wide than they did narrow, but it is very rare to find a wide front around here. I have no idea where all the wide fronts went.

 

[marloweg]

1975 Massey Ferguson 180

 

[caterpillar guy]

Most of the letter and 00,50,60,series were narrow front here and by the 06 series most were wide front even with row crop work. I believe the Narrow front mostly came to an end when cultivating and MFWD started to catch on some in certain areas. Or I suppose it could be that MFWD caught on more when the wide fronts were more prevalent.

 

[m16ty]

Most of the letter and 00,50,60,series were narrow front here and by the 06 series most were wide front even with row crop work. I believe the Narrow front mostly came to an end when cultivating and MFWD started to catch on some in certain areas. Or I suppose it could be that MFWD caught on more when the wide fronts were more prevalent.

Safety had a lot to do with it. Before the 1960s people put little thought into tractor safety. In the 1960s is when you started seeing ROPS and narrow fronts started going away.
Personally I like the narrow fronts, but from a practical standpoint when mounted cultivators and mounted pickers went away there wasn’t much need. Narrow is more manageable though, but that doesn’t matter much when you are just in the field.

 

[Brendon-KS]

Safety had a lot to do with it. Before the 1960s people put little thought into tractor safety. In the 1960s is when you started seeing ROPS and narrow fronts started going away.
Personally I like the narrow fronts, but from a practical standpoint when mounted cultivators and mounted pickers went away there wasn’t much need. Narrow is more manageable though, but that doesn’t matter much when you are just in the field.

I believe too that the demise of mounted corn pickers was the nail in the coffin for narrow fronts. The improved ride comfort and increased flotation due to larger front tires were also likely contributing factors for wide fronts taking over.