Steering?

[Luke470]

How heavy is the steering on the N series?
I realize that they aren't power steering but from my
experience (I have a farmall cub and a very heavy
MM-RTI) the steering is pretty light with the wide
front end. I also have a Case VAC with a trip bucket
loader and its steering (narrow front) and it's
steering is very heavy

I was thinking a ford 8n with a loader would be
relatively easy due to the wide front end but from
another forum it was said that they are very hard
steering tractors?

 

[Royse]

They steer quite easily unless there is something wrong
with them. Different sized tires can even make a difference.

A loader on one will make it a bear to steer though!
Not impossible, it's been done for years, but not easy.

 

[Ed Douglas]

Royse and others from the other forum are correct.....You can have my trip bucket loader off of my 8n...lol...not worth the aggravation...

 

[Tall T]

I'm thinking that the deep center rib on my fronts makes steering heavier because of the way the center rib digs in to semi soft ground -- plus my steering needs to be realigned which compounds the problem..

 

[howdy1960]

Have you ever driven a non-powersteering truck or car?
Have you ever driven a powersteering truck or car when the power part isn't working?
IMO the 2nd choice is closer to the truth.
Picture is of SadieMae, my 43 2N with Dearborn 19-61 FEL

 

[howdy1960]

Forgot to add even tougher when you have anything but a load of air in bucket

 

[Tall T]

You're just going to have to bite the bullet Jungle Jim . . .
and get a power steering kit for your baby.

 

[NoNewParts]

sure, an N steers very easily.
Old tractor designers were pretty smart.
All brands wide or narrow steer far easier than you would think
considering their weight, when the steering components are in good factory shape.

However, add a loader......
no more easy manual steering.
still possible with the only turn while moving routine,
and 4 back and forth moves instead of a hard turn.

I'd find something with power steering for a loader tractor.
(but, manual steering 'tricks' are still a good idea even with power steering. Just because you can't feel the strain....your front end parts still do.......)

 

[BlackThumbHomesteader]

I've got a '67 VW Beetle, an '81 VW Rabbit, and a '47 Ford 2N. I've been without power steering all of my life so to me the tractor steers smooth. My forearms are like rocks. In all seriousness; I don't often have to keep both hands on the wheel and usually only if it's on broken ground.

 

[souNdguy]

an N with a good box and good front end components steers easy. add a loader and it's like a dump truck...

 

[greywolf224]

Very easy steering with no front end weight. Add a bucket then you need to add a counterbalance in the rear to get you back to where you started with your weight distribution.

I hook up an ~ #750 cement block on the 3 pt when running the loader. Makes the loader feel like its not there when bucket is empty but not very hard to steer when bucket is full.

Ever wonder why a backhoe is pulling wheelies when driving down the road with an empty loader bucket....cause the rear backhoe counterbalances the front keeping the as much weight off the front wheels as possible until loading up the bucket.

 

[Ed Douglas]

You may be right Tall......I have found the wider the tire....the harder for me!

 

[Caryc]

I have a Davis FEL on my 8N. It's the only tractor I've ever had so I don't know what the steering is like without the loader.

I have 650 X 16" light truck tires on it and they handle the weight well. You need to get used to steering on the move because you won't be forcing that steering wheel around at a stop.

As for power steering...I personally wouldn't put power steering on it. I would think that I would soon forget and go back to steering at a stop. I think this would put too much pressure on the steering arms and other parts. The N's just weren't designed for loaders.

I've had this 8N for over ten years now so I've gotten pretty much used to dealing with the steering. I use the left and right brakes a lot to steer also. For what I need it for on my property, I wouldn't dream of removing the FEL. In my area there are no such things as cheap tractors or I'd have another one without an FEL.

If you're thinking about putting an FEL on an "N" tractor, you need to be aware of one thing.

Your little gazelle of an "N" will turn into a slow lumbering water baffalo.