I'm sure there's quite a few experienced folks here that know how to drive a tractor...I'm not one of them. 🙂 So I'm posting this pic (and a couple others to follow) so some of you can help point out what all the levers/pedals operate. Here's one. I know the gas/accelerator is that handle up by the steering wheel, correct? What are the two other foot pedals used for (one's probably a brake). Also, there's a larger lever to the side of the seat, just slightly out of sight by the fender. I'm not sure what that's for (operating the implements on the back?). And I also see a small lever under the seat, maybe 3-4" long. The shift pattern is also not noted by the shifter. I'm not sure how many gears it has (3 speed? 4 speed?). Where reverse is, etc. LOL gonna be fun. It's a 1954 Ford NA. I'm sure there are probably some online manuals that would help as well.

Could the two pedals be for turning/braking the rear wheels independently? For making tight turns, like how a tank turns.

Not a lot of tractor driving experience, just a guess.

^

I'm not sure that would be it since there is not since there is not a 2nd pedal on the left side as well, but then again I have no tractor experience either. If I had to guess, I'd say the inside pedal, closest to the driver is the rear brake and the pedal on the left side would be the clutch. I'm also assuming the larger lever (just behind the fender is to engage/raise/lower whatever is hooked up in the rear (i.e. bush hog).

"since there is not since there is not?" ....must be an echo in here. LOL

Very common Ford do some looking and you can find all the information you need about it. As far as the pedals go you should have:

1. Two pedals for the left & right brakes (They should be on the same side as one another)

2. One Pedal for the clutch (Should be on the left)

3. The lever by the seat should be a rear PTO lever.

4. Also you might have a lever for a low & high gear meaning you could have 6-8 gears.

Also really make sure you are careful with the rear PTO they are VERY DANGEROUS.. I also shut my tractor down completely before hooking anything up it's better safe then sorry (and sorry messing with this thing means missing fingers, hand or arm).

Oh yeah the other handle raises and lowers your rear arms for the PTO.

Rear PTO lever does not look safe. LOL

I drove one years ago and as I remember, it didn't have a break. Just the clutch to stop it after it rolled a little bit. Did have the PTO

To be honest with you I'd sell that tractor to a collector and buy a newer one. There is a reason that on the newer ones there is a shield on PTO shaft & a high back seat with belt buckle. Go hang out at the local breakfast joints and ask any old timer for a good PTO story.

ping Beyder...

looks like my 8N

dave,

email me

marty @ public-finance . com

That's a Ford tractor from the late 50s to mid 60s.

Three forward speeds and one reverse (one speed gearbox)

There should be two levers on the RIGHT side of the seat to control the lift arms. One controls height and the other one controls the speed of response.

The PTO w/o shield is fine. Implements like a rotary cutter or mower will have a shield on the PTO shaft. You should be fine.

There should be a lever on the LEFT side of the seat down on the transmission to control PTO. There are two settings. One is "ground PTO" which only turns the PTO at the same speed as the wheels. This would be used for operating a hay rake. The other setting turns the PTO at the transmission speed. At full throttle that should be about 540 rpm.

The key thing with the old Fords is whether or not it has "live PTO" or not. If not, you will need to buy a "PTO override". You can figure this out by pushing down the clutch pedal (left side). If it feels like it has two stages, then you have live PTO.

Feel free to email me. I learned all this the hard way about 15 years ago when I bought a tractor. I spent a lot of money, a lot of time, and a lot of skinned knuckles, but I know how my tractor works.

One other thing: Ford tractors from that era are knockoffs of Massey-Ferguson designs and many of the parts are identical.

PTO to a city slicker means Parent Teacher Organization. LOL

(thanks for the info...I'm reading about Power Take Off safety, etc.)

A right AND left brake...interesting. I guess that's for better turning in low traction. I don't think it has a high and low range gear since it only has the one shifter...then again, I suppose the one shifter could be used to shift into a set of low and high range gears, but IIR I couldn't visibly see any shift pattern noted on a sticker, metal plate, or stamped in the metal.

ROFLMAO

Obviously you have never been slapped for putting your lips on the dipper.

the shift pattern is on the tractor somewhere near the shift lever.

the left and right brake does two things:

1 - helps with traction

2 - can help with steering if you need to pivot the tractor instead of turn it.

IIRC the brakes are "dry" brakes. check for cables running from the pedals to the rear wheels.

are the tires fluid filled, or just air filled?

thanks, camper (Marty). Once we are able to start going down to the farm (after the closing) I will try and get a better look at the tractor, take more pics, and gather some questions if the homeowner doesn't provide any help. I would hope he knows how to use it, but it sounds like he may have let some of the locals use it to dig up his garden, and didn't become too familiar with it (I'm not sure).

Cousin Eddie probably doesn't have too bad of an idea, to sell it to a collector and get a newer (used) tractor...one with a bucket on front would be nice. 🙂

I do think we'll need a wagon for hayrides with the kids.

Looks like a 8 or 9N does it have a flathead? Great tractor for a hobby farm!

If you need help Charlie and T-bone has my number.

#14, I'll check for [brake] cables.

Tires fluid or air filled? Hmmm. Fluid? I assume they are air filled, or they appeared to be. I'm not sure what a fluid filled tire would look like. Do I need to change the fluid in my tires? LOL ...i guess I do that when I change the blinker fluid. 🙂

#11 a hay rake that needs a pto? Mine don't.

dave,

fluid filled tires make the tractor heavier for better traction. Most are air filled. However, when I bought my tractor ONE tire had air, the other fluid. The fluid is something that doesn't freeze easily like calcium chloride. no need to change it. you can figure it out by stopping the tractor with the tire valve down. push it. if you get squirted in the face with calcium choloride water thent voila - fluid filled.

cooper,

I'll give you that about the hay rake, but I can't think of anything else that would need the PTO speed to match wheel speed instead of engine speed. Can you?