Comparing a Ford 8N tractor to a Honda Foreman Rubicon 500. Firewood, dragging logs, maneuverability and tug of war Check out our Etsy Shop! www.etsy.com/shop/CarvingAPat...
I'm very blessed to have picked up a Massey-Ferguson 165 with a loader for $1000 at an estate sale. $50 brush cutter. Free grader blade that I found abandoned in the woods. Homemade boom pole. I just rebuilt the distributor and replaced a couple hydraulic lines last year, so it should be good for another 60 years
Wow! Ford 8-N! Was my transportation one summer. I was 12 years old in Java Lake NY. Plowed the roads. Pulled the city people out of ditches in the winter. Had a set of tracks with with set of wheels for "boogies" between front and rear tires. Took the radiator out it one summer for my Toyota Corona that had a bad radiator. The hood was bungied down cuz the tractor radiator was 4 inches higher that the Toyota's. My dad had many attachments. Was a GREAT tractor! Thanks for the memories!
My grandfather had an 8N just like that and I drove it at a very early age! Many years later I got a Ford Jubilee that was very similar. Loved them both!
I really hope you two start finding your youtube journey again, you are such amazing people and this channel is just incredible. You are true inspiration to me and many others! Kind regards
I grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm in the 50s and 60s. While there, I spent hundreds of hours on an 8N. Tasks included cutting hay, pulling hay and silage wagons. disking with a three point disk, spreading manure, baling hay, raking hay and more. I have a fond spot in my heart for that tractor. It was a 1950. There is a picture of me pm the seat at one year old with my parents standing on either side on our front lawn when it was delivered. Thanks for the video.
Excellent information! Even though I grew up on a cattle farm with a ford 3000 I have done a lot of what you demonstrated. Your presentation to possible homesteaders is spot on. Thanks for sharing, people will definitely gain much needed knowledge from your efforts.
Grew up on a small farm, Dad had an 8N that he traded in on a 1966 Ford 4000 (3 cylinder split-grille blue tractor). Both were great tractors but the 8N is such an iconic tractor, a true classic. Loved the video!
What a sweetheart of a lady. She's just adorable! You're obviously a hard worker and multitalented guy too! I hope you two have fun and do well with the youtube videos! Good luck and god bless!
To all those out there who care about Sy. His situation has become very perilous. In the interest of full disclosure, Sy has a cannabis charge in Virginia because he was making medicine for his brother and others in need. His brother survived brain and testicular cancer because of medicine produced from cannabis. Over the past few years he has been working hard put that behind him and start his life over. He has been trying to help everyone out there though knowledge shared on this You Tube page, as well as products produced and sold on his Etsy page, while trying to survive. Unfortunately, on Tuesday of this week 16 armed US Marshals showed up at the homestead. Fortunately, Sy wasn't there at the time and was not taken into custody. We are reaching to all who care about him and asking for help and support. Please comment on all You Tube videos showing your support. I don't know where he is right now but hopefully he is safe. Thoughts and prayers out to you brother.
Quite possibly the single best comparison video I have ever watched on RUclips, my wife and are currently looking for a smallholding/homestead so this could not have been any better, well done both of you, Amazing, Thank you!
8Ns are getting old, and with old you get dangerous/PITA like Live PTO, manual trans, two wheel drive, bad brakes (even in the best condition), and very rarely do the they have a FEL. Smaller tractors you will expect to do “small farm” stuff, which means back and forth (a LOT) and I really wish I went with a hydrostatic trans.
@@jjuggernaut3218I agree with your comment. Nobody watching this video should go out looking to buy a Ford 8N. They're terrible tractors. Death traps, really. Everyone who has been inspired to attempt homesteading by watching RUclips videos, should go buy newer, more modern tractors. Please, RUclips wannabes, don't do to the price of 8Ns what y'all have done to the price of land, full-size vans, etc. You know you're at fault for a lot of the inflation, right? You're just gonna try to sell everything in a few years when you find out it's hard work, anyway. Why put yourselves through all the hassle of failing. Take a vacation, instead. Go camp in the wilderness for a few weeks and get it out of your systems, like city people are supposed to do. Don't price the rest of us out of the life we've been living the whole time. Stop gentrifying country living. You're only helping to destroy something you claim to believe in.
I disagree. I can buy a nicely restored 8N, 601, TO 20/30 Ferguson or (my choice) WD-45 Allis-Chalmers for 1/4th the cost of the Kubota and they will still be performing their chores when the Kubota is junk in some scrap yard. The OP can purchase every part on that 8N still to this day. What parts will be available for the Kubota in 75 years, and what will it's resale value be? JMHO
Interesting, useful, and fun. I agree with you about the tractor, especially since I never used a four-wheeler (though I would have loved to, as a boy and young man). A 1948 Ford 8N tractor is a miracle on this earth. As you have made clear, it is definitely the place to begin for the homesteader. A 4-wheeler is nice; a tractor is a necessity. Great video. Thank you!
Though I don't have a 'homestead' to do a lot of the mentioned tasks/chores... I found my 8N to be very handy for moving trailers around my property. I installed a 'quick hitch' on the 3 point to make hooking up different attachments (trailer ball/reese receiver, brush hog, etc). a LOT easier. Now IF I had a more remote area...... I think this video presentation was well thought out when it comes to the various tasks and the pros and cons of the machinery demonstrated. Thank you for sharing.
I used to drive a tractor in Greece in orange groves. It would be rainy and terribly muddy. I'd have the trailer loaded with orange crates get to the end of a tree line and would put those gears into some high/low configuration fire up the revs pop the clutch and brake the left wheel intermintably and U-turn that rig around the tree into the next tree line with mud flying. It was like getting paid to have fun doing muddy tractor trailer pulls. There were time though when the mud would win. Especially when loaded full of hundreds of orange crates.. We'd have to off load everything . ..good to see you guys ♥
I've worked 8 and 9n Ford tractors on grandpa's 40 acres pulling trailers, logs and dead vehicles. Used brush-hog and posthole diggers. Also the hydrollic wood splitter, grampa pulled the leaves, I worked the wood. We also used the posthole digger without the drill, ouger as a boom. I love seeing tractors at work.
I've had an 8N for 30+ years and have gotten a lot of use out of it. One thing I learned the hard way was to not place my thumbs around the steering wheel, but instead to keep them on the same side as my fingers - because those old tractors don't have power steering, ruts or bumps can really cause the steering wheel to suddenly spin one way or the other, causing some real pain. I'd love to get a 3 pt dirt bucket or boom pole after watching your video...I hadn't realized the boom pole could be a good way to move rocks. The 4-wheeler loaded with wood was scary top heavy...wouldn't it be better to use the trailer with the 4-wheeler but keep it lightly loaded? stay safe you guys!
Well, I have very little experience on a tractor, but I sure enjoyed the information I received in your video. And it was quite entertaining as well. Thank you.
I am 70 years old in Florida and I have had 4-wheelers and now I have a diesel tractor that weighs around 2000 lbs. My property is several acres and the foliage is at least 10 times more dense than what you have in your northern woods. On top of that, I have lots of vines that are two inches in diameter and larger. Last year I decided to cut some roads using only my tractor, bush hog and a chainsaw. First, my tractor that is slightly smaller than yours, 200 pounds less would just drive over most of your saplings and the bush hog would chew most of them up on your property. My tractor went through my vegetation easily and I had to cut a few trees in which I put a tow strap on those logs and pulled them out to a field with no problem. Some trees were full of vines and would not fall so I would cut them high, put a strap on the upper piece and the tractor would break the tree at the cut and pull the tree and vines out to the field. I forgot to mention I had a box blade that I used like a dozer in reverse and push trees into a pile. In my case, a 4 wheeler would be useless. As far as anything in a bag like your coal and in my case fertilizer or animal feed, I pile bags on any impliments that are already on the tractor. You can stack bags on a disk, box blade, bush hog, etc. If my front end is light, I either put weight on the front or steer with the brakes and keep the impliment close to the ground so the tractor does not flip. I would rather take the 4-wheeler for a ride on the beach but the saltwater is rough on them.... I have decades of experience with tractors and 4-wheelers. The only advantage to them is that they are fast and can go anywhere. A tractor goes anywhere but slowly.
Again, thanx for letting us be a part of your jouney. I´d like to see some more spoon carving, since I´ve picked up Spooncarving as a hobby recently...also partly thanx to you guys.
Informative video with real life experiments to prove the strengths and weakness of each. Good job putting this video together. Bought a 41 9N a few months ago. Mostly original and quit running. Electrical problems. 12V conversion took care of that. Starts easy now and runs like a new one at 81 years old. I also have a B7100DT Kubota 4X4 (80's) I bought about 15 or so years ago. Typical Kubota diesel, runs like a champ and lots of power for 16hp.
Excellent, excellent, excellent video! I have personally struggled with this exact same dilemma on my property. I have a 1953 Ferguson TO-30 And a 2015 Honda rancher 400 4 x 4. The Ferguson has lost half to 2/3 of the tread however it has heavy liquid in the tires. My ATV is stock and I bought it brand new. simply because nothing is black-and-white, I’ve combined the two methods that you’ve described. I have a 4 x 8 trailer with a 1000 pound axle that I use behind the ATV to go collect firewood and bring up out of the valley to my house at the top of the hill. The tractor struggles because it’s only 2 Wheel drive and I’m almost ready to buy new tires but the tread is still over 1 inch tall, however in these difficult supply chain problems I simply cannot order new tires. Therefore I have found that my Ferguson tractor and Honda foreman ATV are almost completely equal. I have found that the difference comes out in the fact that the Ferguson can power the 60 inch finish mower to mow everything quickly and the Honda ATV can just go get ice tea quickly for the operator! So the answer is murky!
I’d get some suitcase weights for the front of the Ford. I have an 8N and a Kawasaki Brute Force 650. I live in pretty rough terrain in Montana and you’re spot on with the admonitions you say in your video. Great video BTW.
I grew up on a farm and we always had N Series tractors. I love those old Fords..they're amazing and can do so much. In the next day or so, I'm going to pick up a, new to me, Ferguson TO-20, which is a very similar, though slightly different, tractor to the N-Series tractors. It's been a while since I've been on an old farm tractor, and I look forward to doing it again! Great video..and continued good luck!
Ford 8N... My parents had one when I was a teenager, and I've driven that thing a lot. I'm now in a position where I'm consideering a tractor, and the new 4wd, frt end loader, hydrostat tractors DO look attractive, at 5X to 10X the cost of an 8N. But you've given me some new ideas for the 8N. I never knew about boom poles. To me, that's a game changer. I wanted a FE loader to do some of the things a boom pole can do. You've got me considering an 8N. FE loaders DO look useful, but at the same time, as you said, there just aren't that many big jobs around the homestead. If I need to move a pile of dirt or rocks, I can take my time. I don't need the speed of a FE loader. Thanks for the video. BTW, I was really surprised at the turning radius of the 8N. I guess those split brakes help more than I expected.
I ran into a guy at an equipment sale years ago that focused on 8n Ford's. He had scores of them and was doing a pretty good business for himself fixing up and repairing the old tractors. They don't make tractors to last like they did when that ford was made.
Very good to see the value of both machines put into perspective. Both are winners in their respective places. No different from knowing when you need to use a hatchet and when to use a knife I guess. Both have their value, trick is knowing each tools limitations or applications. What I was most impressed with was the expertise you both displayed in operating the machines at their highest level of safety (beyond actually lol) and all without protective equipment (helmets ...etc). This expertise is not inherent in our genes, it is learned from the University of Give It a Go and congratulations to all of us graduates that are still alive and all together to celebrate that. Im a Maori dairy farmer and novice woodturner and new subscriber to your channel and Ive been dairy farming in NZ and Ecuador for many years. In this time I have learned to use 4 wheelers and tractors to their outer limits through much trial and error and I understand very well that the resulting "expertise" I now possess has come from pushing the safety bar upwards yet with the presence of mind to stop when it was necessary to do so as I learned the limitations. It reminds me straight away as the following of the dark curve when carving a wooden spoon, hand placement, and use of force in the strikes of the hatchet, those lessons are well utilized in life generally and certainly machine operating. Well done you guys :)
@@CarvingAPath Enjoyed the video, if l was in this position l would choose a Unimog 401, not a nippy as your 4 wheeler but easily as capable as the tractor, plus it has 4 wheel drive and more importantly an enclosed cab for when the weather takes a turn for the worse!!
Great video. I have both as well because each job requires something different. Having both is excellent. I have a small utility trailer that hooks to the back of my four wheeler, that’s great for collecting firewood, I leave it on 99% of the time. It’s also a nice setup for when I have the PTO wood chipper on back of tractor, I shoot the chips right into the trailer then take them where I need them with the four wheeler.
I got the $500 Harbor freight trailer and built a deck and stake sides for it. It hauls my Polaris 800x2 and when I get up to the land I hook the trailer to the back of the Polaris. It hauls everything! The most fun was when I broke through the ice in 18" of water hauling firewood and just kept going!
I like your video. I moved large ash trees with a logging chain and 8n or to30 Harry Ferguson. I usually stripped the logs on site but did the cutting and splitting back at the house. I kept the center of gravity low by using the draw bar instead of the boom pole.
I really enjoy your videos..as does my wife..and my kids.. I hope you start making more of them. There's so much BS on youtube And your videos are a nice break from the crap that keeps coming out.. Just wanted you to know I appreciate your videos..and I'm sure im not alone. I look forward to more vids.. Peace to you and yours.. David......
looks like y’all had some fun making this.. (even if he cheated) a good comparison for those not in the know. if you know of any 4wheeler / w operators available haha I’m in need. have the tractor and abilities aspect covered! got a kick out of 19 seconds last time but it was good to hear y’all more in this! 👌🏼
Cool vid! Super informational! I’ve been using my four wheeler for all kinds of tasks around the farm but a tractor would have made things sooooo much easier. Hope to be getting one soon! Thanks again for the video!!
Its a ways away from where you all live but Thomas Bandsaw Mills in Maine make excellent A-frame log arch skidding/towing implement. Helped my uncle haul timber on his property with a 4x4 and its a great blend of the two areas youre talking about.. the non accessible by tractor areas are able to be skidded with the 4x4 and log arch. EDIT: about 40 seconds later you mention this exact piece of equip.
that definitely a different video i am sure you guys had some good laugh making that one and some good enjoyment i do have a 1953 ford but don't have a 4 wheeler but i use lawn mower tractor for my smaller shore and i hand up using that one more often than the big tractor well you guys have a great day and keep on enjoying yourself
Enjoyed this video. I will agree for sure for clearing land and building a homestead the tractor is the better choice. We have used our Ford 3000 diesel to drag logs to our Sawmill, brush hog to clear and maintain the land, harrow disk, box blade the driveway, use the pallet forks to move heavy items and so much more. We would not have near as much cleared to build our cabin were it not for the tractor.
Just came across this video, long after the fact. Being an aging baby boomer and "old school" and am rooting for the Ford 8N. Of course I see advantages on both sides. My only minor quibble with an 8N is the lack of "live" PTO. I grew up learning to drive in the 60's with an 800 Ford (live power PTO clutch) which was newer and much better when using the PTO. Great show! Thanks! S. Carolina
To me an even worse aspect of the N-Series Fords is the lack of live hydraulics. To me, live hydraulics are a requirement for a tractor while a live PTO is a convenience. Once you get used to being able to raise your 3-point with the clutch disengaged you'll never want to use a tractor with "dead" hydraulics.
Great video. I had a 1956 Ford 640 (son of the 8N) and it was a handy workhorse. Used it for 15 years here on our "gentleman's farm". Opened up several plots with a sub-soiler and two-bottom plow. It did not owe me a cent but started to need some mechanical attention (compression, clutch, etc.). I passed it along to someone willing and with the tools & ability to work on what it needed and bought a used 4WD JD 1025R w/60 hours (diesel). Not as strong, but so much nicer for features and ease of use (especially with a quick-hitch 3-point and quick attach/detach front bucket - another big plus that the 640 lacked). Be sure to get a light pallet fork attachment. Damn handy. I never imagined I'd find so many uses for it. You are so correct that a tractor is NOT an ATV. I'd prefer not to test the ROPS. About 1/2 of my property is inaccessable to a tractor. A saddle between two hills with a spring-raging creek down the middle; but I have been eyeing potential road/trail paths that may change that. Keep the loads light and low (and use counter-weights) and tractors (especially 4WD) are not bad on trails. There is where they each have great uses.
Great video love the Ying and Yang you two have. We also are starting a homestead and we bought a 4wheeler first and then got a 48 ford 8n also. The only thing I find with the ford 8n ( aka Miss Daisy ) is that she is light in the rear end. We have a loader on her and without weighing down her rear she is a little dangerous on our hilly property. Working on loading her tires and making a counter weight. Ps we also are starting a you tube channel The O’SHITZHOMESTEAD. Keep up the great work.
A great compination. Having both machines. . When I had my acreage I couldn't afford either. Now I have 2 small yard tractors and I live on a bigger city lot. It is backwards, I should have had any kind of machine other than my back ARGH!!!. Thanks i just subbed.
Your outstanding presentation was clear, concise, objective, and both critical and complementary as warranted. You serve as an excellent reminder that this country is sorely in need of more boots and jeans than it is of suits and ties. Well done, sir.
Your 8N is a nice tractor and should last for many more years. Another criteria to consider comparing is lifespan. Presently thereis still an abundance of parts for your 74 year old tractor, but what is the likelihood of parts for the 4-Wheeler being available when it is 74 years old? Not very likely. I think you have a good set-up and made good choices in equipment, and in a partner. Y'all seem well matched and happy! Carry-On, and Best Wishes to you both.
A tractor opened a complete new world to me. It is a great peace of equipement. My father only had a 2 wheel tractor and I started with a 2 wheel tractor. Too bad that my father was no longer around when I got my tractor.
Hey its been a while since your last video hope all is well there . Look forward to them full of good information very talented people love your music too . Well hope all is well . hope we see a video soon . be safe.
My 1990 Moto4 250 hauls a 4x8' trailer full of wood (roughly the same size as that tractor hauled) and I have no brakes on the damn thing lol.. Had some close calls but for a 250cc ATV that's only 2 wheel drive, she's got some amazing power.
Greetings! I just found this today, a year after everyone else. I understand Dad had an 8N before I can remember, but there was a Ferguson, then a Ford 2000 and 800 series, the latter of which was traded for a 4000. An Allis-Chalmers WD-45 was on the farm all that time. I remember us felling enough trees for a sawmill operator to mill us lumber for a livestock handling corral, and we dragged and lifted using those 3-point booms to get the logs on our hay wagons to haul the mile or so to where the mill was set up. Some of those logs took us both to get up and loaded. I concur that you exceeded capacity on both the ATV and the trailer! You had more guts than I would teetering on the ATV on those rocks. Our 6x10’ trailer is rated for something like 1100 lbs, so yours is probably 2/3 that? But 1/3 cord of green hardwood is 1600-1800 lbs, according to the one person who has checked that I’ve seen on RUclips. If that was hardwood, your trailer was probably somewhat heavier than the 8N. Yeah, that could get dicey on downhill gravel. Glad it didn’t cut totally loose on you.
You showed it well, 4-wheeler good for light work, tractor better for hard work and even better when one can obtain a tractor with FEL and back-hoe but thats big bucks..... One of the things I like about your videos is your not a rich homesteader with 2-3 tractors and 4 wheelers with all the jungle jangles, your just trying survive the best you can like I am.......
Great video y'all!! That's a sweet 8n and the 4wheeler is also believe the 4wheeler would get little better traction if it had tire's with tread lol clearly the tractor would be a necessity for heavy loads and things like that. Y'all have a beautiful homestead. Thanks for sharing be safe have fun enjoy y'all's time together and homestead.
Love the video, it is worth me saying, I have a 2017 rancher 420, things a beast, I haul a 600 gallon sprayer for my flat track. and it pulls it no problem, you can put so much weight behind them, but it does get dicey putting that much on top. I’ve never ran out of power with mine, it spins all four before it ever runs out of power, even with weight loaded down on the racks and pulling stuff. Overall great video!
Nice comparison. We use both very often and don't think I could go without either now.I find the four wheeler much better in the snow and ice than the tractor tho.
The ice and snow was a topic we forgot to add. But We agree the 4 Wheeler Does Way better in those conditions. we just leave the tractor in the shed when it is icy and snowy. Anyways good point
Love your 8N tractor - we hardly ever see any of those here in the UK - they're all Grey Fergusons over here. Be careful on that sloping ground, they're not the most stable machine on hills. Greetings
Like to see you all cutting up and having some fun. If you ever want to pull more with these old tractor and one of your rear wheels are spinning touch the brake of the spinning wheel to make the other one turn with it in hopes you'll get BOTH wheels spinning and pulling together.
If you can afford one, I really like my Kubota RTV x1100c. It has a PTO and is like a hybrid tractor/4wheeler as it also has the 25hp diesel motor and HST transmission they use on the compact tractors. Been getting a lot of tasks done with the hydraulic dump bed and loving the creature comforts of the factory enclosed cab as well.
Okay so right now, for some reason, I have a an 09 John Deere 2305 with loader and an 09 Polaris Sportsman 2 up with the small little dump box. They are pretty cool but I don't have the homestead land yet. I do have a small wooded lot out in the country so I do make use of them. In any case, this video speaks to me.
Nice comparison, but I would never attempt to load a four wheeler like that when it could put a small trailer with double the load and none of the steering or stability issues.
Lol like to see the 600 pound 4wheel ATV in 70 plus years that 8n tractor is a patriot
It’s a Honda
@@xfclan6055 just gonna say the same.. it's a honda
Totally a ford lol
I have a 1988 honda 4trax still going strong, so...
@@MatthewSmith-to1hz And?
I'm very blessed to have picked up a Massey-Ferguson 165 with a loader for $1000 at an estate sale. $50 brush cutter. Free grader blade that I found abandoned in the woods. Homemade boom pole. I just rebuilt the distributor and replaced a couple hydraulic lines last year, so it should be good for another 60 years
Wow! Ford 8-N! Was my transportation one summer. I was 12 years old in Java Lake NY. Plowed the roads. Pulled the city people out of ditches in the winter. Had a set of tracks with with set of wheels for "boogies" between front and rear tires. Took the radiator out it one summer for my Toyota Corona that had a bad radiator. The hood was bungied down cuz the tractor radiator was 4 inches higher that the Toyota's. My dad had many attachments. Was a GREAT tractor! Thanks for the memories!
I've got a 1939 Ford 9N. 83 years old and still runs. It ain't pretty but it works.
My grandfather had an 8N just like that and I drove it at a very early age! Many years later I got a Ford Jubilee that was very similar. Loved them both!
I really hope you two start finding your youtube journey again, you are such amazing people and this channel is just incredible. You are true inspiration to me and many others! Kind regards
I totally agree. Have been missing it for 5 months now.
😂❤❤
I grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm in the 50s and 60s. While there, I spent hundreds of hours on an 8N. Tasks included cutting hay, pulling hay and silage wagons. disking with a three point disk, spreading manure, baling hay, raking hay and more. I have a fond spot in my heart for that tractor. It was a 1950. There is a picture of me pm the seat at one year old with my parents standing on either side on our front lawn when it was delivered. Thanks for the video.
Excellent information! Even though I grew up on a cattle farm with a ford 3000 I have done a lot of what you demonstrated. Your presentation to possible homesteaders is spot on. Thanks for sharing, people will definitely gain much needed knowledge from your efforts.
That was fun. I have my dad's 52 8n that I rebuilt and a 4 wheeler. Both have their place in my life.
Thanks for sharing.
I enjoy your videos. I had a 1952 8N for over 20 years and loved it. It was like a Swiss Army knife around our property.
Grew up on a small farm, Dad had an 8N that he traded in on a 1966 Ford 4000 (3 cylinder split-grille blue tractor). Both were great tractors but the 8N is such an iconic tractor, a true classic. Loved the video!
What a sweetheart of a lady. She's just adorable! You're obviously a hard worker and multitalented guy too! I hope you two have fun and do well with the youtube videos! Good luck and god bless!
To all those out there who care about Sy. His situation has become very perilous. In the interest of full disclosure, Sy has a cannabis charge in Virginia because he was making medicine for his brother and others in need. His brother survived brain and testicular cancer because of medicine produced from cannabis. Over the past few years he has been working hard put that behind him and start his life over. He has been trying to help everyone out there though knowledge shared on this You Tube page, as well as products produced and sold on his Etsy page, while trying to survive. Unfortunately, on Tuesday of this week 16 armed US Marshals showed up at the homestead. Fortunately, Sy wasn't there at the time and was not taken into custody. We are reaching to all who care about him and asking for help and support. Please comment on all You Tube videos showing your support. I don't know where he is right now but hopefully he is safe. Thoughts and prayers out to you brother.
How did this situation turn out?
Love and prayers!
Quite possibly the single best comparison video I have ever watched on RUclips, my wife and are currently looking for a smallholding/homestead so this could not have been any better, well done both of you, Amazing, Thank you!
8N ford's are perfect for that.
Get yourself a B series Kubota with a bucket you will never regret it.
8Ns are getting old, and with old you get dangerous/PITA like Live PTO, manual trans, two wheel drive, bad brakes (even in the best condition), and very rarely do the they have a FEL.
Smaller tractors you will expect to do “small farm” stuff, which means back and forth (a LOT) and I really wish I went with a hydrostatic trans.
@@jjuggernaut3218I agree with your comment. Nobody watching this video should go out looking to buy a Ford 8N. They're terrible tractors. Death traps, really. Everyone who has been inspired to attempt homesteading by watching RUclips videos, should go buy newer, more modern tractors.
Please, RUclips wannabes, don't do to the price of 8Ns what y'all have done to the price of land, full-size vans, etc. You know you're at fault for a lot of the inflation, right? You're just gonna try to sell everything in a few years when you find out it's hard work, anyway. Why put yourselves through all the hassle of failing. Take a vacation, instead. Go camp in the wilderness for a few weeks and get it out of your systems, like city people are supposed to do. Don't price the rest of us out of the life we've been living the whole time. Stop gentrifying country living. You're only helping to destroy something you claim to believe in.
I disagree. I can buy a nicely restored 8N, 601, TO 20/30 Ferguson or (my choice) WD-45 Allis-Chalmers for 1/4th the cost of the Kubota and they will still be performing their chores when the Kubota is junk in some scrap yard. The OP can purchase every part on that 8N still to this day. What parts will be available for the Kubota in 75 years, and what will it's resale value be? JMHO
Interesting, useful, and fun. I agree with you about the tractor, especially since I never used a four-wheeler (though I would have loved to, as a boy and young man).
A 1948 Ford 8N tractor is a miracle on this earth. As you have made clear, it is definitely the place to begin for the homesteader. A 4-wheeler is nice; a tractor is a necessity.
Great video. Thank you!
Well spoken and we both agree
Though I don't have a 'homestead' to do a lot of the mentioned tasks/chores...
I found my 8N to be very handy for moving trailers around my property. I installed a 'quick hitch' on the 3 point to make hooking up different attachments (trailer ball/reese receiver, brush hog, etc). a LOT easier.
Now IF I had a more remote area......
I think this video presentation was well thought out when it comes to the various tasks and the pros and cons of the machinery demonstrated.
Thank you for sharing.
I used to drive a tractor in Greece in orange groves. It would be rainy and terribly muddy. I'd have the trailer loaded with orange crates get to the end of a tree line and would put those gears into some high/low configuration fire up the revs pop the clutch and brake the left wheel intermintably and U-turn that rig around the tree into the next tree line with mud flying. It was like getting paid to have fun doing muddy tractor trailer pulls. There were time though when the mud would win. Especially when loaded full of hundreds of orange crates.. We'd have to off load everything . ..good to see you guys ♥
Whoever does the camera work does a very good job congrats
I've worked 8 and 9n Ford tractors on grandpa's 40 acres pulling trailers, logs and dead vehicles. Used brush-hog and posthole diggers. Also the hydrollic wood splitter, grampa pulled the leaves, I worked the wood. We also used the posthole digger without the drill, ouger as a boom. I love seeing tractors at work.
Good video. Practical and informative. You have a great looking homestead.
We too love using our Ford 8n. Such a workhorse. I need to put it on the channel more. You always have great 8N content.
We have both and each definitely serve their purpose. Great video, keep them coming…
I like how you chuckle whenever you speak of dangerous activities or exceeding specs of vehicle.
I've had an 8N for 30+ years and have gotten a lot of use out of it. One thing I learned the hard way was to not place my thumbs around the steering wheel, but instead to keep them on the same side as my fingers - because those old tractors don't have power steering, ruts or bumps can really cause the steering wheel to suddenly spin one way or the other, causing some real pain.
I'd love to get a 3 pt dirt bucket or boom pole after watching your video...I hadn't realized the boom pole could be a good way to move rocks.
The 4-wheeler loaded with wood was scary top heavy...wouldn't it be better to use the trailer with the 4-wheeler but keep it lightly loaded? stay safe you guys!
Especially a tricycle John Deere.
The very first thing my dad taught me when I started driving an 8n at about 10 years old. He said keep em on top if you don't want em broke.
Well, I have very little experience on a tractor, but I sure enjoyed the information I received in your video. And it was quite entertaining as well. Thank you.
My grandpa had an 8N on his farm in KY. Brings back memories. Loved that tractor.
I used to operate one on a farm I worked on , mowing, blading roads, digging postholes. It was a fun one to drive with my son.
I am 70 years old in Florida and I have had 4-wheelers and now I have a diesel tractor that weighs around 2000 lbs. My property is several acres and the foliage is at least 10 times more dense than what you have in your northern woods. On top of that, I have lots of vines that are two inches in diameter and larger. Last year I decided to cut some roads using only my tractor, bush hog and a chainsaw. First, my tractor that is slightly smaller than yours, 200 pounds less would just drive over most of your saplings and the bush hog would chew most of them up on your property. My tractor went through my vegetation easily and I had to cut a few trees in which I put a tow strap on those logs and pulled them out to a field with no problem. Some trees were full of vines and would not fall so I would cut them high, put a strap on the upper piece and the tractor would break the tree at the cut and pull the tree and vines out to the field. I forgot to mention I had a box blade that I used like a dozer in reverse and push trees into a pile. In my case, a 4 wheeler would be useless. As far as anything in a bag like your coal and in my case fertilizer or animal feed, I pile bags on any impliments that are already on the tractor. You can stack bags on a disk, box blade, bush hog, etc. If my front end is light, I either put weight on the front or steer with the brakes and keep the impliment close to the ground so the tractor does not flip. I would rather take the 4-wheeler for a ride on the beach but the saltwater is rough on them.... I have decades of experience with tractors and 4-wheelers. The only advantage to them is that they are fast and can go anywhere. A tractor goes anywhere but slowly.
Yeah, really proved a good point about atv vs tractor. I was about to put my 2 cents in but you covered everything, nice video.
Good to see you guys again
Again, thanx for letting us be a part of your jouney. I´d like to see some more spoon carving, since I´ve picked up Spooncarving as a hobby recently...also partly thanx to you guys.
Informative video with real life experiments to prove the strengths and weakness of each. Good job putting this video together.
Bought a 41 9N a few months ago. Mostly original and quit running. Electrical problems. 12V conversion took care of that. Starts easy now and runs like a new one at 81 years old.
I also have a B7100DT Kubota 4X4 (80's) I bought about 15 or so years ago. Typical Kubota diesel, runs like a champ and lots of power for 16hp.
Good to see yall, great vid again!
Being able to take it out of 4x4 makes a world of difference when working a quad
Great video guys👍So good to see you again. Keep up the good work 🙂
Excellent, excellent, excellent video!
I have personally struggled with this exact same dilemma on my property. I have a 1953 Ferguson TO-30 And a 2015 Honda rancher 400 4 x 4. The Ferguson has lost half to 2/3 of the tread however it has heavy liquid in the tires. My ATV is stock and I bought it brand new. simply because nothing is black-and-white, I’ve combined the two methods that you’ve described. I have a 4 x 8 trailer with a 1000 pound axle that I use behind the ATV to go collect firewood and bring up out of the valley to my house at the top of the hill. The tractor struggles because it’s only 2 Wheel drive and I’m almost ready to buy new tires but the tread is still over 1 inch tall, however in these difficult supply chain problems I simply cannot order new tires. Therefore I have found that my Ferguson tractor and Honda foreman ATV are almost completely equal. I have found that the difference comes out in the fact that the Ferguson can power the 60 inch finish mower to mow everything quickly and the Honda ATV can just go get ice tea quickly for the operator!
So the answer is murky!
Honda can mow too if you get a swisher tower for it
I’d get some suitcase weights for the front of the Ford. I have an 8N and a Kawasaki Brute Force 650. I live in pretty rough terrain in Montana and you’re spot on with the admonitions you say in your video. Great video BTW.
As soon as I heard you mention the turning challenge, I knew the tractor would win! I love doing wheel-lock turns!😂
Another awesome video. Missed you guys. Glad to see you again and doing well. thank you.
I grew up on a farm and we always had N Series tractors. I love those old Fords..they're amazing and can do so much. In the next day or so, I'm going to pick up a, new to me, Ferguson TO-20, which is a very similar, though slightly different, tractor to the N-Series tractors. It's been a while since I've been on an old farm tractor, and I look forward to doing it again! Great video..and continued good luck!
Well that was a fair comparison and assessment. Thanks. Stay vigilant!
Man, great video. I'm setting up in the Highlands of Scotland. 10 acres of pine and birch and peat. Now I'm more informed, thank you
Ford 8N... My parents had one when I was a teenager, and I've driven that thing a lot. I'm now in a position where I'm consideering a tractor, and the new 4wd, frt end loader, hydrostat tractors DO look attractive, at 5X to 10X the cost of an 8N. But you've given me some new ideas for the 8N. I never knew about boom poles. To me, that's a game changer. I wanted a FE loader to do some of the things a boom pole can do. You've got me considering an 8N. FE loaders DO look useful, but at the same time, as you said, there just aren't that many big jobs around the homestead. If I need to move a pile of dirt or rocks, I can take my time. I don't need the speed of a FE loader. Thanks for the video.
BTW, I was really surprised at the turning radius of the 8N. I guess those split brakes help more than I expected.
Having started lookin at tractors and atvs myself. Thank you for the comparison.
I ran into a guy at an equipment sale years ago that focused on 8n Ford's. He had scores of them and was doing a pretty good business for himself fixing up and repairing the old tractors. They don't make tractors to last like they did when that ford was made.
Very good to see the value of both machines put into perspective. Both are winners in their respective places.
No different from knowing when you need to use a hatchet and when to use a knife I guess. Both have their value, trick is knowing each tools limitations or applications.
What I was most impressed with was the expertise you both displayed in operating the machines at their highest level of safety (beyond actually lol) and all without protective equipment (helmets ...etc).
This expertise is not inherent in our genes, it is learned from the University of Give It a Go and congratulations to all of us graduates that are still alive and all together to celebrate that.
Im a Maori dairy farmer and novice woodturner and new subscriber to your channel and Ive been dairy farming in NZ and Ecuador for many years.
In this time I have learned to use 4 wheelers and tractors to their outer limits through much trial and error and I understand very well that the resulting "expertise" I now possess has come from pushing the safety bar upwards yet with the presence of mind to stop when it was necessary to do so as I learned the limitations.
It reminds me straight away as the following of the dark curve when carving a wooden spoon, hand placement, and use of force in the strikes of the hatchet, those lessons are well utilized in life generally and certainly machine operating.
Well done you guys :)
Well spoken. We both agree and also welcome to our channel. And thanks for your interaction and your feedback we really appreciate that
@@CarvingAPath Enjoyed the video, if l was in this position l would choose a Unimog 401, not a nippy as your 4 wheeler but easily as capable as the tractor, plus it has 4 wheel drive and more importantly an enclosed cab for when the weather takes a turn for the worse!!
I’ve had both also, I agree with you on all points ! 👍
Man You got all the rigging you need with her right there
I am blessed to have both a tractor and a fourwheeler
Hope you are well and that there are more video's in the works. Thanks for the content.
Great video. I have both as well because each job requires something different. Having both is excellent. I have a small utility trailer that hooks to the back of my four wheeler, that’s great for collecting firewood, I leave it on 99% of the time. It’s also a nice setup for when I have the PTO wood chipper on back of tractor, I shoot the chips right into the trailer then take them where I need them with the four wheeler.
Fun video, well thought out, many points that allot of people would not have considered. Hey and it looked like you two enjoyed making it.👍😎
Good stuff. I still run a 2003 Honda Forman 450. Great machine
I got the $500 Harbor freight trailer and built a deck and stake sides for it. It hauls my Polaris 800x2 and when I get up to the land I hook the trailer to the back of the Polaris. It hauls everything! The most fun was when I broke through the ice in 18" of water hauling firewood and just kept going!
Have cvt transmission?
@@francismarion6400 Yes. The belt does need regular inspection and changing.
I like your video. I moved large ash trees with a logging chain and 8n or to30 Harry Ferguson. I usually stripped the logs on site but did the cutting and splitting back at the house. I kept the center of gravity low by using the draw bar instead of the boom pole.
I really enjoy your videos..as does my wife..and my kids..
I hope you start making more of them.
There's so much BS on youtube
And your videos are a nice break from the crap that keeps coming out..
Just wanted you to know I appreciate your videos..and I'm sure im not alone.
I look forward to more vids..
Peace to you and yours..
David......
looks like y’all had some fun making this.. (even if he cheated) a good comparison for those not in the know. if you know of any 4wheeler / w operators available haha I’m in need. have the tractor and abilities aspect covered! got a kick out of 19 seconds last time but it was good to hear y’all more in this! 👌🏼
Cool vid! Super informational! I’ve been using my four wheeler for all kinds of tasks around the farm but a tractor would have made things sooooo much easier. Hope to be getting one soon! Thanks again for the video!!
Great , job .. good to see you guys ..
Its a ways away from where you all live but Thomas Bandsaw Mills in Maine make excellent A-frame log arch skidding/towing implement. Helped my uncle haul timber on his property with a 4x4 and its a great blend of the two areas youre talking about.. the non accessible by tractor areas are able to be skidded with the 4x4 and log arch.
EDIT: about 40 seconds later you mention this exact piece of equip.
that definitely a different video i am sure you guys had some good laugh making that one and some good enjoyment i do have a 1953 ford but don't have a 4 wheeler but i use lawn mower tractor for my smaller shore and i hand up using that one more often than the big tractor well you guys have a great day and keep on enjoying yourself
You ever wonder what the dog's thinking when you're talking out in the air like that.
😂
Very good information, good job guys. I’m jealous of your place, keep being laid back!
I traded for as 8 N several weeks ago and am currently finishing a valve job, hopefully have it back to “Purdy” soon.
Good show. Your wife is a real champ. I couldn’t get my wife on either one of them. I have both machines and I love them both. 👍🚜😀
Enjoyed this video. I will agree for sure for clearing land and building a homestead the tractor is the better choice. We have used our Ford 3000 diesel to drag logs to our Sawmill, brush hog to clear and maintain the land, harrow disk, box blade the driveway, use the pallet forks to move heavy items and so much more. We would not have near as much cleared to build our cabin were it not for the tractor.
I first operated a Tractor just like it at about 10 or 11 years old. Wonderful unit. 😁
Just came across this video, long after the fact. Being an aging baby boomer and "old school" and am rooting for the Ford 8N. Of course I see advantages on both sides. My only minor quibble with an 8N is the lack of "live" PTO. I grew up learning to drive in the 60's with an 800 Ford (live power PTO clutch) which was newer and much better when using the PTO. Great show! Thanks! S. Carolina
To me an even worse aspect of the N-Series Fords is the lack of live hydraulics. To me, live hydraulics are a requirement for a tractor while a live PTO is a convenience. Once you get used to being able to raise your 3-point with the clutch disengaged you'll never want to use a tractor with "dead" hydraulics.
Great video. I had a 1956 Ford 640 (son of the 8N) and it was a handy workhorse. Used it for 15 years here on our "gentleman's farm". Opened up several plots with a sub-soiler and two-bottom plow. It did not owe me a cent but started to need some mechanical attention (compression, clutch, etc.). I passed it along to someone willing and with the tools & ability to work on what it needed and bought a used 4WD JD 1025R w/60 hours (diesel). Not as strong, but so much nicer for features and ease of use (especially with a quick-hitch 3-point and quick attach/detach front bucket - another big plus that the 640 lacked). Be sure to get a light pallet fork attachment. Damn handy. I never imagined I'd find so many uses for it. You are so correct that a tractor is NOT an ATV. I'd prefer not to test the ROPS. About 1/2 of my property is inaccessable to a tractor. A saddle between two hills with a spring-raging creek down the middle; but I have been eyeing potential road/trail paths that may change that. Keep the loads light and low (and use counter-weights) and tractors (especially 4WD) are not bad on trails. There is where they each have great uses.
Great video love the Ying and Yang you two have. We also are starting a homestead and we bought a 4wheeler first and then got a 48 ford 8n also. The only thing I find with the ford 8n ( aka Miss Daisy ) is that she is light in the rear end. We have a loader on her and without weighing down her rear she is a little dangerous on our hilly property. Working on loading her tires and making a counter weight.
Ps we also are starting a you tube channel The O’SHITZHOMESTEAD. Keep up the great work.
I agree with both of you. I have a 4 acre rural lot we use atvs and Ford Tractor like you do.
Each has there place . I have both , I use the 4 wheeler at least 25 to 1. But your analysis is dead on . Long live ford 8ns and 9ns !!!!!
Great job guys!!!
A great compination. Having both machines. . When I had my acreage I couldn't afford either. Now I have 2 small yard tractors and I live on a bigger city lot. It is backwards, I should have had any kind of machine other than my back ARGH!!!. Thanks i just subbed.
Your outstanding presentation was clear, concise, objective, and both critical and complementary as warranted. You serve as an excellent reminder that this country is sorely in need of more boots and jeans than it is of suits and ties. Well done, sir.
Great tractors 👍 my neighbor used to restore the old Ford 8s & 9s
I am inheriting an 8n from my grampa. And my land is in eastern Ky. And looks pretty close to yours. It was good to see how it handled the terrain.
Nicely done!
Your 8N is a nice tractor and should last for many more years. Another criteria to consider comparing is lifespan. Presently thereis still an abundance of parts for your 74 year old tractor, but what is the likelihood of parts for the 4-Wheeler being available when it is 74 years old? Not very likely. I think you have a good set-up and made good choices in equipment, and in a partner. Y'all seem well matched and happy! Carry-On, and Best Wishes to you both.
That is definitely a good point. And you are exactly correct
Miss watching your videos
Enjoy them so much
Hope you two are doing well and will be back on RUclips
Blessings
No replacement for displacement!
Excellent discussion, 4wheeler =power wheel barrow. thanks.
A tractor opened a complete new world to me. It is a great peace of equipement. My father only had a 2 wheel tractor and I started with a 2 wheel tractor. Too bad that my father was no longer around when I got my tractor.
Hey its been a while since your last video hope all is well there . Look forward to them full of good information very talented people love your music too . Well hope all is well . hope we see a video soon . be safe.
+1
Just thinking that same thing.
Best wishes.
My 1990 Moto4 250 hauls a 4x8' trailer full of wood (roughly the same size as that tractor hauled) and I have no brakes on the damn thing lol.. Had some close calls but for a 250cc ATV that's only 2 wheel drive, she's got some amazing power.
Greetings! I just found this today, a year after everyone else. I understand Dad had an 8N before I can remember, but there was a Ferguson, then a Ford 2000 and 800 series, the latter of which was traded for a 4000. An Allis-Chalmers WD-45 was on the farm all that time. I remember us felling enough trees for a sawmill operator to mill us lumber for a livestock handling corral, and we dragged and lifted using those 3-point booms to get the logs on our hay wagons to haul the mile or so to where the mill was set up. Some of those logs took us both to get up and loaded.
I concur that you exceeded capacity on both the ATV and the trailer! You had more guts than I would teetering on the ATV on those rocks. Our 6x10’ trailer is rated for something like 1100 lbs, so yours is probably 2/3 that? But 1/3 cord of green hardwood is 1600-1800 lbs, according to the one person who has checked that I’ve seen on RUclips. If that was hardwood, your trailer was probably somewhat heavier than the 8N. Yeah, that could get dicey on downhill gravel. Glad it didn’t cut totally loose on you.
good vid guys really enjoyed
With the 4-wheeler: when hauling firewood, use a trailer; haul one log at a time! Though, really good to be able to have both!
Or a logging arch with golf cart tires. Also works great for ATV
Enjoyed y’all’s Video Thanks God Bless!
Fun video, if you put a bucket on the 8N it becomes even more of a utility vehicle. I had a IH H with a bucket and I used it all the time moving wood.
Here's what we do. We cut 2 or 3 . 10ft logs and pull them out. Then process at point of use. Thank you greatly for your video.
You showed it well, 4-wheeler good for light work, tractor better for hard work and even better when one can obtain a tractor with FEL and back-hoe but thats big bucks.....
One of the things I like about your videos is your not a rich homesteader with 2-3 tractors and 4 wheelers with all the jungle jangles, your just trying survive the best you can like I am.......
Great video y'all!! That's a sweet 8n and the 4wheeler is also believe the 4wheeler would get little better traction if it had tire's with tread lol clearly the tractor would be a necessity for heavy loads and things like that. Y'all have a beautiful homestead. Thanks for sharing be safe have fun enjoy y'all's time together and homestead.
Love the video, it is worth me saying, I have a 2017 rancher 420, things a beast, I haul a 600 gallon sprayer for my flat track. and it pulls it no problem, you can put so much weight behind them, but it does get dicey putting that much on top. I’ve never ran out of power with mine, it spins all four before it ever runs out of power, even with weight loaded down on the racks and pulling stuff. Overall great video!
Also worth mentioning the tires on that four wheeler look like race slicks😂
Should get a poly trailer for that 4wheeler
Nice comparison. We use both very often and don't think I could go without either now.I find the four wheeler much better in the snow and ice than the tractor tho.
The ice and snow was a topic we forgot to add. But We agree the 4 Wheeler Does Way better in those conditions. we just leave the tractor in the shed when it is icy and snowy. Anyways good point
@@CarvingAPath a Ford tractor with chains and a back blade is almost unstoppable in snow and ice.
Love your 8N tractor - we hardly ever see any of those here in the UK - they're all Grey Fergusons over here. Be careful on that sloping ground, they're not the most stable machine on hills. Greetings
Like to see you all cutting up and having some fun. If you ever want to pull more with these old tractor and one of your rear wheels are spinning touch the brake of the spinning wheel to make the other one turn with it in hopes you'll get BOTH wheels spinning and pulling together.
If you can afford one, I really like my Kubota RTV x1100c. It has a PTO and is like a hybrid tractor/4wheeler as it also has the 25hp diesel motor and HST transmission they use on the compact tractors. Been getting a lot of tasks done with the hydraulic dump bed and loving the creature comforts of the factory enclosed cab as well.
Okay so right now, for some reason, I have a an 09 John Deere 2305 with loader and an 09 Polaris Sportsman 2 up with the small little dump box. They are pretty cool but I don't have the homestead land yet. I do have a small wooded lot out in the country so I do make use of them. In any case, this video speaks to me.
Nice comparison, but I would never attempt to load a four wheeler like that when it could put a small trailer with double the load and none of the steering or stability issues.