I have a 1952 Ford 8N. It is a great tractor. Paid $2000 for it three years ago. It came with a finish mower, a plow, and a scraper blade. It has paid for itself many times over. The tractor is easy to maintain. I bought a scoop, a boom pole, and a carryall attachments. I use the tractor two or three times a month.
My only experience with a 'later' model New Holland was with a TN70 4wd model. It was ordered with a loader, full cab, heater, and ac. It was a nightmare from the start. The AC never worked, the engine had fuel system issues after only a few months, the loader controls, shifter, clutch linkage and various controls were a constant issue. The thing was bought for property maintenance on a large piece of land, it was used to mow about 8 acres of field, pull a small wagon, and to clear snow in the driveway in the winter. From day one it would kill its battery over night, an issue that was never fixed, it had to be plugged in on charge at all times. The loader lost its paint in three months, it flaked off in sheets, and they replaced the loader controls 5 times, each time they locked up or go so stiff you could barely move the lever. It was new in 2005, it spent most of that year and half of the next summer at the dealer. By 2010 it was relegated to just being a snow removal machine for the driveway. The cab was unbearable in the summer heat and the seemingly always on heat was more tolerable in the cold. The engine had been worked on 18 times, and still had fuel and oil leaks and it refused to start, even on hot days if not plugged in full time. The dealer hated working on it and even told me he wished they never made that model or combo. There was a recall on the loader, when what ever parts they needed couldn't be found it ended up with an aftermarket loader. In 2015 got lucky and found someone who wanted to buy it and I was glad to see it go. I think a good bit of the issues were that the thing was made in Italy and basically just some sort of rebadged model. I had gotten rid of a French built Allis Chalmers that drove me insane with all sorts of issues, most stemming from the strange design of the steering and the French built engine. I went back to the old Ford 800 and a Case 580 CK for around the property and never bothered with a newer machine after that. A buddy bought one of those Boomer 8N tractors a year after they came out, I think he had it for a year and sold it and bought a Kubota after it spent more than half of the first year at the dealer for various issues. He bought it to run a small flail mower but I don't think it ever completed a single task without breaking down.
@@garlicandchilipreppers8533 yep, these videos that are drawn out to monetize are so irritating when the stories can be simple and to the point. That’s why “Shorts” do so well.
This seems to be another example of a manufacturer trying to re-capture the glory of an older product. The engineers come up with something that looks like the original but fails to capture what made the original great. "New and improved' isn't always an improvement.
My Dad always had a soft spot for the Ferguson TO30 tractor. He said that he could cut anything with a Bush Hog Model 2 that the Ferguson could ride up over. Trees up to 4" in diameter. When I came along it was the barn scraper tractor, occasionally hooked to the old #2 Bush Hog. Only difference between the TO's and the"N" Fords was the engine, Continental vs Ford 4 cylinder engine. Same transmission, same 3ph system. Single action cylinders on the front loader lift, dual action on the dump after the trip bucket was replaced. We are JD Green, but I loved both the Ford 9600 and TW20 tractors. They were good pulling machines, even if doing PTO jobs like silage blowers and manure lagoon pumps. I worked the TW20 on a 3 row corn chopper, and even hooked to a 7 shank V ripper, and a 12 shank JD Mulch Tiller (coulter chisel plow), and it walked off with them. Those big blues didn't quit!👍👍
I still run a 1950 Ferguson TEA-30. It was built in Coventry, England (TO meant 'tractor overseas', while TE meant 'tractor england') and had the Continental engine. That engine is overhead cam, whereas the Fords had flatheads, although there's nothing wrong with a flathead. A good, solid tractor. However, the lack of a low range on the transmission limited its use, for me at least. It has a 6V electrical system with starter motor but I use the hand crank. Just for fun.
Oops! I had a brain fart when I said my 1950 Ferguson TEA-20 (not a TEA-30!) had the Continental engine. In fact, it has the Standard engine, an overhead valve (not cam!) engine used with great success in the Standard Vanguard and Triumph TR series of sports cars. (Here's a bit of trivia for you: the very earliest TE-20 tractors DID have Continental engines, before the switch to Standard engines). Continental today makes aircraft engines. Now, my 1963 Massey Ferguson 35 has the Continental engine. A real workhorse!
@RickReynolds-p5u I didn't see it, but my Dad was not one to exaggerate. I have backed the same #2 Bush Hog into some pretty big stuff, and it ground them up, albeit with a JD 2030. Given a bit of time, I think that the TO30 probably could have shredded that stuff, especially Gum and Alanthus trees. Never underestimate the power of a small tractor when used judiciously. I've seen small ones of many brands go above and beyond what they should do.
@@richardschaffling9882 As a working Mustang engineer I agree. The companies that do the best have a strong link between the builders and the designers. I came up through the ranks and went to school nights. Background is in machine repair and fabrication. To many times the controls end up upside down and backwards because the drawing got flipped and it was too late the change the first run that passed the inspection.
@ my father had to be called a technical engineer because he never went to college he started out as a tool and die maker and worked up to the design and engineering dept. for the government and had to teach the college graduates what to do
Growing up, we had an 8N and later added a Fordson Major Diesel. Also had several IH tractors. The Fords were great tractors, but the dealer went out of business and the next closest Ford dealer was 150 miles away. Driving 300 miles round trip for repair parts was a full day project. Several Ford dealers opened, but they never lasted very long.
Mike, you are 100% right. I agree if they had a different transmission they would have sold 100’s of thousands of them. I had an 8N back then that my grandfather bought new in 1950. I looked at the retro model and was going to buy one until I tried it out and that transmission was a nightmare for me so I never bought one. I still have my grandfather’s 8N and it’s incredible shape. Definitely a lost opportunity for New Holland. Very enjoyable video Mike. Thanks
I learned to drive on a 9N. Many years later ended up working for a Kubota dealer. We told in every thing from the most modern to the old girls. Only thing I really hated about the old ones was the live PTO that could not be turned off. Nothing like a brush hog hanging in mid air winging it.
Yes. Let's not forget how dangerous these old tractors are. PTOs that don't turn off. No rollover protection. High center of gravity. No seat belt. Terrible brakes. Hard steering. All sorts of exposed moving parts. No kill switch when you get out of the seat. etc. My father, who grew up in west Texas during the depression could tell story after story of people dying on tractors. And it seemed like I would get a new story ever time I got on one of our tractors. If you've been mowing the same patch of grass for the last 50 years on the same old tractor you're probably fine. But a 20-year-old kid has zero experience with equipment that's constantly trying to kill him.
My first tractor was an 8n. My second IS a Jubilee and I have since inherited an 8n too. I dreamed of owning a Boomer 8N. Even had a stock picture of 1 as my computer desktop picture. But when I started hearing about the transmission issues, I was crushed. My dream dashed. Nothing like the Ole faithful.
You are so right about the 8N rebirth, it was a massive fail. We sold one from a dealership I worked in. It give us no end of grief on the transmission side, ended up replacing the transmission and still was an absolute dog of a machine. Maybe CNH could reproduce the last of the Fiat line up like the F100-F140 or the 72-93 or 88-94, not too many electrics and built pretty tough. Then we could own tractors that were relatively reliable and nearly anyone could fix them. Modern tractors have a lot of crap on them the average farmer will never use. Keep the videos coming Mike
I had a Tc 29D when they came out and I was looking to upgrade the Tc . I fell in love with the styling so I went to the dealer and was ready to buy one when the salesman who was a "regular guy " basically a farmer who was working there part time said do you like your Tc and how it operates ? I said I love it . He said as a friend "Don't buy one of these under any circumstance You'll hate it and it will be nothing but trouble " I thanked him and left. That dealer still has that tractor they sold it twice and bought it back both times. They never got it to run right. I still think it's the best looking tractor ever made but I would never buy one. I bought a mint low hour Tc 45d and still run it never any trouble it just works.🍻
I never knew that they came out with an updated 8N. I completely agree with what you’re saying because I have 2 of the Ford 8N’s and use them all the time but whenever you put any kind of computer on something that we’ve been using for years it definitely makes it a deal breaker. Great video and thank you for sharing.
I am the proud owner of a 1951 8N that I restored about 25 years ago to use as my working tractor. I was anxious to check out the new retro 8N but was disappointed at seeing its large size. If based on the TC 30 and its drivetrain it might have been a success.
Hi Mike, one interesting bit of information, my dad bought a 1950 , 8 N, after he passed away at the age of 91, I found the sales receipt for that tractor, he paid $ 1550 for the tractor and a 2 bottom 14" plow, I ended up giving the tractor to my brother in law, he went through the whole thing, and it runs and looks like a brand new one
Even worse are the MBA's who tell the rookie engineers what they have to build. I propose a minimum 40-year moratorium on all MBA's and related degrees, regardless of the college or the program. Academe needs a total reset. Make higher education great again and reset it to, say, 1910. A high school diploma from 1910 is better than anything from any U.S. college today.
That's what's wrong with all the junk they build now days, I'm not talking about just tractors I'm talking about everything. Too many so-called college educated people.
Ford made a 1700-1720 in 1980 era. 2 cyl diesel. Japanese made. It came with a 12-3 standard transmission. I bought a 79 in 1980, and still have it. Minimal problems (water pump the most common - 2000 hr. and the Kioti stays in the barn if I can do it with the 1700 and it will run all day on 4 gallons of diesel.
That CVT transmission will kill this tractor for long term ownership. The Ford 8n and Ferguson TO series will still be running long after as the electronics will fail and no one will want to work on them.
I can't help but wonder if somebody will develop a retrofit kit that will let the owner ditch the CVT and put in a well-known manual transmission from something like a Chevy S-10 or Ford Ranger or Nissan D21 Hardbody.
Henry Ford's Engineering was hard to beat back then,he built many things through the years,I dont think the popularity of the 8N will ever be equaled again,tough,simple little tractor,my Dad said he owned one for a little while,but I guess he let it go because I was too young to remember it because he had a chance to buy an IH with several pieces of extra equipment that had been turned over and fixed back by a dealer back in the early sixties,it was a 54 year model!So I never got the chance to grow up with the 8N,instead it was the 54 Super-C that I inherited and still own today,but I know and heard many brag on those tough little 8N's!
My late father had a 1953 Ford Jubilee, four speed. I have looked at many pictures of the boomer 8N. As it resemble my father’s jubilee, I thought it had a hydrostatic transmission with one brake pedal and it’s downfall to me was a single brake pedal is no good in the woods, but you have opened my eyes to it having a CVT transmission. I’m glad I never went down that road to purchase one. 👍
@ the local ford dealership tried and tried to trade a selecto tractor with my father’s 4 speed but he wouldn’t hear of it. This was when I was little and can remember like yesterday.
They will never listen. The business model doesn't need customer approval. They will sell the hype, make some sales to the unknowing, and then sell shares to some consortium in India for big bucks.
You nailed it …..like when GM came back with the GTO around 2000 the complaint was it didn’t resemble a real classic GTO . The head of Pontiac had no problem letting everyone know they did not care what the customers thought . As far as he was concerned the buyers could just STHU .
Speaking of worst tractors and the Ford 8n, I'd have to rank the original 8n in at least the running for the worst tractor of all time. I've been on my share of them and hated every one of them. Compared to other tractors of the time period, they had no live PTO, no live hydraulics, had to have the PTO running for the hydraulics to work, and every one I was ever on seemed underpowered for its size. Only reason they sold so many was because they were cheap, and they did beat the horse they were likely replacing. In the time of the 8n, every other manufacturer had tractors that beat the 8n in almost every way, but I will agree they still have a following until this day.
I remember when the return of the 8n hit the market I was so excited about it I couldn’t wait to get one until the dealer started to explain that transmission that was the end for me,
Mike, I would agree; kinda a tossup between the Boomer 8N and the Belarus line of tractors. Our dealership was forced to order and received 2 of the Boomer 8N and we couldn’t sell them for a while. One thing was the suggested price was way too high. If I remember correctly, someone at your former employer had the idea, with the full support of the local New Holland territory manager, to transfer in (on paper) all the Boomer 8Ns in the state of Missouri, and sell them all “on paper” as a fleet sale to a local company. This allowed the fleet discounts to be deducted from all the 8Ns invoices, effectively lowering the price by thousands. All those tractors were then transferred back to their original dealers. So now I still had 2 of the Boomer 8Ns but our price was now discounted. I, like you, didn’t really want to sell any of these models but, as you know, these things must be sold. I sold one model to a weekend type customer about an hour west of us and he had fairly good luck with it; very few problems. The other I sold to a man up in Iowa whose local dealer told him there was no way we could be selling the Boomer 8N that cheaply. I told him the story and he drove down and bought the 2nd one from me. He also had very few problems with his tractor, at least, none that I heard of. I’m like you, New Holland missed the boat. Those CVT transmissions were also being used in the blue Boomer series, but we never ordered any of those.
I am glad I stumbled upon your video. Not everyone speaks "Tractor-ese" and the love and interest many exhibit for tractors borders on mania. Very much like a cult. Mike's overall language and insight skills are a delight. I definitely enjoyed your video very much. Change is scary. The kids who change stuff just to be changing it are the ones I dislike. Somebody decided the pockets on my Wrangler "relaxed-fit" jeans needed redesigned. Couldn't get my keys out of the watch pocket and could hardly get my hand in the big pocket!! I wrote and complained. To their credit they answered and the correction took almost 2 years to make it to the store shelf. So to sum it up for me. I am a 76 year old Vietnam Veteran. Kind of intolerant of stupid stuff that seems based on a lack of thinking. CO2 is a clear gas which is .004% of our Earth's atmosphere, is NOT a greenhouse gas and we could use just a little more of it to keep things green and to keep feeding ourselves. Wind and solar do not deserve to blight our landscapes (there are some uses for it but not mainline). Change can be a good thing (to quote that Sports Illustrated bikini model Martha Stewart). Get yourself educated about NUCLEAR powered electric generation. The world does move on, with or without us, and sometimes change works out.
I've had 2 Ford 8Ns. And, I still have (and use) a 1952 model. My only problem is with the transmission driven PTO. Hate it. Every tractor I've had since then is INDEPENDENT PTO. For me, it's a MUST HAVE.
I have a Kubota B6200 built in the mid-1980s. And, just like you with your Ford, I like everything about my tractor -- except for the transmission driven PTO. I can work with it, but it's a bit of a pain when mowing.
@@NSEasternShoreChemistI had a B6000 for 15 years, and yes, I ran a 4 foot rotary cutter - I learned a lot lol. But it sure plowed snow, including one 30 inch storm. (also a chemist, brilliant minds think alike😂)
I put a slip clutch on my 8N PTO. Not quite as good as an independent PTO but, when bushhogging, it made all the difference. I could stop or throttle down and mower slowed down on its own until it matched the PTO. Good enough for me.
Great program! As a 70 yo guy who once owned a Jubilee, I would have been terrified as a customer to purchase this new tractor. One possible reason that you didn’t mention, is that CVT trannys had very spotty histories in the automotive market by that time, with horrible breakdown stories abounding. Most famous in my memory are the Nissan models with very poor performance and reliability.
The cvt has excellent performance,problem was the customers did have them serviced and that led to the failures. They have taken on mythical status like the "orange can of death" or exploding Pinto's on the internet.
CVT's are great for snowmobiles where there's a rubber belt that can be changed in less than an hour and there are no electronics. Otherwise, forget it. We don't even use Reeves Drives at work anymore.
You’re spot on with that one. I remember when they came out, but never seen anyone with one in our area, I figured it was either plagued with issues or a steep price tag that deterred folks.
Hi Mike. You said it buddy. Adding a complicated trans is not a benefit. I have an 8N with a Glover Conversion. 236 Ford FH truck engine and a Hupp over and under drive. Love the thing as it is strong and reliable. The extra 60 hp is seldom used but the under drive comes in handy for pulling stumps. The only thing I would have liked is a hydraulic pump on the engine instead of having to run a patch on pump for the lift. My first 8N came with a mechanical cable dozer blade connected to the 3 point arms. Another great little machine.
My grandparents had a 8 and 9n' the 8 belonged to my grandmother they used them to plow/plant a 35 acre bottom to plant corn in every year. After my grandfather passed away' my uncle took over the 9n but my grandmother refused to give hers up and was still plowing/planting corn when she was 98 years old. She got bit by a copper head snake out in the garden hoeing her pepper and tomato plants and went downhill in health after that never to use the 8n again and passed away at the age of 103. To my knowledge neither one of those tractors gave them any major issues other than regular maintenance' changing oil/ greasing/ cleaning the radiator etc and such and had the original tires that came on them when they both passed.
My worst was the Massey Furgeson 135. Apparently designed by the Arthritis Foundation, the straight up/down pedals, combined with weak brakes conspired to create a spine killer. It was equipping with a powerful engine and transmission, nothing could compensate for this ergonomic disaster.
Tractor favorites ALWAYS comes down to purpose.....reliability determines which one you prefer, in the end. If the tractor is reliable, and serves your PURPOSE, it's a good tractor.
Only tractor I own that’s not Green, is a Boomer 8N, there is few videos on my channel with it. I wanted one for years more as a novelty collectors item, not really something I wanted for 0:02 a work horse. I finally found and bought one about a year ago. I found one in incredibly clean condition with only 110 hours on it. By model year I believe there is only 2009 & 2010 models. I can’t disagree with your assessment on how NH really missed the mark not offering more traditional geared transmissions or even a hydrostatic transmission would have been more user friendly and likely more reliable as well. I think there have been more problematic tractors then the boomer 8N on the market, especially after all the emission regulations hit hard in 2013, but I get the disappointment sentiment with how NH missed the mark, and in my opinion, the engine and chassis in general is good, they just chose the wrong path with the transmission being only offered as an un proven CVT design. Why they didn’t simply introduce some alternative transmission options in say a 2011 model update instead of killing off the project/model entirely is a mystery to me. I do enjoy owning my Boomer 8N, it is a special tractor, but never really a tractor I grab to go out and do any real work with it, I truly dislike how the cvt transmission operates. It works, just not near as well as my hydroelectric or geared Deere machines.
@@keithmitchell5332 FORD= Flipped Over Replace Driver. Especially with 9N, 2N, 8N. Neighbor down the road escaped with broken back. Man over by Chacon Lake lost his life.
I’ve had a Heston tractor with a 3 cylinder fiat engine. I’ve had tractor 25 years and use it a bunch . I’ve never had to work on engine? Starts and runs perfect every day. It’s never used any oil, no leaks from engine. I’ve had to work on hydraulic system and electrical system but motor is best I’ve ever owned. It is a 1987 model I think?
I learned something about the Boomer 8N today, thank you. I worked at a NH dealership when NH bought Ford, in fact, we were already NH and Versatile dealers when the whole deal went down in 1987 I think? So I was there when we started stocking and selling Fords. I was no longer in ag when the Boomers came out but I recall looking one over very well at the local SE KS farm show. I don't recall the CVT but agree, that wasn't their best move. Thanks for the video!
Mike, proud "original owner" of a Boomer 8N here. You glanced over a few important facts in your analysis. I believe the Boomer 8N was made from late 2008 to 2010 which coincided with the housing/economic downturn of 2008. I'm a for-hire ag equipment transporter and I remember being scared to death in August of 2008. I wasn't spending money and neither was anyone else. Keep in mind, this 8n was a pure luxury model, even a collectors item, and not your run-of-the-mill ag tractor. The 8N was $10k more expensive than the same blue 4050 with a gear transmission. Remember what you said about the popularity of the TC30 compared to the blue Boomer line? The bare bones, square hood TC30 was 4 times more popular just because of the lower retail price. CNH doomed the Boomer 8N from the start by pricing it through the roof. Sure, the CVT has had it's share of problems and certainly is not up to the high demands of heavy loader work. But the function of that transmission is a dream. Need to run a certain speed? The electronic cruise control can be set in .05 mph increments, and it has memory. Turn the end row, hit the resume button and you're exactly at the speed you let off. Changing times and a high price has claimed it's victim. I'm so glad CNH gave up on the TZ models and different rebranded Toro mowers of that day. Look at the current CNH compact tractor offerings. They're all LS tractors but a different shade of blue. The Boomer 8N is a superior home-owner/hobby-farmer machine. Consumers today don't find much value in that. They want cheap, cheap, cheap.
My 49 in is rusty,oil covered original condition. It will start without issues Everytime I need it. Id buy another old 8n before id buy a new $$$$ tractor.
I have several 8Ns with sherman 3 speed aux transmissions. They are wonderful, easy to drive and easy to maintain. Splitting the tractor is super easy. Rear brakes are super easy. The 9Ns and 2Ns have a sliding gear transmission like a Ford Model A. The 8N's have a synchro transmission without ring blockers so it is tough to shift gears with any movement. The main problem that I have with the 8N is that reverse gear drives off of 3rd gear cluster gear and is a bit too fast, so one needs a 3 speed Sherman with low, especially when backing up a steep hill or changing implements. I have a cordwood saw on a dedicated 2N. It is dangerous using 2Ns and 8Ns during the same day because of the brake pedal differences. I use the tractors to move things around, drag trees up a hill, to plow snow and to grade the gravel road.
I have a 9N with attachments,use it every other day,dad and uncle bought it in 1946,I converted it to 12 volt,starts almost immediately and doesn’t use oil,I just wish it had live pro,it actually a 2N and I love it.
i learned to drive on 1949 8n. I have fond memories of that Tractor. I started when I was 9 years old. I did not realize how much work I would be doing in 2 years. We had 2000 chickens. Two houses of 1000 each. One of the houses had to be cleaned every year. Yes by a pick and shovel. Then load the Tractor and (Wagon) trailer. Then put the manure on the vegetable garden of about 10 acres. Now I would not take anything for the way I grew up.
Look at a man like Henry Ford: a farmer who designed tractors for farmers. Or Anthony Fokker, a pilot who designed aircraft that excelled. Neither man sat behind a desk all day every day; both were hands-on guys who knew what the market needed. Today's engineers are hanging out on Facebook or playing video games when they're not working. They're not what I call 'hands-on outdoor people'.
my dad picked up a 9n with a homemade backhoe attachment . it was OLD and sloppy BUT it SURE beat a shovel!!! had to let it go when he passed and we auctioned stuff off
It's a shame they missed the mark so bad. My dad has had a Boomer 40 for over a decade without any problems and my FIL has had a small New Holland for well over twenty years. I don't recall what model, but it's small. It's served him well, but when he has a project requiring something bigger I bring my Yanmar YT347 over.
i never heard of that tractor till now. just the original 8N. i also would have never guessed a cvt could handle tractor work. theyre notoriously bad in Nissan cars to the point id never buy one. all this emissions equipment is something that never should have been required on tractors of all things. i plan to always do my best to steer clear of any tractors new enough to require that emissions stuff. for home owner hobby farming its far too expensive of a headache to be worth dealing with.
@@catman5546 I have watched a couple of videos of the disassembly and also have a service manual. Looks pretty easy. I also have a Ford 2600 and on that one the oil blew out somehow and now the lift won't work at all. It has a cab so that one won't be quite as easy.
Absolutely agree. When I first saw on at the dealer, I knew it wasn't for me. Just watched a video from a guy who bought a used Kubota, and had the ECU computer fry. There was a recall on them, but for some reason, there was a time limit on the recall. Why does a home tractor need a computer? My Jubilee has an ECU problem, gonna do points and condenser on it, should fix it.
I almost bought a Bommer and actually wanted one pretty bad. But like everything I buy I never commit the first time shopping. I bought a Mahindra 5035 4x4 with loader cheaper and still have it and it was worth every penny. There are no American made compact tractors, haven't been for 50+ yrs.
A proud and satisfied TC30 owner since 2001, I was excited to see the retro Ford come out but lost all interest reading it had a CVT. A manual shuttle should have been standard. I'll keep my old 9x3 TC 30 for me it's one of the best.
I remember that retro NH 8-N coming out after I already bought a Kubota. I remember thinking that I wish it came out in 2007 I would've bought it based on styling, after this video I'm glad I didn't. I just want a 4x4 tractor with basic slow gear transmission, and that is what I hate about the old tractors, they are to high geared.........
I have a jubilee, it is a great tractor, it has taught me a lot i mean A LOT about simple mechanics and a mechanic i am not, thanks for the info Mike hope you and your family had a great Thanksgiving, Rob V Warrenton MO
This year, I sold my car because to fix the cvt was going to cost more than what the car was worth. Dont buy anything with a cvt. Most mechanics dont work on them too.
I remember when they did this. I too was excited as the 8n had long been set in my head what a tractor should be even tho i had never even operated one. And seen my uncles growing up and was just fascinated with its styling. I wasnt even in the market for a tractor, i had no need for a tractor, but when i drove by the lot one day and seen red and gray in the middle of a sea of blue i had to go see it as i heard they were remaking it. It looked neat i guess, but basically looked like a different colored version of my dads tc35. They were asking 55,000$ for it. The excitement over it dissipated quickly after that and i wondered who would build such a working class machine with such a royalty focused price tag? Maybe its just me, i get excited over value, so much so i evenually bought me an original n series tractor in 2011 or so and still run it to this day. I actually have it split right now in my shop to fix some small leaks and to get at the rest of the red i couldnt reach to paint the original gray color it was in 1941 with it assembled. Put me in a sherman combination while i was in there.
I just bought a 861 it runs and drives super, the pto doesn't work. It's in the shop getting new pto and trans. clutches, when done it will get its own snowblower and join the Oliver 550 on snow clean-up.
I had the tc 45. Loved it. Should never of traded it off. But I did. I made the trade for a boomer 41. It didn’t like cold, couldn’t see to use a loader, clumsy, and was the first I experienced regen. Was glad to get rid of it.
The 8N was not a really good farm tractor, it was a good orchard tractor with its low center of gravity. It is a great homeowner tractor. High crop tractors were what most farms wanted. John Deere A's and B's, Farmall M's and Super M's and C's and H's were far more popular than an 8N.
One of the weak spots on these modern vehicles is the transmissions. Been that way for several years. I hear cvt and cringe but i dont like any of the new stuff. Good video and thank you.
You would think CNH would have replaced the CVT tranny with a shuttle or even a manual in an effort to recoup their sizeable losses. Too bad because it sounds like and certainly looks like a tractor I would buy.
The 8n never was the world's best tractor. It met the needs of millions of small farmers,. It was affordable, and you could fix it with a screwdriver and a monkey wrench. Many were repaired right out in the hay field. My experience has been that if something is "new and improved", it's usually no better and harder to maintain and operate. If you paint a pile of crap gray, it's still a pile of crap.
Mike, I’ve been following you for years, and as a lifelong farmer & tractor mechanic I’ve yet to take exception to any topic you’ve presented, and this is no exception. Never had any of these in my area, but I question if the CVT was a wise choice for this series, mainly due to serviceability post warranty, especially since most compact tractors will age out of warranty long before any major mechanical issues arise. From a Deere mechanic standpoint, I’d say the 4x00 series Deeres (first run from Augusta) were a disaster. As far as a true farm tractor, I doubt many would disagree with my pic being the 2700/2800 series Massey Ferguson! You do a great job, providing information to your viewers. Wish more of my compact tractor customers had had access to these, back when I was working on mostly compact tractors!
Cut my teeth on a Ferguson TO30 but we only used a disc, harrow, and box blade on it. So, we didn't have to encounter any PTO issues. Years later, I ran an 8N 6-handle backhoe with a front bucket loader -- not exactly user friendly when compared to the Cat 426D than I operated years after that.
We had a boomer 5050 new holland at work that my boss bought brand new. It was nothing but trouble. He was hesitant to get rid of it because he never ran it and it was his first purchase when he became the boss. After spending half of the tractors value trying to make it functional, he finally got rid of it and bought the orange brand. Even the dealer we bought the new holland from cussed the cvt transmission.
I am assuming NH did not correct the problem with an updated model with a different transmission. Such a disconnect between manufacturer and dealer. I had great experience with New Holland prior to the NH/Ford pairing.
i worked 2 AG dealers b/4 retirement ; CNH/mahindra and last CNHi/ NH/kubota that drop the red and kept blue . in BOTH dealers , we ran into trades with TC series with WRECKED shuttles and not even to 2000 hrs . stick shift models went WAAAAAAAAAAAAAYBACK to 1100 and 1300 and 1500 with 2000-3000hrs . so the shuttles sold a LOT of newer "tractors" . electronic CVT ?! yeah disaster , but also , pertty Stupid ; CVTs have a hydrostatic component to ALL i have studied (as far as companies allow) . yes not all tork goes thru OR its used as a control component , so smaller hydro section . but dagnabbit , just run a HYDRO in little machines !! i worked on Komatsu dozers , about 7 yrs ago , near 300HP running thru and expecting 10,000hrs on them and with good maintenance , easily getting there . yeah , cvt , absurd . kubota had an auto-gear drive , GST i think , and that failed due to control problems . Scotty of star trek fame ; " the more they overtake the Plumbing , the easier it is to stop up the drain" . kubota has a totally electronic hydro .... there i was , old fart troubleshooting and found a bad controller less than 500hrs !! and i think to "confirm" others already had DAYS of troubleshooting time , i had 2hrs and kubota guy had another 2-3hrs before de😮cision agreement ; "yes a bad controller" ...electronic tork & cruise controls ??!! on 35-45hp ?? oy . funny the boomer 8N so bad , as this southern tier / binghamton region the name "Boomer" a terrible reputation . and peeps WERE excited , first hoping for that simple "IRON DOG" , hard working tractor , not another Edsel .
I was honestly thinking the transmission before you even said it. It would be cool if the manufacturers would release more retro models but they need to stay true to their heritage. The Massey Ferguson 35 could be another big seller if they wanted too, keep it simple and maybe update a few things here and there but they would have a winner. I don't know about the cvt in tractors but I believe Honda was one of the first to release a cvt in the 96 Civic HX, I have a 97 but w/manual transmission... all of these automatic ones lasted to about 100k miles and then had issues but the 5 speeds were practically bulletproof. Nissan uses Jatco cvt transmissions and they are not that good either. My mom has 2014 Honda Accord with cvt and it seems to be holding up at least, I haven't heard of anymore problems with them but the early ones were junk and basically throw away transmissions.
In many cases the 8-N was bought to replace a pair of mules 😊 I've read somewhere that they were designed to have the same tractive effort as an average pair of mules 😮
Heck, does CVT don't work well in cars, and they cost an arm and a leg to fix.I used to work on those transmissions. They always seem to screwed up something. Yeah they're great when they work right it's not often they do😅
I have a 1952 Ford 8N. It is a great tractor. Paid $2000 for it three years ago. It came with a finish mower, a plow, and a scraper blade. It has paid for itself many times over. The tractor is easy to maintain. I bought a scoop, a boom pole, and a carryall attachments. I use the tractor two or three times a month.
My only experience with a 'later' model New Holland was with a TN70 4wd model. It was ordered with a loader, full cab, heater, and ac. It was a nightmare from the start. The AC never worked, the engine had fuel system issues after only a few months, the loader controls, shifter, clutch linkage and various controls were a constant issue.
The thing was bought for property maintenance on a large piece of land, it was used to mow about 8 acres of field, pull a small wagon, and to clear snow in the driveway in the winter.
From day one it would kill its battery over night, an issue that was never fixed, it had to be plugged in on charge at all times.
The loader lost its paint in three months, it flaked off in sheets, and they replaced the loader controls 5 times, each time they locked up or go so stiff you could barely move the lever. It was new in 2005, it spent most of that year and half of the next summer at the dealer. By 2010 it was relegated to just being a snow removal machine for the driveway. The cab was unbearable in the summer heat and the seemingly always on heat was more tolerable in the cold.
The engine had been worked on 18 times, and still had fuel and oil leaks and it refused to start, even on hot days if not plugged in full time. The dealer hated working on it and even told me he wished they never made that model or combo.
There was a recall on the loader, when what ever parts they needed couldn't be found it ended up with an aftermarket loader.
In 2015 got lucky and found someone who wanted to buy it and I was glad to see it go.
I think a good bit of the issues were that the thing was made in Italy and basically just some sort of rebadged model. I had gotten rid of a French built Allis Chalmers that drove me insane with all sorts of issues, most stemming from the strange design of the steering and the French built engine. I went back to the old Ford 800 and a Case 580 CK for around the property and never bothered with a newer machine after that.
A buddy bought one of those Boomer 8N tractors a year after they came out, I think he had it for a year and sold it and bought a Kubota after it spent more than half of the first year at the dealer for various issues. He bought it to run a small flail mower but I don't think it ever completed a single task without breaking down.
That's nuts... Talk about not knowing your market. Adding complication for it's own sake. Totally agree, Mike.
Will you get to the worst tractor please i'm old and don't want to die waiting for it !
😂
I've noticed that many of the monetized YT videos are over 10 minutes in length.
Old people love to tell stories. Just listen and enjoy his experiences!
I'm probably much younger than you and gave up half way through.
@@garlicandchilipreppers8533 yep, these videos that are drawn out to monetize are so irritating when the stories can be simple and to the point. That’s why “Shorts” do so well.
This seems to be another example of a manufacturer trying to re-capture the glory of an older product. The engineers come up with something that looks like the original but fails to capture what made the original great. "New and improved' isn't always an improvement.
Like the 'new' Austin Mini that wasn't a Mini?
Had they just remade the original, we probably could still get one.
I always say I preferred old and lousy, not new and improved!
My Dad always had a soft spot for the Ferguson TO30 tractor. He said that he could cut anything with a Bush Hog Model 2 that the Ferguson could ride up over. Trees up to 4" in diameter. When I came along it was the barn scraper tractor, occasionally hooked to the old #2 Bush Hog. Only difference between the TO's and the"N" Fords was the engine, Continental vs Ford 4 cylinder engine. Same transmission, same 3ph system. Single action cylinders on the front loader lift, dual action on the dump after the trip bucket was replaced. We are JD Green, but I loved both the Ford 9600 and TW20 tractors. They were good pulling machines, even if doing PTO jobs like silage blowers and manure lagoon pumps. I worked the TW20 on a 3 row corn chopper, and even hooked to a 7 shank V ripper, and a 12 shank JD Mulch Tiller (coulter chisel plow), and it walked off with them. Those big blues didn't quit!👍👍
I still run a 1950 Ferguson TEA-30. It was built in Coventry, England (TO meant 'tractor overseas', while TE meant 'tractor england') and had the Continental engine. That engine is overhead cam, whereas the Fords had flatheads, although there's nothing wrong with a flathead. A good, solid tractor. However, the lack of a low range on the transmission limited its use, for me at least. It has a 6V electrical system with starter motor but I use the hand crank. Just for fun.
Oops! I had a brain fart when I said my 1950 Ferguson TEA-20 (not a TEA-30!) had the Continental engine. In fact, it has the Standard engine, an overhead valve (not cam!) engine used with great success in the Standard Vanguard and Triumph TR series of sports cars. (Here's a bit of trivia for you: the very earliest TE-20 tractors DID have Continental engines, before the switch to Standard engines). Continental today makes aircraft engines.
Now, my 1963 Massey Ferguson 35 has the Continental engine. A real workhorse!
Sorry I just couldn't let that go by unchallenged... 4" trees with a brush hog..? Bull$hit.!
@RickReynolds-p5u I didn't see it, but my Dad was not one to exaggerate. I have backed the same #2 Bush Hog into some pretty big stuff, and it ground them up, albeit with a JD 2030. Given a bit of time, I think that the TO30 probably could have shredded that stuff, especially Gum and Alanthus trees. Never underestimate the power of a small tractor when used judiciously. I've seen small ones of many brands go above and beyond what they should do.
College engineers who never operate or work on things should never be allowed to design anything
Exactly it should be mechanic's and operators doing the design and manufacturing process.
All tractors are designed by engineers.
The design goals must be set by the manufacturer. It is the engineer’s job to then meet those goals.
@ yes they are designed by engineers but you have working engineers and you have college engineers and there are a big difference
@@richardschaffling9882 As a working Mustang engineer I agree. The companies that do the best have a strong link between the builders and the designers. I came up through the ranks and went to school nights. Background is in machine repair and fabrication.
To many times the controls end up upside down and backwards because the drawing got flipped and it was too late the change the first run that passed the inspection.
@ my father had to be called a technical engineer because he never went to college he started out as a tool and die maker and worked up to the design and engineering dept. for the government and had to teach the college graduates what to do
Growing up, we had an 8N and later added a Fordson Major Diesel. Also had several IH tractors. The Fords were great tractors, but the dealer went out of business and the next closest Ford dealer was 150 miles away. Driving 300 miles round trip for repair parts was a full day project. Several Ford dealers opened, but they never lasted very long.
Mike, you are 100% right. I agree if they had a different transmission they would have sold 100’s of thousands of them. I had an 8N back then that my grandfather bought new in 1950. I looked at the retro model and was going to buy one until I tried it out and that transmission was a nightmare for me so I never bought one. I still have my grandfather’s 8N and it’s incredible shape. Definitely a lost opportunity for New Holland. Very enjoyable video Mike. Thanks
I learned to drive on a 9N. Many years later ended up working for a Kubota dealer. We told in every thing from the most modern to the old girls. Only thing I really hated about the old ones was the live PTO that could not be turned off. Nothing like a brush hog hanging in mid air winging it.
Yes. Let's not forget how dangerous these old tractors are. PTOs that don't turn off. No rollover protection. High center of gravity. No seat belt. Terrible brakes. Hard steering. All sorts of exposed moving parts. No kill switch when you get out of the seat. etc.
My father, who grew up in west Texas during the depression could tell story after story of people dying on tractors. And it seemed like I would get a new story ever time I got on one of our tractors.
If you've been mowing the same patch of grass for the last 50 years on the same old tractor you're probably fine. But a 20-year-old kid has zero experience with equipment that's constantly trying to kill him.
My first tractor was an 8n. My second IS a Jubilee and I have since inherited an 8n too. I dreamed of owning a Boomer 8N. Even had a stock picture of 1 as my computer desktop picture. But when I started hearing about the transmission issues, I was crushed. My dream dashed. Nothing like the Ole faithful.
You are so right about the 8N rebirth, it was a massive fail. We sold one from a dealership I worked in. It give us no end of grief on the transmission side, ended up replacing the transmission and still was an absolute dog of a machine.
Maybe CNH could reproduce the last of the Fiat line up like the F100-F140 or the 72-93 or 88-94, not too many electrics and built pretty tough. Then we could own tractors that were relatively reliable and nearly anyone could fix them. Modern tractors have a lot of crap on them the average farmer will never use. Keep the videos coming Mike
I had a Tc 29D when they came out and I was looking to upgrade the Tc . I fell in love with the styling so I went to the dealer and was ready to buy one when the salesman who was a "regular guy " basically a farmer who was working there part time said do you like your Tc and how it operates ? I said I love it . He said as a friend "Don't buy one of these under any circumstance You'll hate it and it will be nothing but trouble " I thanked him and left. That dealer still has that tractor they sold it twice and bought it back both times. They never got it to run right. I still think it's the best looking tractor ever made but I would never buy one. I bought a mint low hour Tc 45d and still run it never any trouble it just works.🍻
I never knew that they came out with an updated 8N. I completely agree with what you’re saying because I have 2 of the Ford 8N’s and use them all the time but whenever you put any kind of computer on something that we’ve been using for years it definitely makes it a deal breaker. Great video and thank you for sharing.
I am the proud owner of a 1951 8N that I restored about 25 years ago to use as my working tractor. I was anxious to check out the new retro 8N but was disappointed at seeing its large size. If based on the TC 30 and its drivetrain it might have been a success.
Hi Mike, one interesting bit of information, my dad bought a 1950 , 8 N, after he passed away at the age of 91, I found the sales receipt for that tractor, he paid $ 1550 for the tractor and a 2 bottom 14" plow, I ended up giving the tractor to my brother in law, he went through the whole thing, and it runs and looks like a brand new one
The engineers certainly blew it on that design.
The engineers only know what's on a computer screen and what the MBA's are telling them to do.
LOL A prime example of a 20 year old Engineer ( fresh out of collage) doing his best. But too arrogant to ask an old guy for advise.
And an engineering supervisor not doing his job.
Perhaps they did exactly what they were told?
jimputnam2044 The engineers don’t set the design parameters…. management does. Surprising how few people seem to realize that.
Even worse are the MBA's who tell the rookie engineers what they have to build. I propose a minimum 40-year moratorium on all MBA's and related degrees, regardless of the college or the program. Academe needs a total reset. Make higher education great again and reset it to, say, 1910. A high school diploma from 1910 is better than anything from any U.S. college today.
@jphickory522
Maybe management should be engineers first? That would make more sense.
That's what's wrong with all the junk they build now days, I'm not talking about just tractors I'm talking about everything.
Too many so-called college educated people.
Very interesting bit of tractor history! Thanks for sharing!
Ford made a 1700-1720 in 1980 era. 2 cyl diesel. Japanese made. It came with a 12-3 standard transmission. I bought a 79 in 1980, and still have it. Minimal problems (water pump the most common - 2000 hr. and the Kioti stays in the barn if I can do it with the 1700 and it will run all day on 4 gallons of diesel.
Have a 1600 that u can't kill.
That CVT transmission will kill this tractor for long term ownership. The Ford 8n and Ferguson TO series will still be running long after as the electronics will fail and no one will want to work on them.
I can't help but wonder if somebody will develop a retrofit kit that will let the owner ditch the CVT and put in a well-known manual transmission from something like a Chevy S-10 or Ford Ranger or Nissan D21 Hardbody.
Henry Ford's Engineering was hard to beat back then,he built many things through the years,I dont think the popularity of the 8N will ever be equaled again,tough,simple little tractor,my Dad said he owned one for a little while,but I guess he let it go because I was too young to remember it because he had a chance to buy an IH with several pieces of extra equipment that had been turned over and fixed back by a dealer back in the early sixties,it was a 54 year model!So I never got the chance to grow up with the 8N,instead it was the 54 Super-C that I inherited and still own today,but I know and heard many brag on those tough little 8N's!
You could say any computerized John Deere would fit that description.
Bingo !…….and looks like they and others don’t give a damn either.
My late father had a 1953 Ford Jubilee, four speed. I have looked at many pictures of the boomer 8N. As it resemble my father’s jubilee, I thought it had a hydrostatic transmission with one brake pedal and it’s downfall to me was a single brake pedal is no good in the woods, but you have opened my eyes to it having a CVT transmission. I’m glad I never went down that road to purchase one. 👍
Those tractors are wonderful, but they really effed them up with the selecto speed
@ the local ford dealership tried and tried to trade a selecto tractor with my father’s 4 speed but he wouldn’t hear of it. This was when I was little and can remember like yesterday.
You need 2 brake pedals to maneuver in tight spots.Basically making the tractor a zero turn.
Hope these manufactures will listen next time. Simplicity is key.
They will never listen. The business model doesn't need customer approval. They will sell the hype, make some sales to the unknowing, and then sell shares to some consortium in India for big bucks.
You nailed it …..like when GM came back with the GTO around 2000 the complaint was it didn’t resemble a real classic GTO . The head of Pontiac had no problem letting everyone know they did not care what the customers thought . As far as he was concerned the buyers could just STHU .
Two years ago I gave away my 1956 Ford 640 (80% an 8N) after 18 years of serving our hobby farm.
Speaking of worst tractors and the Ford 8n, I'd have to rank the original 8n in at least the running for the worst tractor of all time. I've been on my share of them and hated every one of them. Compared to other tractors of the time period, they had no live PTO, no live hydraulics, had to have the PTO running for the hydraulics to work, and every one I was ever on seemed underpowered for its size. Only reason they sold so many was because they were cheap, and they did beat the horse they were likely replacing. In the time of the 8n, every other manufacturer had tractors that beat the 8n in almost every way, but I will agree they still have a following until this day.
I remember when the return of the 8n hit the market I was so excited about it I couldn’t wait to get one until the dealer started to explain that transmission that was the end for me,
Mike, I would agree; kinda a tossup between the Boomer 8N and the Belarus line of tractors. Our dealership was forced to order and received 2 of the Boomer 8N and we couldn’t sell them for a while. One thing was the suggested price was way too high. If I remember correctly, someone at your former employer had the idea, with the full support of the local New Holland territory manager, to transfer in (on paper) all the Boomer 8Ns in the state of Missouri, and sell them all “on paper” as a fleet sale to a local company. This allowed the fleet discounts to be deducted from all the 8Ns invoices, effectively lowering the price by thousands. All those tractors were then transferred back to their original dealers. So now I still had 2 of the Boomer 8Ns but our price was now discounted. I, like you, didn’t really want to sell any of these models but, as you know, these things must be sold. I sold one model to a weekend type customer about an hour west of us and he had fairly good luck with it; very few problems. The other I sold to a man up in Iowa whose local dealer told him there was no way we could be selling the Boomer 8N that cheaply. I told him the story and he drove down and bought the 2nd one from me. He also had very few problems with his tractor, at least, none that I heard of. I’m like you, New Holland missed the boat. Those CVT transmissions were also being used in the blue Boomer series, but we never ordered any of those.
CVT in a tractor no way!!! Shuttle shift!!!
I am glad I stumbled upon your video. Not everyone speaks "Tractor-ese" and the love and interest many exhibit for tractors borders on mania. Very much like a cult. Mike's overall language and insight skills are a delight. I definitely enjoyed your video very much. Change is scary. The kids who change stuff just to be changing it are the ones I dislike. Somebody decided the pockets on my Wrangler "relaxed-fit" jeans needed redesigned. Couldn't get my keys out of the watch pocket and could hardly get my hand in the big pocket!! I wrote and complained. To their credit they answered and the correction took almost 2 years to make it to the store shelf. So to sum it up for me. I am a 76 year old Vietnam Veteran. Kind of intolerant of stupid stuff that seems based on a lack of thinking. CO2 is a clear gas which is .004% of our Earth's atmosphere, is NOT a greenhouse gas and we could use just a little more of it to keep things green and to keep feeding ourselves. Wind and solar do not deserve to blight our landscapes (there are some uses for it but not mainline). Change can be a good thing (to quote that Sports Illustrated bikini model Martha Stewart). Get yourself educated about NUCLEAR powered electric generation. The world does move on, with or without us, and sometimes change works out.
I've had 2 Ford 8Ns. And, I still have (and use) a 1952 model. My only problem is with the transmission driven PTO. Hate it. Every tractor I've had since then is INDEPENDENT PTO. For me, it's a MUST HAVE.
I have a Kubota B6200 built in the mid-1980s. And, just like you with your Ford, I like everything about my tractor -- except for the transmission driven PTO. I can work with it, but it's a bit of a pain when mowing.
An Over-running Clutch goes a long way towards that. Lots of later Hydrostatic tractors don't have live PTO unless you let the Hydro hit zero travel.
@@thegreenerthemeaner Fortunately my tractor has a built-in overrunning clutch. If it didn't I would put mine on the PTO shaft.
@@NSEasternShoreChemistI had a B6000 for 15 years, and yes, I ran a 4 foot rotary cutter - I learned a lot lol. But it sure plowed snow, including one 30 inch storm. (also a chemist, brilliant minds think alike😂)
I put a slip clutch on my 8N PTO. Not quite as good as an independent PTO but, when bushhogging, it made all the difference. I could stop or throttle down and mower slowed down on its own until it matched the PTO. Good enough for me.
Great program! As a 70 yo guy who once owned a Jubilee, I would have been terrified as a customer to purchase this new tractor.
One possible reason that you didn’t mention, is that CVT trannys had very spotty histories in the automotive market by that time, with horrible breakdown stories abounding.
Most famous in my memory are the Nissan models with very poor performance and reliability.
The cvt has excellent performance,problem was the customers did have them serviced and that led to the failures. They have taken on mythical status like the "orange can of death" or exploding Pinto's on the internet.
@@MUUKOW3👍
Honda has a CVT one thing that added to the reliability of it is when it takes off it used an actual gear. Then it engages the CVT.
There were a couple chicom tractors that were attempted to be tested at Nebraska. They were abandoned there when they failed miserably
CVT's are great for snowmobiles where there's a rubber belt that can be changed in less than an hour and there are no electronics. Otherwise, forget it. We don't even use Reeves Drives at work anymore.
You’re spot on with that one. I remember when they came out, but never seen anyone with one in our area, I figured it was either plagued with issues or a steep price tag that deterred folks.
Hi Mike.
You said it buddy. Adding a complicated trans is not a benefit.
I have an 8N with a Glover Conversion. 236 Ford FH truck engine and a Hupp over and under drive. Love the thing as it is strong and reliable. The extra 60 hp is seldom used but the under drive comes in handy for pulling stumps.
The only thing I would have liked is a hydraulic pump on the engine instead of having to run a patch on pump for the lift.
My first 8N came with a mechanical cable dozer blade connected to the 3 point arms. Another great little machine.
Not just this engineering boondoggle, but it's like all manufacturers now are in a high speed race to the bottom.
I DON'T GET IT.
I will not purchase any vehicle with a CVT transmission.
I almost bought one of them. Glad I bought a new Kubota 😊 Thanks for a great video 👍
My grandparents had a 8 and 9n' the 8 belonged to my grandmother they used them to plow/plant a 35 acre bottom to plant corn in every year. After my grandfather passed away' my uncle took over the 9n but my grandmother refused to give hers up and was still plowing/planting corn when she was 98 years old.
She got bit by a copper head snake out in the garden hoeing her pepper and tomato plants and went downhill in health after that never to use the 8n again and passed away at the age of 103.
To my knowledge neither one of those tractors gave them any major issues other than regular maintenance' changing oil/ greasing/ cleaning the radiator etc and such and had the original tires that came on them when they both passed.
My worst was the Massey Furgeson 135. Apparently designed by the Arthritis Foundation, the straight up/down pedals, combined with weak brakes conspired to create a spine killer. It was equipping with a powerful engine and transmission, nothing could compensate for this ergonomic disaster.
Tractor favorites ALWAYS comes down to purpose.....reliability determines which one you prefer, in the end. If the tractor is reliable, and serves your PURPOSE, it's a good tractor.
Only tractor I own that’s not Green, is a Boomer 8N, there is few videos on my channel with it. I wanted one for years more as a novelty collectors item, not really something I wanted for 0:02 a work horse. I finally found and bought one about a year ago. I found one in incredibly clean condition with only 110 hours on it. By model year I believe there is only 2009 & 2010 models. I can’t disagree with your assessment on how NH really missed the mark not offering more traditional geared transmissions or even a hydrostatic transmission would have been more user friendly and likely more reliable as well. I think there have been more problematic tractors then the boomer 8N on the market, especially after all the emission regulations hit hard in 2013, but I get the disappointment sentiment with how NH missed the mark, and in my opinion, the engine and chassis in general is good, they just chose the wrong path with the transmission being only offered as an un proven CVT design. Why they didn’t simply introduce some alternative transmission options in say a 2011 model update instead of killing off the project/model entirely is a mystery to me. I do enjoy owning my Boomer 8N, it is a special tractor, but never really a tractor I grab to go out and do any real work with it, I truly dislike how the cvt transmission operates. It works, just not near as well as my hydroelectric or geared Deere machines.
Fiat... there's your problem.
Fix
It
Again
Tony
@@keithmitchell5332 FORD= Flipped Over Replace Driver. Especially with 9N, 2N, 8N. Neighbor down the road escaped with broken back. Man over by Chacon Lake lost his life.
I’ve had a Heston tractor with a 3 cylinder fiat engine. I’ve had tractor 25 years and use it a bunch . I’ve never had to work on engine? Starts and runs perfect every day. It’s never used any oil, no leaks from engine. I’ve had to work on hydraulic system and electrical system but motor is best I’ve ever owned. It is a 1987 model I think?
I learned something about the Boomer 8N today, thank you. I worked at a NH dealership when NH bought Ford, in fact, we were already NH and Versatile dealers when the whole deal went down in 1987 I think? So I was there when we started stocking and selling Fords. I was no longer in ag when the Boomers came out but I recall looking one over very well at the local SE KS farm show. I don't recall the CVT but agree, that wasn't their best move.
Thanks for the video!
First time I seen this post but knew exactly what tractor you were going to call out👍
A typically awesome video by Mike.
Excellent mike cheers 🥂 😊
Mike, proud "original owner" of a Boomer 8N here. You glanced over a few important facts in your analysis. I believe the Boomer 8N was made from late 2008 to 2010 which coincided with the housing/economic downturn of 2008. I'm a for-hire ag equipment transporter and I remember being scared to death in August of 2008. I wasn't spending money and neither was anyone else. Keep in mind, this 8n was a pure luxury model, even a collectors item, and not your run-of-the-mill ag tractor. The 8N was $10k more expensive than the same blue 4050 with a gear transmission.
Remember what you said about the popularity of the TC30 compared to the blue Boomer line? The bare bones, square hood TC30 was 4 times more popular just because of the lower retail price. CNH doomed the Boomer 8N from the start by pricing it through the roof.
Sure, the CVT has had it's share of problems and certainly is not up to the high demands of heavy loader work. But the function of that transmission is a dream. Need to run a certain speed? The electronic cruise control can be set in .05 mph increments, and it has memory. Turn the end row, hit the resume button and you're exactly at the speed you let off.
Changing times and a high price has claimed it's victim. I'm so glad CNH gave up on the TZ models and different rebranded Toro mowers of that day. Look at the current CNH compact tractor offerings. They're all LS tractors but a different shade of blue. The Boomer 8N is a superior home-owner/hobby-farmer machine. Consumers today don't find much value in that. They want cheap, cheap, cheap.
Brother Mike, make sure you take time to jam with some friends this Christmas and enjoy it
My 49 in is rusty,oil covered original condition. It will start without issues Everytime I need it. Id buy another old 8n before id buy a new $$$$ tractor.
I have several 8Ns with sherman 3 speed aux transmissions. They are wonderful, easy to drive and easy to maintain. Splitting the tractor is super easy. Rear brakes are super easy. The 9Ns and 2Ns have a sliding gear transmission like a Ford Model A. The 8N's have a synchro transmission without ring blockers so it is tough to shift gears with any movement. The main problem that I have with the 8N is that reverse gear drives off of 3rd gear cluster gear and is a bit too fast, so one needs a 3 speed Sherman with low, especially when backing up a steep hill or changing implements. I have a cordwood saw on a dedicated 2N. It is dangerous using 2Ns and 8Ns during the same day because of the brake pedal differences. I use the tractors to move things around, drag trees up a hill, to plow snow and to grade the gravel road.
I have a 9N with attachments,use it every other day,dad and uncle bought it in 1946,I converted it to 12 volt,starts almost immediately and doesn’t use oil,I just wish it had live pro,it actually a 2N and I love it.
i learned to drive on 1949 8n. I have fond memories of that Tractor. I started when I was 9 years old. I did not realize how much work I would be doing in 2 years. We had 2000 chickens. Two houses of 1000 each. One of the houses had to be cleaned every year. Yes by a pick and shovel. Then load the Tractor and (Wagon) trailer. Then put the manure on the vegetable garden of about 10 acres. Now I would not take anything for the way I grew up.
Look at a man like Henry Ford: a farmer who designed tractors for farmers. Or Anthony Fokker, a pilot who designed aircraft that excelled. Neither man sat behind a desk all day every day; both were hands-on guys who knew what the market needed. Today's engineers are hanging out on Facebook or playing video games when they're not working. They're not what I call 'hands-on outdoor people'.
my dad picked up a 9n with a homemade backhoe attachment . it was OLD and sloppy BUT it SURE beat a shovel!!! had to let it go when he passed and we auctioned stuff off
Are all the old battleship gray fords 8Ns??
No. They were painted red/gray. The 2N and 9N were painted gray
It's a shame they missed the mark so bad. My dad has had a Boomer 40 for over a decade without any problems and my FIL has had a small New Holland for well over twenty years. I don't recall what model, but it's small. It's served him well, but when he has a project requiring something bigger I bring my Yanmar YT347 over.
i never heard of that tractor till now. just the original 8N. i also would have never guessed a cvt could handle tractor work. theyre notoriously bad in Nissan cars to the point id never buy one. all this emissions equipment is something that never should have been required on tractors of all things. i plan to always do my best to steer clear of any tractors new enough to require that emissions stuff. for home owner hobby farming its far too expensive of a headache to be worth dealing with.
I have an all original 2N ...only the paint is wrong. Still runs like a clock but i need to repair the lift arms, wont stay where you put them.
You can rebuild the small lift cylinder or the pressure relief valve and that would help it
@@catman5546 I have watched a couple of videos of the disassembly and also have a service manual. Looks pretty easy. I also have a Ford 2600 and on that one the oil blew out somehow and now the lift won't work at all. It has a cab so that one won't be quite as easy.
The worst tractor I've ever encountered was Belarus from Russia. If that is all they can do we have nothing to fear.
Absolutely agree. When I first saw on at the dealer, I knew it wasn't for me.
Just watched a video from a guy who bought a used Kubota, and had the ECU computer fry. There was a recall on them, but for some reason, there was a time limit on the recall. Why does a home tractor need a computer?
My Jubilee has an ECU problem, gonna do points and condenser on it, should fix it.
I almost bought a Bommer and actually wanted one pretty bad. But like everything I buy I never commit the first time shopping. I bought a Mahindra 5035 4x4 with loader cheaper and still have it and it was worth every penny. There are no American made compact tractors, haven't been for 50+ yrs.
I had TC-30 for 18 years never had a dealer service It , wish I never got rid it .
fascinating story, thank you for sharing it!
My favorite and only tractor that I ever owned and loved was made by Tonka!
A proud and satisfied TC30 owner since 2001, I was excited to see the retro Ford come out but lost all interest reading it had a CVT. A manual shuttle should have been standard. I'll keep my old 9x3 TC 30 for me it's one of the best.
I remember that retro NH 8-N coming out after I already bought a Kubota. I remember thinking that I wish it came out in 2007 I would've bought it based on styling, after this video I'm glad I didn't. I just want a 4x4 tractor with basic slow gear transmission, and that is what I hate about the old tractors, they are to high geared.........
Yes, all the new tractors are like that you can’t even imagine trying to repair a new John Deere. It is a piece of junk.
I have a jubilee, it is a great tractor, it has taught me a lot i mean A LOT about simple mechanics and a mechanic i am not, thanks for the info Mike
hope you and your family had a great Thanksgiving,
Rob V
Warrenton MO
I just bought some cylinder locks tonight off your website. I've been wanting to get them for a while.
This year, I sold my car because to fix the cvt was going to cost more than what the car was worth. Dont buy anything with a cvt. Most mechanics dont work on them too.
I remember when they did this. I too was excited as the 8n had long been set in my head what a tractor should be even tho i had never even operated one. And seen my uncles growing up and was just fascinated with its styling. I wasnt even in the market for a tractor, i had no need for a tractor, but when i drove by the lot one day and seen red and gray in the middle of a sea of blue i had to go see it as i heard they were remaking it. It looked neat i guess, but basically looked like a different colored version of my dads tc35. They were asking 55,000$ for it. The excitement over it dissipated quickly after that and i wondered who would build such a working class machine with such a royalty focused price tag? Maybe its just me, i get excited over value, so much so i evenually bought me an original n series tractor in 2011 or so and still run it to this day. I actually have it split right now in my shop to fix some small leaks and to get at the rest of the red i couldnt reach to paint the original gray color it was in 1941 with it assembled. Put me in a sherman combination while i was in there.
I just bought a 861 it runs and drives super, the pto doesn't work. It's in the shop getting new pto and trans. clutches, when done it will get its own snowblower and join the Oliver 550 on snow clean-up.
I had the tc 45. Loved it. Should never of traded it off. But I did. I made the trade for a boomer 41. It didn’t like cold, couldn’t see to use a loader, clumsy, and was the first I experienced regen. Was glad to get rid of it.
Try a 135 Ferguson with a 152 Perkins diesel. That is a perfect 8N 😇🙏
Any of the new John Deeres that are involved in the right to repair lawsuit.
The 8N was not a really good farm tractor, it was a good orchard tractor with its low center of gravity. It is a great homeowner tractor. High crop tractors were what most farms wanted. John Deere A's and B's, Farmall M's and Super M's and C's and H's were far more popular than an 8N.
One of the weak spots on these modern vehicles is the transmissions. Been that way for several years. I hear cvt and cringe but i dont like any of the new stuff. Good video and thank you.
You would think CNH would have replaced the CVT tranny with a shuttle or even a manual in an effort to recoup their sizeable losses. Too bad because it sounds like and certainly looks like a tractor I would buy.
Priced at 50,000 at Olathe Ford when they came out, I laughed and left the dealership. That tractor was there 3 years later when I went back.
The 8n never was the world's best tractor. It met the needs of millions of small farmers,. It was affordable, and you could fix it with a screwdriver and a monkey wrench. Many were repaired right out in the hay field. My experience has been that if something is "new and improved", it's usually no better and harder to maintain and operate. If you paint a pile of crap gray, it's still a pile of crap.
Sounds eerily similar to Case-o-matic. Good transmission, just too different for most operators to get used to.
I've actually repaired a few Case-o-matic transmissions. That was a long time ago.
Mike, I’ve been following you for years, and as a lifelong farmer & tractor mechanic I’ve yet to take exception to any topic you’ve presented, and this is no exception.
Never had any of these in my area, but I question if the CVT was a wise choice for this series, mainly due to serviceability post warranty, especially since most compact tractors will age out of warranty long before any major mechanical issues arise.
From a Deere mechanic standpoint, I’d say the 4x00 series Deeres (first run from Augusta) were a disaster.
As far as a true farm tractor, I doubt many would disagree with my pic being the 2700/2800 series Massey Ferguson!
You do a great job, providing information to your viewers.
Wish more of my compact tractor customers had had access to these, back when I was working on mostly compact tractors!
Cut my teeth on a Ferguson TO30 but we only used a disc, harrow, and box blade on it. So, we didn't have to encounter any PTO issues. Years later, I ran an 8N 6-handle backhoe with a front bucket loader -- not exactly user friendly when compared to the Cat 426D than I operated years after that.
ctv trans what a stupid ,move why would you do that and whats wrong with a 3 speed that last for ever great video
ctv transmission in passenger cars are
worse, no resale value, no one want to stand behind them, why did they even try it in a tractor
It was probably just to far ahead of it's time. The majority of high horsepower fixed frame tractors use a cvt transmission by now
I was just curious to learn if any heads rolled at New Holland after this debacle?
Probably rolled up into management!
The Ford 8N is truly an icon! A simple yet effective design that exemplifies the durability of classic tractors.
We had a boomer 5050 new holland at work that my boss bought brand new. It was nothing but trouble. He was hesitant to get rid of it because he never ran it and it was his first purchase when he became the boss. After spending half of the tractors value trying to make it functional, he finally got rid of it and bought the orange brand. Even the dealer we bought the new holland from cussed the cvt transmission.
So Wise , Thank You .
I plowed 4 ft of snow out of my driveway and my neighbors last week with the old 8N here in NW PA. It did her share of grunting but we got it done.
I am assuming NH did not correct the problem with an updated model with a different transmission. Such a disconnect between manufacturer and dealer. I had great experience with New Holland prior to the NH/Ford pairing.
i worked 2 AG dealers b/4 retirement ; CNH/mahindra and last CNHi/ NH/kubota that drop the red and kept blue . in BOTH dealers , we ran into trades with TC series with WRECKED shuttles and not even to 2000 hrs . stick shift models went WAAAAAAAAAAAAAYBACK to 1100 and 1300 and 1500 with 2000-3000hrs . so the shuttles sold a LOT of newer "tractors" .
electronic CVT ?! yeah disaster , but also , pertty Stupid ; CVTs have a hydrostatic component to ALL i have studied (as far as companies allow) . yes not all tork goes thru OR its used as a control component , so smaller hydro section . but dagnabbit , just run a HYDRO in little machines !! i worked on Komatsu dozers , about 7 yrs ago , near 300HP running thru and expecting 10,000hrs on them and with good maintenance , easily getting there . yeah , cvt , absurd . kubota had an auto-gear drive , GST i think , and that failed due to control problems .
Scotty of star trek fame ; " the more they overtake the Plumbing , the easier it is to stop up the drain" .
kubota has a totally electronic hydro .... there i was , old fart troubleshooting and found a bad controller less than 500hrs !! and i think to "confirm" others already had DAYS of troubleshooting time , i had 2hrs and kubota guy had another 2-3hrs before de😮cision agreement ; "yes a bad controller" ...electronic tork & cruise controls ??!! on 35-45hp ?? oy . funny the boomer 8N so bad , as this southern tier / binghamton region the name "Boomer" a terrible reputation . and peeps WERE excited , first hoping for that simple "IRON DOG" , hard working tractor , not another Edsel .
I have a TC30. I remember in '09, the cost was way overpriced.
Do You mean a Ferguson TO 30 by chance ?
Fergieman
You have convinced me thnx fer yer auanusty!!
I was honestly thinking the transmission before you even said it. It would be cool if the manufacturers would release more retro models but they need to stay true to their heritage. The Massey Ferguson 35 could be another big seller if they wanted too, keep it simple and maybe update a few things here and there but they would have a winner. I don't know about the cvt in tractors but I believe Honda was one of the first to release a cvt in the 96 Civic HX, I have a 97 but w/manual transmission... all of these automatic ones lasted to about 100k miles and then had issues but the 5 speeds were practically bulletproof. Nissan uses Jatco cvt transmissions and they are not that good either. My mom has 2014 Honda Accord with cvt and it seems to be holding up at least, I haven't heard of anymore problems with them but the early ones were junk and basically throw away transmissions.
In many cases the 8-N was bought to replace a pair of mules 😊 I've read somewhere that they were designed to have the same tractive effort as an average pair of mules 😮
Heck, does CVT don't work well in cars, and they cost an arm and a leg to fix.I used to work on those transmissions. They always seem to screwed up something. Yeah they're great when they work right it's not often they do😅