F series rear ends

Gary Mitchell

Well-known Member
It occurred to me while looking at Gpa Love's F 20 PIC in Tractor Talk that the differentials on the older F style models might be built a little lighter than the newer M's, H's, etc. Is that the case or do I have it backwards? gm
 
I really don't know if lighted but are a total different design. The old F20s and 30s were tough rear ends. The rear ends of f series look like they were built from truck rear ends.
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I suppose you may have never seen either opened up. The F series has the bull gears in the large diameter cases inboard of the wheels. The letter series has the bull gears in the center case on the inner ends of the axles. In the F series the differential and ring and pinion set in the center section or pumpkin as some like to call it. While in the letter series it sets basically below your feet under the platform between the brakes. Compatible sized horsepower models have about equally sized internal parts.
 
Here's a F-20 that's been repowered with a Cummins 5.9 diesel - estimated 250 HP. It's stock from the transmission input shaft back.

This tractor has been pulling successfully several years with no transmission/rear end problems.
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Dont forget the F12 that Delta Red repowered with a Ford V6. When I was a young teenager we had tractor pulling at the county fair. I don't know if there were others in the area. If there were it was not in the family entertainment budget. There were a couple locals that had repowered F20's for pulling. One with a Chevy 327 and one with a Chevy 427. There were more I am sure but I don't remember any more details. I have no idea what weight classes they had. I dont remember if there were any Oliver's or Massey Harris's or Allis Chalmers. Pretty sure no Deeres as the two cylinders were too hard to repower. What I do remember is that they were in the "Hot Rod Class". And that they were loud and cool.
Although some still farmed with F20's in the late 60's and early 70's they were pretty cheap around here as the horsepower race was going full throttle. And they were a little cumbersome to operate. But they were inexpensive and easy to repower if you needed a hobby.
At least one year the Deere dealer had a 5020 with a Detroit Diesel V12. They used it to pull the sled back and for a little advertising. I don't think there was a class he could compete in. But then again It was loud and cool and made an enormous amount of smoke It could have been a Kinze conversion. That was probably about the time that Kinzebaum started that part of his business. I don't know if it was sold in the area It was the only 5020 that I ever saw in the area.
The only F 12 I ever knew of was trapped behind junk in our old machine shed. It had steel wheels and a cracked block because grandpa was either too cheap or too poor to buy wood alcohol for an anti-freeze substite. So they would start it in the shed then fill it with water,use it then drain the radiator and then park it in the shed. Somebody forgot to drain it when it was put away the last time and the block was cracked. It probably was not considered worth it to fix between the steel wheels and the block and other things that might been wrong. It was dismantled in the late 50's and scrapped when I was about 4 or 5
I only knew one person that had an F30. He was my uncle and didn't live close. He farmed 80 acres with that and about 6 F20's. One had a mounted picker on it year round and I think another had a mounted or semi-mounted sickle mower. He may have had another dedicated ones and some may have been only for parts


The important thing to remember is that horsepower doesn't break things, torque does.

Bob, I hope I didn't offend you by hijacking the thread. When I read the post my brain started spinning. I had my foot operated on Wednesday afternoon and am somewhat wired. No pain as they did a nerve block just below the knee. Here I go again. Not sure,but it could be drug induced. If I wasn't confined to the chair, I probably would have been working by 330 and now it is after 7. So here I am 23 hours since getting up. That is if you don't count the nap on the operating table and recovery room. And not ready to sleep.
If I had been using my desktop, I would have probably started a new thread by copying and pasting. I don't know if it can be done on a phone. I never asked my kids if it could be done. And as long as it took, I didn't want to discard it and start over.
 

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