Upgrade from Farmall H

Im not sure where to post this but here goes...

I have had an farmall H for well over 25 years and I really like it alot. However I would like something maybe a big bigger so I could pull a bigger brush hog. I currently pull a 6 footer which worked rather well with it but the tractor engine is about shot now and there are alot of other issues with the tractor so I think time for a new one. I kind of have my mind on a Farmall M or a 460. I am a bit worried about fuel consumption so I might go for the Farmall M...a few H parts would interchange too. Do they use a whole lot more fuel than the H"s? Im assuming that the Farmall 460 would use alot more for the amount of power I could get out of it. What about the Allis WD-WD45's? Im just looking for a cheap replacement and prefer to stay with the older ones...Thanks...

Very few parts interchange from H to M/460.As far as fuel,yes the bigger tractors will burn more fuel,but not significant enough to matter.especially for the limited/few hours that you will be running it.Becides,you wont be pulling the guts out of it with a plow or......So useage would 'light'.In fact,since the H is working harder than the M(M will be loafing)The M may acctually use less gas for the same job.A 460 wont use more gas than an M('bout the same).I recomend a 460.A bit newer with live pto,better hydralics,torque amplifier......Just a better,newer tractor.

An M is my little tractor. I would rather use it than anything. Last night I mowed in some pens and used it - that tells you something if I would rather use it without live PTO.

The one I use I bought for $800 with bad tires. I junked mine with good tires so it was a good deal. An M is a good old workhorse that will do anything you ask of it (chore-wise). They aren't the easiest on gas, but you won't be plowing or anything. Mine is my loader tractor and it will run quite a while on a tank.

They are bigger than the H but similar. If you understand your H you will be able to do anything needed on an M.

I'm with njair..The M is my 'go to' tractor.I have bigger and newer.But you sust cant beat an M.At present,I'm planting corn with it.

A 6' bush hog is quite a load on an ole Farmall h so yours may not be quite as worn out as you think. Remember these things were only 27 hp at the PTO when brand new for a gas only model. Less than that for the distillate all fuel model and even more less than that for the Kerosene model. So unless yours has been rebuilt with domed pistons which would put it in the 29-31 pto hp range then it is doing better than you think.

A 5' bush hog can work my 1951 Farmall h original gas model pretty hard depending on what I am cutting. Mine is not what I would call worn out, but I am sure it likely does not have the hp it used to have either.

I also have a Farmall m although I have not used it enough to compare fuel useage differences to the h (but I think my h is a miser for the technology it is). I do know that pulling a single shank subsoiler in my concrete like clay soils is all my ole h wants. Same subsoiler behind the m and it pulls much easier (stock all fuel m). Farmall advertised the m as 33% more tractor than the h when new. Only fair to expect 33% fuel useage increase.

Really, do not think an M or a 460 is going to handle bigger than a 6' bush hog either but you will certainly handle one both faster and easier than the h in comparison so you can still accomplish more pulling it faster.

If you're happy with the red tractor support in your area and want to stay red I think I'd be looking at a 300 or 350 with the T/A. You pick up a little power (a tad bit more than 35) get the live power (nice for a mower) and the T/A so if you hit a thick spot you pull the lever and slow down. IIRC the 460 is based off of the H sized tractor, some members here report problems with the IH gas six cylinders on today's fuels when they're worked hard, the 460 would be the way to go if you want to step up to diesel which might lower your fuel costs. Stay away from the 300 and 350 diesels they were problematic as IH outsourced the engine, they weren't that good and Case IH doesn't have much support for them. Another alternative would be a 606 or one of the other IH utilities from the early 60's but again watch the 6 cylinder gas tractors, you might be running ethanol free premium in it to keep it happy (read more fuel dollars). 400 or 450 is an alternative but stay with a gas tractor on that series.

If you're open to other brands I would personally look at a Ford or MF around 40 HP so you would get 3 point with draft control, live power and hydraulics and if you shop carefully power steering and a differential lock.

I do alot of light work with an H and M. Pretty much use the M if I need a little more power, and the H if I don't. In all reality, I like driving the M better. It just seems to ride nicer and handle a little nicer along with the extra power. This is just because the M is a little bigger. As far as the fuel usage between the two, I am sure the H burns a little less, but its not enough to really notice. I dump a few gallons in and just go. Which ever one I'm using seems to always have gas left in it when I am done with a job. As far as parts interchanging from H to M, you might as well forget that. Even though they are very simular in appearance, very few parts will interchange.

I would get a utility 350 or a wide front 460 the 460 uses a little more gas than you are used too as does the 350 but that's what happens when you want more power

The 460 would likely use a lot less fuel than an M. A 221 cu in modern 6-cyl will give you more hp hours per gal than a 264 cu in 4

How about a Ford 800 or 900? nearly twice the power, live PTO, three point and they sip the gas. the 801, 901s have a little more power but use considerably more gas.

I do have another tractor project I have been working on slowly time to time. I took a farmall H parts tractor and put in a 1958 Black Diamond truck engine basically using a farmall 460 flyhweel turned down for the Farmall H ring gear. My biggest holdup now is some type of governor and hydraulic system. I think I will put in a belly pump and use an accelerator for now so I can finish it. I plan on running it 1800-2000 (peak torque) rpm and I figure it might be 50-60 HP. I figure it won't be easy on gas, but if I can get more done quicker, then I guess its the tradeoff.

Get the WD-45 it'll pull that hog with ease.

When I was in college(MSU) in the early 70's, a student across the hall grew up on a farm. They used a H and a M. Working hard, he said the H used 1gph and the M used 3gph. I know my neighbors 560 sure likes gas.

I have an M. Hate the darn thing and as soon as I can afford to replace it it's gone. I have back and neck problems and the M just about puts me down for a couple of days every time I use it. Planted hay with mine the other day. I'm still hurting from that. I'm looking at 460s, 504s and 544s as possible replacements. Would mine one of the Fords but around here just too much money.

Rick

(quoted from post at 07:18:09 05/18/14) When I was in college(MSU) in the early 70's, a student across the hall grew up on a farm. They used a H and a M. Working hard, he said the H used 1gph and the M used 3gph. I know my neighbors 560 sure likes gas.

Click to expand...

Here is my disking tractor. It burns about 3 gph pulling and 18 foot transport disk.