Saving a 50's Ferguson To-30

Throwing a new tarp onto of a stick built storage space for tractors and bikes and then fixing electrical issues on an old tractor and giving it a full service.

[@timothymilam732]

Might I suggest that you either build a fan shroud, or find one some where to install on the radiator. Because the distance back to the blade is large enough that it will pull free air from everywhere around the radiator. Where if the shroud is in place, it's forced to pull through the radiator properly, and it will be able to do it's job efficiently. Also make sure you have a thermostat in the engine, as they run better at the correct temperature range to allow proper fuel burn in cylinders. 50/50 mix of the old green antifreeze, along with the mix needed from a bottle of wetter water, and your set to go for years. I would spend the 10 dollars for a new radiator cap just to be certain it's working properly, and not going to waste the coolant. There's a place I buy from for my TO 20, 30, and massey ferguson 135's is called yesterday tractor. While they're not always the cheapest, they've never failed to have what I needed. That said ORileys, and NAPA, have some things in their warehouses that fits the old Continental engines, helps if you know what year the tractor was built. Hope that your starter never gives you trouble, because even having your old one rebuilt is not cheap, but cheaper than buying one if you can find it. Take care of her, and she'll last a long time for you. Take care, and hopefully some of what I mentioned helps you out. PS For $500.00 you basically stole it, because even beat down to barely telling what are who built them I've seen nothing under 1500.00 and in as good a shape as your's is $2500.00 all day long. Oh yeah they sell a oil filter conversion setup that's a breeze to install, to switch to regular oil filters. BTW when your oil pan leaks again, take a ball pen hammer, and tap the bolt hole openings back flush with the rest of the flange. Use permtex gray or black gasket sealer on each side of the gasket after it's setup slightly, but is no longer sticky to touch. Never use a impact on oil pans are valve covers, because only takes basically hand tightening to seal it up. What you're actually doing is crushing your gasket with the flange bolts by forcing the flange to distort into a funnel shape. Which in turn over a short amount of time will eventually leak as bad or worse than before. Typically what happens is they'll start weeping a little, and someone uses a socket to tighten it up, and they over tighten them crushing the gasket same as you have. A nut driver and one hand will tighten the bolts to about the proper spec of tourqe, which is around 20 to 25 inch pounds, but not foot pounds. Much less, and typical tourqe wrenches don't go that light. They sell them lotta places, but generally if you just use nut drivers and your hand your close enough to count If it starts weeping after you replace it next time just snug it up same way with nut driver and one hand, and do have to strain on it just whatever you can turn it under mild pressure is fine

[@Mclean_mcnamara]

Thank you for passing on all the knowledge. I’ll take it all to heart

[@africadreamin]

The linkage does not power down, the weight of the implement does that, with that simple service you have extended the life of the tractor.

[@billbyrnes9505]

Steiner, out of Illinois, has most anything you would want. They can tell you what year it is by the serial number. I bought one, 1952, thought it was a 54 for twenty years, went to buy something for it and that told me it was a 52. Thirty plus years later, all I did was update to a twelve volt system, repaired the radiator, out a new fancy, comfortable seat on it, and after twenty five years, give or take a couple, new clutch. The people I bought it from, their dad was redoing it. I have no idea what he had done to it, but oil changes and tune ups is about it. And one muffler. Funny story, after ten, or fifteen years, the thing started act ing up, not idling right, could not figure it out. Went back to basics, started with timing, 180 out. Lets go back to the beginning, the tractor would never idle less than about a thousand RPM's. Always had to throttle up. Now, back to the future, we found out it the distributor was 180 out. Fixed that, checked the plugs, reset the points, and, BOOM. The dang thing would idle at 60 RPM, which is way too low but would idle, anywhere I wanted it to? Go figure. Exhaust pointing down, like any exhaust, looks cool, UNTIL, you get in the dirt. No muffler, sparks may fly in dry grass, hay field, grass fire? So, now as we speak, I have a wheel seal leaking, along with my twenty year old radiator fix is leaking again. If you ever have to split your tractor, mark your throttle, governor, and anything else that may need to be put back in the same spot. Enjoy the tractor, I am still enjoying mine. Oh yea, a solid mount tow bar was added, better than the bar that goes on the hydraulic arms. Located in NE Ohio.

[@Mclean_mcnamara]

That’s awesome. These tractors are beasts. They don’t make them like they used too

[@buffsheeri]

drove one of those for years on my uncle's farm.

[@flhusa1]

Swap your rear wheels side to side. Tread facing wrong way

[@user-lo6cf3df1x]

Stay with the kid you're doing a good job

[@scottfoster2487]

The power to the coil is not being cut off. sure a neat old tractor.

[@Mclean_mcnamara]

Electrical work is not my forte

[@flhusa1]

Oil pours out the container better if you pour with neck at top. Should be a diagram at top. Same for ant I freeze jug.

[@mr.homelite8490]

Sounds like it's missing, maybe new plugs,wires & points.

[@billbyrnes9505]

Only one tire was mounted backwards. But, from the looks of things, new back tires would be in order?

[@alanarmbrust6479]

New exhaust for that tractor is 36 bucks plus 20 S/H. I just replaced it on my TO30. I admire the effort put forth though! Love my tractor.

[@Mclean_mcnamara]

Wow that really good. I’ll look into that. Probably sounds much nicer than mine haha

[@dwaynestomp5462]

I need a steering gear box or hopefully just a kit for a Ferguson TO-35

[@steveclark9676]

I thought 30 weight non detergent was better i was told by father inlaw

[@danbentsen]

Looks like you have a bent PTO Shaft, w/erratic spin

[@Mclean_mcnamara]

It’s definitely not as straight as it should be but the pto has an adapter on it that is very loose and makes the spin look much worse than it really is. I need to just take it off because there is no way it’s safe to use as is haha

[@flhusa1]

C-clamp at bend and turn pipe 90 Degrees in your vise.

[@farmtofishing9994]

Did you just sell this tractor on Facebook market places

[@Mclean_mcnamara]

Not yet but trying too

[@thomasmcquade5097]

Why didn’t you change the oil filter

[@Mclean_mcnamara]

I did I just forgot when I was filming

[@haroldparker3487]

It's a switch NOT an ignition.

[@davidflint3722]

air inlet pipe to small

[@Mclean_mcnamara]

It’s the oem intake from the factory