The Ford 6000

[@jeffbangkok]

This was my dream tractor. I got the model when I was 6. Our highway department had a Motrim on one they used along our farm. Wish I still had that model.

[@jeffmullinix7916]

Boy I sure do miss those days . I remember when farmers would plow the ground then disc it . I remember when I was just a kid and going out to the fields to bail hay . I was to little to do lift and kick them onto the trailers . What I did do was to drive the truck or tractor . The workers used to call me Easy . Thats because I did all the easy work . I used to hang around the shops helping mechanics do their jobs on the off hrs . Trying to learn and hear them talk . But I never became a farmer .

[@traderjack6151]

Can’t believe they were pulling a JD plow?. Worked at a Ford dealership the other problem with the select O speed was pto wouldn’t shut off all the way.trans used planetarys and brake bands, adjustments were crucial. Mechanics would flip a coin to see who’s going to get stuck with working on lol

[@357bullfrog9]

My brother restored one if them. It's his pride and joy

[@indianasunsets5738]

Love old Ford tractors!

[@MrLuckytrucker21]

Harrold Brock warned Ford that the power shift was not ready yet, but Ford would not listen and rushed it to market, so Mr. Brock went to Deere, and the 6000 was a lemon!

[@jamesbarbour8400]

Absolutely correct - Fords transmission needed more development work, as advised by Harold Brock, but they didn't listen to him. He decamped to John Deere, helped them develop a far superior transmission, and the rest is history ! For all its mechanical issues, I always loved the styling of the Ford 6000 - nothing out there remotely like it - very futuristic and sci fi looking.

[@JohnAsmith-rw6uo]

The Edsel of farm tractors.

[@Ihfarmer23]

Ford was killing it in the 60s 70s 80s and early 90s

[@grayday8721]

No, they weren’t… Some might say the Ford 6000 caused the downfall of Ford tractors…

[@Ihfarmer23]

@@grayday8721 yes the 6000 series had problems but the 8000 and the 9000 made up for it

[@robertlong7033]

More headaches, more smelter bait. Never heard a single good thing about those things outside of the fact that they were sharp looking.

[@jamesbarbour8400]

I really like their style too - very futuristic looking at the time, but as others have mentioned in regard to this particular model, a plethora of problems plagued it from the get go

[@mattlf9120]

This guy is running around trolling on all the 6000 video comments. Derr...sMelTeR bAiT

[@robertlong7033]

The facts are inescapable. I knew a dealer for a AC wouldn't take Ford 6000's in on trade.@@mattlf9120

[@Mikeys_Rydes]

We had one. Called the transmission the select a jerk! Had a fast road gear for its time.

[@davidkimmel5153]

Interesting. Thanks

[@daveprasse6643]

We had 2 of them ... the first one was the Red/Gray which was "recalled" and fully rebuilt by Ford ...

[@frankwurth5375]

Ford management well knew that Deere was working to release their new series of tractors and didn't learn from Harvester's screw up with the 560. So they rushed it to market, to try and grab market share that Harvester lost and Deere was aiming at. That Select o Speed worked well enough on the smaller tractor line, but, Just like the IHC 560, all that extra power made short work of the trans. and rear final drives. The recalls did mostly correct both tractors, but the true cost of customer base loss and repair cost, was what put Deere in #1 spot and they still are. I've ran and repaired both the 6000's and 560's, very comparable tractors, the Ford is a lot easier to use. But, by a large margin, the Deere Power Shift is the better trans. Harvester tried the 2 speed planetary unit, then the Hydro, then a partial Power Shift that came along with Case, But those all were way short of the mark. I guess they didn't want to buy rights from Deere. I think maybe the new releases finally have a full power shift, but us little farmers can't buy there due to cost. BUT, those bigger and fancy Power Shifts do wear out and n eed major repairs too. And when they do, $10000.-$15000. don't go too far!

[@gulabkhan2639]

I'm love to have ford tractor

[@daneenmurf1043]

Were the 6000s ever sold in Europe ? I have never seen one working on this side of the Atlantic although there might be the odd one in vintage circles. Also, why do they look so different to every other Ford ? Different colour. Different styling. Even different dashboard.

[@jamesbarbour8400]

Ford did not pioneer the use of hydraulics on farm tractors, as stated in the film. The Fordson 9N incorporated Harry Fergusons famed 3 point hitch and draught control - that was the feature that really made that tractor the success it was. Think Ford are being a wee bit economical with the truth here.

[@SchnelleKat]

very interesting stuff! Always loved them had a kink for it. but wouldn't it be tuff to find in Michigan? Some sound clips make it identical to a Farmall 560 in my opinion.

[@paulratzlaff2935]

4010 JD has a lot in common with a 6000; Maybe JD copied? ???

[@dalefelger1345]

@@paulratzlaff2935 The ford engineer went to work for john deere.

[@jamesbarbour8400]

@@dalefelger1345 yes - he felt that 'Selecto - Speed' was under developed and not yet ready for market release, but was over ruled by the top brass at Ford. So he jumped ship to John Deere, as you've already stated. Fords haste was their downfall with this trsnsmission - the idea was good, the execution of it less so. Ford had no end of complaints about it. My personal opinion is that the technology of the day wasn't really up to snuff, given the duty cycle it would be subjected to. Band brakes in particular, whilst cheaper than multi-plate clutches, where more temperamental and less forgiving in operation. When that Engineer went to John Deere, he already had considerable knowledge under his belt as to what not to do, hence the use of the more reliable (snd more expensive) multi-plate clutches. John Deeres' new transmission was a winner and Ford were left playing catch up for years. Multi-plate clutches are still used in modern tractor transmissions and Ipto elements.

[@christophersilsby7829]

My Uncle Porter Risch had a farm in Ingham County, Michigan and he had a Blue painted 1960's Ford 6000 with LP DIESEL

[@SchnelleKat]

@@christophersilsby7829 LP Diesel? Can't say i have ever saw one. I thought they were all LP Gas.

[@scottmain7898]

When I was growing up we had 2 Ford 6000. Thought they were decent tractors. But unfortunately I believed the IH and JD were the better.

[@madtater5948]

how much HP?

[@jeffmullinix7916]

How much HP !!!!!!! That depends where . At the PTO or Wheel .

[@dodge-ut6ti]

60hp and up

[@1kgsxrk7]

@@dodge-ut6ti I just bought a 1962 6000 and I’m regretting it. I don’t even have it in my possession but all the comments and articles I’ve been reading nothing but problems

[@dodge-ut6ti]

@@1kgsxrk7 They are for show not for work. Ford 5000 would be a better buy. I'm a Ford, Ford Dearborn man. But the 6000 didn't last long as working tractors before they were parked in the hegde row. In the early 60s a Fordson Super Major would have been the one to buy.

[@42lookc]

It's such a shame the hugely high hopes Ford pinned on the 6000 and the reputation it ultimately was saddled with. Had it been more carefully developed and therefore more successful, Ford's tractor future and the entire tractor industry could very well have changed as a result. 14:55 Ever wonder where the 6000 got its unique muffler? Look no further than the funnels on the _S.S. United States_ ocean liner from 1952. You will see both the same tall, teardrop shape, and the smoothly rounded top cap. The only styling cue missing on the 6000's muffler is the United State's funnel fins, added to develop a streamline to keep soot airborne and off the liner's decks.

[@jamesbarbour8400]

Interesting little detail that, thank you

[@turnertruckandtractor]

Ford’s marketing department had their work cut out on this one.

[@thegreenerthemeaner]

I know a 730 Diesel got way better economy per hour than a 6000 Diesel. Those Diesel 6000s had a sound all their own and sounded best through the factory muffler, straight pipe was horrible. Heard one with a Turbo once sounded good but it had to be short lived.

[@dwk7375]

I would trust a 720/730 more than a 6000 Ford,just keep a eye on the flywheel,

[@rnedlo9909]

you can see how Ford was trying to make an Allis Chalmers

[@4321grp]

The 6000 turned out to be a lemon, while the Fordson Major Diesel was the best, most reliable tractor Ford ever made! I just wonder why Ford didn't allow their England division to design a larger, heavier, more powerful Fordson Major instead of the 6000 with all of its' reliability issues. Maybe politics?

[@musicauthority674]

My father had a Fordson Major Diesel. he bought it used and it was pretty worn out. it had been worked pretty hard. it dropped a valve and he had to go though the engine. and parts were difficult to get because they had to come from England. but he repaired and eventually he sold it.

[@TheDieselDiary]

Just made a video about the failure of this tractor on my channel!

[@frankwurth5375]

Ford management well knew that Deere was working to release their new series of tractors and didn't learn from Harvester's screw up with the 560. So they rushed it to market, to try and grab market share that Harvester lost and Deere was aiming at. That Select o Speed worked well enough on the smaller tractor line, but, Just like the IHC 560, all that extra power made short work of the trans. and rear final drives. The recalls did mostly correct both tractors, but the true cost of customer base loss and repair cost, was what put Deere in #1 spot and they still are. I've ran and repaired both the 6000's and 560's, very comparable tractors, the Ford is a lot easier to use. But, by a large margin, the Deere Power Shift is the better trans. Harvester tried the 2 speed planetary unit, then the Hydro, then a partial Power Shift that came along with Case, But those all were way short of the mark. I guess they didn't want to buy rights from Deere. I think maybe the new releases finally have a full power shift, but us little farmers can't buy there due to cost. BUT, those bigger and fancy Power Shifts do wear out and n eed major repairs too. And when they do, $10000.-$15000. don't go too far!

[@musicauthority674]

I was a truck driver and and when I first started driving. I used to haul potatoes and sugar beets. and I can remember the farmers using IH and John Deere tractors. and the tractor operators liked the John Deere tractors. because the cabs were better for being able to see all around the tractor, than the IH tractors. but the John Deere tractors had hydrauliclly operated front drive axle wheels. and if the spud digger elevators would dig too deep. or if they hit a hard patch of ground. the front wheel drive would give up. and the operators would have to be on their toes with the spud digger elevators. where as the IH tractors had a mechanical front wheel drive. and I remember keeping a good look out. so I stop along with the tractor when I was loading the truck. I think John Deere finally changed that front drive design. and from what I remember both of the tractors. were pretty similar as far as reliability was concerned.

[@robertlong7033]

When all the troubles with the 6000 surfaced I imagine that there were engineers at Ford who were asking themselves....." why are we even in the tractor business"?