Score!!!!!

[jcappe]

No I didn't find a bunch of wood but, I did find a tractor!

My brother's father inlaw gave him this Ford 3000 about three years ago. Since then it has been sitting out back and probably doesn't run anymore. (My bro is real good at taking on projects and then never starting them) Well I've been wanting one of my own for awhile to pull logs and doodle with instead of using my other brothers all the time. This time I benefited from him not finishing the project. I said something to him about buying it and he said buy it hell, have at it. So this weekend I'm going to pull it in the shop and see if it starts, if not I'll get it going. It's not much but it actually should do a pretty good job at what I want to do with it. Nothing like Stein's homemade Grapple skidder deal but hey it should work. I want to hook up something on the 3 pt for pulling logs, I'm thinking some sort of arm with a grapple hook on it so I can lower the 3pt put the hook on the log and raise the 3pt. Any suggestions on that part of it?

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[jcappe]

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[ericjeeper]

diesel or gas?

 

[November Wolf]

Can't beat that. Sounds like great deal.

Good luck!

 

[jcappe]

Gas, Diesel would have been nice but this should do ok for me. I think

 

[Mike Van]

As long as you're not pulling a plow or harrow, nothing wrong with gas. My 2 cents anyway.......

 

[ericjeeper]

surely you know a mechanic

that needs a little side money huh?

 

[thombat4]

Wow dude nice tractor! Hope you get it going soon. Looks like a real workhorse!

 

[BuddhaKat]

Well I've gotta say this; A tractor is the best hand tool a man can own. Mine has a backhoe. Leaks fuel & oil like a sieve. No brakes, no power steering, no electrical to speak of, older than dirt, but it does run. Wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

[jcappe]

that needs a little side money huh?

I could probably, maybe, find one LOL, I'd rather do it myself though, as you know I don't know squat about windows but Ford's and engines are a couple of things I do know a bit about. LOL. Kind of run's in the blood.

 

[excess650]

Nice score!

I would look into a log arch rather than dragging more than I had to.

 

[coog]

Make sure you try to start it using fresh gas in a clean can.You can bet that the old tank is filled with something you do not want in your carb.I would say that is a $4k tractor with the loader when you have it cleaned up.Great score.

 

[ktm rider]

www.tractorbynet.com

They're are a great bunch of guys over there that can really help you out on your project...

Good luck !

 

[jcappe]

Make sure you try to start it using fresh gas in a clean can.You can bet that the old tank is filled with something you do not want in your carb.I would say that is a $4k tractor with the loader when you have it cleaned up.Great score.

Good idea Coog, I'm planning on starting with brand new fluids, minus the hyro fluid unless it needs changing.

 

[Moss Man]

Sweet deal, have fun and keep us updated as to how you make out with it. As you get older, a bucket tractor becomes more and more appealing, believe me.

 

[Mike Van]

One of the best inventions ever has gotta be the 3 point hitch - You can make or buy more 'stuff' to use on a tractor.

 

[Stein]

Nice find! Those are nice little tractors. I have a Ford 901 Diesel that is a bit bigger than yours, but older. The nice thing about them is they are pretty easy to work on. A shop manual should be available at most TSC or Orscheln's stores. They don't look like much of a manual, but I completely rebuilt the diesel engine on mine with all new everything using one of those manuals. It's an old IHI manual.

Making a 3 pt log skidder for that won't be too much trouble. I see that you have a set of hydraulic lines at the rear. It would be easy to set up a cylinder to run the "tongs", bought or fabricated so you never need to get off of the tractor if you wanted. Otherwise, manual would be even easier. I can sketch something up for you if you are interested.

Do you have a welder?

 

[jcappe]

3pt skidder

Stein, that would be awesome. I have a welder and most of the tools needed to do a fair amount of fab work. If you don't mind drawing something up that would be great.

 

[danrclem]

Fantastic! I'm envious of your loader because I don't have one.

That's a great tractor for what you'll be doing with it. I bet it doesn't take much money to get it running if it was running when parked. A little bit of paint will make it look good.

I guess you'll have to loan it to you brother anytime that he wants it. LOL

 

[trapshooter9]

I have a Ford 860, similar to yours only older and no FEL. I couldn't tell from the pictures whether or not you have a draw bar on the lift arms. I had the local hardware store order me a hook ($14) which goes on the draw bar. It is like a hook on the end of a log chain only it's designed to go on the draw bar. It works well. Just put a choker chain around the log and back the tractor up so the draw bar is over the end of the log and lower it down onto the log. Hook the chain into the hook and lift the end up slightly and drag away.

A word of caution: Many people have been killed by tractor flipping over backwards while skidding logs. The weight of your front end loader will help. Even better if you add some weight in the bucket. Use appropriate caution when pulling up a hill. Always keep your anchor point as low as possible i.e. don't lift the log any higher than necessary (an inch or two is usually sufficient).

That's a good tractor you got. Have fun!