The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Just thought I would share some photo's of spring disking with one of our Power Majors. Hope you enjoy.

That must have blown the cobwebs out of the major!! Good work.

Hi Matt
What gear were you in and how much power do the discs demand of the Major? Are they an easy pull or do they make the engine work? I'm guessing from Dave's comment that the discs take some pulling.
Best
Adrian

Hello Guys,

I generally disk in 3d or 4th gear depending on soil conditions, I prefer 4th when possible, the faster you can run along the better job it does of tossing the ground. The disk is set on the most aggressive setting and it does make a Major work. If not for the loaded tires and extra wheel weights I doubt it would pull it at full depth. Normally we put the 8630 FWA on the disk, that of course is not even a good work out for it . On this day we thought we would have a little fun and show the neighbors that an old Fordson Major can still earn its keep

Nice! Love a tractor that earns it's keep. Dandy Dave!

Matt, what size disk is this? Last fall I bought a Kewanee 130 tandem disk (11.5 - 12 ft) for a song, hoping my E1A Major would pull it. I churned up some weeds last year (lots of fun, made her grunt), but this year will be the ultimate test. I have a field that was plowed up last fall (sandy, loamy, no rocks) that will need harrowing if it ever dries enough. I know the Power Major has a bit more grunt than the EIA, so I'm trying to gauge my expectations.

BTW, love the photos!

Joe

Hello Joe, I should think that your E1A will have no problem pulling a 12' Kewanee, although I don't know what size disks you have ? My John Deere is 12' with 18" disks. It does a wonderful job and with good ground speed will level in the first pass, I think this is mainly due to it being so heavy. You will have to keep us posted on how she does and take some photos to share. I always enjoys seeing the old iron at work

The Kewanee has 40-16" disks and the Major has calcium in the tires as well as the full compliment of wheel weights. She's quite heavy, and pulled the disk pretty well last fall through the weeds in 4th gear. The field was left with soybean residue from the year before, but has set untouched, growing weeds for a full season, so it had time to pack down a bit. This year will be my first time pulling it through a moldboard plowed field.

I'll be sure to post my results and pics.

Joe

This thread says it all about Majors. They might be old, but they are not outdated. They still do the jobs they were designed to do, and do them very well. And if after fifty or sixty years the Ford 4D engine needs a rebuild, £600 or so gives you a brand new snarling bit of kit ready to take on another fifty years of hard work.
Looking forward to seeing more photos.
Best
Adrian

Awesome pictures! I love to see these old machines in their element doing the kind of work that the newer ones would probably struggle with. I can't wait to try it with my new Super. Hopefully this year it will happen.