The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

On my Super Dexta the foot rest on the left side appears to be homemade. I have read that the tractors with live PTO only had a foot rest on the right side. Does anyone know if this is true and if so, why only one foot rest?
There is no safety interlock to keep the tractor from starting in gear. This is odd as my 1949 Ferguson will not allow you to start in gear. My dad's 1952 Ford 8N also can't be started in gear. Did the Dexta ever have a way to keep the tractor from starting in gear with the clutch out?
Last question. Does the knob under the seat that controls the flow of hydraulic fluid to the lift (three point hitch) work in both draft and position control? Or would it only be for plowing? Mine is locked up, I don't know if it is all the way open, closed or in the middle. I tried penetrating oil to loosen it, but it has not moved yet.
Thanks, Terry

Hello 274. Got around to scraping off enough stuff to read my serial no and mine is a 1960 w/live pto, no diff lock. yep, mine has a home made foot rest on the clutch side and yes my remote hydraulic is also stuck. Guess it has never been used; figure to pull it off this winter and free it up and add a remote line for future use. In reading the owners manual; if we follow instructions is said you are supposed to be on the tractor, push the clutch in and then start the engine. Guess that would prevent a deadly accident whether or not it was in gear. Think I'll be on the look out for a left side foot rest, is sure does make life more comfortable. Worked with my dexta today and checked my antifreeze to insure that it is in the safe zone for the coming months. Best of Luck on your Dexta (some folks call them an 8N on steroids)
Brownsmule
middle NC USA

All Dexta tractors had two foot rests whether non-live or live over here.

No safety start device was fitted to Dexta or Major tractors.

Yes, the flow control works for both Qualitrol and Position control.

going to stir things here - i read in tractor & machinary Nov 05 that the left hand foot rest was deleted as of approx july 1959 which would tie in with one of my dextas where a footrest was added before i bought it presumably because it was thought to be missing

i have a 1959 dexta and it has both foot rests and they are original castings. i am wondering if they deleted the left foot rest for tractors fitted with a cab. i have a winsam cab for my dexta and when its fitted the left foot rest is impossible to use.

regards
James

Do Not Belive Anything You Read In Tractor and Machinery!

They talk absolute rubbish when it is about Fordson Tractors. There is a prime example in their latest magazine when talking about the Power Major. They are claiming that Ford put the 51hp engine into Majors in 1957. Unfortunately the Service Data Sheets don't agree.

I have found numerous examples in the articles. Only last month they were claiming that there were no production versions of the Petrol Dexta!

This is my opinion and in no way is the opinion of the site managers.

i don't believe it all - don't worry - i did say i was going to stir!!!. I noticed the petrol dexta line as well last month strangley the article i referred to refers in passing to a petrol dexta and even has a picture - they clearly don't check things very well.

Hi,

The Footstep question is a difficult one.

"Our" Dexta, a 1962 has not a left hand foot step fitted, but a very original looking cap which holds the stability bar in place and a foot step on the right hand side.

I've seen one Super Dexta at our local Ford/NH dealer which had the same arrangements. Also two Dexta's (updated versions) at a tractor salesmans yard in our neighborhood lately who had this arrangement too.

The Dexta's we used to have in the past were fitted with left hand foot steps from my memory, but I'm not quite sure.

I have an original parts list for the Dexta, (owners edition, early version, printed after 3/58 but not much later (I think)), which states that the left and right hand footstep are identical parts. Te number is 957E-3440 which is described as "Cap (radius rod foot)", used 11/57 onwards and 2 items required.

Last saturday I was at a guy who is breaking up his Dexta, which was a 1958 year tractor, which had a left hand and a right hand foostep, which indeed were both identical.

I have a later copy of the parts list, which was given to me when we bought our Dexta in Meddo. This list is published by Ford Tractor Operations in Troy Michigan USA and dates from December 1977. This probably is a printed version of the list at Stefan's site. In this list the parts are as follows:
957E-3440-A described "Cap, Ball R.H." used 57/64, 1 required
957E-3440-A described "Cap, L.H. (with Twin Batteries)" used 57/64, 1 required
and
C7NN-3N406-A described "Cap, L.H. (Less Twin Batteries), used 57/64, 1 required.
The drawing shows both caps without the foot rest (but the drawing is not that good I think).

In my opinion, Ford might have been fitting different arrangements for different export countries. Otherwise, making savings on these cheap parts, only for some countries, might make production logistic more expensive then the saving in material obtained.

Interesting issue maybe, this footstep issue.

Best regards

Emiel

The dealer parts book for 1965 gives:

957E 3440 A - Cap Radius rod R.H and our store man has noted "footrest" in the margin. 11/57 to end of production.

957E 3440 A - Cap Radius rod LH. So its the same as above and is marked by Ford in the margin "Export only with twin batteries" from 1/60 to end of production.

957E 3440 B - Cap Radius rod LH "Except with twin batteries" 11/57 to end of production.

We stocked the A and B versions so I would surmise from this that they were both footrests. But interestingly the picture on the parts page shows no footrests on the caps shown for either side.

I would have thought that the footrest would have been deleted for tractors with the second battery because this was mounted on the RH foot plate but petrol Dextas with the battery there because of the second fuel tank in the area of the normal Diesel battery, have the second foot rest.

Another little "Fordson" mystery to keep us talking, You can imagine the designers with their chrystal balls, looking into the future and foreseeing chat sites about their work like ours, saying "Lets give the b-gg-rs something to worry about Hee Hee Hee"!!


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Brian wrote:Do Not Belive Anything You Read In Tractor and Machinery!

This is my opinion and in no way is the opinion of the site managers.

Um, er, uh, wellllll........ you are a site manager .

Ooops!

I have a 1959 Dexta with both foot rests. I have never seen one with out them here in my part of the world.


Brian,
Oscar got you that time.