Two 8N's Run Side-By-Side

2002 - Volume #26, Issue #1, Page #33

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When he retired from trucking in 1995, Bill Critchlow, Melita, Manitoba, became a tractor collector - in a big way.
    He bought up old Fords and Fergusons and began restoring them. His collection of restored tractors grew to about 40.
    Then he hit on the idea of pairing up two restored 8N's to make a double tractor. "It wasn't that difficult," he insists.
    After first restoring the two 1948 tractors, Critchlow removed the front ends and built a new longer front axle by cutting the ends from the existing axles and attaching them to the ends of an axle from a third tractor. He put supports under the two engines, positioned about a foot apart, and added a center pivot point for the new axle halfway between them.
    To merge the rear ends, he cut both axles and axle housings in the same place (but on opposite sides) so he left both differentials and transmissions intact. He then welded the remaining axles and housings from each tractor together.
    He rebuilt the steering so both steering wheels work. And he connected the rear brake cables to the brake pedals on both tractors so one person can drive them both.
    This gave him two 8N's sitting side by side on a single set of front and rear axles. "There are two of nearly everything - two seats, two steering wheels, two transmissions, two clutches, two clutch pedals, and two throttles," he says. Of course, with the engines there are also two batteries, two generators and two starters. And at the back, there are two PTO's and two 3-point hitches.
    He intends to make one change in the twin tractors. "It would help if I could disengage both clutches with just one pedal, so this winter I'll be modifying the hook-ups and rods so I can do that. Then it will be easier to engage both transmissions at the same time," he says.
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Bill Critchlow, 171 Townsend Drive, Melita, Manitoba, Canada R0M 1L0 (ph 204 522-3438).

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Two 8N s Run Side-By-Side TRACTORS Collectors When he retired from trucking in 1995 Bill Critchlow Melita Manitoba became a tractor collector - in a big way He bought up old Fords and Fergusons and began restoring them His collection of restored tractors grew to about 40 Then he hit on the idea of pairing up two restored 8N s to make a double tractor It wasn t that difficult he insists After first restoring the two 1948 tractors Critchlow removed the front ends and built a new longer front axle by cutting the ends from the existing axles and attaching them to the ends of an axle from a third tractor He put supports under the two engines positioned about a foot apart and added a center pivot point for the new axle halfway between them To merge the rear ends he cut both axles and axle housings in the same place but on opposite sides so he left both differentials and transmissions intact He then welded the remaining axles and housings from each tractor together He rebuilt the steering so both steering wheels work And he connected the rear brake cables to the brake pedals on both tractors so one person can drive them both This gave him two 8N s sitting side by side on a single set of front and rear axles There are two of nearly everything - two seats two steering wheels two transmissions two clutches two clutch pedals and two throttles he says Of course with the engines there are also two batteries two generators and two starters And at the back there are two PTO s and two 3-point hitches He intends to make one change in the twin tractors It would help if I could disengage both clutches with just one pedal so this winter I ll be modifying the hook-ups and rods so I can do that Then it will be easier to engage both transmissions at the same time he says Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Bill Critchlow 171 Townsend Drive Melita Manitoba Canada R0M 1L0 ph 204 522-3438

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