The Ford Barn

alexiskai · 09-04-2019, 12:34 PM

I've heard often that you could use a Model A to run agricultural machines by running a belt off a pulley attached to a rear wheel. My question is, what would typically be the way that someone doing this would account for the differential? If you simply jack up the rear end, the free wheel would spin when you tried to drive the belt. Do you just immobilize the free wheel with a chain or brake? If so, don't you risk burning out the differential from the continuous abnormal load? Was there an accessory that let you lock the differential on demand?

Wondering if anyone has heard of how this was handled at the time.

Kurt in NJ · 09-04-2019, 02:25 PM

Yes, the differential gears get very worn when just the one wheel is jacked up to run the belt for the cordwood saw----
The stationary engine running the water pump for irrigation got new rings every season because the cylinders had over .030 taper
There was always another "junk"car to abuse, not good enough to drive on the road

Just diss connect the parking brake on the driving side--- put the brake on to start the saw

Joe K · 09-04-2019, 02:32 PM

Most farm machinery driven by a tire around the wheel would have been driven by a one-lunger engine of perhaps 3 to 5 horsepower.

For the short period of time to run a milk separator, cut up cordwood (which requires "bursts" of energy but average is quite low), or power a water pump (probably the single most difficult load) the differential would be equal to it.

Of course some weren't. Someone who posted here with "spider gear casing wear" would be proof of that.

Joe K

40 Deluxe · 09-04-2019, 08:04 PM

My uncle did this with his Model A in the early '50's. He welded a power take off adapter to a rear wheel then simply jacked up that wheel and chocked the other one with a couple pieces of firewood.
If you did this often enough to wear out the spider gears, rear ends were a dime a dozen.

KGBnut · 09-04-2019, 08:13 PM

The setups I have seen like that they just jack up one wheel. The other wheel on the ground won't turn, so power it sent to the other wheel. Yes, it puts a lot of load on the one wheel, but when you go out tomorrow jack up the other side.

That's what I would do...

Ken

mike657894 · 09-04-2019, 08:14 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

the most homemade machines were engines mounted to frames or part of the old car frame to run a large saw blade. make your own drop saw or saw mill. people who were given a homestead or bought one would probalby have to clear the land or deal with lumber company's clear cut. well if they got any land that would grow anything. ive been paid to move trees and pick roots plowed up on land cleared to gain a few acres on a farm. whole new respect for home steaders.

mike657894 · 09-04-2019, 08:19 PM

http://www.rufusranch.com/ModelAThings.html here are a few. http://www.rufusranch.com/ModelAThings.html

1crosscut · 09-04-2019, 09:17 PM

Here is a couple pictures of what I call a jack shaft that is run off the input side of a Model A transmission.

40 Deluxe · 09-04-2019, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1crosscut

Here is a couple pictures of what I call a jack shaft that is run off the output side of a Model A transmission.

To me, that looks like an input shaft.

daveymc29 · 09-04-2019, 09:57 PM

In the early 40's, a couple of guys cam by our house and had a saw mounted on their AA. The blade was about 2 1/2 to 3 feet in diameter and ran off a belt on an axle. The jacked up one side and took off the tire and put on a drive pulley the width of the belt, moved the saw forward to take out some of the slack and put her in gear, brake locked on the tire side and sawed for quite a while making firewood rounds out of all kinds of trees that a flood had brought to our place. They were friends helping out, but this also was a business for them and and we may have given them a sheep or something in payment. They had cut a hole in the flatbed truck deck to allow the saw to be mounted on the deck above the axel, passenger side, so they didn't swap back and forth. We had a good years firewood by the time they left and I know they also had loaded their truck with a lot of wood. Good old boys doing what it took to survive during the end of the depression.

1crosscut · 09-04-2019, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40 Deluxe

To me, that looks like an input shaft.

Typing to fast. Corrected it.

09-04-2019, 12:34 PM	#1
alexiskai Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Mebane NC Posts: 2,350	Historical use of Model A to run farm equipment I've heard often that you could use a Model A to run agricultural machines by running a belt off a pulley attached to a rear wheel. My question is, what would typically be the way that someone doing this would account for the differential? If you simply jack up the rear end, the free wheel would spin when you tried to drive the belt. Do you just immobilize the free wheel with a chain or brake? If so, don't you risk burning out the differential from the continuous abnormal load? Was there an accessory that let you lock the differential on demand? Wondering if anyone has heard of how this was handled at the time.

09-04-2019, 02:25 PM	#2
Kurt in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: on the Littlefield Posts: 6,156	Re: Historical use of Model A to run farm equipment Yes, the differential gears get very worn when just the one wheel is jacked up to run the belt for the cordwood saw---- The stationary engine running the water pump for irrigation got new rings every season because the cylinders had over .030 taper There was always another "junk"car to abuse, not good enough to drive on the road Just diss connect the parking brake on the driving side--- put the brake on to start the saw

09-04-2019, 02:32 PM	#3
Joe K Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Cow Hampshire Posts: 4,188	Re: Historical use of Model A to run farm equipment Most farm machinery driven by a tire around the wheel would have been driven by a one-lunger engine of perhaps 3 to 5 horsepower. For the short period of time to run a milk separator, cut up cordwood (which requires "bursts" of energy but average is quite low), or power a water pump (probably the single most difficult load) the differential would be equal to it. Of course some weren't. Someone who posted here with "spider gear casing wear" would be proof of that. Joe K __________________ Shudda kept the horse.

09-04-2019, 08:04 PM	#4
40 Deluxe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: now Kuna, Idaho Posts: 3,778	Re: Historical use of Model A to run farm equipment My uncle did this with his Model A in the early '50's. He welded a power take off adapter to a rear wheel then simply jacked up that wheel and chocked the other one with a couple pieces of firewood. If you did this often enough to wear out the spider gears, rear ends were a dime a dozen.

09-04-2019, 08:13 PM	#5
KGBnut Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Southwestern Connecticut Posts: 931	Re: Historical use of Model A to run farm equipment The setups I have seen like that they just jack up one wheel. The other wheel on the ground won't turn, so power it sent to the other wheel. Yes, it puts a lot of load on the one wheel, but when you go out tomorrow jack up the other side. That's what I would do... Ken __________________ Style beats speed any day, and with a lot fewer tickets.

09-04-2019, 08:14 PM	#6
mike657894 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Bay City Michigan Posts: 1,050	Re: Historical use of Model A to run farm equipment Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) the most homemade machines were engines mounted to frames or part of the old car frame to run a large saw blade. make your own drop saw or saw mill. people who were given a homestead or bought one would probalby have to clear the land or deal with lumber company's clear cut. well if they got any land that would grow anything. ive been paid to move trees and pick roots plowed up on land cleared to gain a few acres on a farm. whole new respect for home steaders.

09-04-2019, 08:19 PM	#7
mike657894 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Bay City Michigan Posts: 1,050	Re: Historical use of Model A to run farm equipment http://www.rufusranch.com/ModelAThings.html here are a few. http://www.rufusranch.com/ModelAThings.html

09-04-2019, 09:57 PM	#10
daveymc29 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Danville, CA Posts: 1,553	Re: Historical use of Model A to run farm equipment In the early 40's, a couple of guys cam by our house and had a saw mounted on their AA. The blade was about 2 1/2 to 3 feet in diameter and ran off a belt on an axle. The jacked up one side and took off the tire and put on a drive pulley the width of the belt, moved the saw forward to take out some of the slack and put her in gear, brake locked on the tire side and sawed for quite a while making firewood rounds out of all kinds of trees that a flood had brought to our place. They were friends helping out, but this also was a business for them and and we may have given them a sheep or something in payment. They had cut a hole in the flatbed truck deck to allow the saw to be mounted on the deck above the axel, passenger side, so they didn't swap back and forth. We had a good years firewood by the time they left and I know they also had loaded their truck with a lot of wood. Good old boys doing what it took to survive during the end of the depression.

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