Emp Resistant Tractor

We bought an old farm last year. 10 acres that was a working farm all the way back into the 30's. The barn, corn crib and even the smokehouse still in tact. I wanted a tractor to work it that I knew would run no matter what. After some research, I bought a fully restored 1952 8n ford. Its a tough, strong tractor.Uses points and condenser, so no electronics to be damaged by EMP. Even has the original hand crank, so in a long term grid down event you could still start it. Even if your battery went bad.

 

What a beautiful tractor! Will its power take-off drive more current machinery? There's no roll-over bar on it, but if your land is flat, y'don't need one, do ya! I had a cousin whose tractor rolled over on him. Mashed him really bad -- days in the hospital (lot of broken ribs) -- but he got better. Some folk are just mighty hard to kill.

Where I'm from, you'd constantly pass folk headed for the country store on their tractors. You can use them for all manner of work. Don't try pulling stumps with a car.

 

Thank you Old Geezer.Yes it will work with almost all modern implements, except those requiring on board hydraulic remotes. Also, you must instal an over run coupler on the pto shaft for safety reasons. Keith, anything with solid state electronics, computer, or or electronic ignition can be effected from what I have read.

 

Keith, just curious, what kind of tractor did you buy?

 

Those kubotas are some nice tractors. I used to work at the KMA Atlanta plant. I have welded together MANY, MANY front end loader booms and buckets for new Kubota tractors.
It being a newer tractor, it does have electronics. However, I believe yours would be a diesel. That being said, I'm not real familiar with diesel ignition systems. But to insure it works after an EMP, I would recommend building a small farriday cage and buy an extra ignition module. Keep it in the cage and if an EMP occurred, just swap out the modules.

 

Keith, ive done a lot of searching and asking around since you posted this. So far ive found no conversion kits. All that I asked about it said you wouldn't find one , that you would have to get a machine shop to custom build a nut with the crank dogs on it and matching crank handle. However , these same people said trying to crank your modern kubota diesel engine most likely wouldn't be possible. As well as being potentially dangerous.

 

Couldn't he just use an old microwave instead of building a farriday from scratch?


gpwelding-What are your plans for fuel in case of a long term grid down? I know people who make biodiesel from old fast food grease, but even that would run out quickly if the grid went down (not to mention the fuel used to go and collect it). That's one thing that bugs me about shows like Walking Dead, they never seem to have any fuel problems. Even with stabilizers how are they doing so well on gasoline?

 

I have a Belarus 305 and 250as diesel tractor, has anyone thought of welding a pulley to the crankshaft pulley, put a grove in the side of it, for the knot, wrap a rope around it to pull start it?? Both tractors are reliable, simple 2 cylinder diesel engines, abt 25hp to drawbar for row vegetables, etc. The fuel injector pump does NOT have a electric solenoid in it-meaning you have to pull throttle to closed to stop engine.

 

Any time we have had a bad battery that wont turn over on one of our tractors (and we havent got around to getting new one) we park it on a hill and bump start it
if it a cold day we drain the coolent heat it and put it back in to warm the block and then bump start it
It works on most old tractors expect Massey Ferguson mult-power versions they cant freeroll you should always go with one with gravity feed diesel

 

The fuel tank is in the way for a crank handle, it appears a universal starter cup off a briggs & stratton and utilizing a 2nd person working the decompression knob works.