The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

i have quiestion about the hand crank on fordson model f tractors this would be for both the dearborn michigan usa and cork irland model f tractors as i am shure their is no diffrance between them i am wondering should the crank sit upwards or sit down towards to the ground i have seen some people doing both with their cranks wich way did they come from the factory it is not a big issue just thought i would ask as alot of other tractors with front cranks have them upward.John

The reason for keeping the crank up is too keep it from getting caught and bent, or broken, on objets sticking up in a field. Or from getting rammed into the dirt while going though a ditch or furrow in a field. Riding around a show field, you may never have a problem, but in working conditions a low hanging crank was a problem. Dandy Dave!

did they make strap to keep it up in place? i do see alot of fordsons and other makes that do use straps to hold the crank up the crank will hold itself up but a holder or srap is better.John

I'm not sure if the Fordson F's came from the factory that way, but it was common place to have a leather strap to hold the crank at a horizontial position on many makes of tractors, and also, early hand crank automobiles. You would have to look in a Fordson F parts book and see if one is listed. Dandy Dave!