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Ford 861... I think

9K views 21 replies 8 participants last post by  Christian Dasher 
#1 ·
Feel free to correct me if Im wrong but I believe I dragged home an 861 Powermaster last night.... still doin the research on it.

Had some minor electrical issues with getting spark but I have had it running now and it sounds quite good, tranny seems good, tiny oil pressure line to the gauge is cracked and leaking, one frost plug is leaking. It does have a hydraulic pump issue but I knew that before I went to look at it. Has a 5 speed so I believe its either an 851 or 861... seems to have a two stage clutch so I Think that makes it an 861 with a live pto, serial # suggests its a 1961, It has power steering, working brakes. working charging system, new rear tires, adjustable front axle. Came with a complete FEL, 48" bucket needs a little welding repair, and someone has added to it making it larger than it was originally, most likely for snow removal, hoses look decent and it has an electic joystick controller. Who ever took the loader off made sure to cap every line and the cylinders so I expect it will work fine once the pump issue is addressed.

So it needs a little TLC but I think I have a nice little Ford here... and I pretty much bleed Ford Blue anyway so theres a good chance this one will be sticking around for awhile. Happy, Happy:tango_face_smile_bi
 

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#3 ·
Definitely an 801 series. As to which model within the series (821, 841, 851, 861, 871, 881) it depends on which transmission and PTO options it has. An 861 would have a 5 speed and live PTO, but an 851 would have a 5 speed and non-live PTO.

The proofmeter is from a 5 speed, but your pictures do not show the shifter so I can't tell whether it really is a 5 speed.

Post a picture of the shifter, and another of the clutch pedal and linkage and we should be able to confirm what it is.
 
#4 ·
It is a 5 speed, and the clutch has very distinct two stage operation feel to it but I didnt want to leave it running with oil and water leaks so I never actually tried the pto... kind of ran out of room yesterday so I went back today to pickup an MF sickle mower and LP Westward cultivator... which are both still in the trailer.
 

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#5 ·
Looks to be in great shape Lance.....

You've really lucked out on this keeper.:bananapow
 
#8 ·
Yup, 861 for sure. If you get tired of the high position of the clutch pedal and don't need the live PTO most of the time, you can move the pin on the front clevis of the linkage rod to the other hole and it will allow the clutch to sit lower. You can always move it back when you need the live PTO.
 
#9 ·
So Larry, Im sure you can see now why I was willing to sell the little Ford loader, as nice as they are it just wasnt big enough, this 861 is more my size I think, its actually only slightly larger than the old '46 N, but smaller than the Cockshutt 40 I sold last year. So in the end I think everything worked out fine, at first the guy wanting the Lgt165 was gonna trade an 18' Rainbow trailer but he ended up selling that and bought the 165 with cash, and gave me the lead on this 861.

Thx NR, I'll test out the pto at some point, assuming that a MF pto/3pt sickle mower will fit the tractor, it and a small Westward 5' 3pt cultivator came in the package deal with the tractor.

Theres still a MF 35 tractor sitting there but the front axle is broken so no front wheels on it. I dont think I could get it on a trailer as is so I declined on that one. Apparantly the broken axle was sent out for welding some time ago and has not been repaired/returned as of yet... I told the woman to call me if/when the part does get repaired and maybe I'll go back for it.
 
#10 ·
Have you checked for the model number on the bell housing? It should be located just below the air cleaner. Our 851 had that same 2 position clevis on the clutch. Could be someone changed it along the line somewhere. I wish ours had power steering and the live PTO.
 

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#12 ·
I believe that they got rid of the clevis with the single hole in the end somewhere along the production run and used the one with two holes for all of the 5 speeds, regardless of live or non-live PTO, after that.
 
#13 ·
Rainy day here so I havent been out working on it today, havent even unloaded the sicklemower and cultivator out of the trailer yet, just hangin out on MTF most of the day. Lol. But... I did go to town for the mail and a guy come up to me at the post office asking if I'd be interested in trading the 861 for TWO Ns... lolol... I told him not yet... but maybe we can talk once I have the bugs out. I live on a main road going in so everybody in town always knows when I bring home something interesting;)

So, with or without the two hole clevis, from what Ive read so far the 851 clutch will not have a distinct two stage effect when you press the pedal??? My pedal only moves about 1/2 inch before you can feel the start of the first stage, then as you push it down to approx 2/3 travel point you can feel the resistance let off slightly, and then when you push it a little more you can feel the resistance from the second stage.
 
#21 ·
Finally getting around to this 861, got the tire fixed and found another rusty frost plug that is leaking so I pulled it out of the shop with a garden tractor... got the old plug out and flushed the system with the garden hose... hope to find a frost plug in the city today then I should be able to get running again.... and then try to figure out why there is no hydraulic pressure.
 

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