Information on Ford 3600 Tractors

The Ford 3600 tractor was manufactured between 1974 and 1981. This tractor comes from a storied family of farm tractor lines produced by the Ford Motor Company. According to SSB Tractors, Ford was not the first tractor to plow the fields. However, Fords were one of the first to be mass produced and reasonably priced. Tractor Data, LLC quotes the original purchase price of a 1981 Ford 3600 tractor as $7,200.

The Ford 3600 tractor had an operating weight ranging from 4,415 to 5,590 pounds, depending on whether the tractor was equipped with either a six- or eight-speed transmission. The ballast weight was 6,900 pounds. These weights are added to the tractor to improve traction, balance, stability and digging performance. The weights consisted of either sand bags, calcium solutions in the rear tires or slabs of cast iron held together with a U-shaped bolt fixed to the tractor's frame.

A gasoline and a diesel engine were available in the Ford 3600. Both engines displaced 175 cubic inches and had three cylinders. The bore and stroke for both engines were 4.20 x 4.20 inches. Both engines were liquid cooled. The engines were naturally aspirated, with no turbocharger or supercharger. The RPM rating for both engines was 2,000. The starters for both engines required 12 volts to operate. The compression ratios set the engines apart. The gasoline engine had a ratio of 16.3:1. The horsepower rating ranges were 40.17 to 40.62. The horsepower ranges depended on which transmission the tractor was equipped with. The diesel engine had a compression ratio of 7.75:1. The horsepower rating ranged from 40.49 to 40.55, again dependent on the transmission used.

Two transmissions were available for the Ford 3600 tractor. One was a six forward speed unit with two reverse gears.The second transmission was an eight forward speed unit with two reverse gears. Tests were conducted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1976 that determined that higher horsepower ratings were achieved for the gasoline and diesel engines, which were mated with the eight speed transmission.

The chassis of the Ford 3600 tractor was a 4 x 2 two wheel drive. The braking system was a differential mechanical expanding shoe type. Power steering was standard. A cab was optional. A drawbar could be attached to the frame for towing or dragging at a fixed height or a three-point hitch for towing at variable heights. Whenever a drawbar was engaged, gasoline-powered 3600s could pull a maximum of 5,158 to 5,123 pounds. Diesel-powered 3600s could pull a maximum of 5,114 to 5,227 pounds. The reported results from the University of Nebraska tests showed that the higher maximum weights could be pulled with the eight speed transmission.

A Power Take Off is a drive shaft on a tractor used to supply power to an attachment or separate machinery. A removable drive shaft with spline couplings can be used to transfer power to separate machinery. This is sometimes referred to as the PTO. The University of Nebraska tests revealed that the diesel engine used 2.5 to 2.7 gallons of fuel per hour when the PTO was engaged. Gasoline-powered 3600s used 3.7 to 3.8 gallons of fuel per hour when the PTO was engaged.