Opinion on CA/B hybrid tractors

I regularly see the front half of a Model B added to a Model CA rear to get a wfe on the CA or swap a CA rear to a B to get better gearing and a road gear. The result ends up with the front and rear wheels not tracking in the same ruts and frequent jury rigged steering linkage.


The B steering box is rarely swapped at the same time to improve steering geometry, as many of these hybrids use cobbled drag links off the CA pitman arm (points up).


Are these tractors abominations or more interesting to a collector?


Here is a better example of a custom drag link off the CA pitman arm:


Edited by KMAG - 16 Feb 2021 at 9:14am

How do you put B final drives on a CA trans?

I dimly recall they don't bolt on. Some minor machining or casting trimming was needed. Anyone here manage it?

I can see the advantages of a CA trans in place of a B's 3-speed. I would still have a lighter tractor and be able to do tractor parades (10 mph min), assuming CA's extra top speed wasn't from it's taller tires.

Dr... the road gear of a CA is faster than a B.... Is that all in the transmission gear ratio, or is the final drive ratio of a CA drastically different than a B ?

Edited by steve(ill) - 16 Feb 2021 at 12:46pm

looks like the one in the picture , it dosnt steer backwards . the ball and socket end on the axle is all tie wired on and needs to be fixed before it leaves our shop here because the engine stuck over the winter

Not sure why anyone would want to put a B wide front on a CA since the CA came in wide front and narrow front, I have one of each.