Farmall M site glass and wide front identification

[extremewhitetail]

Hey Ya'll
I just bought my first Farmall M and have a few questions. I am not sure what type of wide front I have or what this site glass is I have. Can someone please help. Thanks

[Glen]

Hi,
There is a section on this website to post questions about a Farmall M in.

viewforum.php?f=178

You can go to the Board index at the top left of the page, it has a page of listings.

[Jim Becker]

I think that looks like an aftermarket axle. The sight glass is on an hour meter. You should be able to see digits through the glass.

[Clemsonfor]

Yea I forgot watching a YouTube video on an M and mentioning the hour meter behind the glass

[Gary Dotson]

That hour meter is a new one for me, Thanks Jim!
The aftermarket axle is likely a Swartz. Seems a lot of M's were retrofit with them. The factory wide front set way out front and a lot of people didn't like that. The Swartz tucks under the front of the tractor much more.

[Jim Becker]

I think the hour meter was originally just on the MD. Later on, they provided a front cover for the M to allow the meter to be added to the gas engine. I think they are rarely seen on an M, fairly common on an MD.

The IH wide front end could be set up with 2 different wheelbases. Setting it to the shorter position required use of an adapter plate. The expectation was that the longer setting would only be used with cultivators or other mounted implements that needed the extra space available when the axle was moved forward. A NFE H or M had a wheelbase of 88-3/4 inches. The WFE could be mounted for 90 or 100-1/2.

[Matt Kirsch]

It's a Schwartz wide front end, like in Spaceballs. There might be a namplate riveted to the base where it attaches to the tractor under the bolster.

[Gary Dotson]

May the Schwartz be with you! (Spaceballs)