| Farmall B | |
| Manufacturer: | International Harvester |
| Production: | 1939-1947 |
| Length: | 108inches |
| Width: | 79.5inches |
| Height: | 65inches |
| Weight: | 2400lb |
| Propulsion: | Rear wheels |
| Engine Model: | International Harvester C113 |
| Gross Power: | 20hp |
| Drawbar Pull: | 2377lb |
| Drawbar Power: | 16.21hp |
| Pto Power: | 18.39hp (belt) |
| Type: | Row-crop agricultural tractor |
| Preceded: | Farmall F-14 |
| Succeeded: | Farmall C |
| Nttl: | 331 |
The Farmall B is a small one-plow row crop tractor produced by International Harvester under the Farmall brand from 1939 to 1947. It was derived from the popular Farmall A, but was offered with a narrow set of centerline front wheels instead of the A's wide front axle, allowing two-row cultivation. The operator's seat was offset to the right to allow better forward visibility.
Styled by Raymond Loewy,[1] [2] it was one of International Harvester's "letter series", with 75,241 produced over the 8-year run. Mechanically identical to the Farmall A from which it was derived, B was rated for one 14inches plow.[3]
The B is equipped with the A's International Harvester C113 4-cylinder inline overhead valve engine, with a 113abbr=offNaNabbr=off displacement. The sliding-gear transmission contains five total gears: four forward and one reverse, transmitted via a portal axle. It was similar to the Farmall A, using the same engine moved back to the tractor's centerline, with a narrow front end, centrally placed, and with the seat offset to the right to preserve some of the A's cultivation visibility. The arrangement allowed two rows to be cultivated.[3] As with other Farmall letter-series tractors, the design featured an integral frame and unitary construction, allowing entire assemblies to be replaced. Rear wheels on all models used a geared portal axle to provide sufficient ground clearance, and could be adjusted in width over a range of 64inches to 92inches, allowing it to straddle wider rows than the A could.[4] [5] Versions were produced for both gasoline and kerosene fuel. About 210,000 As and Bs were produced, selling for between $575 and $1,000.[6]
The B was replaced by the Farmall C in 1948.[7] [8]
From 1940 to 1947, International Harvester produced the Farmall BN, with the same engine displacement, but with a rear wheel width adjustment of 56inches to 84inches for narrower rows.[9] About 1500 BN tractors were produced.[5]
Comparable products include the John Deere M, the Massey-Harris 20, and the Ferguson TE-20.[10]