The Ford 6000 Commander

Jul 21, 2016

Tips surrounding repair work on this tractor

IN THE SHOP with Rachel

The Ford 6000 Commander has a lot of horsepower and can be purchased for a rock-bottom price, but it is tricky to repair.

The Ford 6000 Commander was intended to replace the recalled Ford 6000. The 6000 was had a lot of mechanical problems and only produced from 1965-1967. After Ford recalled the tractor, it corrected the problems and re-released the model with a new designation. The Ford 6000 Commander is this re-release.

While Ford corrected the big mechanical issues with the Commander version of the Ford 6000, the tractor retained the Select-O-Speed transmission and the accumulator hydraulic system. Both of these features are difficult to repair.

The Select-O-Speed transmission was an early development of the hydrostatic transmission that allowed smooth shifting between gears during operation. Designers borrowed concepts from the automotive industry to make this transmission. The Select-o-Speed was a huge advance for the time.

Compared to modern transmissions, the shifting is not as smooth as you would expect. While this wouldn't be a big problem in a manual transmission (where you stop to change gears), it's an issue when you are still rolling along.

More significantly, the Select-O-Speed transmission very difficult to repair. When it breaks, the shrapnel is spread throughout the entire transmission. Each separate clutch pack must be replaced, and the valves that hold these clutch packs in place are tricky to install.

A second repair difficulty with the Ford 6000 Commander is the accumulator hydraulic system. The tractor's hydraulic system is equipped with a pressurized tank. This tank builds up to 1500 psi. At the touch of a button, the farmer can lift an implement out of even the most sticky soil, making the turn-around at the end of a row quick and efficient.

If you are repairing the hydraulic system on a 6000 Commander, be very careful! It is very important that you safely bleed off the pressure in a controlled way before beginning work on the system. Carefully inspect your hydraulic lines and hoses, and replace them at the first sign of wear. If you are not careful with maintenance, it could result in injury. While I’m a big fan of making repairs yourself, this one might be worth turning over to a qualified professional mechanic.

Video: Alberta Honey: A Day at Molenkamp Honey Farms

When was the last time you read the label on your honey?

We spent a day at Molenkamp Honey Farms with Michael Molenkamp, who has been keeping bees for 17 seasons and runs three to four thousand hives. In mid-September, he was finishing treatments and getting his bees ready for winter, and he walked us through how Alberta honey gets made.

Alberta has just 150 commercial beekeepers running 300,000 colonies, and together they produce 40% of Canada’s honey. Long summer days and golden canola fields give Alberta honey a light flavour that’s hard to match anywhere else.

Molenkamp calls Alberta beekeepers some of the most resilient farmers he knows. There’s plenty of Alberta honey to go around, but a lot on our shelves isn’t from here, so his ask is simple. Give the label a second look and choose honey made by Alberta beekeepers, or buy straight from a beekeeper near you.