Farmall Tricycle Front End

[ComancheStarFarms]

Where is a good Mid West source for buying a tricycle front end for a Farmall 656 - closer to Indiana the better.

[Jeff-C-IL]

Well, Bates is in IN, don't know about how good with the prices they charge though!

[naedlaen]

Just so you know, the narrow front was used on the Farmall 460, 544, 656, Hydro 70 and 86 and the 686. Case IH #369856R1 AXLE

It appears that Roberts in Camden OH has one on hand.  Farmall Narrow Front -369856R1

Neal

[brahamfireman]

2 hours ago, ComancheStarFarms said:

Where is a good Mid West source for buying a tricycle front end for a Farmall 656 - closer to Indiana the better.

Don't get scammed by over priced facebook units. $50 MAX for a narrow front.  Everything from the M on up to a 1256 fits. H, 300, 350 are smaller.

[Matt Kirsch]

Yes, the one off an M will FIT, but it won't give you the correct style front wheels. You're stuck with the old cast hubs and three-clamp rims, which is probably not the look you're going for. Correct, original narrow fronts with the 6-bolt hubs are hard to find and are generally on the order of $500+ in my experience. Never seen one for anything near $50.

I have seen both ways, yes it is possible to put 6-bolt hubs on an M front end and no it isn't... for the yesses, I have never seen a parts list detailing what exactly you need to do the conversion. In the kerfuffle to find a replacement hub for my disc mower cart, I got quite the education on how many different 6-bolt hubs there are, all with different bearing sizes and spindle lengths... and no common system of identification.

I guess you could take an M narrow front, cut the axle stubs out, and weld in new axle stubs from 6-bolt hub kits...

[snoshoe]

The spindles are retained by a rivet and a heavy press fit. Have changed them. No fun. Also there were heavy and lighter castings to put the spindles in but they all had the same bolt pattern on top and would bolt up.

[HydroTek]

Torch one of the spindles off -- then easier to press the stub out of the housing
the retaining rivet was more of a problem than the axle 

I would not want that light M axle on the front of a heavier tractor like and 806 ect. 

[brahamfireman]

1 hour ago, Matt Kirsch said:

Correct, original narrow fronts with the 6-bolt hubs are hard to find and are generally on the order of $500+ in my experience. Never seen one for anything near $50.

I have no less than 4 here in the barn and 4 more on tractors. The cheapest were the pair I bought for $4 each at an auction. There's literally thousands of them in junk yards.  The 6 bolt hubs are the only thing of value, and again, thousands upon thousands of those hubs or there. 

I'll sell you all 8 I've got for $300 each.  You can mark them up to $500 and we both win. 

Don't forget about the ever so elusive 8 bolt hub narrow front.....

[Matt Kirsch]

10 hours ago, brahamfireman said:

I have no less than 4 here in the barn and 4 more on tractors. The cheapest were the pair I bought for $4 each at an auction. There's literally thousands of them in junk yards.  The 6 bolt hubs are the only thing of value, and again, thousands upon thousands of those hubs or there. 

I'll sell you all 8 I've got for $300 each.  You can mark them up to $500 and we both win. 

Don't forget about the ever so elusive 8 bolt hub narrow front.....

Just to be clear here, are we talking about part number 6179D, the narrow front pedestal for the Farmall M, which I agree there are literally thousands out there because there were a bajillion M's built with them, or are we talking about  369856R1, which is the period correct pedestal for the 544/656? Because if there are "literally thousands of them in junk yards," please share which junk yards, because most 656s and 544s came with wide fronts.

To be clear, yours have to be the period correct pedestals with the right part number and 6 bolt hubs, then we've got a deal. You just pay shipping. I can sell them all day long at $500 around here because a 656 with a narrow front is unheard of.

Sticking an M narrow front on there will get you a narrow front all right, but it will look like someone stuck an old M narrow front on a 656. 

[brahamfireman]

5 hours ago, Matt Kirsch said:

Just to be clear here, are we talking about part number 6179D, the narrow front pedestal for the Farmall M, which I agree there are literally thousands out there because there were a bajillion M's built with them, or are we talking about  369856R1, which is the period correct pedestal for the 544/656? Because if there are "literally thousands of them in junk yards," please share which junk yards, because most 656s and 544s came with wide fronts.

To be clear, yours have to be the period correct pedestals with the right part number and 6 bolt hubs, then we've got a deal. You just pay shipping. I can sell them all day long at $500 around here because a 656 with a narrow front is unheard of.

Sticking an M narrow front on there will get you a narrow front all right, but it will look like someone stuck an old M narrow front on a 656. 

The 6719 was used with 6 bolt hubs.

I've also got a couple 368856 around too.

The heavy duty narrow front is the golden child worth big bucks. I forget the number.

[brahamfireman]

[Matt Kirsch]

5 hours ago, brahamfireman said:

Okay then, what do you need to make the conversion? Parts list please. As I said earlier, there have been differing reports on whether it can be done, and I have yet to see a list of what you need to make it work.

[brahamfireman]

32 minutes ago, Matt Kirsch said:

Okay then, what do you need to make the conversion? Parts list please. As I said earlier, there have been differing reports on whether it can be done, and I have yet to see a list of what you need to make it work.

None, there's literally thousands out there like this. I bought them just like shown.  460/560 used them.

I've got 2 or 3 older 6719DC fronts here. They have the smaller spindle for the M style wheel. I plan on trying the bearings listed somewhere in this thread to convert them to 6 bolt hubs. 

 

[Matt Kirsch]

3 minutes ago, brahamfireman said:

None, there's literally thousands or there like this. I bought them just like shown.  

Never seen one. Any 6179 I've ever come across has the 3-hole cast M hubs.

[brahamfireman]

29 minutes ago, Matt Kirsch said:

Never seen one. Any 6179 I've ever come across has the 3-hole cast M hubs.

Weird, I bet 90% of the narrow fronts here have the 6719 stamped on them DC, DD, DE.  But that's just a casting number,  it could still be a different IH part number. 

[stronger800]

I should click that thread above it and read first….but are there bearings to take off 6 bolt hubs and slip on 8’s? Must be right? Because I’ve replaced 66 spindles and wheel bearings and don’t  remember seeing differences.  I’ve never had a six bolt hub though to compare 

[Matt Kirsch]

7 hours ago, stronger800 said:

I should click that thread above it and read first….but are there bearings to take off 6 bolt hubs and slip on 8’s? Must be right? Because I’ve replaced 66 spindles and wheel bearings and don’t  remember seeing differences.  I’ve never had a six bolt hub though to compare 

Pretty sure they're the exact same bearings provided you're using the IH hubs. The spindle is exactly the same for 6 and 8 bolt hubs as far as I know.

[stronger800]

That’s what I was thinking.  

[acem]

I prefer the single wheel narrow front. Bought one decades ago but never have put it on anything.

It uses an 8 hole wheel.

[acem]

Here's a pic for you.

 

[acem]

It's been sitting there a little while...

[cedar farm]

Swartz at one time offered a hub to use a six bolt rim on a later M thru 450. I would sell a pair now and then. But that's been a long time ago.  

[acem]

I should look at that tire. Can't remember if it's 10-16 or 11-16.  

 

[DWV]

Not answering original poster question, but common for aftermarket 6 bolt hubs sold for M spindles and use M bearings, some used different bearings. Quick look at some places they were sold came up empty. One place still listing found with price now up to 250 a hub that uses standard M bearings. 6719DD lower bolster started near end of M production and on through 450. It had less caster angle than the lower suffixes.

[Diesel Doctor]

On 11/16/2025 at 8:10 PM, acem said:

I prefer the single wheel narrow front. Bought one decades ago but never have put it on anything.

It uses an 8 hole wheel.

I call the dual front wheel as the narrow front.

The single front wheel is the tricycle front end, to me.

There are a number of tricycle front ends.

One has a small front wheel (9.00x10 tire)and it uses bushings, and not bearings, in the hub.

Another larger front wheel then used the bushing hub also.

Then there is the best one which used the regular style hub with tapered roller bearings.

There was also a single wheel steel wheel version too.

If going on tractor drives, I would make sure I have bearings and not bushings?