The Farmall 340 was introduced in 1957 as a medium-sized row-crop tractor and was, unusually, a completely new design rather than a development of the Farmall 350 it succeeded. The Farmall version was built until 1963; the International and International Harvester versions lasted until 1965.
Farmall 340 at a glance
| Maker | International Harvester |
|---|---|
| Production | 1957–1963 (Farmall); to 1965 as International |
| Class | medium row-crop tractor |
| Predecessor | Farmall 350 (different design, not a development) |
| Engine, petrol | 135 cu in (2,210 cc) four-cylinder, 47 hp (35 kW) |
| Engine, diesel | 166 cu in (2,720 cc), same rated power |
| Transmission | torque amplifier, effective range of ten gears |
| Hydraulics | transmission oil used as hydraulic fluid |
| Crawler version | T-340; TD-340 with diesel |
| Other versions | IH 340 utility, International 340 industrial, orchard and grove |
| Built | about 800 of the crawler and related versions |
| Price | about $3,600 petrol, $4,300 diesel |
Written from the English Wikipedia article on the Farmall 340, a single source.
History of the Farmall 340
International Harvester had kept the letter-series tractors in production with a series of incremental updates, and the Farmall 350 of 1956 was itself an interim model — a lightly restyled 300 built while a new design was completed. The 340 that appeared in 1957 broke with that pattern: it was a completely new machine, not related to the 350 it replaced.
The engine was a new 47-horsepower four-cylinder of 135 cubic inches, and a diesel of 166 cubic inches was offered with the same rated power. Behind it sat a torque amplifier giving an effective range of ten gears — a useful spread for a tractor that had to plough, cultivate and haul. The hydraulic system was unusual in using transmission oil as its fluid, which simplified the machine and its servicing.
The 340 was not one model but a small family. The Farmall-badged row-crop tractor was joined by the IH 340 utility and the International 340 industrial version, while a crawler was sold as the T-340, or the TD-340 when fitted with the diesel engine. An orchard and grove configuration was also listed for growers. The Farmall version ended in 1963, but the crawler versions and the International-badged machines continued to 1965.
The 340 was a compact, modern tractor for its class, and it faced direct competition from the Case 441 and the Massey MF33. Production numbers were modest compared with the huge runs of the letter series, and the crawler and related versions accounted for about 800 machines. Prices started at roughly $3,600 for a petrol tractor and reached about $4,300 for a diesel.
Design and features
- New engine: a 47 hp four-cylinder designed for the model rather than carried over.
- Torque amplifier: an effective ten-speed range from a five-speed gearbox.
- Transmission-oil hydraulics: one fluid for the gearbox and the hydraulic system.
- One design, many bodies: row-crop, utility, industrial, orchard and crawler versions.
- Diesel option: a larger 166 cu in engine at the same rated power.
Farmall 340 versions
- Farmall 340 (1957–1963): the row-crop tractor.
- IH 340: utility version.
- International 340: industrial version.
- T-340 and TD-340: crawlers with petrol and diesel engines.
- Orchard and grove: low-profile versions for fruit growers.
The 340 replaced the Farmall H line, whose last developments were the Super H, 300 and 350, and it was itself replaced by the Farmall 60 series. The whole line is described in the article on the Farmall brand.
Video: HT340 Completed
Video by HarrisSteamFarm on YouTube.
Sources
- Farmall 340, English Wikipedia: design, engines, variants, production, prices
