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555 or 555A

onebadsob3

Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2013
Messages
16
Location
Charlotte, NC
Hello everybody,

We are upgrading from our old 4500 that is wore out but still does the job to a little new Ford TLB.

I don't have the numbers with me at the moment but I will post them later but I think it was made November 1983. I'm trying to figure out if it is a 555 or a 555A. Seen some literature saying that they started the A in 83 but others say 84. Didn't know if it was like a car though and the A maybe actually came out near the end of the year 83? I'm sure that our Ford was probably not shipped out right away once built so I don't know when it actually was purchased but thinking sometime in 1984.

I've tried looking for pictures to see if I could see the differences between a 555 and 555A but it has been hard to find. Some pictures show an A painted beside the 555 and some pictures listing it as a 555A just say 555. Also noticed that some have the 555 painted on the loader arm and not on the front hood piece.

What is the real differences between just a 555 and 555A? Is there something that one will have that the other will not that will be able to let me know which I have or is the serial number about the only way to figure it out?

Once I get the numbers, I will post back, thanks for any help,
Charlie
 

El Hombre

Senior Member
Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
377
Location
SF Bay Area
The ones I saw at the local Ford dealer were either 555 or 555A. I doubt from the factory they were leaving the A off or adding it to a straight 555. So go with what is painted on the tractor. I rented both and couldn't tell any difference from the seat. Talk to your local NH dealer to find where the vin number is located and how to decipher it.
 

onebadsob3

Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2013
Messages
16
Location
Charlotte, NC
Thanks for the input, it doesn't have an A painted beside the 555 so I guess it was a true 555. The only difference I really see on the tractor data is the A shows a little more power.

My Unit Number is 3L10B, which if I figured right, would make it built November 10, 1983 on the day shift. Biggest reason for knowing which it is so I could buy a hard copy manual. Found a great guy that helped me out with a digital copy but thought about having a hard copy made at Staples to keep with me on the farm with our other manuals but the ones on ebay are only a few dollars more. Just don't want to buy an A and I should have bought the 555.
 
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