Ford Commander 6000 Overview
Built from 1965 through 1967, the Ford Commander 6000 pairs Ford's Select-O-Speed full power shift transmission with 10 forward and 2 reverse gears. It has an independent 540/1000 rear PTO, a Category II/I three-point hitch, and a 26-gallon fuel tank.
The Commander 6000 was offered with diesel, gasoline, and LP-gas six-cylinder engines. That matters when comparing performance figures: Nebraska Test 877 covers a gasoline tractor, while Test 878 covers a diesel tractor. The diesel test produced the higher published drawbar result, so the two should not be treated as one all-model power rating.
For service or parts work, begin with the fuel type, serial range, row-crop or all-purpose layout, PTO equipment, and Select-O-Speed transmission. The available document references are useful for identifying the right literature, but fluid grades, adjustments, and part numbers still need a match to the individual tractor.
Ford Commander 6000 Quick Answers
- Which engines were offered?The lineup includes a 4.0 L diesel and 3.7 L gasoline or LP-gas six-cylinder engines. Identify the fuel type before comparing power figures or ordering engine parts.
- What Nebraska tests apply?Nebraska Test 877 is the 1965 gasoline Commander 6000 trial, while Test 878 is the 1965 diesel trial. The two reports apply to different fuel versions.
- How much power did the test tractors make?Published Test 877 gasoline figures are 66.26 PTO hp and 56.42 drawbar hp. Test 878 diesel figures are 66.93 PTO hp and 61.71 drawbar hp.
- What transmission does it use?Ford's Select-O-Speed full power shift transmission has 10 forward and 2 reverse gears.
- What PTO does it have?The independent rear PTO is 540/1000, with the listed 540E speed reached at 1,730 engine rpm.
- Which manuals are available?Commercial reprint listings identify a 106-page FO-O-6000 operator manual, a 334-page FO-S-6000 service manual, and a 200-page FO-P-6000 parts manual for the Commander 6000.
Engine and Power
Ford offered the Commander 6000 with diesel, gasoline, and LP-gas six-cylinder engines. The gasoline and diesel Nebraska tests below are separate 1965 trials, so their results belong to the specific fuel version shown.
Diesel engine
Ford / diesel / 6-cylinder / liquid-cooled
| Displacement | 241.7 ci 4.0 L |
|---|---|
| Bore Stroke | 3.62x3.90 inches 92 x 99 mm |
| Air Cleaner | oil bath |
| Compression | 16.5:1 |
| Rated Rpm | 2430 |
| Firing Order | 1-5-3-6-2-4 |
| Starter | electric |
| Starter Volts | 12 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 5 qts 4.7 L |
| Coolant Capacity | 15.5 qts 14.7 L |
Gasoline engine
Ford / gasoline / 6-cylinder / liquid-cooled
| Displacement | 223 ci 3.7 L |
|---|---|
| Bore Stroke | 3.62x3.60 inches 92 x 91 mm |
| Air Cleaner | oil bath |
| Compression | 8.4:1 |
| Rated Rpm | 2430 |
| Firing Order | 1-5-3-6-2-4 |
| Starter | electric |
| Starter Volts | 12 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 5 qts 4.7 L |
| Coolant Capacity | 15.5 qts 14.7 L |
LP-gas engine
Ford / LP-gas / 6-cylinder / liquid-cooled
| Displacement | 223 ci 3.7 L |
|---|---|
| Bore Stroke | 3.62x3.60 inches 92 x 91 mm |
| Air Cleaner | oil bath |
| Compression | 8.8:1 |
| Rated Rpm | 2430 |
| Firing Order | 1-5-3-6-2-4 |
| Starter | electric |
| Starter Volts | 12 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 5 qts 4.7 L |
| Coolant Capacity | 15.5 qts 14.7 L |
Nebraska Test 877 - gasoline Commander 6000 performance
gasoline engine / 10-speed, two-wheel-drive test tractor / test period March 15 to May 13, 1965
| Maximum Pto Power | 66.26 hp at rated engine speed |
|---|---|
| Power At Rated Pto Speed | 51.59 hp |
| Maximum Drawbar Power | 56.42 hp in fifth gear |
| Maximum Pull | 7,436 lb in fourth gear |
Nebraska Test 878 - diesel Commander 6000 performance
diesel engine / 10-speed, two-wheel-drive test tractor / test period March 15 to March 31, 1965
| Maximum Pto Power | 66.93 hp at rated engine speed |
|---|---|
| Power At Rated Pto Speed | 54.49 hp |
| Maximum Drawbar Power | 61.71 hp in fifth gear |
| Maximum Pull | 7,427 lb in fourth gear |
Manufacture years
Transmission
The Select-O-Speed is a 10F/2R full power shift. A reviewed FO-O-6000 preview includes Select-O-Speed operating and towing sections; match the installed transmission before applying any service guidance.
Ford Select-O-Speed
| Name | Ford Select-O-Speed |
|---|---|
| Type | full power shift |
| Gears | 10 forward and 2 reverse |
| Transmission Oil Capacity | 12 qts 11.4 L |
PTO and Hitch
The independent rear PTO is listed as 540/1000 with 540E at 1,730 engine rpm. The FO-O-6000 preview also shows high and low PTO operating-speed references, making the exact PTO equipment worth confirming on the tractor.
Rear PTO
Rear PTO type
Engine RPM
Rear hitch
Hydraulics
Published hydraulic pump flow is 4.5 gpm. The operator-manual preview includes accumulator hydraulic and hydraulic-system sections, but it is an excerpt rather than a complete service manual.
Capacity
Pump flow
Fluids, Battery, and Service Facts
Published capacities include 26 gallons of fuel, 5 quarts of engine oil, 15.5 quarts of coolant, 3.5 gallons for the hydraulic system, and 12 quarts of transmission oil. Confirm fluid type and exact fill procedure against literature that matches the tractor's fuel and transmission configuration.
Fuel tank
Hydraulic system
Battery volts
Tires and Dimensions
Listed row-crop tires are 6.00-16 front and 13.6-38 rear. The operator-manual preview distinguishes row-crop and all-purpose front-width information, so tire and chassis layout should be identified together.
Wheelbase
Weight
Length
Width
Front tire
Rear tire
Electrical
Electrical rows are included when documented.
Ground
Charging system
Charging amps
Battery volts
Serial Number Lookup
The published first serials are C100000 for 1965, C123000 for 1966, and C160000 for 1967. A serial is a starting point for identifying the tractor; fuel type, chassis layout, PTO equipment, and later repairs can still affect the parts match.
1965
1966
1967
Manuals and Documents
The University of Nebraska archive records two 1965 Ford Commander 6000 trials: Nebraska Test 877 for the gasoline tractor and Test 878 for the diesel tractor. They are independent performance documents, not operator or repair manuals.
A reviewed FO-O-6000 preview is titled Ford 6000 and shows the operator manual's cover, Select-O-Speed and PTO material, row-crop and all-purpose width material, and service index. A separate Commander 6000 listing identifies FO-O-6000 as a 106-page operator-manual reprint. The preview is only eight pages, not the full manual.
The FO-S-6000 service-manual and FO-P-6000 parts-manual listings are useful literature leads for the Commander 6000. Their complete bodies were not reviewed here, so they are not used for repair procedures, settings, or part-number claims.
Reference page
- Ford Commander 6000 Nebraska test summariestested performance
Public test tables for 1965 Nebraska Test 877 gasoline and Test 878 diesel Commander 6000 tractors. Used for separately labelled performance numbers only.
- Nebraska Test 877: Ford Commander 6000 gasolinetested performance
Official archive record for the 1965 gasoline Commander 6000 test.
Open official test record - Nebraska Test 878: Ford Commander 6000 dieseltested performance
Official archive record for the 1965 diesel Commander 6000 test.
Open official test record
Operator manual preview
- Ford 6000 operator-manual preview - FO-O-6000operation, maintenance, and specifications
Reviewed eight-page preview with Select-O-Speed, PTO, chassis-width, hydraulic, and service-index material. It is not the complete manual.
Open manual preview
Operator manual
- Ford Commander 6000 operator manual - FO-O-6000operation, maintenance, and specifications
Commercial listing for a 106-page operator-manual reprint. Match it to the tractor before using any procedure or capacity.
View operator manual
Service manual
- Ford Commander 6000 service manual - FO-S-6000operation, maintenance, and specifications
Commercial listing for a 334-page service-manual reprint. It is not used here for repair procedures or settings.
View service manual
Parts catalog
- Ford Commander 6000 parts manual - FO-P-6000parts matching
Commercial listing for a 200-page illustrated parts-manual reprint. Serial and equipment matching still matter before ordering.
View parts manual
Parts Checks Before Ordering
Start with the serial number, fuel type, row-crop or all-purpose layout, Select-O-Speed transmission, and PTO equipment. Those choices can change engine, drivetrain, hydraulic, electrical, and chassis parts on a Commander 6000.
Commercial listings identify a 334-page FO-S-6000 service manual and a 200-page FO-P-6000 illustrated parts manual for the Commander 6000. They are good places to identify an assembly, but confirm the current part number against the individual tractor before ordering.
- Ford Commander 6000 service manual - FO-S-6000Commercial listing for a 334-page factory dealer shop-manual reprint for the Ford Commander 6000. This is a manual-access reference, not reviewed procedure evidence.View service manual
- Ford Commander 6000 parts manual - FO-P-6000Commercial listing for a 200-page illustrated parts-manual reprint for the Ford Commander 6000. Match the tractor before treating an illustration or part number as applicable.View parts manual
Accuracy Note
Tractor specifications can vary by year, region, factory configuration, installed equipment, and later repairs. Match serial range, engine, transmission, PTO setup, and model code before ordering parts or doing service work.