I just obtained a TO-20 with a “banana loader”. The loader is in pieces and I have no manuals. I could find no manufacturer’s name or model number. The pump is a Char-Lynn. Can you direct me to a source for a manual or at least photos of a loader mounted on the tractor?
The “banana loader” was never imported to the United States. It was produced in the UK for the UK and European market. It would be quite the find if you do in fact have a true “banana loader”, and one worth writing about for our magazine, Ferguson Furrows. There were some US made loaders made by short line companies that look similar to the “banana loader.” The only loader Ferguson made and sold in the US until around 1954 was the LUO-20 farm loader. This was a common loader for the TO-20 and TO-30 as well as the TE-20s sold in the US.
After conferring with a few colleagues and doing some additional research we have determined that your loader is a Skyline Products loader manufactured by The Skyline Corp., 1521 McClean Boulevard., Wichita, Kansas.
The story gets more interesting however. I believe you indicated you had been told it could have been manufactured by Midwest or Davis. The hydraulic control valve certainly looks like the type Midwest and Davis used.
Another picture I located on the internet showed a picture of the front mounting bracket and it too was similar to those used on the Midwest and Davis loaders. The address listed on the cover for a Skyline “90” loader for The Skyline Corporation is 1521 Mclean Blvd., Wichita Kansas. This was also the address for Mid-western Industries which was bought out by Charles Davis in 1950 who changed the name to Davis Manufacturing Inc. Davis sold the company to Massey Ferguson around 1958.
I have some additional information on your loader and may be able to come up with a manual for it.
Comments