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Engine
Powered by a four-cylinder gasoline engine manufactured by Continental Engines, the Massey-Harris 22 was designed to produce 18 drawbar horsepower. This was the energy the tractor could transfer to implements. It was pulled by its drawbar and classified in the vernacular of the day as "two-bottom," meaning the tractor could pull a two-bottom plow. Rating at the power take-off (PTO) was ranked at 27 horsepower. Both measurements were taken at its rated operating speed of 1,500 rpm. The liquid-cooled engine displaced 140 cubic inches.
Transmission
The Massey-Harris 22 featured four forward speeds and reverse. The lowest gear, sometimes called "grandma," crept along at 2.5 mph, or slower than a man would walk. Road gear--fourth gear--moved along at 13 mph. Second and third gears, commonly used in field work, moved the tractor along at 3.5 mph and 4.6 mph respectively.
Physical Dimensions
Standard operating weight for the Massey-Harris 22 was 2,928 pounds but wheel and other weights were often added to improve traction and boost the weight up to 4,522 pounds. The Massey-Harris 22 was available in both standard and row crop editions. The standard version had a wheelbase of 76 inches and a turning radius of 10 feet. The row crop version had a wheelbase of 82 inches and a turning radius of 7.25 feet.
Features
Features of the Massey-Harris 22 were standard for tractors of the era. The operator was seated in an open position between the rear wheels, and behind the engine compartment. The tractor featured electric start with both brakes and clutch controlled by foot pedals. The tractor included both a rear power take off shaft and a 9 1/2 inch belt pulley mounted on the side of the engine block. This pulley was used to operate belt driven implements such as the feed grinders, and also threshing machines of the era.