Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Got a new tractor

[Jnasystems]

Hello all. I have been reading this forum for some time and figured it was time to post something. Mainly because I just purchased my dream tractor. It is the 1950 Allis Chalmers WD pictured here. It will be used to work about 3 to 4 acres where we will plant pumpkins and sweet corn and she may participate in a parade or two.

 

[smstonypoint]

Good looking tractor! I spent more than a few hours on a WD45 and a G when I was growing up. My mechanical skills are mediocre at best -- were they better I would try to track down a WD45 and a G to enjoy a second childhood.

Does your WD have the original AC hitch? If so, do you have any attachments?

Steve

 

[jayste]

If my memory serves me right the WD 45 is what I used as a young teen. We'd use it to rake hay and grind feed. Does yours have a hand clutch? Or a cathead to run a belt to operate belt driven implements?:thumbsup:

Edit: upon closer look I think I answered both my questions. It appears to have both.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[yooper1]

Hello and welcome to TBN

Congrats on the new toy

 

[jake98]

Congradulations!
What did that beauty set you back?

 

[milkman]

Those are good old tractors, and the right color.:thumbsup:

 

[harpoonalt]

I love the old stuff. Not too many things in life last as long and work as hard as tractors do. They deserve a good home! Congrats!

 

[Joe H]

I had a 57 with a wide front, wish I had kept it. That hand clutch is a real nice feature.

Joe H

 

[Jnasystems]

It does have the Allis quick hitch and yes, it came with a 3 bottom plow and some sort of 3pt adapter ( home grown?) with a rear blade. It also came with a Kelly loader - I took it off after trying to dig into a pile of dirt. My BX does so much better than the Kelly did it was ridiculous. For all the above and the hardware for a drawbar and wide front end I paid $1500. I felt it was a pretty good deal, but you guys probably know better what kind of deal it is. The tractor does run great and starts immediately. I have been driving it around all day getting used to it. It's a lot different than my Kubota!!!

 

[smstonypoint]

It does have the Allis quick hitch and yes, it came with a 3 bottom plow and some sort of 3pt adapter ( home grown?) with a rear blade. It also came with a Kelly loader - I took it off after trying to dig into a pile of dirt. My BX does so much better than the Kelly did it was ridiculous. For all the above and the hardware for a drawbar and wide front end I paid $1500. I felt it was a pretty good deal, but you guys probably know better what kind of deal it is. The tractor does run great and starts immediately. I have been driving it around all day getting used to it. It's a lot different than my Kubota!!!

You paid way too much!!! But you look like a nice guy and purely out of the goodness of my heart, I'll give you $1500 for the tractor and attachments.

Steve

 

[Transit]

Nice wheels. I would be looking to add Roll Over Protection. It may not be 1950s but better than the alternative.

 

[Jnasystems]

I looked around a little and didn't see any online - would a rops be something I would need to have made? I am into the history of this tractor and wouldn't want to do something to it that would change that, but if there is an option that is bolt on, I would be interested.

 

[Jnasystems]

So does anyone know how much the lift capacity is on this tractor? I was thinking I could get a 3pt and a boom lift, but wondered if it would lift more than a boom rated to 500lbs could handle. If so I would want to get a stronger boom. It would also be nice to get a carry-all.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I dont know the stats on the WD for lift capacity but it would be a lot more than 500 pounds. That is heavy iron ag tractor and I would think the lift would be in the 2-3 thousand range. We had a WD 45 and it would carry a set of 4 row planters with proper weights on the front. It is a little bigger than the WD but still most of the hydraulic systems back then would lift the front of the tractor up without any problem

 

[Loren49]

Nice looking tractor. I feel that your need for ROP depends on the lay of your land and intended use. With no loader and on relatively flat land and reasonable operation I see little need for a retrofit. For those with the ROPS it would be interesting to know how many use the seat belt - without it you really have little protection.
Enjoy the tractor - I still enjoy my time with the "old" tractor - it will be interesting to see how the 2010 models are doing in 60 years.

Loren

 

[Jnasystems]

My land only changes about 20 ft from the highest spot to the lowest, but I have heard about tricycles tipping over because of too fast of a turn. That is not enough of a reason to go modifying it too much, but if there were a removable kit for under say $600, it would give me some more peace-of-mind (especially when I would let my kids drive it).

Thanks for the response about the lift capacity. I have skimmed through the manual and the repair manuals and searched google for those stats, but the closest I have come is that the rams are 1.25" diameter and the pressure is about 3300psi (not sure that is the line pressure though, it was in a paragraph about the pump and several other pressures were there too). Now I have been looking for the formula to figure out how hard the rams will push and then divide that by say 2 because I figure the lever the rams push on is about half as long as the arms of the 3pt. Does that sound like a reasonable deduction? Am I missing something on my reasoning?

 

[beenthere]

My land only changes about 20 ft from the highest spot to the lowest, but I have heard about tricycles tipping over because of too fast of a turn. That is not enough of a reason to go modifying it too much, but if there were a removable kit for under say $600, it would give me some more peace-of-mind (especially when I would let my kids drive it).

.........

Not very true at all, IMO. What you have heard are "wives tales" stories from those who don't really have actual experience. I could relate some "kid" stories from the 50's as all we had as kids were trycycles. Massey Harris, JD, IH, AC, Oliver, MM. The "standard" (wide front ends) were not seen much because of row cropping attachments and pull-type pickers and such. Ford's were mostly wide front.

They are difficult to tip over, and what we put them through on purpose would have made them tip over if at all "easy". I won't go into details of the stupid things we tried. But never saw an AC with a ROPS. They are mainly a band-aid for the liability protection perpetrated by the courts and the lawyers and the desk-sitters in the Gov't. My opinion here.

Nice tractor, and liked working the AC's with the hand clutch. Hope you enjoy the rebuild. Looks like a lot of fun, and jr will have good memories of you working on it.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Nothing is more protection for you than using your head and thinking things through prior to doing them. If you use a boom lift, go slow, lift gradually and "feel" the lift thru and dont lift anything higher than necessary. You dont need to lift something up 10 feet in the air to carry it. If carrying a load with the boom, go slow and beware of pendulum forces that may snatch your tractor around if the load swings from sudden turns etc. Back up a hill rather than drive forward if there is a tip over issue remotely possible. Most tip overs or back flips are results of stupid acts like wrapping a chain around a rear tire to pull a stump or some other such idiotic stuff. As long as it is operated in a safe manner and slowly a ROPS is not necessary especially on flat ground. Just be careful with kids operating any motorized equipment. Not much on those old tractors is built for kids to reach like clutch for instance and please never like your kids ride when bushhogging or discing or pulling anything for that matter. I have heard to many horror tales of kids falling off tractors, getting ran over with wheels, bush hogs and disc harrows to make my stomach roll over. The only tractor I would let my grandkids ride on would be the one in my avatar with the cab and then I would not want to be moving to fast and hit a rough spot as they might end up with a knot or two on there noggins.

 

[75H2]

Nice set up!

 

[Jnasystems]

My boy in the picture is my youngest, my oldest is who I would let drive the tractor. He is 14 and very responsible. I do trust that he would use it wisely, but it would be nice to have a little more peace-of-mind.

He is very excited about the tractor too and already has plans of what he would like to work on to improve the tractor too.