I'm a very mechanical guy, who enjoys old tractors, have a few, lol, And history, so I can't understand as technology is really ramping up in the 1950's the largest tractor ac built was the wd45, which I own, no complaints, but JD had the R and 80, moline had a G, Oliver had the 90 or 99, Massey super 55, etc, only ac it seems and ford as major tractor company's didn't have these large beasts, all the other company's built 18 hp 1 plow to 60 hp 4-5 plow, where as ac built smaller tractors, B, C, Ca, etc, but what was ac's deal, the more historical and longer awnser the better lol, have a couple ac books none really elaborate on this, thanks Dusty
- Thread starter Dustyah
- Start date
With AC, the farm equipment was a very small part of who the company was. AC was big into industrial equipment, mining, electrical generation, hydro power, etc. In agriculture, they focused on equipment for the smaller farmer, those with fewer resources to get away from horse farming, and into mechanical power. Around here they were strong in areas of lighter soil, were lighter tractors were more affordable in marginal crop areas. Yet, AC was very innovative in their ideas: Power-Shift rear wheels, Roll-Shift front axle, Snap-Coupler weight transfer system, All Crop harvester with rubber on rubber shelling for gentle handling of the crop, two row corn head for those combines...way before field shelling was common, and before common farmers had a means to dry corn. Roto Baler provided an advanced way to bale hay that was more protective from rain damage.
16-30 oilpull
Member
I believe most farms were 80A or less. No monster tractor needed
Aaron SEIA
Well-known Member
The JD R was only 47 horse, the 80 was 63 both made in the mid 50's. The Molines were beasts in the 60-70- horse range. The Oliver 90 was only 48 horse, and the 99 was 69 horse. The Massy 55 was 62 horse. Every one of those was a heavy standard tractor. Not very popular on a row crop farm in the 50's. Meanwhile, the WD45 was 45 horse on the belt, the D17 was 52 on the PTO and were nimble tractors that could plow all day and easily switch to cultivating, mowing, raking, hauling manure, etc. The big old standards were good for one thing...pulling heavy loads.
AaronSEIA
AaronSEIA
I don't agree that there was no market for a larger
machine allis has their market and Moline and
others had theirs. Nothing wrong with either in my
opinion just a different target audience. Most
Western wheatland country tractors are large and
mainly just used the drawbar. In the Midwest there
seems to be a lot more allis stuff. Easier to change
implements and more versatile with the "live" PTO.
machine allis has their market and Moline and
others had theirs. Nothing wrong with either in my
opinion just a different target audience. Most
Western wheatland country tractors are large and
mainly just used the drawbar. In the Midwest there
seems to be a lot more allis stuff. Easier to change
implements and more versatile with the "live" PTO.
BushogPapa
Well-known Member
That JD "R" may have only bean rated at 47 hp, but it will pull a 4x16" Pull-Type plow all day long..
Dad and I could regularly turn 50 ac in ONE day with 2 WD-45's with 4x14" Semi-Mounted..at a fuel usage rate of 1 1/3 Gal/Ac...
In 1958, the difference between the JD 620 and the WD-45 was $1,400 dollars..(the cost of our new garage)..AND JD would NOT guarantee the 620 to pull 4x14"...!!!
Never had any complaints with the WD-45's...
BushogPapa
Well-known Member
Corn was cultivated, so ALL farmers back then had to have "Row-Crop" tractors..
I get kind of a laugh out of some of the replies. Farming does
exist west of the Mississippi River and in the north were corn
doesn't grow. AC not having a wheatland tractor was a
mistake. JD sold over 20,000 Rs and about 15,000 80s
through 830s. Massey sold 20,000 55s. IH probably outsold
them all with their W9 series. The Case LAs and 500s were
popular too. The market was there. The only thing AC sold
for wheat farmers was the crawlers but sales of those were
limited. Gleaner combines were popular yet he farmer had to
buy a tractor at a competing dealer. The D-21 finally had
enough hp but by then who cared. JD and IH over the years
built up a reputable wheatland market share so that when the
5020 and the IH 1206/56 hit the showroom floors they were
the tractor of choice.
exist west of the Mississippi River and in the north were corn
doesn't grow. AC not having a wheatland tractor was a
mistake. JD sold over 20,000 Rs and about 15,000 80s
through 830s. Massey sold 20,000 55s. IH probably outsold
them all with their W9 series. The Case LAs and 500s were
popular too. The market was there. The only thing AC sold
for wheat farmers was the crawlers but sales of those were
limited. Gleaner combines were popular yet he farmer had to
buy a tractor at a competing dealer. The D-21 finally had
enough hp but by then who cared. JD and IH over the years
built up a reputable wheatland market share so that when the
5020 and the IH 1206/56 hit the showroom floors they were
the tractor of choice.
wilson ind
Well-known Member
A true live pto one can change gears without stopping pto. Yes AC was nice with hand clutch and even aftermarket extra clutch on WC, but not true live.
wilson ind
Well-known Member
In our dirt ( Kings clay) WD45 would only pull 2 14 if mounted, however front needed weight.
Ive heard this debate over and over again about live vs independent. Hence the quotation marks. I have a ad and a 45 so I know the good and bad. If you cant stop an allis we or 45 with the hand clutch and change gears without stopping the PTO then you either need to learn to drive or properly adjust the clutch shims.
wilson ind
Well-known Member
HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ABILITY TO DRIVE. Term LIVE pto has one meaning .That is separate from main clutch. Engagement or disengagement of a LIVE pto would have NOTHING to do with motion of tractor.
I live in west KY, as I was growing up in the early 50's and 60's there were mostly small tobacco farms and with corn, soybeans were just coming on, wheat too.
the largest tractor I ever saw was a WD45 or a 60 JD, most farms had small fords and Fergusons for cultivation of tobacco and (getting through the barn doors of the tobacco barns).
cannot not tell you as (designated tractor driver, how many times I had to unhood an AC or JD from a wagon loaded with tobacco and hook up a small Ford/Ferguson to the wagon, so it could be pulled through the tobacco barn, to be unloaded).
Then one day I looked up and a neighbor had a new 656 International, what a monster of a tractor, then it never looked back, old guys quit farming and died off,
new guys took over, gathered more acres and the tractors just kept getting bigger.
from time to time they will park one in a field beside my house, I will go out and have a look see at it,
I stand amazed at the tractors and combines wow, just glad I do not have to make the payments.
I guess I will keep little Fergy and hope he and I hang together. who knows I may go first.
the largest tractor I ever saw was a WD45 or a 60 JD, most farms had small fords and Fergusons for cultivation of tobacco and (getting through the barn doors of the tobacco barns).
cannot not tell you as (designated tractor driver, how many times I had to unhood an AC or JD from a wagon loaded with tobacco and hook up a small Ford/Ferguson to the wagon, so it could be pulled through the tobacco barn, to be unloaded).
Then one day I looked up and a neighbor had a new 656 International, what a monster of a tractor, then it never looked back, old guys quit farming and died off,
new guys took over, gathered more acres and the tractors just kept getting bigger.
from time to time they will park one in a field beside my house, I will go out and have a look see at it,
I stand amazed at the tractors and combines wow, just glad I do not have to make the payments.
I guess I will keep little Fergy and hope he and I hang together. who knows I may go first.
Traditional Farmer
Well-known Member
- Location
- Virginia
When AC brought out the WD-45 instead of the Buda 230 diesel they should have offered the Buda 273 in gas and diesel with a size larger tires.Offered factory 3pt hitch and an upgraded
hydraulic system with 2 way valves they'd of had a winner in my opinion.
hydraulic system with 2 way valves they'd of had a winner in my opinion.
I do not think they could use the 3pt as ford Ferguson may have still been auguring over who had rights to it.
Ferguson designed it, but someway ford got it, maybe with the ford Ferguson tractor.
case had eagle hitch, Farmall 2pt hitch, AC snap couple, do not know about John Deere,
but am sure if they could have had 3pt they would have or maybe they were just trying to be different and see who would win.
Ferguson designed it, but someway ford got it, maybe with the ford Ferguson tractor.
case had eagle hitch, Farmall 2pt hitch, AC snap couple, do not know about John Deere,
but am sure if they could have had 3pt they would have or maybe they were just trying to be different and see who would win.
Goose
Well-known Member
The summer of 1951, when I was between my junior and senior years in high school, I worked for one of our neighbors. We farmed something over 400 acres with a WD and a C Allis. The WD was a plain WD, not a 45. The neighbor and I swapped off for meals, etc., and sometimes between 6 or 7 am and 9 or 10 pm that WD was shut off only long enough to refill it with gas.
Moonlite37
Well-known Member
Night add traction booster from the drawbar, like used with a wheel disc. Front unloading manure spreaders and a pitmanless mower. and a one row chopper that had a means of sharpening the blades by engine power (something I did not understand_. and a self propelled combine with a low center of gravity,(model 100)?
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