A couple more

I finally took delivery on the D15D and D17D I purchased last year. The 15 is rough but I have all the sheet metal to replace what was not there. The 17 is relatively perfect sheet metal wise. Both have very tired engines and will need extensive rebuilds. The D17D was better than I thought though after running it for a 1/2 hour or so.

Rear tires on both are excellent, the fronts on the D15 are also great. They are the biggest oversize I've seen on the 16 inch rims. The 15 has perfect 16.9x26s on the rear, the make my D14 rears look tiny.

I unfortunately also got another series 80 mower with the 17. I just finally started getting the D12s 80S off it and it's a big job which I'm going to have to do again, plus I have no idea what to do with them. I have three now (on is an 80R which is possibly useful, but the side mounts are just in the way and restrict using the machines).

My son commented as he was putting the D10 away how they make it feel like a lawn tractor.

The second shot is an oddity I've never seen before. Someone welded a very large threaded pipe fitting over the valve stem and put a large cap on it. Not sure what I'm going to find under there but hopefully who ever did it, was just trying protect his valve stem.

I have the collection I've always wanted now with the exception of a D19 and I don't think I'll find one around here. Now it's a matter of putting in the work to get them all back to good condition.

After having valve stems sheared off including by brushing against a bale of hay we tended to weld a short piece of water pipe on the rim when the tyre was off to protect valve stem. It worked.

Congratulations on the diesels. D15 diesels are rare enough here that I've never touched one.

I have seen a pipe/cap stem guard somewhere, but can't remember where. Maybe on construction/logging equipment?

I have taken a small piece of flat stock, bent it into a U, and welded to rims.

I must admit, it would ruin your day to have a filled tire lose it's stem. The other side has nothing on it. I was thinking about it, this will probably stay on there even with the mismatch. It certainly ads character.

Yes, the D15 Diesel is pretty rare here too. I haven't even seen a D17D in the wild here though they certainly come up a lot more in the ads. I'm still kicking myself, that in about 1998 I passed on a WD45D in perfect shape.

Welding a pipe like that to protect the valve stem used to be pretty common on any tractor used in the woods in my area,good to have bush hogging too.Those 82S side mowers are worth some money.

I've heard they are popular, but I have no use for them. The 82R is a lot easier to mount up and take off and I do have one of those. Not sure it will fit the D17, but will the 14 and 15.

I was noticing tonight that the version on the D17 is way easier to remove than the D12s. The D12 version can't be removed from one side, but the 17, if dropped down, you could easily drive out from under it by reversing and cranking the wheel hard left. I need it off though and bring the wheel spacing in. It's taking too much room up in the barn right now. It's over 9 feet wide right now with the mower. Just an estimate but it's close.

I noted some interesting serial number information. They are both very early 1961, may have left the factory together and my D12 wasn't far behind.

I discovered something that surprised me. For 30 years, I've thought the D15 used D14 sheet metal. But shroud, grill, tank and hoods are 1 inch wider. That puts a crimp in my using a beautiful spare D14 shroud on it, and the D15 is missing about 8 inches of the entire bottom of its shroud, someone just cut it off (most likely had a loader pump on the front given the size of those front tires). Will be fun sheet metal work, but I'd have preferred to use the nice one I have.

It also doesn't match the D17 sheet metal, just a hair smaller and shorter. I was surprised they didn't go for parts interchangeability with the 14, given how close they are. It took me a tape measure to see it. What I didn't measure was the side rails. It will be a shock to me if that torque tube is wider, but I'm thinking it probably is. The costs in re-tooling must have seemed worth it.

What about a D-21? There used to be a D-19 here in my neighborhood. Have to check and see if it is still around. Used to be a good Allis dealer not too far from me.

Found a WD45 a couple years ago in a barn but the owner wasn't home. Son said to check back later, but every time I did nobody was home. Maybe time to check again.

To take those mowers off drop the blade out flat and the back the two bolts off on the hooks usually comes off pretty good a loader makes it real easy.On the D14/D15 thing not a whole lot of parts other than engine parts interchange.

As far as the D21, practicality catches up to me. My son has an Oliver 1950FWA which is roughly the same size, and I just don't have the covered parking for more machines that large. Plus there is also the fact that they are often priced beyond what I would spend. I've always liked that restoring tractors doesn't have to be an expensive hobby. Seems like D21s always run 10 to 25K. A 19 diesel might also be priced out of my range, but I've seen few for sale so I don't know. That's really a matter of how much spare income one can justify putting into restoration (though admittedly, I know people who treat it as their investment and I can't argue with their success).

I can see that with D17 mounts, but the D12 required required removing the PTO couplers, snap ring on the pivot, cable, adjustment levers, and then all the frame mount bolts. It was the only way we could drive out of it. I reckon I could have slid it out to the right without separating the twin wheel drive from the frame, but it wasn't in a good position for that when we took it off. The D17 looks to be a piece of cake comparatively, just because they didn't put mount points on the left side of the main frame.

Wow I bought a D-15 series gas II last year. This makes me want to get to work on it.

I hear you, It motivated me too and I'm getting a lot done on the D14 that is in front of it and a few others.