Newbie D 15 Questions

1) Does that High/Low shift lever on the right have any dead mid point where the PTO continues to turn but the tractor dont move like on the WD 45????? ???? (I called that Fake Live Power lol)

2) Its bad to wanna jump out of 3rd gear under a load, is fixing that gonna require the tractor be split front n back or side to side or can it be repaired by removing that big side tranny cover plate on the right side????? ?

3) Will it need a new gear or what (makes a rolling sound), and can it be changed via that side plate removal or she gotta be split and where???

4) Will it make things even worse if I were to use a bungie cord to hold it in 3rd gear????

5) The loader lifts AFTER the valve to it is opened and the 3 pt rises to the top. If one wants to use that rear pioneer hydraulic coupler, does some other selector valve have to be switched over to power it instead of the 3 pt lifting????? ???

6) I take it that gas gauge that mounts in the tank is strictly a mechanical unit and needs a new float or something, it stays on empty?????

7) Any after market places to buy a new good replacement seat without having to go to a dealer????

8) I never understood what all that traction control lever does, whats it do and where should it be kept if using the 3 point hitch???

9) I HOPE it will lift a big round hay bale both front n back without tipping up or down??? But it appears one would have to lift a bale on the rear first then open the loader valve and load another bale on the front???? Im not sure thats even gonna be possible (2 at once) any thoughts????? ?????

Sorry so many questions, thanks in advance.

John T, electrical engineer and a JD man, new to the Allis world

I have lots of tractors and like them all. With 8 different brands, I like to turn them over so I can experience different brands and models. Some are better at certain jobs than others. Some I like so much, I'll never be able to sell them. Others, I've enjoyed and am willing to sell to make room for something different. I have a D-14 which is very similar to your tractor. I use it a lot. I'm sure you'll find it capable.

Another post made me think. Round bales are very heavy. I don't know if the front end or the loader of this tractor will stand up to lifting bales. Steering might be strained. If the loader can stand the load, loading the rear first would relieve some of the strain on the front end. You need the three way for that. The three way must be closed port when not selected. It is an interesting, relatively low cost experiment. Come back and give us updates on what you learn.

The front mounted pump is good but expensive. Until you know the tractor can handle your job, it would be cheaper to use the valve solution and prove it out.

Good luck.

I have ordered BOTH the IT and an AC D 15 maunual so that will help. I had a Cockshutt 30 and its not any bigger then the D 15 and it handled 2 big bales, but IM NOT gonna overload or overwork this D 15. Im confident the heavy 3 point that was added to the rear can handle a rear bale at least (I may have to toss a couple wheel weights in the loader for ballast) so the front I will just experiment with. I dont have far to carry the bales and its level n smooth to my hay lot.

One last question if we dont get hijacked and before my manuals arrive, Just where is the tie in plumbing/connection point where I could plumb in a 3 way, 1 in 2 out with closed center???? It has a line on the right front where the gate valve is now to energize the loader, but I would need to T up so I can choose EITHER the loader or rock shafts and I dont remember seeing any obvious places to do that????? ?? That sort of ties in with my earlier question of how does one energize that single rear pioneer hydraulic coupler outlet????? ?

Thanks again, John T

That coupler you refer had a couple of designs. One design held back pressure untile the lift arms were up and than the fluid went to a remote hydrailic cylinder for lifting the tail wheel on a semi mounted plow. The other design had pressure there at all times for lifting disks and other trailing implements. You need your three way valve to interupt the flow to the lift cylinder. Is your lift cylinder exposed or is inside the the differential case? It was always inside the case on a D-14 and every D-15 that I've seen. But a Series IV D-17 has external cylinders. I don't think the Series II D-15 had external cylinders.

Try to find where the steel line is connected. It may be a flare fitting rather than pipe thread. Post back when you've figured out how the steel line is connected.

I just checked IT manual AC-17 which covers the D-14, D-15 and D-17. It says there are two types of valves mounted on the differential case. One is called a selector valve and the other is called a transport valve. Their function is pretty much as I described above.

Click on my name at the top of this post and send me an email. I'll send you back the script describing these valves.

You could put the three way ahead of the selector or transport valve behind your seat on the left. You would be able to reach it from the seat and switch back and forth. It will be a piping challenge because I think they are all flare fittings into these valves.

Okay on the hydraulics. All it has is a single outlet on the top right hydraulics body near the valve which the dash lever controls, with a single line out that goes over on the other side to a brass looking TEE and one line out has a jury rigged gate valve to shut the loader on or off while the other factory looking original line goes back to the Pioneer Coupler outlet. THERES NUTTIN ELSE ANYWHERE. Theres no lines or fittings or manifolds I see where I could divert flow from the internal rock shaft cylinder (now 3 point lift) to the loader.

Sooooo o Im thinkin its not all that bad as it is maybe if I add a better loader shut off valve that levers instead of screwing in or out it will be easy to lift a bale on front,,,,, ,,then close the valve so it dont drop,,,,, ,,,,then lift my rear bale,,,,, ,,when I get to my hay storage lot I open the loader valve to lower the front bale then push it into my stack,,,,, ,then turn around and place my rear bale on the 3 point.

The only way I see to improve things is to add one of those front crank pulley driven Hydraulic Pumps and re valve everything for independant and live hydraulics. YOU GOT A LINE ON ANY USED FRONT PUMPS????? ??? Thats another project maybe next summer if I keep the tractor. Im confident the front will also handle a bail. The loader cylinders are good and the lines and it snapped it right up on the rear so the hydrailic capacity n pressure must not be too bad. The front of the tractor is good n soild with good tires I carry about 75 lb of air in so I think it will be okay, if not, I wont use it.

My IT and AC Manuals should be here next week so I can change all my fluids. She runs like a watch.

Thanks, John T

I really like the idea of a front mount pump. That way I could use it for the loader only. You have any sources for a new or used unit that will couple right up to my front pulley if I have the right one????? ????

Thanks a bunch

John T

2) The wanna jump out of third is not easy to fix. Many have solved the problem with a different set of forks (behind that side plate you mention). It is possible that it could need forks and two gears - worst case. Replacing gears requires splitting the tractor. Replacing the forks will not require splitting. It might be a task finding good forks. I think the forks can be rebuilt but requires a mill, special cutters and a lot of skill. The one time I had this problem, I found a better set of forks, installed them and solved the problem. Forks may not solve the problem if the gears are worn out.

3) see #2

4) Using a bugee cord will hasten wear on the forks. Eventially, the wear will get so bad that it won't move at all in that gear.

5) Sounds like you have the standard hydraulic system. The lift arms and loader cylinder are on the same output so the lift arms will rise first and then the loader. With this setup, you won't be able to lift with the front and the rear at the same time. You could add a three way valve to select either the loader or the lift arms. With this valve you could lift both front and rear independently (but still not simultaneously - first one then the other). You could tie the lift arms up so you don't have to wait for them.

6) The gauge is mechanical and has a cork float on the end. I used a wine cork on mine and it works fine.

7) You may be able to pick up a seat on Ebay. Used one are common. New ones are available for a lot of tractors for $40 to $60.

8) The traction control works best with Allis Chalmers mounted implements. It transfers the weight of the implement to the rear wheels of the tractor to improve traction.

9) I think I covered that question in #5.

Good luck. A D-15 is a very handy tractor. You'd need a 1010 or 2010 to compare favorably.

Denny

Hurst

Hurst

None of this has anything to do with playing around with old iron just for the heck of it or restoring something that brings back a few fond memories of days before you bought new tractors with funny Chinese characters on all the data plates.

Hurst

Hurst

Prejudice is a heavy load. Those that have this load carry feelings that are unhealthy and often inaccurate. I have 8 different makes of tractors at the present time. One of them is John Deere. I like John Deere tractors. I like Allis Chalmers tractors. I like Oliver tractors. Having owned and used all makes, I can see advantages and disadvantages to all makes.

If you were looking for advice, to whom would you go? A person who is fanatical about a single brand will not have a broad enough knowledge base to adequately discuss many issues. Being so narrow and having a quick temper will in effect do "his brand" a great dis-service. Such prejudice discredits the brand. Rudeness may cause the newcomers to steer away from the brand subconsciencely expecting that their personalities might be degraded in a similar way by ownership.

And lastly, rude statements and name calling significantly destroy the speakers credibility.

"Favorable comparison" does not judge one item over another. It simply says they can be compared reasonably because their characteristics are sufficiently similar. I was not thinking about hydraulics or which business has had an uninterupted history. I'd used "handy" in the first sentence of the paragraph. Sorry, more English lessons. Since it was in the first sentence, it is expected that the balance of the paragraph would have something to do with "handy". I believe the front entry, easy on/off of the two is quite similar. I believe the controls are all "handy". I believe both have comfortable seats and the steering wheels are in comfortable positions. The foot pedals are in good positions and easy to use.

When you degrade a 1960 tractor because of something that happened 20 years later, is there any fairness involved? How does the corporate life of a company have anything to do with a single tractor and how "handy" it is? Why would you lose your temper because John Deere was mentioned in a paragraph with Allis Chalmers?

Newman, try to relax. I wasn't looking for a fight or trying to hurt anyone. I was just suggesting that Newbie would enjoy his new acquisition. I was sugesting that he would find it "handy" like a 1010 or 2010. I doubt that you would ever discover the D-15 to be "handy" but a man with an open mind like Newbie will probably be able to recognize strengths and weaknesses and fairly consider them.

1) It feels like a fork problem to me (the jumping out of 3rd gear). Its like the gear shift lever isnt pushing 3rd gear far enough into mesh or like its just barely catching the teeth so under a load she drops out. As compared to the other gears, the shift lever just dont move very far and its like you wish it would move further to fully engage the gears. That sound like a worn gear or a fork problem to you now????? ?? I reckon I will have to pull the side plate and see what forks move what gear when I shift into 3rd and figure her out Eh????

2) The hydraulic line to the loader simply has a gate type shut off valve now. I was wondering if I could first have it closed and then lift a bale on the 3 pt to the height I want it, then if I reach down n open the valve so the loader works, I guess the rear bale would lift ALLLLL LL THE WAYYYYY UP before the loader could lift another one..... ..... ..... ..... Orrrrr rr just leave it in open and back the rear under a bale and lift it to max and then pull the front up to a bale n pick it up????? ? To use a 3 way valve as you mentioned (1 in 2 out) I guess I would have to valve ahead of either (3 pt and loader) and then select whichever one I wanted to energize. I guess if I get it home tomorrow I will just try it n see what is possible as is lol ANY FURTHER THOUGHTS????

Thanks again, this is great. I often provide electrical help to otheres but I need some mechanical help now with a tractor I just got.

John T

2) With a gate valve, you should be able to lift with the front loader. Then close the gate valve with the bale lifted. That should hold the loader up. Then the dash controls should raise and lower the lift arms. A three way valve would make them independent. The way you have it, control of the loader will only occur after the lift arms are up. I believe your analysis of the three way is correct. One input port and two output (one for fift arms and one for the loader).

I'm a mechanical engineer who spent most of his career designing electrical control circuits, drive systems and computer interconnect systems. Did a fair amount of machine design as well - gear systems and automatic equiment. Retired now.

Denny