IH Drott Skid Shovel 340K3

Hi Guys, great forum. I've been digging through it looking for info on a tractor I just bought-my first. I've got a lot of work to do and after thinking about all the ways it could go, and the cost, decided to buy an old tractor and do it myself. Never drove one before and know very little about them.

I found an International (Drott Skid Shovel) for sale and went for it. The seller knew very little about it as it was left to him. What I knew was that with a jump it started up quick and sounded solid. The bucket works good and raises high, the scraper works good, the brakes good, forward and reverse good, right turns good, left not so hot but goes with a little coaxing. 500 hours on it. Some seals leak a little. The guy says it's a diesel but it sounds like gas to me.

I'm a metal fabricator and have been working on cars for 20+ years but this is a new area for me. The first thing I've been trying to figure out is exactly what I bought and where I can get a service manual. From this site and Red Power I think I have a 1960 T340 with a gas engine, but still can't find a service manual.

If anyone can confirm I'm right or wrong I'd be grateful (see photos in gallery), and any advice on the manual or anything else would be great at this point. I've driven it about 100 yards and want to run through it all a little before I really start pushing it, although I also just want to jump back on it and drive it around town too. Thanks.

Try http://www.steeringclutch.com/ for the steering clutch or brake. Not sure if they have it, but good prices on other makes (case).

Google is your friend, manuals have been on fleabay in the past. Youtube video of parts K3 (sold), it was a diesel. Nice looking machine, best of luck with it.

I truly feel sorry for the learning curve you are going to go thru if you can't tell the difference between gas and diesel prior to purchase. Nice looking machine though.

Well, I did just do the head gaskets on my 6.0 Powerjoke...but we'll see...

You best be finding out if it's gas or diesel as you don't want to miss fuel it.

Hi, thanks for the comments...I may have not said it all too clearly in my first post, the tractor has a gas engine. It was just kind of a funny situation because the guy selling it kept telling me it was a diesel...he was adamant about it, even though he also kept telling me he knew nothing about tractors.

Aside from the sound, look, and gas in the fuel tank, the info I've found online says a diesel engine wasn't even available for this model until 1961, and from the serial this looks like a 1960.

Again, still happy to hear pretty much anything anyone has to say about this model.

I fired it up today and moved it around a bit. Everything seems to work great except turning left. When turning right the lever immediately engages and the tractor begins spinning. When turning left I can feel the play in the lever. As I pull it back it seems to do nothing until it's almost all the way back. At the last inch or so of throw it engages and turns a bit. If I go slow and keep pulling it back and forth it turns left one little bit at a time. This is the main issue I'd like to figure out how to fix.

Also, leaking seals on half of the hydraulics. I thought if I could get a manual there would be a part number or spec for a seal I could get, but an old timer up the road came by and was telling me the old models like this don't have seals but packing material that is cut to fit. All new to me and would like to confirm this too and get those sealed up.

Thanks again to all who took the time to comment.