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Allis Chalmers WD vs.

L

Lfdfireman

Member
I am just wanting to get some opinions from folks regarding a purchase I am considering. I have great opportunities on two purchases, a 1951 AC WD with factory wide front end, near new tires, 12 volt, 3 pt hitch, recent cylinder rebuild and bottom end overhaul, new clutch and pressure plate and new paint. The other is a 1951 Farmall M narrow front end with power steering, hydraulics, decent tires, good paint, 12 volt. Hasn't had the engine work like the AC but run great. I know the M carries a bit more hp, but am just curious to get some thoughts and input. Thanks!
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What is your intended use? If for a small hobby farm I would chose the WD. It has live pto which is a big plus for a baler or rotary mower. Allis snap coupler implements are a little harder to find but work great. A WD will often pull a three bottom plow if snap coupler but would never pull that with a pull type plow. If you want a tractor ride tractor go with the IH.The IH is more comfortable to drive. Do you have other tractors? My first tractor was a WD. Both tractors look good. Tom
 
Despite the relatively comparable stock horsepower ratings, the Farmall M is a lot bigger horse than the Allis Chalmers WD.
The WD offers (sort of) live PTO and hydraulics, and the Snap Couple hitch setup. The WD is not as comfortable to operate as the M. Either tractor is likely to have been overhauled and have more than stock horsepower.
 
Has the WD really got a three point hitch? It's really spiffed up with those new rims and oversized tires. If it was a properly ballasted WD45 it could rival the M.

What are you going to do with the tractor?

Your age might make a difference! I grew up on WD/WD45. Now, as mentioned here already, my body would choose the M!
 
If you are going to do any PTO work where "live" power is an advantage the WD is the tractor to get, only a little less power (few ever accused WDs of lacking power) and a wide front end seems to ride and maybe handle better sometimes. Unless you are in tight areas where the narrow front can bet in better although the M is a bigger tractor so the difference may not be much in this. Some say the M is more comfortable, maybe they are right. However you can swing your clutch/left leg back under you to rest on the step on the back of the WD and still be able to stop and start the tractor with the hand clutch. This helps a lot for long hours on one, I know from experience.
 
the WD is a lighter tractor with a bit less h. p. the 45 model is more equal to h.p. but both side by side i will take the M. plus i have both of those and that allis is not comfortable.
 
If the M has an M&W after market clutch, it has the same type of "live power" clutch that the Allis Chalmers has. The AC's hand clutch is actually a disconnect of one of the rear wheels. This allows the opportunity for the PTO to continue to operate while stopping forward motion without stepping on the main clutch & disengaging the transmission. Both the M&W & the AC hand "clutch" disengage one of the rear wheels and this is not true live power.
 
Unless you are just going to do something like drag a disk and own stock in an oil company go with the WD.WD has its own lift system with superior hydraulics,3pt hitch can be easily added to the WD and for PTO work the WD is way better.Plus no fenders on the M that is dangerous.WD will steer better and be more useful with the wide front.
 
The use would just be some small pasture mowing and wagon pulling here and there. Nothing too major or taxing so there wouldn't be any hour after hour work sitting in the seat like it may have been used in years past.
 
It does have a 3 pt hitch on it. Will just do some small mowing and wagon pulling here and there. Not too worried about it hurting the body (50) as I won't be in the seat for more than a few hours at a time.
 
Use will be some small pasture mowing and pulling a wagon off and on, nothing too major requiring hours at a time in the seat.
 
I could not stand that Allis seating for even 5 minutes at a time If I could even get on it and if I did get on it I would need help to get off of it, could not even roll off of it. Would have been a decent tractor if they would have made a better seating araingement.
 
That's a winner then. You had so many replies mentioning either the snap coupler[which few WD's have] or adding a three point, I began to wonder what I was missing. But, apparently, reading comprehension is poor in the YT crowd.
 
I should have mentioned my other post that it is said by some that the Snap Couple system AC used is superior to the 3 point system but that because Ford produced so many tractors with their system it became dominant. If you can find implements for the Snap Coupler for your uses they perform well and are easy to hitch and unhitch, sometimes without getting off the tractor.
 
Partially true. You gave the perfect description of the hand clutch on the CA.
On the WD/45, the hand clutch was a regular clutch in the drive shaft ahead of the transmission . It also ran in an oil bath & in theory could be used in "slip" mode all day without hurting anything.
As to the comments about getting on/off the Allis, I never had any trouble. Right foot on drawbar, left foot on step/platform/ pto shield, swing right foot over seat, & plop, landed on seat at about the same instant as foot hit the brake pedal.

willie
 
The Farmall M pictured does not have an add on M & W clutch that provides a live PTO. Other than that it seems like a nice tractor. In general most rotary mowers are 3 point so it sounds to me like the Allis would be his best choice and live PTO is always a plus.
 
The M. As for the fender argument. I didn't know tractors came with fenders till I was almost 12 years old when dad bought the MD. It had fenders on it. We took them off to make it easier to get on. The fenders always set to close to the seat for climbing on and off. The H has not had fenders since I can remember they were in the way for the cultivators back when. I've never had a problem with being tossed into the tires. Used all the tractors here since I was a kid I'm over 60 now.
 
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