Need opinion on price etc. on old Allis

RBManufacturing · Oct 5, 2003

Hi Guys,
Brenda and I plan to rent a 35 acre farm where she currently
boards her horse. The present renter is moving and we got
first crack at the place. Plan to board 15 horses there. The
present renter has agreed to leave his old Allis Chalmers
WD45 tractor, along with a 5 yr. old brushog. The tractor has
a FEL. It starts good, and seems to run good. Everything
works. He is asking $2000.00 for it including FEL and brushog.
He has been moving the round hay bales with it by barely
lifting them off ground. Bales only have to be moved about
100 ft. Front tires are liquid filled. Brenda has her own home,
and I have mine. We will just rent to do the boarding thing.
Brenda passes the farm everyday coming to work, and she
will be doing most of the care and feeding. She was raised
on a farm with horses, and really knows her stuff. My question
is, What is the old Allis worth? Thanks for any help. Rick

SteveM · Oct 6, 2003

You should visit ytmag if you really want to learn about the allis, but bottom line - a working tractor with loader for 2 grand is a good price. I see a lot of WDs with no implements in that price range, so go for it.

Docsknotinn · Oct 6, 2003

Based on the prices of older allis models I looked at with OUT fel ( 4-5k) in my area I would be writeing the check asap. For that price you could easily justify the expense of haveing a mechanic come out and look her over for you if you feel you need another up close opinion. Hope it works out. Dave

fishman · Oct 6, 2003

Good price on a tractor with a good reputation. My brother-in-law had one for years. Used it to run a square baler and mower-conditioner. Never had to do much to it and it was running just fine when he traded it for a JD.

grainger12002 · Oct 7, 2003

Rick: that sounds like too good of a deal to pass up. The tractor is a good one the WD45 has a great reputation. Couple that with the fact that it is on the farm,doing the job,has a mower and can easily move round bales for $2,000 its a bargain,a little TLC and it will always be worth that. Good luck,you will enjoy that tractor,does it have power steering?

Soundguy · Oct 7, 2003

Bad deal.. tell me where it is and I'll come pick it up and haul it away for you.. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

(go for it! )

Soundguy

RBManufacturing · Oct 8, 2003

Hi Guys,
I got a chance to use the Allis WD45 for a few hours
yesterday. My initial thoughts are: Starts and runs good.
She will pick up and move average size round bales.
However, she is weak on large bales. Will partially pick up
large bale, but will only get them off ground after I start
moving. Why is this??? Also, there is a valve you must
open to divert hydraulics to fel, or close to divert hydraulics
to rear. Is this normally the way it was done back then???
Hydraulics only work if clutch is out. Normal? You can lower
fel, brushog, with clutch in, but not raise. Would a larger
diameter hyd. cylinder help raise larger bales??? I know it
would probably raise slower, but would it make it work???
Since she is old, would it help to rebuild hyd. pump???
Also, just how old is the old girl? Any help is really
appreciated!!! Thanks, Rick

RonR · Oct 8, 2003

The hydraulic pump is likely behind the clutch, so the hydraulics only working with the clutch engaged makes sense. The PTO is most likely that way also.

I used to have an old JD and the PTO only worked with clutch engaged. As long as you PLANNED stopping and starting, it wasn't an issue.

My guess on the cylinder size is that it is engineered to fit the loader. Sure, you could add a bigger cylinder and lift a bigger load, but might you damage the structure of the FEL, don't know.
I might risk it if it were my tractor as it would be a cheap fix if the pump is weak, etc, but a bent frame on the FEL would mean it wouldn't life ANY LOAD, so I'd go cautiously.

Best wishes,
Ron

Soundguy · Oct 8, 2003

Just like the old ford 9/2/8N's.. the hyd pump is , as someone else stated, after the clutch. Also, most likely why it lifts after you get going is the pump is dependent on the engine speed... faster rpms yeil more pump rpms/volume. Try picking one up in neutral, with the rpms up.. if it lifts like it does when you start moving.. that is probably why. Also may be an old vane style pump.. might have internal bypassing taking place.. which equals.. a net loss im pumping power... rpms help this too... untill the old tired thing finally gives out.

Manual hyd diversion also isn't old. Most likely, the person who did it is tapping into the built in hyds to do the 'other task'. Again.. old N's were like this.. they had the hyd pump in the belly, turned by the pto shaft... the pump supplied power for the internal 3pt lift cylinder. There was a pipe-plugged port on the side of the pump casting used to connect a hydraulic tester to, to check the flow rate and hyd pressure of the pump.
Farmers figured out early on that you could chain the lift arms down, and install a line from that plug to an external cylinder.. or loader spool valve.. etc.. and when you slid the 3pt lift lever to the lift position, the oil couldn't lif the chained down cylinder.. so it bypassed out the test port powering your external cylinder..s-l-o-w-l-y.. as the pump was only about 2.9gpm / 1700 psi when new.
Front mounted 'stinger' pumps were the prefered choice for loaders, and rear pto pumps for backhoes.. or the front pumps. there are also some belt driven pump setups that I've seen that bolt onto the engine to give 'live' hyds... some are elegant, as a unit made and sold by a fellow named Zane Sherman.. an old ford mechanic.. some are more kludgy and 'rigged' like using old power steering pumps mounted on the engine somehow... etc... lots of things people used to do to get a bit more 'use' out of tractors... I guess that is why people liked them so much.. just great machines.. so much potential..

Soundguy

RBManufacturing · Oct 8, 2003

Soundguy,
Thanks for the info. I will try to take some pics soon. She
has a few ad-ons that are probably designed for her, but
probably did not come on her new. I have only owned 2 8ns,
and 2 Kubotas. Not sure what some things are on the Allis.
Don't like to sound dumb, but not familiar with some of her
gadgets yet. One in particular, is a rod on right side of gear

shift, where it comes out of trans. Pull out on rod, and then
back, to lock it into a bend in rod. She has the original rod
starter also. Pull out on a switch, and pull a rod by steering
shaft, and she starts. Plan to put a key start on soon.
Also just found out she comes with a small single blade plow.
I was not real serious about buying it until I ran her awhile
last night. Old, slow, hard to steer, outdated hyd. system.
BUT, NOW I'm IN LOVE!!! I'm getting old, hard to control,
etc. myself. We should make a nice couple. Thanks, Rick