I was referred by a friend to a private party selling an Allis-Chalmers D17 Series I 1960...gas engine 60HP w/FEL/PS/3 bottom mold board hydraulic plow/12' disc/snap couplers on all attachments...tranny redone 2 years ago and new brakes and front tires/rear tires 50%/snow and dirt bucket/sheet metal in "great shape". No hours info supplied yet.
Pictures and more info is coming tonight.
Any info or thoughts on this tractor...how does it compare with Ford 8N??
Assuming it is in "working" condition...price range I should expect to see?
Well... that's a LOT more tractor than an 8N. It'll be bigger (11" taller, ~25" longer and ~1800# heavier) than an 8N... and almost 3x the horsepower (48½+ drawbar, 52½+ belt for the D17, vs ~22 drawbar and <26 belt for the 8N). The D17 should have a Category II 3-point-hitch. It is rated up to 5 plows... so it should pull those 3, like nothing.
Price... that's a hard one to judge. If everything works right... I wouldn't expect it to be under $5,000... but I could be wrong.
The only downside from your description would be the gas engine. By the time you get up to a tractor with that much power... a gas engine gets mighty thirsty.
I'd like to see the photos of it... and to hear what you find out and decide...
Would the D17 with wheel weights (or loaded tires) and chains have pretty good traction? I worry I may just get myself into trouble w/2WD.
Parts available for the D17?
The truth is I would like to get new(er) but I don't know that I am willing to pay what it will take. The mid 50's Fords still might be the best "entry point" for me?
The early Fords smaller size is a benefit to me...and I know you can get parts quite readily. The nice 850 is still out there. Would like FEL and power steering though. Not sure just pulling stuff will give me a good mix of tractor features. Maybe one of the '53-'63 Fords would be a good first tractor.
I may react differently when I get more info on the D17 price and condition/pictures...Thanks...Tom R
For 'normal' use... I really wouldn't worry about traction on any agriculture tractor (with ag tires)... even without loaded tires/wheel weights or chains. Once you get into snow and ice... yeah you're going to want something, but... in the dirt... I don't see you really having traction issues.
Depending on the rubber in the rear, even in snow you should do ok. A D-17 is a much bigger tractor than an 8n is, like Steve said. With weights and chains you should be able to go anywhere that you ought to be going with a tractor.
Around here a series 1 is anywhere from about $1,500 to $3,500 depending on condition, but mostly around $2,500. For comparison, an 8N will sell for around $2,000.
It will be Snap Coupler hookup (I think it was Series 3 before they came with 3 point standard, if even then). There are parts available for them, and there is lots of snap coupler equipment available if you want to go that route, or you can put a 3 point on them for a couple hundred dollars.
The D-17 has a big advantage over the 8N.
It has the "Power Director" hand clutch in addition to the foot clutch which does two things; it gives you 2 speeds for each gear (Hi & Lo) and in the center or "neutral" position it allows you to stop the tractor while the PTO continues to run.
This essentially gives you the benefits of a "live PTO".
Be sure to take it for a test drive to be sure the hand clutch "snaps-in" solidly in both the low and high range positions and does not "pop out" or slip under load.
In addition to the "Power Director" another feature of most (not all) D-17s is power steering.
unless someone converted it, it will have a snap coupler hitch - as far as I know 3-point was never standard on the D series - we have a D 17 series IV - no 3 point, but the series IV had live hydraulics - but with a tractor that old who knows whats been changed/upgraded on it
You are right though, so many of these tractors have different things adapted on and changed. We just picked up a tractor that has a power steering pump from a old Ford car/truck.
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