This site is not affiliated with AGCO Inc., Duluth GA., Allis-Chalmers Co., Milwaukee, WI., or any surviving or related corporate entity. All trademarks remain the property of their respective owners. All information presented herein should be considered the result of an un-moderated public forum with no responsibility for its accuracy or usability assumed by the users and sponsors of this site or any corporate entity.
The Forum Parts and Services Unofficial Allis Store Tractor Shows Serial Numbers History
Forum Home Forum Home > Allis Chalmers > Farm Equipment
  New Posts New Posts
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login


4 Wheel Drive Conversion
 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
MiPlowboy1 View Drop Down
Bronze Level
Bronze Level
Avatar

Joined: 21 Sep 2013
Location: Michigan
Points: 10 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MiPlowboy1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: 4 Wheel Drive Conversion
    Posted: 14 Feb 2017 at 6:32pm
All,

I'm sure it isn't an easy project to tackle but has anyone attempted to add a 4 wheel drive to the front of their WD/WD45 or know of anyone who did or tried? I saw a WD45 today on Craigslist converted to a fork truck and it was well done a looked very cool! So I figured why couldn't you convert one to 4 wheel drive? I hate to spend 20K on a Kubota when I could have some fun or headaches doing a conversion! Just looking for ideas and or someone who did it already. Thanks!
Back to Top
Sponsored Links


Back to Top
DSeries4 View Drop Down
Orange Level
Orange Level
Avatar

Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Ontario, Canada
Points: 7388 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DSeries4 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Feb 2017 at 8:31pm
You can spend more than $20,000 trying to put 4 wheel drive on a WD45 (and expecting it to work).  The rear end was not designed to drive a front axle.  Hydraulic 4wds are either too fast or too slow for the transmission speeds.  IF you NEED a 4 wheel drive tractor, buy a Kubota.  Yes I have seen a picture where someone put a 4wd axle under a WD45 - it was a show tractor.  Expecting it to work as 4 wd tractor on a daily basis, probably not practical or effective.

Making a forklift out of a tractor is easy.  Putting 4 wheel drive on a tractor which never offered it is hard.
'49 G, '54 WD45, '55 CA, '56 WD45D, '57 WD45, '58 D14, '59 D14, '60 D14, '61 D15D, '66 D15II, '66 D21II, '67 D17IV, '67 D17IVD, '67 190XTD, '73 620, '76 185, '77 175, '84 8030, '85 6080
Back to Top
DaveKamp View Drop Down
Orange Level Access
Orange Level Access
Avatar

Joined: 12 Apr 2010
Location: LeClaire, Ia
Points: 5835 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DaveKamp Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Feb 2017 at 11:57am
A guy COULD do it... guys have... there's as many ways, as there are guys. I'll play the devil's advocate here, because a man HAS to have a challenge:

The front-end is only a small part... pick a front axle... a 1-ton truck axle would work, but a 2-1/2t Rockwell would probably be better, or perhaps a steer-assist axle liberated from a combine, or an axle from a shooting-boom forklift.

Next trick, is figuring out how to DRIVE it. If you yank the transmission, make a new case, and set up a hydrostatic pump in it's place, you could mount a hydraulic motor to drive the rear pinion, and another on the front, and solve the rest with plumbing, for a full-hydrostat tractor.

You could open up the rearend, cut a window in the side, and fit it with either a drive chain or gears, and build more housing around it. If it were me, I'd probably opt for a steel housing (a wartime WC?) to weld the housing extension to...
...or put an extra housing between transmission and rear pinion, extend the trans/pinion shaft to accept a drive chain or gears, and bring that out to drive a shaft to the front axle.

The challenge of getting it working is one thing... but if you've got under-belly implements, now you've got to solve implement clearance challenges...

And of course, matching drive ratio of front and rear close enough to not 'fight' eachother. Including a method of disengagement would be good... if it were me, I'd probably make it a 'shiftless' engagement method... but a brake instead of a clutch... something like this concept:

Come off the rear axle's drive pinion with a multi-row chain or gear, and drive the RING GEAR of a differential. Take one axleshaft forward to a U-joint and seal (drive front shaft). Take the OTHER axleshaft rearward just far enough to get to a disc brake.

When the brake is disengaged, the front axle turns basically freely and independant from rear. When brake is engaged, the differential turns front axle shaft with authority... no clunking in and out of gear, no getting 'jammed' in gear...



(oh, and don't ask me why I've thought it out this far... I've actually thought it out MUCH MUCH MUCH further...

Edited by DaveKamp - 15 Feb 2017 at 11:58am
Ten Amendments, Ten Commandments, and one Golden Rule solve most every problem. Citrus hand-cleaner with Pumice does the rest.
Back to Top
cpg View Drop Down
Silver Level
Silver Level


Joined: 10 Jul 2015
Location: Michigan
Points: 246 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cpg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Feb 2017 at 1:10pm
If you just wanted to have it for show purposes but still have it work I would personally find the numbers for the rear end and pick your axle ratio and front tire sized based on it matching a gear with an input speed of 540 rpm so you could just run a shaft off the easy to access pto shaft that you can shift in and out to your front axle. It would only work in one gear (that you set up the gear ratio to match) and you would have to use the foot clutch to stop but it would be cool to set it up to match like first gear so you could engage the pto box and have 4x4 for things like tractor pull demonstrations.
Not that it solves the issue of making a daily use 4x4 that would replace something like a Kubota but it would be a reasonably doable way to make a cool looking play tractor.
Back to Top
Nathan (SD) View Drop Down
Orange Level
Orange Level


Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Day County SD
Points: 1265 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nathan (SD) Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Feb 2017 at 3:07pm
Gibson of Iowa


https://www.flickr.com/photos/21169515@N08/5455135087/
Back to Top
Dan73 View Drop Down
Orange Level
Orange Level
Avatar

Joined: 04 Jun 2015
Location: United States
Points: 6054 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dan73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Feb 2017 at 4:45pm
Shameless don't look the first one has green paint on it still.....
Back to Top
WF owner View Drop Down
Orange Level
Orange Level


Joined: 12 May 2013
Location: Bombay NY
Points: 4768 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WF owner Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2017 at 5:43am
One of the mechanics (long ago retired), at the DOT shop where I worked, built an "articulated" WD-45 many years ago. He used a complete rear end from another WD45 (or WD) and it steered, like any other articulated with hydraulic cylinders.

He had a contract with our local fair to do the manure removal and used it there like a pay loader. I am quite sure he had a crankshaft mounted hydraulic pump to run the loader.

I think he ran the second rear end through the PTO (not 100% sure about that).

I know what you are saying about paying for a Kubota, but I'm telling you they are a really nice rig to work with. I have a subcompact Massey-Ferguson (GC2400) and I really don't know how I got along without it. I mow lawn, do snow removal clean up and bring in firewood for the fireplace with it. I bought a set of clamp on forks for it from Amazon (4000 lb. capacity for less than $300) and I use it all the time for moving things around. There were about 3000 reasons I bought the Massey over the Kubota (It was $3000 less) and about 5000 reasons I didn't buy a John Deere (plus I couldn't bear to own another John Deere!).
Back to Top
Dan73 View Drop Down
Orange Level
Orange Level
Avatar

Joined: 04 Jun 2015
Location: United States
Points: 6054 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dan73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2017 at 5:50am
Be careful with those clamp on forks I have a bucket here I need go fix because the PO used clamp on forks.
If you don't need the pto you could join the two rear ends at the pto and useing both transmissions you could get all gears but it would be a long tractor.
Back to Top
corbinstein View Drop Down
Orange Level
Orange Level


Joined: 31 Jul 2014
Location: Oklahoma
Points: 796 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote corbinstein Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2017 at 6:41am
heck just put 2 rear ends under it and skid steer the thing! Clown
Back to Top
JC-WI View Drop Down
Orange Level Access
Orange Level Access
Avatar

Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: wisconsin
Points: 33901 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JC-WI Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2017 at 7:02am











He who says there is no evil has already deceived himself
The truth is the truth, sugar coated or not. Trawler II says, "Remember that."
Back to Top
cpg View Drop Down
Silver Level
Silver Level


Joined: 10 Jul 2015
Location: Michigan
Points: 246 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cpg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2017 at 7:35am
I like that first conversion that is pretty clean. Looks like the hand clutch housing was removed and replaced with a WC transmission.
Back to Top
Calvin Schmidt View Drop Down
Orange Level
Orange Level
Avatar

Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Ontario Can.
Points: 4526 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Calvin Schmidt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2017 at 8:50am
I have mental plans to build an articulated 4W93 ! Power is a 262 combine engine, and WC rear ends. The front axle is a WC mounted upside down. Rear is standard WC. Drop box chain drive behind transmission to drive front axle. Also have a NP 205 full time transfer case but haven't got serious enough to see if it could be used as the drop box. Straight through to drive rear. Crank mount hydraulic pump. Drivers seat would have to extended over the rear half. Nice and low like a White 4-150 

Edited by Calvin Schmidt - 16 Feb 2017 at 8:51am
Nothing is impossible if it is properly financed
Back to Top
DiyDave View Drop Down
Orange Level Access
Orange Level Access
Avatar

Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Gambrills, MD
Points: 52514 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DiyDave Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2017 at 5:43pm
Easiest way to do it would be like this...

[TUBE]http://youtu.be/6w-ZnkeXI7c[/TUBE]
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 11.10
Copyright ©2001-2017 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.064 seconds.


Help Support the
Unofficial Allis Forum