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JohnColo 
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Joined: 03 Apr 2020
Location: Niwot, CO
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 Topic: AC 562 scraper
Posted: 15 Dec 2020 at 7:05pm |
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I get "Construction Equipment" magazine and every month they have an article about some old machine. This month it's about the AC 562 scraper (earth mover), which, according to the article was a POS. They told about one outfit in California that bought 20 of them and never were able to keep more then 15 running at the same time because of breakdowns, engines, transmissions, etc. plus they didn't load well and it would sometimes take 3 D8's to push them full. The engine and transmission had to come out together so the construction company had to have a 25 ton crane on the site to pull and install the engines. I guess it wasn't one of AC's better ideas!
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Lazyts
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Joined: 05 Feb 2012
Location: Manitoba
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Posted: 15 Dec 2020 at 7:50pm |
There was a good discussion on HEF a few years ago about these machines. Seems a couple of California outfits had a fleet of them, and they were even featured in a TV serial called "the Fugitive". Maybe someone on here will recall what episode that was. Hopefully RickV will post some photos of his on here too- maybe the last one still operational? The story goes that it started out in Saskatchewan, went to Alberta, now south to Missouri. The big A-C 844 engines were at their limit in that machine for sure. Later the 460C was offered with a Detroit engine option, and I think even the late 945 series loaders could be ordered with a Cummins from the factory.
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steve(ill)
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: illinois
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Posted: 15 Dec 2020 at 7:50pm |
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I work for the Construction end of the business.. They sold smaller 260 and 262 scrapers that were popular and good life... The larger 460 and 562 i was not real familiar with, but the story was a lot were sold overseas ( south america / etc) to build dams and such... Operators were questionable ability and maint work was also a problem... That combined with the design problems led to a LOT of problems for those BIG UNITS.
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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DougG
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Joined: 20 Sep 2009
Location: Mo
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Posted: 16 Dec 2020 at 6:51pm |
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Funny post here John whatever-says your from nitwit co,,
Edited by DougG - 19 Dec 2020 at 3:59pm
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Mactractor
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Location: New Zealand
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Posted: 16 Dec 2020 at 10:23pm |
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He is just quoting what the magazine article said Doug. Like all magazine articles, there will be a BS content. For a start, you would not attempt to push scrapers that size with D8's would you? In that era, The tractor you would push with would be the HD41. More than double the weight and power of a D8.
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JohnColo
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Location: Niwot, CO
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Posted: 16 Dec 2020 at 11:58pm |
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Thanks, Mac. I was just quoting what the article said. I've never had any experience with any brand of scraper so I can't say one way or the other on good or bad points. I was kind of disappointed in that the article bad mouthed the Allis machine. The job where the machines had so much trouble was in the early 1960's so I don't think the HD41 was even built then. Seems like if it takes three dozers to push load a scraper, no matter what brand, that the ground is too hard to use a scraper. Maybe they should have ripped it or something. Easy to come up with ways to do a job 60 years later...
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Coke-in-MN
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Afton MN
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Posted: 17 Dec 2020 at 11:03am |
Allis-Chalmers Model 562 scraper NZ Contractor magazine·Based around a modular concept which allowed for the addition of an extra scraper bowl if necessary, the Allis-Chalmers 562 was developed from the existing model TS-460 single engined, open bowl scraper with which the tractor unit of the 562 shared many major components. It was Allis-Chalmers’ first attempt at a twin powered machine and the company had great hopes for the 562.
Edited by Coke-in-MN - 17 Dec 2020 at 11:09am
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Faith isn't a jump in the dark. It is a walk in the light. Faith is not guessing; it is knowing something.
"Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."
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LeonR2013
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Joined: 01 Jan 2013
Location: Fulton, Mo
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Posted: 17 Dec 2020 at 5:25pm |
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Have to admit though that they were good looking machines. Buts looks doesn't necessarily get the job done! Leon
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rickv57
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Joined: 15 Jan 2016
Location: 64024
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Posted: 17 Dec 2020 at 7:03pm |
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yes I have read that article myself, without being on site at the time I can't give an opinion, but what I can say is after 36 years in the construction business a dozer in the cut ripping ahead of the scrapers regardless of brand makes the difference of using one push cat along with ripping in hard soil in soft soil I have used twin-engine scrapers that loaded themselves without a push productively I do believe that possibly one of Allis Chalmers problems what is more power, turn it up then a overspeed engine that would lead to a lot of breakdowns along with operator error caterpillar had the same problem with the early 641 and the others I will try to post some photos of the 562 Survivor
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steve(ill)
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Location: illinois
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Posted: 17 Dec 2020 at 7:50pm |
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I think they only build about 150 of the 562 scrapers over several years. Originally they had a 21000 motor which is the 844 straight six with a turbo... Too much power was being pulled and they had some problems.. Upgraded the motor with after / inner cooler to 25000 motor to get more HP and that helped a bunch... 40 yard tractor is over 50 tons on 4 tires... Would take 2 D9s on a GOOD day to push that tractor in hard dirt. Not the scrapers fault..
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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rickv57
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Joined: 15 Jan 2016
Location: 64024
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Posted: 17 Dec 2020 at 8:21pm |
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My machine is a 562 C with the 25000 intercooled engines actually in pretty nice shape for an old machine
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Lazyts
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Location: Manitoba
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Posted: 20 Jan 2021 at 10:21pm |
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It would seem that Steve was right about the big scrapers being sent overseas. There are two videos on Youtube that Fiat Allis put out in the late '70s. One is called "Fiat Allis Al Lavoro" (it's been shared on here before) and it starts with Bakalori dam in Nigeria. Later in that film there is good footage of the 460 scraper (in Iran). The other film is called "A Long Day's Work" and it re-visits the dam after it was completed and the irrigation project was in progress. Lots of 260B and 261B scrapers and Allis motor graders. Interestingly, most of the machines had different precleaners installed by then- obviously the dust was an issue. It seems Fiat (or Italian contractors with Fiat connections) was involved in civic projects all over the world. Both films are in Italian of course.
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