AC 200

200 "nothing but trouble"?????  Who told you that?  A 190/200 is one of my favorite tractors.  Nice wide platform, consol control (with throttle in console). My opinion a very nice setup tractor.  The 200 is exensially an updated 190xt.  It has the later transmission (better), four pinion differential, and larger axles of the XT series III.  Some of the early 190's were not that great as they had transmission problems and diff. problems (I have an early one that has trans. problems.)  Very easy on fuel in my opinion.  A little cold natured in winter though, a block heater would help on mine.

   Big Al 485, you haven't been talking to Old Tanker on YT have you ?

My 200 is hard starting compared to other tractors.  The power director has been a source of trouble.  We have to repair the p/d for the second time after not enough hours on the first rebuild.  I have a 2-110 White which I find to be a more reliable tractor.  I ran 70 and 90 series Case tractors and had less trouble overall compared to the 200.  This was our first and only Allis.  They are rare in our area and I can only guess that the 200 was not A-C' s best effort.

Edited by 75-200 - 23 Feb 2012 at 6:31pm

My experience with a 200 is very negitive , the transmissions are worse to gear jump out , the powerdirector controls give alot of bulls--t trouble ; brakes are terrible to keep working - Allis made a - cost reduction version of the 200 , i think they all were

Big Al all I can say is in 1973 my dad bought a 200 new and it was our big tractor and we did nothing but bull work dauls on rear and we put like 3400 trouble free hours and then dad traded it on a used 1977 7040 power shift.I really liked both tractors plus dad bought a new 7060 in 1976 it had the 20 speed liked It too!!

A 200 is the best of a very good, perhaps iconic tractor, the 190xt. They are a very handy tractor for many jobs, drawbar and pto. Many people abused them, but abuse a 4020 or 1206 and see how much money you put into it. For haying, and for the money overall, I dont think you can buy anything better, Trev.

I have a 1974 200 that I bought when it was 2 yrs.old. The hourmeter (not tach) quit working at 5000 hrs. even. I would guess it has around 9000 hrs. on it now. Yes,it has had an engine rebuild,clutch,brakes,inj.pump,turbo and a few other small things,but this is to be expected if you really use any tractor. The 200 was the last AC tractor made with the hand operated PD. Mine has the gated PD control and I know some people bad mouth this,BUT it is without any doubt the easiest to use PD control AC ever put on a tractor. The short lever with it's short throw and hand guide makes shifts so easy and smooth. Personaly,it looks to me like the 190's and early 200's with the taller "push down" lever would be very difficult to shift smoothly between ranges. Bought a new 185 in 1972 and that was the most awkward PD control. OH and don't forget,like the 190"s,the 200 is one of few AC's made with the throttle where it should be--on the right hand console. I can honestly say it has been a good tractor and after all these years,I still enjoy using it. 

I spent many summers on a 200 raking and bailing hay.  Other than having to recharge the AC twice a year from a small hole in the system we never had any mechanical problems on a 4000 hour tractor.  We had more problems with the 7000, always something with the shifter cable and running hot.  But then Texas summers will find that weak spot on the cooling system.

I love the 200's but you mentioned a 175 and mainly doing hay. I'd probably go with the 175 for hay. One thing is less fuel and the other would be your less likely to knock the people down on the haywagon with the manual PD.

I do like the 175s too, but like the bigger tire size ( smoother ride ) and walk through platform of the 200 also.  I probably will go with whichever one is the cleanest tractor.

Al I mean the 175 has the manual PD(hi,lo)and the 200 has hyd. activated PD wich is harder to feather it to a slow smooth engagement from a stand still. You will have the PD in neutral,shifter in gear,PTO engaged and let out on foot clutch to start pto then use PD to start tractor movement.

Ok, are there different style levers that one could tell ( just by looking ) if the pto was hydraulic or manual ?

I was talking about taking off moving with the PD(HI and LO). I forgot about hyd. engage on some PTO's. I've never had one with it. With one of those you don't even have to push the clutch in and if Iam not mistaken my buddies has a PTO brake also.

Ok- short lever on the right side, thanks, this will help. My 185 has both hydraulic actuators on the power director and the PTO and they shift smoothly in and out all of the time.

Yes the pto leavers are different. The hyd is a small leaver on the right side (between seat and consol).  The manual is on the left, big leaver, comes up out of the floor like the later 190.