Wd ..... Kinda 45?
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=162679
Printed Date: 19 Jul 2025 at 2:24am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Wd ..... Kinda 45?
Posted By: Hunt4Allis
Subject: Wd ..... Kinda 45?
Date Posted: 10 Jul 2019 at 4:14pm
|
So I found a different tractor locally that has a wd45 sticker on the front but the current owner is the second owner of this tractor and says sometime about 20 years ago they put in the 45 horsepower kit to take this tractor which he claims to be a wd up to a class of tractor that is 45 horsepower making it the same as a wd45... It's pretty clean looking good tires and rims all around he claims everything is in good working order but the serial number is confusing to me if it is actually an older WD and not a wd45... He claims the serial number is wd244851. Looking at the serial number chart that would be hey wd45 unless I'm looking at it wrong? |
Replies:
Posted By: Brian G. NY
Date Posted: 10 Jul 2019 at 4:39pm
|
That might be the "engine" serial number. The last WD-45 built in 1957 was tractor #WD236958. The usual "kit" to increase HP was simply 1/8" oversize pistons. To make it as powerful as a WD-45, the crankshaft with a 1/2" longer stroke would have to be installed |
Posted By: WF owner
Date Posted: 10 Jul 2019 at 8:17pm
|
Most WD's had a straight shifting lever and straight cut gears. Starting in the late WD's and all WD45's had a curved shifter and helical gears. WD's were 201 cubic inch. WD45 were 226. As Brian said, the WD45 had a 4.5" stroke compared to 4" for the WD. WD's had a 3" head. WD45's had a 4". Unless the crankshaft was changed, you will not have as much power as a WD45. Serial number is on the left rear of the rearend. Sometimes they are hard to see, if they have been painted over. |
Posted By: Gary Burnett
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2019 at 3:11am
|
Well you are talking about a tractor that could be about 70 years old,a lot could have happened over the years the current owner doesn't know about and memories fade. Also when buying tractors take things like 2nd owner with a grain of salt.
|
Posted By: Calvin Schmidt
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2019 at 5:35am
|
The last WD was serial 146606. The first WD-45 was serial 146607. Around serial # 83000 WD got the 4" head. Serial 127xxx and later WD's had the curved gear shift. It is possible to put a WD-45 crank into a WD block. If there is a plate on the side of the right side of the block, it started life as a 201 engine ------------- Nothing is impossible if it is properly financed |
Posted By: Sugarmaker
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2019 at 6:57am
|
I agree after having 5 of these I have seen all kinds of changes and fixes that were done prior to me getting them. Both the WD and the WD45 are good tractors. Both will do work. Look for the features such as Calvin mentioned. At this point the innards could have been changed several times. Regards, Chris ------------- D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet. |
Posted By: AaronSEIA
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2019 at 7:14am
|
The "kit" was probably a WD45 crank and pistons. 60+ years after they were made, who knows what has been done to them. Without a teardown or deep inspection, you only have guesses. AaronSEIA
|
Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2019 at 7:29am
| To even be considered to be a WD45 clone, it must have the later transmission with the curved gearshift. This happened at chassis sn 127,000 or so. The engine got a different crankshaft, pistons, intake/exhaust manifold, carburetor and air cleaner over the last WD's built. The engine block was also changed, but that had nothing to do with making the extra HP. The later WD's also had the tall cylinder head already and that had little to do with the HP increase. There have been many claimed to be a "45" engine, but usually fall short of the 5 things I listed that was involved in taking the HP from 34 to 43 at the PTO. |
Posted By: Lon(MN)
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2019 at 7:47am
|
A wire down the spark plug hole will help. 4 inch travel = WD 4-1/2 inch travel = WD45 |
Posted By: Michael V (NM)
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2019 at 4:02pm
|
Posted By: John (MO)
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2019 at 7:11pm
| Buying a 70 year old tractor based on what the current owner tells you would be a mistake. Unless they overhauled the whole thing themselves in the last 5 years, you can bet they will be wrong about something, if not most everything. Good thing is we aren't talking about something worth tens of thousands of dollars. Buy based on what you can verify and assume everything else is as bad as it can get. |
Posted By: DougS
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2019 at 7:27pm
|
It's not going to matter unless you plan on really making the tractor hunker down and work. It does matter a little when it comes to price. It matters if you plan on overhauling the engine. You'd probably open it up before ordering parts anyway. As for collector's value, if the serial number says it's a WD, it's a WD, regardless of what has been done to the engine. |
Posted By: garden_guy
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2019 at 8:15pm
This is great info. I have two WDs. SNs are around 138XXX and 141XXX, and both are curved gear shifter models. Anything else that is closer to "WD-45" in them than straight WD?
|
Calvin Schmidt wrote:Posted By: DougS
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2019 at 8:59pm
| The '45 has more plates in the hand clutch, I believe. |
Posted By: Dan Hauter
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2019 at 9:14pm
I love you guys and all of your great knowledge!  Just got home after using my 1955 WD45 to pull a roller over the grounds at the local historical society this evening. Yes, these old tractors still perform useful tasks. And yes, they're still fun to use.
|
Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 12 Jul 2019 at 7:20am
| Early WD-45's had the 2-plate hand clutch and 6 spring pressure plate on the foot clutch. These were items that were upgraded in later tractors to 3-plates and 9 springs. |