Allis Chalmer 185 loader

[Bhaven11]

Good morning fellas, I am I m interested in purchasing a Allis Chalmer 185 from my grandfather but the only thing wrong with the tractor is no loader he used it on our family farm to run pto irrigation pumps and pull hard hoses around. I am searching for a tractor to mow, rake and bale hay but also load round bales onto Wagons and unload at the farm. My question I m getting at is What company makes a loader to fit a allis chalmer 185 and how hard would it be to mount said loader. I ve seen many allis s with westendorfs but here in northern Michigan far from Deere and case there isn t too many other dealers in area? Any help is much appreciated thanks guys

 

[Bruce from Can.]

One thing you might want to look into is , how many
gallons per minute is the hydraulic pump on the 185
AC going to produce? Some tractor companies put
low volume pumps in tractors that were designed
for field use, and high volume hydraulic pumps in
tractors intended to have loaders. While I am not
familiar with AC tractors, I do know some tractors
have dedicated power steering pumps, while others
have a priority valve that will give the power
steering first access to hydraulic flow, usually 3
gpm. So if the tractor had a 12 gpm pump with a
priority valve drawing off 3 GMO , then your loader
would only be powered by a 9 gpm hydraulic
system. And loader function would be slow and not
real strong. Typically a new tractor in that size
range would come with a 20 gpm hydraulic system.
Just something to consider when putting a loader
on a tractor, not sold original as a loader tractor. I
have known many farmers that had AC 185
tractors, and thought that they were a good reliable
tractor.

 

[Traditional Farmer]

185 has as good as any hydraulic flow around and 20 GPM plus the best hydrastatic steering of any tractor I have ever driven.I can steer both my 185 and 180 with one finger with any
load on the loader.Although I don't know how well the hydraulic and steering systems hold up as mine are only about 50 years old and have yet to have any work done to them.(LOL)

 

[Traditional Farmer]

I'd be looking for an original loader that fit the 185 should be some around,if not original I'd want one with supports that go to the back axles.

 

[ss55]

There is an Allis Chalmers forum below in the Manufacturers section.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

The best way to buy a used loader for an old tractor is to buy the loader with the tractor. It's always a wild goose chase trying to find a loader to fit the tractor without a lot of modification, and trying to find a specific brand and model in a used loader is even more difficult.

Westendorf for sure will be able to provide you with brackets to mount one of their loaders, if you're not opposed to buying new. New loader, guaranteed to fit, installed by the dealer, here, now. Not hunting around for months, and driving hours and hours to find out the loader is scrap metal.

Most new loaders are quick-attach these days. You get a set of brackets that one or two healthy people can lift into place and bolt on the tractor (or use an engine hoist). Then you drive up to the loader and use its hydraulics to mount it on the tractor. Lots of videos online.

 

[DoubleR]

Dick coulter in North Branch, Mi. was a Allis dealer and has allot of old stuff in the weeds out back still. Allot of old timers
still working there so I would give them a call 810 688 3083. Their is still allot of AC equipment in the area their so they may
even be able to send you in the right direction. Also Card Bros in Chesaning Mi. was a dealer. Both dealers still handle ACO.
Don't know where your at up North but its only about 250 from there to the bridge.

 

[DRussell]

Agree with TF here. Allis Chalmers had good hydraulics. We had a 190. It had strong, fast hydraulics.

 

[Bhaven11]

Thanks guys. What model loader originally went on AC 185?

 

[Jim Phelps]

I have a 185 with a loader, love it, there are several brands that fit it as well as Allis makes their own. I bought a used
Koyker from a guy for $400, and had the cylinders rebuilt which cost me about $600 along with replacing the lines. Works great
for what I am doing. I used to bale with it using a JD 635 6x5 baler, worked great on that as well.

 

[Skyhighballoon(MO)]

I have both a 180 (gas) and a 185. I have a Westendorf TA26 self leveling version on the 180. I bought it used at a local farm auction for $1700 which was a fabulous deal. New a loader like that will cost more that your 185 is worth. I have mine plugged into into the rear remotes. Plenty of hydraulic capacity on a 180/185 to run it. I have a 6 foot bucket and pallet forks with the Westendorf quik-attach system. My used loader came off a 185 at the auction so it bolted right up. It did not have the rear axle braces which I bought last year from Westendorf but I haven not gotten them mounted yet as I have some special brackets I have to weld on because apparently my TA26 is an earlier model. They are recommended for hauling anything heavy on the front over any distance or rough terrain to minimize breaking the torque tube on the tractor.

Original loader from Allis would have been a 500 loader. It's not quick attach, you bolt it on and it stays. Allis 500 loaders fit multiple tractors so make sure you get correct brackets when buying used. The should come with the rear axle brackets. They are good loaders but probably not as heavy duty as more modern loaders.