Help me decide on a crawler

[Anonymous-0]

I'm looking for some help deciding what crawler to get. I have the following choices:
1) 1946 Cletrac AG6H with blade - $2100
2) JD 40 with loader and blade - $3000
3) Case 310 with blade - $2900

The Cletrac needs a brake on one side but has a strong engine that was rebuilt 8 years ago. I haven't checked out the other two yet.

I plan to use it to help clean out my old barn that fell in on itself, dig two ponds, take down the old barn ramp and cut trails in my woods. I live in an area with heavy clay soil so also looking for a good helper when I get other things stuck.

Any insight on any of these is appreciated.

 

[Ms Dad]

Im sure others may have other thoughts, But for digging ponds and removing old debris like your barn My thoughts are a loader would be more useful than a dozer . Just my 2 cents .

 

[JDemaris]

I'd take the Case 310 without hesitation. I've got several Cletracs (HG, OC3, OC4), Deere (1010, 350, 420) and Case (310) crawlers.

The Case will have the best parts support and be the most all-around useful. Also no steering clutches to worry about like the Deere. The Cletrac AG6 has poor parts support. Cletrac/Olvier HG, OC3, and OC4 much better, but with odd-ball engines.

None that you mentioned are really suitable for pond building, unless you've got a lot of time and patience on your hands. An old Allis HD5 or HD7 would be much better if cheap. Or Deere 450, Case 450, Allis HD4, etc.

 

[Anonymous-0]

If those are the only 3 options you have, if they are all mechanically the same, take the Case.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Thanks to all for the posts. Does anyone have the specs on a Case 310 with gas engine?

HP?
Width of blade?
PTO?

 

[Ms Dad]

Gas engine 27.74 Drawbar HP 33.32 PTO HP 128 FTLBS Torque on gas engine .Blade width could be from 6 ft to 7 ft 8 inches depending on type of blade.

 

[JDemaris]

It will have the Case 148 engine instead of the Continental it had when Terractrac was still making it. 33 PTO horsepower. 27 max drawbar horsepower. Has a Clark three-speed transaxle, basically the same as used in Oliver Cletra HGs and OC3s, and that makes it a little fast in 1st gear.

 

[Mike M]

What kinda steering system does that Case use if not clutches ?

 

[JDemaris]

Two wet brake bands on the differential.

 

[Mike M]

Thanks for the info. I'm very familar with the JD setup in a 440 2cyl. and I have ran a Case 450 with the hi-lo track drives and do like this set up as you can have power on both sides in a turn.
But I have not ran a Case 310 and is a Case 350 the same ? What advantage or disadvantage does having a differential in a crawler pose ?
Seems like you could spin out on one side while pushing straight ? Thus not having as much push as one without a diff.

 

[JDemaris]

Only advantage is there are no dry steering clutches to get stuck or slip (like many Deere 420, 430, 440, 1010, 2010, 350s, and 450s do.

The controlled differential will allow all power to go to one track and let the other stop - in certain conditions. It's no different then steering a wheel tractor with the left or right foot brake pedal. If the right track goes dead, you can pull on the left-track brake and force power to transfer there (and vice-versa).

Another slight disadvantage is no separate foot brake for stopping. You have to pull on both steering levers to stop, or hold you back.

But, having a crawler that can sit for any amount of time, anywhere, and not have the steering clutches get stuck IS a huge advantage.

 

[Mike M]

This is good info to know ! Sounds like if I ever run one of those Case 310 machines or similar I'm going to have to operate it like my early JD 4020 with no diff lock. As in feather the brake on the spinning side to transfer some power back over to the not moving side.
Without knowing this info I'd of assumed I had a slipping steering clutch not knowing that it didn't even have them !

 

[JDemaris]

The early Case crawlers, Terratracs, and Oliver Cletrac HGs and OC3s have the same thing. In fact, they all use the same transaxle made by Clark. With Cletracs, when they get to the OC4 level, they come two ways. One with the old clutchless set-up, and the other with steering clutches.