JD R and WD-9

[GreenEnvy]

Drove this at the local tractor show last week. Both tractors were running but only the R was in gear. The guy who created this contraption used a cable master/slave cylinder to run the clutch on the WD-9 and the club member told me it can be finicky at times. Plus if you are not used to driving it, in a panic you can forget to that there is 2 clutches to disengage. So when they run it on the show grounds where there is lots of things to run into they leave the 9 out of gear so whoever is driving it can stop in a hurry. This is the first time I run a tandem tractor like this. If you aren't paying attention you can get into trouble with it fast. I was hesitant to drive it out of the lineup because I didn't know how it was going to handle. Here is a link to a video I took. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bpYm4G7DGI

This post was edited by GreenEnvy on 09/24/2022 at 07:38 pm.

 

[Masseyharrisnut]

While its kind of cool, theres nothing like making life more complicated than it needs to be.

 

[coonie minnie]

I'm wondering how the gearing lined up??

 

[coonie minnie]

I'm also wondering what is driving from the R's flywheel? A hydraulic pump?

 

[susandiane]

Just looking at that thing makes me get the shakes.

 

[GreenEnvy]

That is the steering pump. Rs didn't have factory powersteering. So the creator mounted a pump on the flywheel and a motor on the steering shaft underneath the hood. This thing steers as smooth as a factory 4 wheel drive tractor. The gear speeds are what I found in the Nebraska test website

WD-9

1st - 2 3/8
2nd - 3 1/4
3rd - 4 5/8
4th - 5 5/8
5th - 16 1/4

R

1st - 2 1/8
2nd - 3 1/3
3rd - 4 1/4
4th - 5 1/3
5th - 11 1/2

This post was edited by GreenEnvy on 09/25/2022 at 08:31 am.

 

[GreenEnvy]

You have to put yourself in their shoes back then. I agree it would have been better with 2 of the same tractors but this is what the guy had to work with. Most of these setups were made in 60s after 4 wheel drive tractors were on the market. I'm sure if he had the money he would have bought a 20k Wagner or Steiger or a 10K JD 5010 or a 15K IH 4100. I know for a fact, Rs and probably WD-9s were only worth a couple thousand by the 60s. So if you had some engineering skills, why not put two together and pull the same plow as the neighbors brand new $12,000 5020 with the benefit of 4 wheel drive. At this same show is a non running Case 500 tandem. My uncle ran a tandem WD-9s. He would start the first one and then pull start the 2nd one because the starting system didn't work . He used it for awhile before buying a used 1256. Pulled the same plow with it.

 

[John Deere D]

Thanks for the posting...
May I ask the location...I would like to stop in some time .........
Thanks.
Bob...

 

[coonie minnie]

I always marvel at the creativity of some of these. They were certainly from a time when new iron was expensive, time was cheap, off-farm employment likely far from home, and a mindset of not borrowing money, or minimizing what was borrowed. Today's thinking would be what's the payment on a new one?

 

[Old Farmall Fan]

The first tandem I ever saw was at the Iowa State Fair in 1964. It was 2 M Farmalls put together and I was in total awe at the engineering it took to accomplish that.

 

[J.Wondergem]

I too like to look what others have made to help themselves. Interesting at tractor shows, I spend more time on old tractors that had things added.
Reminds me of in the 60's a fellow from Iowa that hauled grain into the docks at Chicago, and steel back. Had a International road tractor with another engine mounted out front that he would kick in when going up hills. The manifolds would be red hot at night going up hills.

 

[GreenEnvy]

Choteau Montana. This is the club that owns it.
https://visitchoteau.com/events/38th threshing bee bazaar/

 

[mrslesq]

In our area, I'm told the big farmers mounted a V-4 Wisconsin
engine on the front of JD 720 & 730s belted to the tractor pulley.
They would start the engine for a little more power to get through
the tough spots. I never saw one, but farmer engineering like your
pics to the rescue!