What would you do?

[doug_b72]

So the deal is I'm thinking about buying a John Deere 4520 so that I can restore it and take it to tractor shows and for general use (and tractor pulls).

Anyway I think that I'm going to need something a little heavier than the C20 that I have currently. My thought process originally was put a LY6/6L90 in it and use it, but i dont think that pulling 9 or so ton is a kind of abuse I want to put that truck through (plus it would wayyyy exceed my axle rating).

My uncle has a '72 C60 with a 366, 5 speed transmission and a 2 speed axle with who knows what ratios. He also has about a 76 C65 grain truck with 2 speed axles and a 4 speed transmission that I saw as a possibility to build a bed and use. My other option is a '75 C65 with tandem axles and no bed; appears to be an old fire truck water tanker with no bed anymore. It has a 427, and 5 speed transmission with a 4 speed aux box. It was last licensed for 54k so it would have plenty of capability, but with a 14' bed I think it's a little large. So in short whats your alls opinion for pulling a gooseneck trailer and relatively large (100 hp) tractor?

Thanks!

[mongocanfly]

gonna pull a load that big your gonna need a big truck...nothing wrong with pulling a gooseneck behind it...I see more and more of these large trucks replacing duallys to pull dozers and big horse trailers and such..

[Grumpy old man]

Thats a lot of tractor .

http://www.tractordata.com/farm-trac...eere-4520.html

[kwmech]

I would take the 427 with the 5sp and the 4sp aux box and make it a single axle and remove 4' of bed. And for my stellar advice send me the 72.

[doug_b72]

Yeah the 4520 is pretty big but I think it's cool that it's the first turbo tractor JD ever made. Was gonna go with something smaller but its a killer deal, just needs a lot of work so I'm not completely set on it yet.

I'd not thought about shortening the truck and removing an axle although that is definitely a viable option. The biggest problem is the walking beam suspension so I'll have to find new springs and mounts. I don't have the 72 in my possession, but I can hook you up with who to talk to!

Another thing I hadn't thought about is my same uncle has a 67-72 dump truck with a 6V71 Detroit in it that would be really cool also, although I'd imagine it would take a pretty penny to get him to part with it.

[special-K]

I'd go with the '72 because it already has the 5spd/2spd, is single axle already, the cooler body style (that you can put a Cheyenne Super interior in) that would add to the presence at the show a bit more. The later trucks are as cool in their own right, but in the vintage world older is better.

[CG]

Well I have no idea what you guys are talking about when it comes to the big trucks, but thanks for bringing this up. It reminded me that the vintage tractor show is this weekend. Ill see if I can grab my grandson and go.

[doug_b72]

Well special-K the only problem with the 72 is I don't know what the rear gears are, but if I had to guess they're probably in the 6 to 1 range or greater. The aux box has overdrive and that's about the only reason I was considering that truck, although the 427 over the 366 helps too. If the 2 speed axles have a really slow gear in them, what's the easiest/cheapest way to get the engine rpms back down? Tranny swap? Axle swap? Auxiliary overdrive? Something I'm not thinking of. Thanks for all the good ideas too, everyone!

Also glad I could help, CG. Hahaha

[doug_b72]

Another thought, what's required to bolt an ls engine to an older transmission? Say a 6.0 LQ4 to the 5 speed in that 72? I'm sure the 6.0 would be much happier turning 3.5 to 4k rpm than the 366 would be, and it'd have more power too.

[special-K]

Is the situation buy one truck or the other but no mix and match parts? In other words, keeping vehicles complete so it's all or nothng, or can you swap a rear? 427 sounds way cooler, but that 366 was built just for the big trucks and has good torque. Possibly better (without knowing any numbers) than an LS. I'm not an LS guy, but from what I hear they make their power higher up in RPMs. I could be completely wrong, but I know that 366 would haul your tractor to the shows here and there just fine.

[Grumpy old man]

I'm sorry but I'm not in the crowd of " dump an LS in it " the 72 with a 5 speed and 2 speed rear is the truck I'd work with , It was built for the job at hand . the tractor weighs about 17,000 lbs add in truck and trailer weight and your braking some serious weight ,It's not just about what it can hual you also have to consider what it can STOP . If you've already filled the tires your at 18,000 + on the tractor alone .

[doug_b72]

It's not necessarily that I don't want to mix and match parts but that I'd rather have something that I can just drive. One thing i had conisdered was later on swapping the body off of the 72 and onto the 74 so it looks better.

I agree the 366 was built for pulling, the 427 was also (they're both tall deck blocks with huge pistons). The only reason I thought LS was with today's roads I'd like to be able to at least drive the speed limit (65 or 70) when unloaded, and not be at my max rpm. Both trucks were made for hauling, the lesser of the 2 has a gvw of 19k so with brakes on the trailer it shouldn't be a problem stopping. Or at least not more so than most old trucks.

Would it be a bad idea to build a bed for the 74, keep 3 axles under the truck and then load the tractor on the bed?

[davischevy]

Do you have a 20,000# gooseneck? As Grumpy mentioned with tractor weights, and fluid, you could easily be over 20K.

I had a C75 with 366 for years. It would have no problem handling the load with good brakes on the trailer, but you better leave early, because it ain't gonna go fast. It was a great truck, but after a 120 mile round trip, I was beat.

It was a very durable little engine though.

I traded it for a 71 Cheyenne Super because few of our people could drive a vehicle with a carburetor or 2 speed.

I prefer the earlier body style, but the 427 would be the better choice of gas engines, but the diesel is my preference.

Goosenecks are set up to sit over the axle. If running the tandem axles, you could get the hitch point over the rear axle yo should be good to go. If you remove an axle, you are going to have the same set up without the braking of the third axle. Bobtailing the rear of a frame is a lot easier than changing axles. I won't tell you how I know.

I contradicted myself plenty here, but you have to do what works for you.

[Grumpy old man]

Originally Posted by doug_b72

It's not necessarily that I don't want to mix and match parts but that I'd rather have something that I can just drive. One thing i had conisdered was later on swapping the body off of the 72 and onto the 74 so it looks better.

I agree the 366 was built for pulling, the 427 was also (they're both tall deck blocks with huge pistons). The only reason I thought LS was with today's roads I'd like to be able to at least drive the speed limit (65 or 70) when unloaded, and not be at my max rpm. Both trucks were made for hauling, the lesser of the 2 has a gvw of 19k so with brakes on the trailer it shouldn't be a problem stopping. Or at least not more so than most old trucks.

Would it be a bad idea to build a bed for the 74, keep 3 axles under the truck and then load the tractor on the bed?

19,000 lbs 4-5' above the ground strapped down on a straight frame truck ....Not me Let alone driving it up a set of ramps to get it loaded ? They make trailers for hauling tractors .

http://www.redpowermagazine.com/foru...-20000-pounds/

[davischevy]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

19,000 lbs 4-5' above the ground strapped down on a straight frame truck ....Not me Let alone driving it up a set of ramps to get it loaded ? They make trailers for hauling tractors .

And check your legal height. We have had to let the air out of the tires when hauling on a flatbed.

And yes, that much weight up that high will test your nerves.

[doug_b72]

Okay, my thoughts were the same on putting the tractor on the truck just thought I'd get another opinion. I don't have a gooseneck right now, but as of this minute I don't have anything to pull it with, or anything to put on it. I figured it would be the last thing I bought.

The C65 with the 427 is $1500 and it should run, or so the owner claims. The 72 on the other hand needs some more work.

I agree the 366 would get it going, just the bore size is so small there's no power potential in it like there is with the 427. The overdrive really is the biggest thing so that maybe I can cruise at 2500 rpm or reasonably close to it. I like the 72 better, but for the $1500 purchase price of the 74 I wouldn't be able to get overdrive and tires put on the 72. Overdrive is important because if it has 6.5 or so rear gears in hi, that's like 3k rpm at 55 mph. I couldn't imagine trying to take that thing down the interstate with it screaming and going 25mph slower than traffic.

By the way, thank you all for the helpful replies!

[Grumpy old man]

You can't count pennies and play with the big toys ,You need to have $20,000.00 in CASH to start . By the time you buy one of those low buck trucks ,upgrade it to run safely , buy the right trailer in good condition , and get the tractor right that $20,000.00 will be gone and that doesn't include any fuel . Are you really ready for such a "toy" ?

Not too mention it won't be worth $20,000.00 when your done .

Hauling old equipment down an interstate using old equipment isn't done at normal auto traffic speeds . your not going to be running 70+

one more thing to consider -- http://www.acmoc.org/bb/showthread.p...-own-equipment

[doug_b72]

Well the way I looked at it was it's not doing me any good sitting in my checking account.

Also, this isn't all going to happen at once. Just getting started in the process right now anyway.

[doug_b72]

Oh I just looked at the link you posted, I'm going to license or for farm use at 24 or 26k so I won't need a cdl or dot number.

[Grumpy old man]

If you have $20,000.00 in cash ...Go buy a house .

[doug_b72]

Well I'd like to make a good investment like that, however I don't know where to buy one. And boy you can't get much of a house for 20k

[Grumpy old man]

Originally Posted by doug_b72

Well I'd like to make a good investment like that, however I don't know where to buy one. And boy you can't get much of a house for 20k

Well... You could always go for a USDA rural development loan with no down payment

easy qualify and a lot better investment than an old tractor


https://themortgagereports.com/14969...SAAEgKBxPD_BwE

[doug_b72]

Lol I meant Idk where to put it. Like I'm still in college so I have no idea where I'll get a job. Thanks for that though, didn't realize that was a thing.

[Grumpy old man]

Originally Posted by doug_b72

Lol I meant Idk where to put it. Like I'm still in college so I have no idea where I'll get a job. Thanks for that though, didn't realize that was a thing.

So Your still in college ? what are you going to be when you graduate ?

[doug_b72]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

So Your still in college ? what are you going to be when you graduate ?

I'm going for Mechanical Engineering so I'd like to be a design engineer.