Drop axles
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=196016
Printed Date: 18 Jul 2025 at 4:57am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Drop axles
Posted By: jrbynf
Subject: Drop axles
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2023 at 2:37pm
| Been searching and I have not found a good answer regarding why Allis chalmers wc/wd through 185 used rear drop axles vs traditional straight axles. I’m sure this is a complicated answer but from an engineering standpoint what are the advantages/disadvantages/Allis’s reasoning here. Thank you all |
Replies:
Posted By: DanielW
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2023 at 2:52pm
| I've heard a few reasons. My thinking has always been because putting the large bull gear/final drive outboard means the long half-shaft has to take a lot less torque (it's low torque/high speed, unlike straight shafts which are high torque/low speed). Only the short/stubby axle shaft down-stream of the final drives has to take the high torque. |
Posted By: JoeM(GA)
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2023 at 3:02pm
|
buys you more ground clearance too ------------- Allis Express North Georgia 41 WC,48 UC Cane,7-G's, Ford 345C TLB |
Posted By: Allis dave
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2023 at 4:08pm
|
Better ground clearance for cultivating with the smaller 28" tires? Allis seems sensitive to cultivating since they have the seats offset to the side for a good view of a front mount cultivator |
Posted By: Leon B MO
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2023 at 7:40pm
|
The UC (U Cultivator) was the first Allis to use that style final drive. Doc has had many posts here supporting the advantage of this design. You could cultivate a crop 3 feet tall, and back then, corn was check planted and cultivated crossways multiple times. No herbicides. Having said that, I couldn't imagine pulling into 20 acre field with a mid mount 2 row cultivator, no power steering, hand brakes and a mechanical lift that only worked if the tractor was movng forward.
Leon B MO ------------- Uncle always said "Fill the back of the shovel and the front will take care of itself". |
Posted By: jiminnd
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2023 at 9:23pm
|
Cultivated a lot of corn with a WC and 2 row, lots of sleepless nights after working all day with that. ------------- 1945 C, 1949 WF and WD, 1981 185, 1982 8030, unknown D14(nonrunner) |
Posted By: WF owner
Date Posted: 06 Jul 2023 at 6:56am
...and don't look back when cultivating! I tore out a few feet of corn doing that. Dad would say "I told you not to look back when you were cultivating". Memories!!! (I didn't say good memories!)
|
jiminnd wrote:Posted By: SteveM C/IL
Date Posted: 06 Jul 2023 at 1:01pm
| Leon it's all about perspective.....if you'd walked behind horses for days to cultivate what the crude tractor could accomplish in a day,you'd be grinning driving the tractor and thinking how wonderful it was. |
Posted By: WF owner
Date Posted: 06 Jul 2023 at 1:21pm
| I remember the first tractor I drove with power steering. I thought it could never get any better than that! |
Posted By: PaulB
Date Posted: 07 Jul 2023 at 6:37am
Like IPTOs, Live hydraulics, Power shift transmissions, Cabs with Heat & AC. It was what we had and were grateful to have. As a youngster that was all we did after the corn got a couple inches tall until it was too tall to get through except when making hay. There's now at least a couple of generations that don't have any experience with cultivating all summer and if you told them they had to ride a non cab tractor all day at a creep, you'd never hear the end of the whining. ------------- If it was fun to pull in LOW gear, I could have a John Deere. Real pullers don't have speed limits. If you can't make it GO... make it SHINY |
Posted By: Ted J
Date Posted: 09 Jul 2023 at 9:02pm
|
AMEN Paul. I was one of those that were thankful to leave the horses in the barn and sit on a tractor! Problem was when you fell asleep.....tore out a few rows of corn, for which I got a royal chewing out. I missed the horses at first, but as time went on and you didn't have to feed, water, curry or put all that harness on, I got over it. It was a lot easier putting in gas, oil and greasing and other upkeep. ------------- "Allis-Express" 19?? WC / 1941 C / 1952 CA / 1956 WD45 / 1957 WD45 / 1958 D-17 |