December 1973 - Model 175 Gas

I would like to find a 175 gasser. Be a great loader tractor! Tracy

In my mind they are a historical tractor as they were the last gas tractor AC made, and not that many were made as diesel was taking over the market.

I guess you'll have to explain to me what you think is conflicting information. The first 175 tractor chassis serial number built in 1974 was sn 2153. The Nebraska tested gasoline fuel 175 tractor was s/n 2151 and was built in December 1973.  I see no issue with that. The fact that s/n 2151 wasn't Nebraska tested until April of 1974 means nothing. They had a waiting list to get tested and it was a four month delay. Gas and diesel serial numbers were mixed together, with the first almost four years of building being diesel only. Then, in Dec 73 they started building some gas models. I would guess they were built in batches of 25 or 50 at a time, because the gas engine was built in West Allis. The truth be known, the 175 gas engine was the same engine that the original One-Eighty gas tractor had, only with a high idle of 2,000 RPM instead of 2,200 like the One-Eighty was given.

I think they made 50 ??...   and then swapped them all out for G2500/265 engines later on. Swinford's book talks of this.

Edited by DrAllis - 02 Dec 2018 at 11:32am

I have a similar story from early 1981 with a black belly model 7000 platform tractor.  I was the "new" AC Service Rep and this tractor had a similar on-going problem that the former Rep and A-C had spent thousands of dollars on balancing the engine and tearing the torque housing apart replacing bearings, all with no success. Customer complained at 18-1900 RPM while cultivating the platform vibrated so bad his feet would go to sleep.  As far as AC was concerned, the matter was closed..... there was nothing wrong. The Customer (and Dealership) were still ticked off about the matter as they felt it was still a problem and that something could surely be done.  I looked the situation over and felt I had a reasonable Customer who was willing to think outside the box. He was willing to try almost anything, if the problem could be resolved. What I did was cut an 18" square hole in the lightweight/sheet metal platform right where his feet would rest.  I built a 19" square platform out of 1/4" diamond plate to go over the top of the hole we just cut and just clear the existing platform by 1/4" inch. The new platform was solidly secured to the top of the torque housing. The new design was covered with a modified rubber floormat from a cab tractor so you couldn't see what we did. Problem solved. This tractor is still in service today with more than 10,000 hrs on it.  I've always felt the 4-cylinder gas One-Eighty vibration issue could have been dealt with by a change in platform mounting/securing, but I was still in the 8th grade and they didn't ask me.

Edited by DrAllis - 02 Dec 2018 at 2:05pm

Lots of great stories here - I love the Doc's solution to the vibrating problem. Great to add personal anecdotes to Swinford's writings.

On MecumAuctions Gone Farmin that aired 3-28-20 or the week before I forget but I have it taped. They sold a 180 narrow front end or as I’ve always called them tricycle front end gas that sold for $18,000.00. They sold either a 170 or 175 narrow front end gas just before the 180 but it didn’t bring as much. A man from around where I grew up pulled a 190 gasser or could’ve been XT single wheel in front due to the tricycle front end being broke off when being unloaded from dealer I was told. He pulled that tractor at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville , Kentucky in the late 70’s or real early 80’s one.