What can a WD45 do that a WD can't?

One more bottom on the plow and/or a gear faster

DrAllis wrote: I always used to say a good WD45 would start out with a load of hay or corn in 4th gear. A WD would get it rolling in 3rd and then shift into 4th.

About everything. Dad had a new WD with a 2 row AC planter. It was traded for a new wd45. Dad never liked the WD. Dad continued to farm for 50 more years. He always said the 45 was his favorite tractor. That is one of the reasons we still have it. Even though he purchased a new D17 in 1959, he continued to plant, seed, harrow make hay, etc with the 45. I do know from experience the 45 would out run the 17 going down the road.

Dad grew up first on a DC Case, then when living with his step uncle an IH M, a new Super M and a new Super C. When he was 18 he left and later after marrying Mom, he bought a VAC from his Dad, who had an independent shop and sold some used tractors. Then Dad got a WC due to Mom's family influence, then a WD but it was when he bought a WD45 that he was fully converted to Allis. That was back in the late 1960's.

Dad has always said nothing he hooked to the 45 could stop it. The family has been Allis ever since. Wish I had that 45 today.

Three tractors in the same field on the same day all mounted/semi-mounted AC plows with identical plow bottoms. WD with 2 x 16's or 3 x 14's.   WD45 with 3 x 14's or 3 x 16's.  D-17 3 x 16's or 4 x 14's.  In fields where WD-45's can pull 4 x 14's a D-17 should pull 4 x 16's or 5 x 14's as they claimed in their early advertising literature.  They didn't stick with that claim very long and the best plowing D-17's would be a series 2 or 3. Series 4's were 4 HP short and series ones (unless updated) had a Traction Booster that didn't work as well as series 2's and 3's.

Bottom line is the WD-45 had more power and if the tractor is weighted do get the most traction it would out pull the WD.

So many early WD's only had 12.4 x 28 rear tires with 10 inch rims and so many more later WD45's had the optional 14.9 x 28 rear tires with 12 inch rims.  That in itself added speed, weight and more traction to the 45's to better utilize the "bang" of the modern "Power Crater" combustion engine !!!

We pull a 4-14" plow behind a 45, I'll put that on the WD this year and see how it goes!

DrAllis wrote: The legit M & W  (SP-48 motor kit ?) 4 1/8" bore pistons were 7.4 to 1 compression ratio, just a tad higher than the 7.25 to 1 of an OEM D-17 engine.

Maybe he was plowing 1 inch deeper ? or didn't know how to fully use the Traction Booster... Semi mount is longer and should pull harder.

Yes all WD's and WD45's along with all CA's had Traction Booster using the same lever that raises the hitch. Adjustments at the pump determine in what manner the hydraulics work depending on what you want to do.

Trying to go only an inch deeper can be a deal breaker !! LOL! There's night and day between 6&8 inches.

Any of the posters who say they see little difference between a WD and a WD45, especially when it came to plowing, don't realize that MANY WD's got a HP uprate at overhaul time, making them closer to a WD45. Unless they are the original owner and actually know if this did or did not happen, it is total speculation on my part. The WD was 34 HP and many were uprated with M&W pistons and sleeves to 40 HP. The WD45 was 43 HP from the factory.

Dad always claimed that his 45 could keep pace with the D17...... he never owned both at the same time though as the 45 was traded for the 17................. Come to think of it I think he had his 45 overhauled at one point with bigger pistons so probably had more than stock hp.