What concerns with D Grader

I believe it uses the same engine as a WD or WD-45 Farm tractor.  The later gas models used the same engine as the D-17 and are likely inter-changeable. I've owned an early Model D and currently have a later model. They are a good little machine although parts are getting harder to find. Some had a "creeper" gear which would be nice to have, mine doesn't.

Check gear boxes, for level, color of fluid, evidence of damage, on the components.  There are inspection covers, top of box.  There is s stub shaft that commonly breaks, between the diff, and the gear boxes, on either side.  Check the steering box, if not PS, and tilt, make sure that manual worm don't jump.  What's the asking price?


Edited by DiyDave - 14 Jun 2012 at 6:08am

Reindeer wrote: They are asking 5000$.  Not sure, probably offer somewhat less. Not something I can use more than on about 500 ft of driveway, but if it is up to snuff, can do a lot better than either my old JD dozer or the 3 point hitch blade.

I paid $ 5900, for mine in the before obummer economy.  That price is prolly a little high, but it does have a set of wheel weights.  Mine is a DD special, with all the bells and whistles.  I'd deal for lower, if it does not have PS, but that's just me.

David, I paid $2900 for mine about 8 years ago. The only extra bells a whistles it had was the cab and leaning front axle. I realised after I had it that it had suffered some neglect and abuse by the previous owner. I would love to find parts to add the powered circle and find the drop down auxiliary gear box option. These are not too important if you are just doing simple driveway grading. From what I can see in the picture it looks pretty good for a 50+ year old machine. Most of the D graders that I have seen had some cracking on the tube frame and had some welds and reinforcement added. If that machine hasn't had any frame repairs then it may not have had much abuse. You can take the plates off the top of the chain boxes and check the condition of the drive chains. If they are really sloppy they can jump on the sprockets. My grader had two loose rear drive wheels that I contributed to a manufacturing error as the nuts were tight but the washers had come up hard against a boss on the axle before the wheel was tight on the axle. The big problem was that the previous owners continued to use it that way and it cost me over $700 to correct the problem. I have encountered two others that had a similar problem, one on a D grader and one on a M65 grader. They didn't have axle or hub damage so I told them to have cupped washers made up so that the wheels could be properly tightened to the axles.    

Seems kinda spendy, though I've never been around that particular type.

For what it is worth I noticed this one when I was surfing craislist-
http://kpr.craigslist.org/grd/3050752542.html

I went and looked at it, but don't think it would be worth the work and they money I'd have to pay to get it running and working again, for the size of my project.  And unless it is  for can be useful to me, no go. I'll keep looking and thanks for all the helpful and constructive comments.  I learned a lot.

Edited by Reindeer - 22 Jun 2012 at 4:16pm

Guy who ran a dozer salvage yard told me they were weak in the ring gear/pinoin area.I suspect many operators tried taking too big of cut.

Can you tell me where I can get new drive chains from.
My DD has narrow chain links that don't seem to be available.
The rollers are only 3/4" wide whereas standard chain is 1" wide.