International 4100 HI-CLEAR

International 4100 HI-CLEAR 4 WD.
Any idea how many were made?
Does anyone on this site own one of these?

Hank: Lets see those photos, seeing is believing. What did you tell me was in that coffee?

Why the disbelief?
They must be very rare.
I have not been able to find a pic of one on the net - only regular 4100's in the link.

The tractor is about an hour from me, but I will get there soon hopefully, and get some pics.
Untitled URL Link

Hank: No, I don't believe you. Knowing what I do about IH tractors and Hi-Clear design, I don't think it is an IH factory option. I can't see how it could be built other than using larger diameter wheels. Since the 4100 has two steering axles, I don't think larger diameter wheels will work.

You've seen it, why don't you tell us how it was done?

Remember, I am just the messenger here - not the tractor owner (the owner does not have a computer or a digital camera).

Besides taking a picture of the info with the HI-CLEAR decal, where else do I look?
Where do I find the TRACTOR Serial Number?

Glad to be talking to an IH expert.

Hank

Hank: Most IH tractors from that era had the serial number on the clutch housing.

Here is my argument on the issue of disbelief. IH built Hi-Clear models of most Farmall two wheel drive row crops. This was done by either a drop final drive or in the case of the offsets much larger rear tires. Front ends were all done using either larger wheels or front ends with longer spindles. Most of this was done on two wheel drive tractors, and most under 100 hp.

There were a few 4 wheel drive tractors under 100 hp with larger diameter wheels front and rear.

When one gets into the big 4 wheel drive tractors, mainly intended as a draft machine, usually big wide tires were the order of the day. It becomes quite easy to put large diameter wheels on the big articulateds, as the wheels always stay inline with the chassis. All one needs is long enough wheelbase so front wheel don't hit rear when turning.

The 4100 is rather a unique animal, rather than articulation, IH used two steering axles on a solid end to end chassis. Much more than a 6' diameter wheel and wheels would strike chassis when turning. I rather doubt that a drop final drive could be engineered to work on steering axles. Massey Harris did it in the 1930s with their GP, but that probably only generated 35 hp.

The IH 4100 is 150 hp, built for drawbar lugging of plows, disks, cultivators, chisel plows, etc. If they built a Hi-Clear 4100, I'm sure most of the old hands here at YT would love to see a photo. I know I would. So, could you just fire up the family buggy and drive that hour for some photos.

Not sure how one can remember something that wasn't said in the first place, but...

So, you're asking for this person that allegedly has a 4100 hi-clear then? Have you actually seen this tractor? Can you describe it?

It's highly unlikely that such a thing came from IH. If it's truly a high-clearance machine, it was probably a custom conversion.

Just because it's a big, tall tractor does not mean that it's a HI-CLEAR. "HI" does not mean tall. A high-clearance tractor has extra clearance UNDERNEATH to drive over tall vegetables like corn without knocking them down.

There weren't many 4100s made. Most of them are in the junk heap now. If there is such a thing as a HI-CLEAR version, no more than a handful could have been made. It is very likely that this one would be the only one left.

I don't own one, but there is one setting on a ranch about five miles from me. (Black Hawk, CO)He has had a forsale sign on it, but now is up in his yard with the hood off. Don't know about the HI-CLEAR

No pictures yet.

Tractor is locked in shed - owner does not live there, and works away during the week.

He says tire size is 23.1 x 26 - 10 ply.

Now here's a Hi-Clear for you. David................

Hank: With 23.1x26, probably one of the lowest profile tires ever put on a big tractor, I don't think it will fall in a Hi-Clear class. With those tires it's probably a low to the ground squat tractor that someone was getting hung up with all the time for lack of clearence. I suspect the HI-CLEAR decals were placed on the for a joke by someone.