Cletrac HG - UPDATE

Alright, so I went out to the meadow to have a look at the little cat. Here is what I found:

There is a Data Plate on the RIGHT side of the engine (picture included) it says it is a IXK-3
Number: 2403007

The large front discs (idlers right?) have a large rib in the center that the track goes over (picture included)

I had a look at where he broke the frame, and it is right where the track supports bolt to the frame rails. It has been fixed, however I am not too sure that it is safe!!! Anyway, I will deal with that problem later!

Soooo, what is the next step to find the year? As you can see the machine is pretty well butchered up, and I don't want to restore it unless I can find a different cat with good, solid frame rails! A guy said that he would sell me another one, no engine, or tracks, for about $250. That would give me all of the linkage I would need + the frame rails + plus the seat, throttle, and all that little stuff!

Bryce

Tractor salvage yard 20 miles from me has many HGs laying around. That's central NY. Price might be steep though. A friend of mine died a few years ago and he had many running HGs sell for less then $400 each. Kind of shame they brought so little.

That crawler was likely made between 1944 and 1948. I believe the IXK-3 first got used when Oliver took over Cletrac in 1944. In 1949, Oliver switched to the IXB-3 with larger 3 1/4" bore.

Here's one of my HGs. Probably a 1949 or 1950 but I'll never know for sure. 1951 would have different final drives like used on OC3s - which mine does not have. IXB-3 engine, later front idlers, and also two transmission (note the dual sticks).

Here's some miscellaneous stuff.

A free tractor is often like a free dog; sooner or lately they are going to cost you money.

I had one of those and it sure was fun. The motor was not very good and I sold it. Wish I had kept it and put another motor in. Would be very easy to do.
Also, no steering clutches to wear out or adjust. Just a planetary rear end with two brake levers. Folks used to log with them in the mountains here as they were small enough to go places others would not.
I built a blade and put hydraulics on mine to push stuff around.

Richard in NW SC

Early HG just like mine. Mine was yellow when I got it. I painted it green. PTO and pulley. I think they came out in 39 before Oliver bought Cletrac. I have seen orange ones at shows. Doesnt matter what year it is. Lets get it running.

Nice dozer JD, ROPS and all

Thats the plan hear! We have a little Yanmar 4wd with a loader on it, but with the loader it isn't very maneuverable, and without it, it is too damn light to do anything!!

I am thinking about getting this ole girl going, and if I don't like the motor, I could get this later 168 from my buddy and stuff it in. Would be about 36 horse, little 4cyl gas, MUCH better than a flat head!!

I am hoping that the steering/tranny and stuff will be okay, if that is all good, then all I really need to do is clean a few things up, and get it running, and replace the frame rails... Bryce

Why does the exhaust go into the roof?

On this one, the entire track set up on the RIGHT side of the machine is yellow, kind of like the seat. I assume something went wrong and he must have replaced it at some point... I am starting to get excited!! Sounds like it is going to be a F U N toy to do stuff with! Bryce

It is amazing the amount of work you can get out of these little buggers! I have an OC3 that did the sight prep for my house, shop and barn. Plus roads to all. I started with a five acre clear cut. Granted. The stumps that are bigger than it I had to have help with, but the little kitty cat did the rest. Mine has a blade and a winch on the back. Chain the machine to a bigger stump and winch out the smaller one. I would've been lost without it.

The only drawback on those is that first gear is really to fast to doze with (you can't react fast enough with the blade to do a good dozing job). Many later had a Ford Model A transmission put in ahead of the tractor transmission, and that would get it down to where the speed was appropriate for dozing (and the increase torque at lower speed helped, too).

The exhaust goes over the roof and has a guard over it. Keeps the exhaust out of my face and somewhat "limb resistant" when in heavy brush and woods.

HG and OC3 is WAY too fast in 1st gear for most work since it was sold as a row-crop tractor and not a dirt-mover. Oliver sold kits to put an aux trans in made by Trasco in California. Some have made their own like mine. Oliver/Trasco used a modified Ford Model A (2nd A from 1928-31) transmission. Makes a huge difference. Having the aux in low-range 1st makes it run near the same low speed as 1st gear in a John Deere 420 crawler. HG with no aux runs over 2 MPH in 1st. In low-1st it runs .6 MPH. A John Deere 420 runs .87 MPH. An Oliver OC4 with the factory hi-low aux runs .8 MPH. 2nd two photos are of the original Oliver-Trasco aux trans kit with a modified Model A three-speed.

Here's the original ground speeds with and without the aux.

Original: 1st - 2.01 m.p.h., 2nd - 3.19 m.p.h., 3rd - 5.24 m.p.h., Rev. - 2.33 m.p.h.

Range 1: 1st - .64 m.p.h., 2nd - 1.02 m.p.h., 3rd - 1.68 m.p.h., Rev. - .74 m.p.h.

Range 2: 1st - 1.08 m.p.h., 2nd - 1.72 m.p.h., 3rd - 2.83 m.p.h., Rev. - 1.26 m.p.h.

Range 3: 1st - 2.01 m.p.h., 2nd - 3.19 m.p.h., 3rd - 5.24 m.p.h., Rev. - 2.33 m.p.h.

Range Rev.: 1st - .53 rev. m.p.h., 2nd - .85 rev. m.p.h., 3rd - 1.4 rev. m.p.h., Rev. - .62 froward m.p.h.