Terex 72-31 BA Questions

[zlssefi]

Hey guys, looking for some insight here. I recently purchased a 1986 terex 72-31 BA payloader. Basically im looking for the pros and cons and opinions you guys may have on this machine. The engine was just overhauled 200 hours ago and has no blowby to speak of. It has an detroit 471 turbocharged engine. Right now the only problems i can see with it is that its a little sluggish when you drive it. It has the two speed allison transmission, which right now has red fluid in it. It calls for c-2 fluid, and my case loader which also has a two speed allison calls for " unitrac" fluid. Do you guys happen to know anything else about this machine or the fluid it should take. Im open to all opinions, ideas etc. Let the comments fly!

Thanks in advance!!

[mikef87]

I have a the same loader only with a cummins 4 bt motor in it because the Detroit was to loud and it ended up blowing up. Loader is strong, but slow. What do you plan on doing with it? We use ours for snow only and sometimes around the yard to load road plates or something.

[zlssefi]

My main purpose for purchasing this loader is for snowplowing. I bought a 14 foot pro tech steel edge pusher that were going to run on it. if the loader can hold 10 mph and push a full blade of snow ill be happy with that. any other opinions?

[surfer-joe]

C2 or C3 Torque Fluid is the correct transmission lubricant. Allisons being what they are, you could also use SAE 10 Transmission Drive Train Oil, ATF, or several other fluids and still be OK. But the C2/3 is best.

The 471 Detroit is a gutty little engine albeit one slow to wind up. The old addage to run a Detroit "balls to the wall" was especially pertinent to this engine, they don't like slow speed much. Be sure to run straight weight engine oil specifically made for Detroit's. Multi-vis will ruin it quick.

Euclid, later Terex, loaders are prone to slow hydraulics, but Mike is correct, they are strong. Parts may be a problem though these machines used a lot of off the shelf items for hydraulics and drivetrain items.

Good Luck.

ps: put a good heater in the cab! It does have a cab, doesn't it?

[Countryboy]

Welcome to Heavy Equipment Forums zlssefi! :drinkup

[zlssefi]

Guys thanks a bunch for the replys im learning lots every day here! As far as the hydraulics they actually seem to be equal to my case and international loaders hydraulics, not the quickest but no slugs either. So using c3 fluid or dextron atf are all ok for this tranny? one thing i have to do is drop the fluid and filter and clean the tranny strainers. As far as the cab, there is an enclosed cab and luckily no broken glass. It has a heater box in it, but right now gets about 8 seconds of hot air then blows cold, so either the valves on the heater hoses are closed, or the core is plugged and needs boiled at the local radiator shop. I just did the engine oil change yesterday and used 15-40, your saying to use straight 30wt? correct me if i am wrong. thanks again guys!!

Brian

[Lashlander]

I worked for a company that had one. It wasn't a b model though. It was a early to mid seventies model. It was a good machine but a little slow compared to the newer stuff. This was the late eighties. When the company went out of business they sold it to an outfit I went to work for two years later so we spent another 10 years together.:cool2
The Detroit Diesel shop recommends you use Chevron Delo 100 30 wt. in their engines. I don't know what the equivalent oil by another manufacturer would be. The Delo 100 has different additives or no additives like the Delo 400.
Make sure you check and keep the steering box on this machine full of oil. Its on the bottom of the steering shaft and hard to get to so it gets over looked. Its quite a job to rebuild it too. Also adjust your brakes every oil change. Their an old star screw adjuster like the old drum brakes on a vehicle. If you don't keep them adjusted up good they will blow the cylinders out. To repair this you have to disassemble the planetary, which turns into quite a job too. We used to start plugging the brake lines on the old girl until we got down to one brake then we'd do a brake job.:Pointhead
Those old Terexes were a tough old loader. Not the fastest but they kept on going.
Ours had valves on the engine to shut the heater core off too, maybe one of yours is closed or has a plugged valve or something. Good luck!

[zlssefi]

thanks for the reply. Ive chosen 76 15-40 as recommended by my diesel mechanic for engine oil. As far as the brakes, this one doesnt have drums, its 4 wheel disc which is kinda nice, no adjustments needed. I did notice this machine is a little slow, but i havent gone through the tranny yet. im gonna change or clean all strainers and filters. As far as that steering box, the one on my machine looks like a hydraulic motor with two hyd hoses going to it. Is this the same unit??

[Lashlander]

It sounds like they up graded all the problem parts when they went to the B model. I can't quite remember the steering box but it had a pipe with a cap on it between the shaft and the firewall (so to speak) where it went though the floor That was the filler pipe. Then had a square headed pipe plug on the right side of the box for the full level. The plug was hard to get to. If they changed the steering box it would have been a big improvement. Good luck with it.

[cat320]

so the B models don't have all those problem areas that is good.