So, what about them Steiger tractors??

[Jeff D.]

Despite the fact I live in a state with alot of Ag., I'd not learned about Steiger tractor's until about a year ago when I sold an old drawbar sodbuster plow to a guy in the western part of the state, and I agreed to deliver it.

When I arrived a his place he showed me his collection of equipment, mostly JD, but one thing he had was a chain so big it looked like it came from a ship's anchor, but it had it's links stretched and distorted. I asked him what in the......... world could've pulled hard enough to do that??

He said it was his neighbor's Big Steiger tractor yanking on it while pulling stumps during land clearing.:eek:

So anyways......now I'm curious about these Steiger tractors. From what I've read they seem like they could've made the cross over from Ag to dragging pans around or similair.

Anyone here have any experience/thoughts on these old beast's??

Thanks,

Jeff

[jhill]

The Stieger was the forefather of the current Case - IH 4 wheelers. They were used on pans and other construction equip. Do a Google search and you will find a website with a good history of Stieger.

[Countryboy]

Jeff, I found this site a while back. It has lots of pictures, not onli of Steigers but of other large pull tractors. :drinkup

Bigtractorpower.com (http://www.bigtractorpower.com)

[Jeff D.]

Thanks CB!!:drinkup

I'd also found that site previously.:http://www.bigtractorpower.com/steiger4wdtractorhistory.htm
and had posted a link in 637's thread "Why Terex's be all green and sh.....tuff?":D

'Cept, after futher reviewing it tonight I now see why the Steigers were originally painted green.:BangheadThe brothers built their first tractor during the winter of 1957-58. Steiger #1 was built using surplus parts from the farm and a local quarry's earthmover and truck components. Steiger green also came from the quarry. The equipment at the quarry was painted a lime green and the brothers used the paint on their articulated 4wd. The brothers chose to power the 15,000 lb tractor with a 238 hp V6 Detroit Diesel 71 diesel engine. The tractor was built in the Steiger's dairy barn and was nick named Barney.

[Countryboy]

and had posted a link in 637's thread "Why terex's be all green and sh.....tuff?":D

You mean to tell me I actually let a post slip by me.....:eek: I'm gonna hafta tighten up. :D

I've always enjoyed those large articulated tractors. They can sure put that power to the ground. Many of the older ones on that site I've never seen in real life. Most everything around here is JD.

[Jeff D.]

Many of the older ones on that site I've never seen in real life. Most everything around here is JD. Yeah, I know I felt way double dumb when I learned that they'de been built so close too me, and I'd not even known about them till just recently.:o

[thejdman04]

They were pretty decent tractors, some came w/855 cummins pretty good power plant.

[stumpjumper83]

They were designed by farmers for farmers. At the time they came out, commercial companies didn't have enough power for big field farmin, so with some truck components they made their own. Best green tractor ever made. http://www.bigtractorpower.com/steiger4wdtractorhistory.htm

[North Texan]

We have a CIH 9150. It is a late 80's model, and was built right after they switched from making green tractors to red tractors. It's been a heck of a good tractor. Very simple design, easy to work on, and the transmission was leaps and bounds better than anything else at the time. Not to mention the cab is much roomier than our previous tractor, and the ride is much, much more comfortable.

Even if I had the opportunity to move up to a newer model, I'd be very hesistant. The newer tractors don't seem any more efficient. Most of the stuff on this one is stuff I can still work on and fix, and there is not any more electronics on there than is absolutely necessary. Steiger was made by farmers for farmers with one thing in mind: lots of power in a very simple, very reliable platform.

A 4WD tractor is just so much more efficient it is unreal. Pulling a 27-shank chisel with bullnose spikes, it will use about .6 gallons/acre going over wheat ground the first time. If I'll keep the rpm's at under 1700, it will only use just over .5 gallons/acre going with that same chisel going over ground that has already seen a plow.

[Dirt Dogg]

I have been around Steiger tractors since I was a kid. In their time they were second to none. Big power, roomy cabs, and a huge fuel tank would let you work for many non stop hours. I use my PT 350 to pull my pan, there nothing like the sound from a 903 cummins with a big chrome strait pipe!

[JDecker]

Hay dirt dogg just wanted to know how that stiger pulls that pan we also have a panther 3 and thinking about getting one what size is your pull pan

[Dirt Dogg]

My pan is a 18 yrd Bron. The ol girl doesn't do bad I rented a 12 yard pan and it was a perfect match

[JDecker]

My pan is a 18 yrd Bron. The ol girl doesn't do bad I rented a 12 yard pan and it was a perfect match

thanks i was thinking 12 or 14 yard pan. ours is 1973 and still could work ever day and not miss a beat. A tractor build way before it's time
Thanks alot Dirt Dogg nice web site you got too. Like that kom you got there looks just like ours

[npelzer]

ya they are sweet tractors! another one is the Big Brute!! haha

[npelzer]

wait no its the Bug Bud sorry

[dirt digger]

real good cheap horsepower tractors....i lost out on buying one on Ebay by a minute last year. The things had a reman CAT in it.

[cat 385]

i ran a steiger with a 6 way electric dozer blade,one of the hardest things i have ever run, the tractor was nice but trying to keep up with the electric blade,and those big balloon tires,but after you got the hang of it,it was nice to run ,6 speaker stereo and 6 or 7 foward gears, i was young at the time i'm glad i had the chance to run it.:D

[dirt digger]

you pushed dirt with it?...those big blades are usually for pushing silage piles up

[cat 385]

ya,ran the fill with 30 bellys hauling bank run ,i worked for argee at the time at the vitro tailings site in salt lake city,they like that tractor because of the compaction they were able to get with those big tires.the guy that normaly ran it worked alot of hours so once in a while it would be my turn to spell him.

[nextdoor]

Gday all, We had a couple of Steigers many moons ago and yes they were just great. They started (I think) from 210hp with a 3208 Cat and ran through to 525HP with a 1150 Cummins with 855s, 903s, 3306 Cats and 3406 Cats all through the middle HP ranges. Some had lock up converter Allisons and some (many as I remember) with the 1010 Spicer constant mesh trannies. Back in the late seventies and early eighties they had the ag market all sown up( no pun intended). Cheers.

[Andy Detwiler]

i ran a 1976 Steiger Panther with a 855 cummins in it, pulled a 10 bottom plow with it. Had plenty of power, was pretty awesome. The neighbor had a Steiger Tiger, had the big engine in it(dont remember what it was) and had the allison trans. in it, he pulles a 12 bottom in the fall and a 60 ft. Kent fieldcultivator in the spring. Had 30.5-32 tires dualled on it. Was way cool,but ground compaction was aweful. Around here, the articulated tractors gave away to front wheel asc. tractors and track tractors. Only ones left here are the guys with child hood dreams.

Andy

[redline]

i used a kp1360 for ages, man that thing was a monster, so much traction!!!

[elirock83]

the guy that moved our dirt last year used a KT (1150) cummins powered machine with two pans, Intill we got into the rocky soil switched to a hoe and artic's. but the old girl moved alot of dirt, had problems rubbin holes in the tires from all the torque from that K.

[ac45]

Good machines, buy the ones with the 6 cylinders though, CAT or Cummins, either is good, the 855 will outpull the 903 even thoough it is rated as having more hp. The 6cyl has more torque.

[Brimlo]

the steigers are a great old tractor. unlike todays 4wd's they didnt need weights because the chassis was so heavy. they played a big part in opening up western australia.

[dozerdave]

I had a Stiger Tiger pulling a huge disk that we used to blend the impervious material on the fill. Also for aerating after a rain. I found out how much power it had when it broke down one day and we hooked it up to a D9G. The D9 had to pull it in first gear and the Stiger Tiger would run away with it. Powered by Cummins.

[Bumpsteer]

This thread needs pics!

This one belongs to a friend that rents our tillable ground, recent repaint, the ol'girl looks great!

IIRC, its' a Panther, 360hp Cummins. He also has a smaller one that pulls a 16 row Kinze no-til planter.

Ed

[farmerblake255]

The next generation of Steigers are a different color....this is our new purchase...axious to get it into the feild and see what its got....53701

53702

[Bumpsteer]

Nice! :drinkup

What are you pulling with it?

Ed

[farmerblake255]

We will pull a 32 foot disk and feild cultivator....also a landplane and grain cart.... we went with the wide tires for flotation because we have alot of spongy clay ground....

[Southernfarmer]

I just joined this site to make a comment. I farm for a living with my father who it also a collector. We have two Steiger 450's and two Steiger 470's that are used to this day. We do heavy tillage work with these tractors. They pull Sun Flower's 30 foot chisel plows, Krause 48 foot wing disc, and we use a Wil Rich 67 foot field cultivator. You guys might be interested in Googleing Titan Tractor 525. This is another tractor that in on our farm. It's a reconditioned Steiger 470.

[trukfan]

Don't forget, Steiger made articulated 4 wheel drives for Ford in the mid to late 70's and early 80's until Ford and Versatile got together and Versatile began producing them.

[Bumpsteer]

Correct, I saw one a few weeks ago, not very common in my area.
Ironically, the local Ford dealer sold Steigers, probably a 25:1 ratio of Steigers over the Ford version.
Sadly when Steiger went belly up, and CaseIH took over the Ford dealer lost it's main product line, couldn't even sell parts.

Ed

[icestationzebra]

Steiger also made the Allis 4WD's prior to the 7580/8550's.

ISZ

[Abscraperguy]

Steiger also made the Allis 4WD's prior to the 7580/8550's.

ISZ

Hey I didn't know that. Do you have some pics?

[Hendrik]

You guys might be interested in Googleing Titan Tractor 525. This is another tractor that in on our farm. It's a reconditioned Steiger 470.
This the one?
http://bigtractorpower.toytractortimes.com/mywebsite/news.php?story=171&height=400&width=620
BTW I used to operate a Series IV Cougar with a 3306 Cat rated at 250HP, similar to the one in the bottom right hand picture here http://www.toytractorshow.com/titan.htm

[icestationzebra]

Hey I didn't know that. Do you have some pics?

Just google "Allis 440".

From bigtractorpower.com
-----------------------------
Allis-Chalmers 440 4wd History

In the early 1970's Allis-Chalmers began to look at follow up to the 1960's T16 4wd (of which only 15 were made). The company looked outside sources for a new model that would be competitive in the market place. Allis-Chalmers worked with White Motor Company first to use the White-Plainsman A4T-1400 as a base for an AC 4wd. A mock Plainsman was fitted with an AC 3500 engine and restyled to match the AC Two-Twenty tractor. The AC/White deal fell through. In 1972 AC turned to Steiger for a 4wd tractor. Steiger used its Bearcat II model fited with a 208 hp naturally aspirated Cummins 555C V-8 engine as the base fr the AC 440. The AC 440 was a popular model with over 1,000 units sold in its 4 year production run.

Allis-Chalmers 440 4wd Specifications
Years of Production: 1972-1976
Models: 440
Engine: 208 hp, 555 cu-in V-8 Cummins 555C engine
Note: no PTO

ISZ

[icestationzebra]

My Allis interest lies in that all of our big tractors were AC. We had a 6080, 7000, 7040, 7060, 7580, and 8550. My Dad told me that the 7580 had s/n 00001, though I never bothered to check myself. I don't doubt it though because we farmed ~1.5hrs north of Milwaukee.

ISZ

[Hendrik]

Steiger used its Bearcat II model fited with a 208 hp naturally aspirated Cummins 555C V-8 engine as the base fr the AC 440. The AC 440 was a popular model with over 1,000 units sold in its 4 year production run.

Allis-Chalmers 440 4wd Specifications
Years of Production: 1972-1976
Models: 440
Engine: 208 hp, 555 cu-in V-8 Cummins 555C engine
Note: no PTO

ISZ
The 555 motor is considered a lemon by the standards of Cummins, Versatile also produced a 4wd tractor with the 555 motor and called it the 555, it's nickname is the trouble 5.
General advice is to stay away from that motor and stick to the straight 6's or bigger V8 motors, like the 903.
Massey Ferguson made a 4wd tractor with the 903 and it is a legend.

[Welshcake]

Just google "Allis 440".

From bigtractorpower.com
-----------------------------
Allis-Chalmers 440 4wd History

In the early 1970's Allis-Chalmers began to look at follow up to the 1960's T16 4wd (of which only 15 were made). The company looked outside sources for a new model that would be competitive in the market place. Allis-Chalmers worked with White Motor Company first to use the White-Plainsman A4T-1400 as a base for an AC 4wd. A mock Plainsman was fitted with an AC 3500 engine and restyled to match the AC Two-Twenty tractor. The AC/White deal fell through. In 1972 AC turned to Steiger for a 4wd tractor. Steiger used its Bearcat II model fited with a 208 hp naturally aspirated Cummins 555C V-8 engine as the base fr the AC 440. The AC 440 was a popular model with over 1,000 units sold in its 4 year production run.

Allis-Chalmers 440 4wd Specifications
Years of Production: 1972-1976
Models: 440
Engine: 208 hp, 555 cu-in V-8 Cummins 555C engine
Note: no PTO

ISZ

I still have a co-op bearcat II with a 210 cat 3208 .

http://i767.photobucket.com/albums/xx313/bluepaint10/Bearcatandscraper-1.jpg