Austin Western Pacer 300

[BrianGrenier]

The original post was about a pacer...I thought I would add a couple o pics of a Super head to head with a Pacer (I think the original post was of a Super, even though the govmnt said it was a Pacer.)

Here is a Super:


Here is a Pacer:

 

[willie59]

One would think that SAE30 would be an acceptable grade for cold climates, logically so. But once the engine/oil gets up to operating temp, SAE40 is much better for these engines. The best case in cold climates would be using SAE40 and a silicone pad heater on oil pan to keep oil warm.

 

[Dwan Hall]

I do have a water cerculating heater on this Super 300 but only have had to use it a few times. Normaly I would not run the grader when the temp is below 25 degrees as there is no need to here. Mine has come a long way sense I got her and still has a long way to go.

 

[willie59]

I must say sir, that is a fine looking grader.

Coolant heaters typically work well on engines that have a water jacket around pistons/liners. But on a Detroit, most of the coolant is in the head, very little heat transfers to the sump oil. A silicone pad heater on the oil pan helps a lot on these engines to keep oil at a good cold temp viscosity.

 

[BrianGrenier]

I must say sir, that is a fine looking grader.

Coolant heaters typically work well on engines that have a water jacket around pistons/liners. But on a Detroit, most of the coolant is in the head, very little heat transfers to the sump oil. A silicone pad heater on the oil pan helps a lot on these engines to keep oil at a good cold temp viscosity.

True on all counts!

 

[Dwan Hall]

Here is some work from a few weeks ago. First was to straiten the side shift ram to stop the largest oil leqaqk I had. Then I got after the circle turn motor leak. both fixed I went to work grading a local trailer park and broke an axle. That one took 3 weeks just to locat the parts and have them shiped here. Did I mention a lake formed around the grader well it was waiting for parts.

 

[Dwan Hall]

The lake and a full blade working the park.

 

[caterpillarmech]

The wifes uncle does equipmet auctions and we sold an older gentlemans place as he was retiring at 90. He had and old open AW, no cab in the pictures I saw. This guy had one heck of a machine shop set up to keep his aw going. I was told he built every thing he needed. Kind of sad, you don't find folks with that kind of dedication very often any more.
Mr. Hall, that is a very nice looking machine you have.

 

[Nige]

Andy, Looks like a late 50's Super 100. the rounded radiator cover is what makes me think it is from the late 50's and the high lift cylinder. Mine is a 63 and has the same cab but the grill is not as round and the high lift cylinder is of the newer design. You have hydraulic steering with the "T" handle which was also from the late 50's or real early 60's.

I did my apprenticeship with Aveling-Barford in the UK starting in 1970. Barford were licensed to manufacture Austin-Western graders in UK and for export to UK territories world-wide - lots of them found their way to Africa & Australia. The "standard" steering at that time was what we called the "Tiller Bar" (T handle), Orbitrol was an extra-cost option. The two different types of steering were pretty much a 50/50 split in new machines going out the factory IIRC. I also remember that every machine got taken to an old airfield about 10 miles away from the plant for testing after assembly and before final paint. To get there required driving down a very heavily-trafficked 4-lane major highway, to do it in a Super 500 with tiller bar steering was "interesting" to say the least......

 

[Radrock]

View attachment 95753
This is an old thread, but I want to add a pic of my old Austin Western Here.

‎4-71 Detroit Diesel powered Austin Western Grader, (believe it is an early 60's Super 300) working on grading the area around our 'Ground Source Heat Pump' wells and water lines.

Woo-Hoo! A project coming together!

BTW, the rear steering on the Super is essential for getting this thing turned.

Aww, I remember operating an old girl like that years ago. She was a horse!!

 

[D6 Merv]

Hi Nige; untold Aveling Austins 99Hs and later all the Avelling Barford variants 4x4, 6x4, 6x6 all made it down to new zealand. And many are still going. Even got a rough old MG4 myself, doesnt do alot but is handy when i need it. Used it alot one winter towing loaded logging trucks out of a slippery uphill climb.

 

[Nige]

Merv, The 99H and the contemporary 6x6 version were the ones with the solid frame. The MG variants had a hollow frame and were much lighter. The last ones I came across were in Zambia at the end of the 80's - SG 6x6 units with Detroit 6-71 power and an Allison tranny.

I have never come across a grader before or since the good old Ambling b*****d for sheer pushing/pulling power. Even the latest generation of 6x6 machines with hydraulic drive to the front axle as opposed to A-B's drive shaft and diff still don't come close IMO.

 

[Dwan Hall]

coming up on 50 years old next year
and pushing dirt around

caterpillarmech, Thanks for the comment.

 

[D6 Merv]

Cheers Nige; well that explains why the old 99H would eat a MGH. Knew the 99 had a bigger heavier engine [leyland 600 vs a 401] but never twigged about frames being heavier. Yes you get the frame offset with the rear pushing the toe and front pulling the heel a old super MG will eat a 130G. Although the man in the seat will earn his pay for the day !! Is another contractor in the area with a 6V71 powered Super 500 that Im told will eat most other graders cutting clay for mounding farmers paddocks.
Alot of the later avelings had allison transmissions, mines just the old 6spd manuel. pic of mine towing a logger up hill, got another but it won,t load, pity.

 

[Nige]

My one claim to fame at A-B was that during a summer shutdown (1971 or 72 maybe) I worked on the water press in the Plate Shop that was used to bend the frame rails for the graders. A bunch of millwrights had to rebuild the pump for it which involved scraping in new white metal bearings for the crankshaft. As the apprentice that got to be my job (under supervision of course). That press was a sight to see. Even though the frames for the SGs were heated in a furnace to make them easier to bend they used to make the old press creak .........!! The MG frame rails were simply a piece of channel with a plate welded on the 4th side to make a closed box. That's how you can tell the difference between solid & box section - look for the weld along the length of the rail.

Back in the day an SG would grade the ass off a Cat 16G, I still think it would even now against the latest and greatest 16M TBH.

 

[Jim D]

willie59,

I'd love to have that machine! Where I am, in the Sierra mountains, our county ran a fleet of Austin Western and Clark four wheel graders for snow removal. (Starting ten years ago, they've been replaced by Cat 143L graders; there is only one Clark left now...)

I've never run one, so what follows is second hand info from my friends who are County operators: The old timers say that the AW/Clarks 'punch above their weight' when plowing snow. They'll really push a bull plow of snow, up hill too, especially well compared to the heavier Cats.

Watching the old time AW graders plow snow, they looked well balanced. Their front axle's conventional mechanical drive and differential looks like it put the power down to the ground. The hydraulic front wheel drive (front axle assist in tractor speak) of the Cat 6x6 graders slips and jerks as the Cats make turns plowing on the snow pack.

The young guys say (as a joke) that the one Clark that's still in the fleet is there only 'cause the supers can't drive the new machines. The old desk guys can still go out in big storms to show the young guys how to do it.

The first of the Cats came with Balderson hydraulic bull plows. Evidently what works in the dirt doesn't work in snow. Those'll plow up asphalt and base really well, but that's not the objective of snow plowing... now most of the Cats have the old bat-wing, chain lift, bull plows fitted to them.

On the AW/Clarks the bat-wing plows looked flimsy and rinky dink when the graders roaded around, but they looked awesome plowing snow. They would really heave and cast the snow. I remember many times seeing an AW or Clark doing 20-25mph on a county road, really crabbed into it, hogging 6-8 feet width, 4 foot tall, of wind-rowed snow and casting it 20 feet off of the road. With the accompanying sound of the 4-71.

(side note) The best sounds were the Idaho Norland rotary plows, powered by 12v-71's! The new machines have mufffled tier whatever itzzts power...

I plow a few private roads with a loader mount blade. I'd love to use that AW Pacer you have for a plow!

 

[willie59]

Yeah, I kinda wish the boss would have kept that rig, but a buyer snatched it up, oh well.

Welcome to HEF Jim D. :drinkup

 

[Jim D]

willie59,

Thanks for the welcome!

When ever I get to where I can post pictures, I'll post a picture of our County's only one left Clark grader.

 

[willie59]

When ever I get to where I can post pictures, I'll post a picture of our County's only one left Clark grader.

Please do, we love pics of old iron that's still plugging away.

 

[Jim D]

I just started taking pictures now; I wish I'd done so many years ago!

Our County scraped out the last Sno-Go rotary plow (blower) last year. Great machine from the '50's (?). Climax Blue Streak gas engine to power the blower. Maybe a Dodge or Studebaker truck cab chassis.

I never thought to take a picture of it. This year I asked the Super where it is, as it wasn't in the yard. 'Gone. Busted gear case.' I've watched it run for twenty years, and I don't even have one picture of it now...