Is a 1965 model D a good starter grader?

[RenoHuskerDu]

I build driveways and need a grader, which Texans call a maintainer. I located a 1965 Fiat Allis model D with a gas motor that recently got new pistons, rings and sleeves. The seller is retiring.

It has a rear main seal leak so he ordered rod & main bearings plus a rear seal. It's not clear why he'd do bearings again, unless he didn't replace them with pistons/sleeves, which seems silly. I had trouble understanding him over the phone.

2 questions:
1) is that a good starter grader? He says he gets parts from easily enough.
2) can a 6'6" man drive one comfortably? I'm going to see it tomorrow.

 

[twostep120]

Depends on the price. Sounds like you might have to spend money after the purchase. I am 6-2 and it is a little tight on my 1951 Model D when sitting, but no problem when standing. My machine is 1951, Ser.# D 1547, with a 1955 Allis-Chalmers WD 45 4 cyl gas engine, Ser. # 211549. In good condition. Power steering, manual circle shift (moldboard. Just pull the pin and drop one corner of blade. Get the position you want and release the pin. If you purchase the 1965 grader, I would suggest going with electronic ignition. Runs smoother, starts easier, and has more power. The Model D is very good for close work, as in driveways, etc. Mine weighs only 8800 lbs, so is easy to transport to jobsite.

 

[DIYDAVE]

D's were the industry standard, for the small grader, IMHO. What I would be worried about(slightly) is if the bearings are gone, causing the leak, is a crank included, too? Also, if the crank needs work, then the bearings will be a guess, at size... For the right money, you could probably put a Allis D-17 tractor motor in, for less than the mechanic work would cost you...

I guess it all depends on price...

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

He's asking $10k and he's not very far away, only an hour

 

[cuttin edge]

Check out Calder Bros Mauldin maintainer. Not sure what they sell for in the US, but they are made in South Carolina. They are a must for driveways. We have run this style of grader since they were Puckett. If you are doing any amount of work, I would stay away from junk. Mauldin has no electronics, and no emission systems. Last year I prepared around $300,000 worth of driveways for asphalt, plus streets, and parking lots. 4 wheel drive, fully functional moldboard, front bucket will reach over the side of a tandem truck

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

Check out Calder Bros Mauldin maintainer. Not sure what they sell for in the US, but they are made in South Carolina. They are a must for driveways. We have run this style of grader since they were Puckett. If you are doing any amount of work, I would stay away from junk. Mauldin has no electronics, and no emission systems. Last year I prepared around $300,000 worth of driveways for asphalt, plus streets, and parking lots. 4 wheel drive, fully functional moldboard, front bucket will reach over the side of a tandem truck

This is the only one on their site now. https://www.4amauldin.com/product/m-413-xt/ Looks like it has Tier 4 Final crapola.

You must be referring to an earlier model? How old is yours? It does look interesting.

 

[cuttin edge]

Guess they made the change. We have a 2012 and a 2014. They never stop all season. Takes two crews to keep ahead of the pavers. I start at the end of May when the spring weight restrictions lift, and go steady till the ground starts to freeze, which could start any time now. Our crew has my mauldin, a 6 ton Bomag roller, a 2016 Freight shaker tandem dump truck with tri axle tag along float, and a crew cab truck. The grader and roller fit together on the float, and off we go.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

Looking for a (unicorn) used Mauldin maintainer for sale, I stumbled on a similar machine.
http://basicequipment.net/model_601.htm

Quite a bit smaller, only 6500 lbs, so might be less effective here in TX where we have wide open spaces.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

FYI guys, I talked to both companies this morning and both are having to REDESIGN their machines to fit in the new Tier 4 Final emissions crapola. Apparently the motor's add-on smog junk takes up more space. I'm not looking forward to being a guinea pig either on new smog equipment. I lived thru the early 1970s when emissions stuff first came out and damaged reliability, ruined the muscle car era, and hurt mpg. It's not like we have construction equipment teeming up and down roads everywhere, making exhaust smoke, but BushClintonObama imposed those regulations on us anyway. Even though you can drive 100 miles in your clean pickup and never see one construction machine in use.

I think I'm holding out for a pre-Tier 4 grader on the used market. I doubt cutting edge will sell me his ! lol

 

[repowerguy]

An A-C model D or DD and a Galion 503 are close cousins, almost fraternal twins. Enough so that major components will interchange. In Ohio, where Galions were made, they were quite popular and the A-C not so much. Look into a 503 to broaden your availability. Somewhere in the grader section here are some pics of a 503A that belongs to my dad that we heavily modded with a new engine, regeared final drives, relocated controls and modded hydraulic system. I'll say the Galions are easier to hotrod if that's your bag.

 

[mudober]

FYI guys, I talked to both companies this morning and both are having to REDESIGN their machines to fit in the new Tier 4 Final emissions crapola. Apparently the motor's add-on smog junk takes up more space. I'm not looking forward to being a guinea pig either on new smog equipment. I lived thru the early 1970s when emissions stuff first came out and damaged reliability, ruined the muscle car era, and hurt mpg. It's not like we have construction equipment teeming up and down roads everywhere, making exhaust smoke, but BushClintonObama imposed those regulations on us anyway. Even though you can drive 100 miles in your clean pickup and never see one construction machine in use.

I think I'm holding out for a pre-Tier 4 grader on the used market. I doubt cutting edge will sell me his ! lol

I totally get it i'm on your side when it comes to the new emissions. I would think that these little graders would be less than the horsepower required for def fluid but would still have some emission crap on them.I really like the loader on the Mauldin, that would be so handy when doing a parking lot. I did have the opportunity to run the little fiat grader one time and it was fun but I can't remember the model number.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

I really like the size of the Basic 601 and the Mauldin 413XT, but the main problem is price and unavailability. Both companies are in the middle of a redesign due to emissions, and are not making units right now. Then there's price ... $85k for a 601 https://tinyurl.com/y23m8gs6 Ouch. I have found exactly none of either on the used market.

Are there others to look for, besides the AC or Galion, that are relatively compact and I could find used for less than $20k? I tow with a newer Ford dually so it can handle up to 15 tons GVWR trailer, which would mean max of about 12 tons of machine on the trailer. Roughly.

 

[John C.]

They still use the old Hubers on asphalt jobs around here.

 

[cuttin edge]

As far as I know, it started with Puckett Bros then went to Alitec, then psi, then Mauldin. We had a 510 Puckett then a 690 Alitec and now the 2 Mauldins. The Puckett is still going, it was purchased by the local 4 wheeler club for doing tràils. We still have the Alitec for a spare, but it is in need of a lot of repair. The Alitec is a heavier built machine but grossly under powered.

 

[DIYDAVE]

An interesting bit of history on the descendants of the Allis Chalmers D, DD graders...

https://www.constructionequipment.com/allis-chalmers-compact-grader