Allis-Chalmers D Series
Encyclopedia
The Allis-Chalmers D Series is a series of tractors made by the Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company from 1957 to 1969. Most of the D Series tractors, except for the D21, had hand-operated, shift-on-the-go oil clutch
Clutch
A clutch is a mechanical device which provides for the transmission of power from one component to another...

es, commonly referred to as a hand clutch. Allis-Chalmers marketed this arrangement as the "Power Director". This clutch was in low range when pulled back, neutral in the middle, and high range when pushed forward. It could also be ordered as a forward-reverser, called the "Shuttle Clutch". This hand clutch also exists on the D21, but it was not meant for shifting on the go.

D14

The D14 was the first D Series model, introduced in 1957 and rated at 34.08 belt and 30.91 drawbar
Drawbar (haulage)
A drawbar is a solid coupling between a hauling vehicle and its hauled load. Drawbars are in common use with rail transport, road trailers, both large and small, industrial and recreational, and with agricultural equipment.-Agriculture:...

 horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...

. The D14 had a 14 gallons (53 l) gas fuel capacity, and 22.3 gallons (84.4 l) propane
Propane
Propane is a three-carbon alkane with the molecular formula , normally a gas, but compressible to a transportable liquid. A by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining, it is commonly used as a fuel for engines, oxy-gas torches, barbecues, portable stoves, and residential central...

 fuel capacity. The D14 was made from 1957 to 1960, when it was replaced by the D-15. 17,474 units were made. The D14 weighed about 3,880 pounds.

D15

The early D15 was essentially the same as the D14 with the same engine but a higher compression ratio
Compression ratio
The 'compression ratio' of an internal-combustion engine or external combustion engine is a value that represents the ratio of the volume of its combustion chamber from its largest capacity to its smallest capacity...

 and increased RPMs. The option of power steering
Power steering
Power steering helps drivers steer vehicles by augmenting steering effort of the steering wheel.Hydraulic or electric actuators add controlled energy to the steering mechanism, so the driver needs to provide only modest effort regardless of conditions. Power steering helps considerably when a...

 was also made available. At serial number 9001 a larger engine was introduced, as well as a few other minor improvements. The D15 had a 16 gallons (60.6 l) fuel capacity for gas and diesel, and a 15.75 gallons (59.6 l) capacity for LP gas. 17,434 units were built during their production from 1960 to 1969, with a price of $4,400 in 1967.

D17

1958, the D-17 was introduced, followed by the D10 and the D12 in 1959, in which year Allis-Chalmers made as many as 50 model configurations of the D10, 12, 14, and 17. The D17 was made in gas, diesel, and LPG
Liquified petroleum gas
Liquefied petroleum gas is a flammable mixture of hydrocarbon gases used as a fuel in heating appliances and vehicles. It is increasingly used as an aerosol propellant and a refrigerant, replacing chlorofluorocarbons in an effort to reduce damage to the ozone layer...

 versions, its 226 cubic inch engine turned 1,650 rpm's, and was tested at about 51 belt and 46 drawbar horsepower. 62,540 D-17s were produced during their 10-year run. The diesel D17 had a six cylinder engine with 262 cubic in. and weighed about 4,660 pounds.

D10

The D10 replaced the Model B and were not made with narrow front-ends. Their wide front ends were adjustable. Both models (D10 and D12) were tested at 28.5 belt and 25.8 drawbar horsepower and had 138.7 cubic-inch engines; the only difference between the two was that the D12 had longer front-axle sleeves and a wider front axle adjustment for wider rows. 5,304 D10s were made from 1959 to 1967.

D12

The D12 replaced the Model C in 1959. 4,070 D12's were made in their 10-year run from 1959 to 1968. The D12 had a 138.7 cubic incch, four cylinder, 31 horsepower gasoline engine that was tested in Nebraska at 29.43 drawbar horsepower.

D19

The D19 was introduced in 1961 to suit the needs of larger farmers. It had a bigger seat. It was the first D Series tractor besides the diesel D17 to have a six cylinder engine. Its horsepower was: 71.54 gas; 66.19 propane, and 66.92 diesel. Its displacement was 262 cubic inches. The diesel model was the first in the industry to come standard with a turbocharger
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...

, boosting both horsepower and fuel economy. 10,591 units were built, and they weighed 6650 to 6840 pounds. The D19 was manufactured until 1964. D19s were known for running smoothly and fairly quietly.
The D19 was popular among larger farmers in the 1960s, who had a higher acreage to manpower ration than ever before. The D19 was able to pull a five bottom plow. It also came in a high-crop version with over three feet (37 inches) of ground clearance.

D21

The D21 was introduced in 1963, and was the largest of the D Series, as well as the first Allis-Chalmers tractor to exceed 100 horsepower; rated at 103 horsepower. The D21 was styled significantly different than the other D Series with full fenders, a large platform, and a rear-mounted fuel tank which held 52 gallons (196.8 l), allowing an average of 10 hours of field work. The D21 was not turbocharged until 1965, which pushed its horsepower up to about 128. This gave the D21 over 15,000 pounds of pull, making it the largest tractor Allis-Chalmers had ever made, as well as the most expensive at around 10,000 dollars.

Before this move, the D21 found itself outmoded by the Allis-Chalmers 190-XT, even though that tractor was rated at 93 horsepower.
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