I have a Austin western model 55 grader with a u4 international engine. I was wondering how many were built with this power unit? The transmission has ih castings, is this a w4 tractor transmission? How many model aw 55 graders were there built? I have this pegged as a late 1940 or 1941 model from the ih casting codes. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.
I have a 1948 Austin Western model 55. I haven't found any records of how many were built. The motor is a International IU-4 power unit, The transmission is a IU-4 engine-over-axle unit. I found this web site for serial numbers on the engine and transmission. http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/ihc/id/5478/rec/10 It takes a little work but you should fine the year your engine and transmission were built here. Its a good guess that your 55 grader was built the same year.
We found a part manual for our grader dated 7-41. The serial# for the book started at 55100. Our grader is 55210. Still looking for as much history as possible. I would love to upload a picture soon.
chisel_maker, could you post a larger pic of your grader in the avatar? I tried to enlarge your avatar to see more detail, but that did not work. I bought a grader which I think is a Galion and has the same power unit as your Austin Western model 55. The seller told me it was an Adams, which I am fairly certain now that it is not. The frame on my grader goes through the cab and not under the cab as the Adams does.
I have never seen a picture from a model 55 on the web. I don't know much about that older types. Have someone a list from the earlier types then the 88-H for example?
I'd like to see a larger pic of yours. I have an A-W and a Galion.
Austin Western Model 55 That power unit was used by several manufactures. Here are some pictures of my grader. Serial number 55620
Here's some other pictures I've found over the years. !940 model 55 1948 Model 55 loaded on a train for shipment. Austin Western sales brochure (I have the original) Don't know about these except there model 55's
A couple more.
Nice to see those type of old grader, many thanks for posting the pictures
Beautiful grader, chisel_maker. Did you restore it yourself? Is the serial number of the grader or on the I-U unit?
Here are some pics of my grader which I think is a Galion. I found serial nos. on the transmission and engine support, but no I.D. on the grader anywhere. It ran good when I bought it, but the cab was really rusted out. I Pretty much pulled the skin off with my hands and I wanted visibility so I used some Plexiglas I had to make windows and fabbed some doors. Anything I had to work on and had to be removed, I also cleaned and painted.
She was mostly restored when I bought her. I had to go thru the motor, hydraulics and electrical. There are 3 id tags on this unit. One International tag on the motor with the motor serial number. One International tag on the drive unit with the drive unit serial number. One Austin Western Tag on the Right front with the grader serial number. See Photo below.
Chisel maker, that's a nice grader! Are you going to make and add decals some day? Ours has visible original decals on it. I can't post a picture on here yet. I would be glad to some day, if you are interested. Ours is a plumbers nightmare right now. A lot of copper tubing used to replace hydraulic lines in the past. Still working on it and looking for more information on it.
I would love to see photos of your grader with original makings on it. I only have one photo of a model 55 with any makings.
Looking at the old photos you posted, were all cabs made without doors? Ours has doors but I believe that they have been added at some point.
The base grader had no cab or doors. You could buy the grader with a cab and no doors or with a cab and doors. Message me your email address and I'll send you a copy of the sales brochure pictured above. There's some great info on the back side.
Galion 402 I think your grader is a Galion 402 - I have one like it
Yes the back looks like a Galion, here a link to a photo from the 402 version: http://www.redpowermagazine.com/forums/uploads/monthly_09_2012/post-64728-0-64143700-1347855268.jpg
That's my 1940 road grader with the yellow beacon light on it I also have a 1950 Austin western with out a cab both model 55! My red 1940 is still used to grade priviate roads drive ways etc.... And my 1950 serves as my back up!
herc983, Does your grader have a cab? My cab was a total rust out so I wrapped the cab with 3/8 plexiglas and made doors with the same so I could have good visibility all around. My ears ring a lot from loud noise so the cab helps to shut out some of the noise. It is nice to find someone who has the same model. Do you have manuals for the grader? I have manuals for the IU-4 unit but not for the Galion grader aspect. I am wondering if you know where I can purchase them - operators, service and parts manuals for Galion 402. I seems like I can find manuals for so many other models but not the 402.
Did the Galion 402 use any other power plants other than international? Looks very similar to the Austin western 55. I've never seen a Galion from that era around here. Usually just Austin western, Trojan, caterpillar, allis Chalmers, and one lonely Minneapolis moline. I don't know if it's a power plant for something else or its own. The Galion looks like a neat machine.
markat, I am hoping someone on the forum knows the answer about other power plants used. I have not been able to find information about Galion 402. I only have about 50 hours working with mine but I really like playing. When I bought mine, the seller told me it was an Adams. It does look almost the same except the frame goes under the cab on the Adams and thru the cab on the Galion. The cab does not have much space inside because of the frame. See photo. They must have used interchangeable parts on many of these graders. The cab looks the same on the Austin Western, Adams, and Galion. The Adams also uses the international IU-4, the same as in my Galion 402. The cab really limited the view, especially out the back. One must really twist around to look out the back window. Since the cab was rusted away, I tore it off and wrapped plexiglass all the way around, and made a solid sheet for the front window and doors. Now I have 360 view! I started working on a slope meter Monday and finished it today. Very simple with 1 1/4" clear tubing and red ATF fluid. I mounted it on a board and secured it to the circle. My sidewalk is level, so I marked the position of the bubble with the blade down. I have a 10' blade and it was easy to figure the inches the blade would rise for each slope 1% to 8%. I raised the blade to each slope and marked the position of the bubble. I have not gotten to use it yet and it will probably need some more modifications. I used red antifreeze in the tube first, but it foamed and the bubbles would not dissipate and made the position of the bubble hard to see. Then I filled the tube with red ATF fluid which made a nice bubble and flowed from side to side nicely. I may need to find a lighter color fluid so the bubble can be seen more clearly. I will post pictures so you can see the meter and the view from the cab.
Interesting the way we do things. Here are pics of my home made slope meter on the 570A. The bearing in the hydraulic oil is indicating a 3-4% grade. Close enough for my work. Because it is mounted in the cab, it tells me the grade of the cross slope the tandems are traveling on rather than the blade position which I prefer as that is the driving surface that results.
Is anybody out there???? Need steering box, or parts.
You will probably have better luck if you start your own thread and be a bit descriptive in your title. Such as Steering Issues with Make/Model grader. Tagging it to someone else's older thread may not get it many views as most members that looked at it have nothing to add.