Hello, I am about as new as you can get to heavy equipment. I just inherited a road grader and I want to learn how to run it for maintaining a 1/2 mile drive way, and for snow removal. I cannot find any identifying markers on it. No brand name, no model. All I can tell you is that it's yellow and fairly old, probably 40-50 years old. I'd like to figure out what the model is so I can see about getting a manual to run it and maintain it. I've attached a photo. If anyone has any clues about this, please let me know. Thanks AKG
Aveling-Austin-Bedford maybe
How would I know? How can I identify this so I can start searching for manuals?
There are going to be numbers on it somewhere, even if it's only numbers stamped in the engine. Usually you'll have a plate near the engine or cab with model number. Keep looking. ID'ing the engine will help, and you can figure it out just by comparing to other graders, but the plate will tell you a lot faster.
I Austin Western for sure, need more pics of the rear
Based on your location an Austin Western Pacer 100. What make of engine is in it.? I'm going to hazard a guess at it being a small Detroit. If it was on our side of the Pond it would be an Aveling Barford 99H.
Again Hige is 100% correct.
I have "previous form". i did my apprenticeship at Aveling Barford.......
It does have a Detroit engine. Thank you very much for your help.
Welcome to HEF, AKG1963 !
Looks to be in pretty good shape.
there is a mount and lift cable for a front blade or scarifier on it.
That has to be for a blade. The scarifier is already there right behind the front axle.
Having operated it big brother, the Super 500 you'll have to stand up to operate. Now don't go using it as a dozer. It has 2 gear levers that are at crouch height and you'll be singing like a soprano if you hit anything hard.
I see the Op's machine has Orbitrol steering. That's a bonus. The standard "tiller bar" steering control on the A-B machines (Orbitrol was an extra cost option) was excellent for grading work but could be "interesting" when tramming the machine on the highway, especially if the steering ball studs had a bit of play in them. Hair-trigger would be the best way to describe it.
My Dad operated a Super 500 from new,V6 Detroit, snowing, front blade taught me how to operate a grader many yrs ago. His last grader was an Averling Barford 6x6 with a Bedford Diesel, will dig out pics
There was a guy in (I think) Alaska who rebuilt a Super 300 and turned it into a thing of beauty. HeavyEquipmentForums
All the Aveling Barford's I have seen were Leyland powered . A Bedford powered may be a rear one.
I saw them go out of the factory in the 70's with Leyland, GM, & Bedford engines. GM's were popular in the larger machines with the solid frame, they needed the extra power. Last time I came across an SG21 (Super 500) it had a Scania engine in it which apparently was factory installed and not a retrofit.
Leyland engine's must have been a NZ thing inAveling Barfords, Austin Westerns were GM powered .
Gentlemen, I have done some searching for a manual for this machine and I have found nothing. Can someone recommend a way of finding a manual for this guy? Thanks
Nige, you are a deep well of knowledge. I really appreciate you being a part of this group. I've learned more technical information in regards to graders of all types from you than from anyone else I know. Thank you sincerely!!!!
The junior high school I went to was Vernon Barford. Wonder if the Barfords are related?
That is an Austin-Western, Clark bought AW in the 1960s, discontinued AW graders about 1980. The mechanical front axle drive was the snow plow king 30 years before any other make. Good for V plow, and with rear steer, good wing steering, minimal tire chain use. Good for narrow roads, building logging trails, crab steering in ditches. AW graders were common in the snow belt Minnesota through New York, and in the mountains. You can sit while watching the blade, no standing necessary.
I doubt it. Aveling Barford was formed in 1934 by the merger of two steam traction engine companies. Aveling & Porter from Rochester in Kent, and Barford & Perkins of Peterborough. A family connection with the founders of Perkins engines maybe? The whole shebang was owned by diesel engine manufacturing company Ruston & Hornsby. The newly-merged company then set up a factory in Grantham in Lincolshire, which is where I did my apprenticeship, and started producing road rollers, small dump trucks, etc. The tie-up with Austin-Western to produce motor graders came much later. The original AWD grader 30+ years before anyone else "invented" it. I remember that timing the u-joints on all those drive shafts up and over the front frame was a pain though.
Pettibone Mulliken had a version really similar in the 60s, I saw one but can't post a picture yet.