I recently stumbled across an old Nelson loader in the dark corner of an old shed on a farm in midwestern Ontario. If any of you have any direct information on Nelson loaders, or know where some info can be found, please pass it along. I had never seen or heard of a Nelson loader before, and nobody I have asked since has either. Best regards from CECanuck
I just read you post on Construction Equipment's Big Iron blog. Thanks for the kind words about Heavy Equipment Forums. Since threads about the more obscure topics are apt to not draw many immediate replies, and thus get buried several pages deep in the forum, I thought I'd bump this one to the top, and google around a bit too. Maybe with this little bit of stimulation, somebody's memory will be jogged? I found one reference in a book called The Earthmover Encyclopedia . I also found a picture on somebody's Photobucket page.
digger242j: Excellent! Thank you so very much, my friend, for the great input. Much appreciated! Best regards from CECanuck.
For the benefit of our members, according to the Earthmover Encyclopedia entry, Nelson loaders were built by Nelson Iron Works in Clifton, N.J. starting in 1957 with a 1.75 cu/yd model. They were powered with a choice of either gas or diesel fueled Hercules engine. they went on to make 2.25, 2.65 and finally a 4 cu/yd model produced in 1967. All models are reported to have been rigid frames, it appears they had a rear steering axle similar to many early wheel loaders. After that it seems the company faded away. We have some members from the Clifton area, maybe they can ask around of some old timers and bring us more information. i searched Nelson Iron Works, they don't seem to exist in Clifton anymore. I had never heard of these machines, CECanuck, how did you first learn of them?
Steve: Thank you, my friend, for your tremendous contribution to this thread. The input from both you and digger242 has been incredibly helpful. I, too, had never heard of a Nelson loader until very recently. My interest came about from stumbling across one nestled in the dark corner of an old shed on a farm in midwestern Ontario. Best regards from CECanuck.
digger242j and Steve: Thanks again for the great input. FYI, I have posted a follow-up entry on the Big Iron blog: www.constructionequipment.com/blog/1200000720.html#510047451 Best regards from CECanuck.
Old thread I know, but I helped work on that pictured loader a while back, we took out the Cummins J series and fitted a newer Cummins 4BTA. All new axle seals, inners and outers, new brakes, new fluids and a lot of seal repair kits. It was pretty expensive but it runs great! Had to lengthen the driveshaft and found out that rubber mounting the motor and having a rubber mounted drive plate caused an impulse that blew up the drive plate. Allison said as long as one part is rubber mounted its good. The small 4BTA puts out more juice than the J, but it doens't put out a lot of heat so the trans acts like a huge heat sink, its a little chilly in winter. I made up a custom set of heavy duty battery cables to make sure the connections were rock solid. Where the J series wouldn't start below 10F the 4BTA fires up in all weather. The Nelson uses damned near 2 inch thick plate for the loader arms, Allison transmission, Rockwell offroad axles and a lot of off the shelf parts.
I think if Im not mistaken Oliver sold Nelson loaders as their own. I know they rebadged the loader line and didnt sell many of them. Back when I was 20 I saw an old man bring 2 running Loaders into a scrap yard. He had Olivers. I told a friend that had an associate whise dad restored Oliver machinery. He came and bought them both and rebuilt them for his collection. He told me the story of them. He had an Oliver scraper and a Dozer that was as big as an 8 Cat. I can olso look through some books on it. I know they had a rear axle kick out to make it faster for roading.
Theire is an old Nelson loader smoe 20 minute drive from where i live.The old man owning it said that only 8 of them loaders were ever built....Is that true, i doubt it a little bit.But anyway, it was powered by a G.M. 353.The guy changed the engine for a 371.It is still running just fine-the old man uses it every now and then. and the machine looks like it is from the late 50's-early 60's Max.
Well, there's a lot more than 8 of them produced, maybe 8 versions or 8 years, hard to say but one thing is for certain, they applied a lot of steel and a minimum of engineering.
1967 Nelson Well I have one of these. My dad bought it in about 75, it's a little tired right now, but still working. Ken
Still a viable machine, luckily they have a lot of commonly used parts!
Friends of mine had one for their topsoil biz in Wappingers Falls,NY.I remember loading myself once with it,the pins and bushings were so sloppy I thought it was going to flip sideways when I raised the bucket while moving.Another barking Detroit.
The only Nelson I ever saw was being used in a junkyard in the late 80s. It was used to move cars in the junkyard, it was not scrap. I wish I got a picture of it. I believe it was about the size of a 936. Rear wheel steer. I had seen it from a distance and thought it was a Michigan or a Hough, then when I got close to it, and saw the name above the radiator I thought, Nelson? Never saw one of those before! Never saw one again either. That junkyard closed not long after, I lost track of the loader after that.
I have never see a Nelson loader, or even heard about it. May Nelson had its glorious time in the past, but things have changed and it failed to keep up with the time.
(sorry double post.....) see next reply. Max.
This one is located 20 minutes drive from where i live, south of Quebec city. The old man that owns it repowered it a few years ago with a Detroit 353 engine. He really loves ihs old loader.....he also own a Volvo BM1641 Regards. Max. Uploaded with ImageShack.us http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/8755/nelsonloader2.jpg Uploaded with ImageShack.us
There were a lot of Nelson loaders around in the late 60s, several of the towns in ma. purchased them for rosd work. I used one for several years in the late 80s and that machine is still ronning today. it had a 6cyl cummings with a turbo when I perchaced it . the only weak area was the coupling between the eng and tranny, broke the rubber a few times. There used to be an old timer out in western Ma. that had all the spare parts you could ever want. every once in a while you still see one for sale. I used the machine for about 3 years at a new pond site to load heavy clay and it always started with a few shots of the E stuff.
Well my friend in upstate NY is selling that Nelson loader that Digger found a picture of. With the 10' commercial plow. Newer tires, tire chains, new Cummins 4bta, new driveshaft, all the bottom end seals and bearings replaced, new winch on the back, transmission in/out seals changed, pretty much leak/drip free and a good strong machine still, lots of power and a 2yd + bucket,
Just posted the add up on http://www.equipmenttraderonline.com/find/listing/1963-Nelson-Loader-104430174 lots of good pictures!
The price is way off for $24.000 you can pick up a lot mor loader than the Nelson. All nelsons I have come accross go from 2500.. to 6000 in good running order. Could be a misprint and they want 2,400.00, Then you should grab it, but for 24k, no way
Well, I'd suggest half of that asking price, but its OBO, keeping in mind its a new 4bta and the entire UC has been rebuilt. Should be good for another 40 years. I don't know the total rebuild cost was but some of the seals were $100 each and the seal saver kits added to that. Brakes all relined by Clutch and Brake now Fleetpride.
Hi, I have one of the Nelson 150 loaders and i am looking for a waterpump & brake booster w/master cylinder. any Idea's where i can find them. i saw one of these loaders in NH last year and thats how i found out what i had, they would not part with it though. it was in alot better shape than mine is
Look up the engine parts by the engine make, model and serial number. Maybe post a pic of the brake booster/master cylinder and somebody can probably identify it. I've never heard of Nelson loaders, but I'll bet they didn't build the brake parts.
You might be in luck, the air over hydraulic brake boosters are the same ones used in the deuce and half trucks, possibly available at NAPA. Which engine do you have? is it the cummins J? if so cummins will have the water pump, you just need the data from the engine plate.
Thanks, i will have to ck the info, it is a diesel i do know that
Any luck in getting the replacement parts?
No I Haven't tried yet as this is my busy time of year. when things slow down i will as i am the only worker living the american dream called self employment !!! thanks for keeping an interest in it though
I have seen only one Nelson loader in my life and it was at the yard of Manafort Bros. in New Britain ct back in the '70s.It looked a lot like the straight frame Michigans of that era and I thought that that was what it was until I looked a little closer and since they were new at that time I had a pretty good idea of what to look for as I was around them every day at that time.Ron G
This old nelson loader just came up for sale in Sudbury, Ontario, the fellow is asking $5000. for it
My 1963 Nelson 250 I have a 1963 Nelson 250 Loader that my father purchased in 1980 from the original owners. We mostly use her for snow plowing and removal these days. Great, reliable machine!
Ohe good looking loader there, and they were heavy! how much was that going over the scales?
I believe she weighs 12 Ton.