Despite the fact I live in a state with alot of Ag., I'd not learned about Steiger tractor's until about a year ago when I sold an old drawbar sodbuster plow to a guy in the western part of the state, and I agreed to deliver it. When I arrived a his place he showed me his collection of equipment, mostly JD, but one thing he had was a chain so big it looked like it came from a ship's anchor, but it had it's links stretched and distorted. I asked him what in the......... world could've pulled hard enough to do that?? He said it was his neighbor's Big Steiger tractor yanking on it while pulling stumps during land clearing. So anyways......now I'm curious about these Steiger tractors. From what I've read they seem like they could've made the cross over from Ag to dragging pans around or similair. Anyone here have any experience/thoughts on these old beast's?? Thanks, Jeff
The Stieger was the forefather of the current Case - IH 4 wheelers. They were used on pans and other construction equip. Do a Google search and you will find a website with a good history of Stieger.
Jeff, I found this site a while back. It has lots of pictures, not onli of Steigers but of other large pull tractors. :drinkup Bigtractorpower.com
Thanks CB!!:drinkup I'd also found that site previously.: http://www.bigtractorpower.com/steiger4wdtractorhistory.htm and had posted a link in 637's thread "Why Terex's be all green and sh.....tuff?" 'Cept, after futher reviewing it tonight I now see why the Steigers were originally painted green.:Banghead
You mean to tell me I actually let a post slip by me..... I'm gonna hafta tighten up. I've always enjoyed those large articulated tractors. They can sure put that power to the ground. Many of the older ones on that site I've never seen in real life. Most everything around here is JD.
Yeah, I know I felt way double dumb when I learned that they'de been built so close too me, and I'd not even known about them till just recently.
They were pretty decent tractors, some came w/855 cummins pretty good power plant.
They were designed by farmers for farmers. At the time they came out, commercial companies didn't have enough power for big field farmin, so with some truck components they made their own. Best green tractor ever made. http://www.bigtractorpower.com/steiger4wdtractorhistory.htm
We have a CIH 9150. It is a late 80's model, and was built right after they switched from making green tractors to red tractors. It's been a heck of a good tractor. Very simple design, easy to work on, and the transmission was leaps and bounds better than anything else at the time. Not to mention the cab is much roomier than our previous tractor, and the ride is much, much more comfortable. Even if I had the opportunity to move up to a newer model, I'd be very hesistant. The newer tractors don't seem any more efficient. Most of the stuff on this one is stuff I can still work on and fix, and there is not any more electronics on there than is absolutely necessary. Steiger was made by farmers for farmers with one thing in mind: lots of power in a very simple, very reliable platform. A 4WD tractor is just so much more efficient it is unreal. Pulling a 27-shank chisel with bullnose spikes, it will use about .6 gallons/acre going over wheat ground the first time. If I'll keep the rpm's at under 1700, it will only use just over .5 gallons/acre going with that same chisel going over ground that has already seen a plow.
I have been around Steiger tractors since I was a kid. In their time they were second to none. Big power, roomy cabs, and a huge fuel tank would let you work for many non stop hours. I use my PT 350 to pull my pan, there nothing like the sound from a 903 cummins with a big chrome strait pipe!
Hay dirt dogg just wanted to know how that stiger pulls that pan we also have a panther 3 and thinking about getting one what size is your pull pan
My pan is a 18 yrd Bron. The ol girl doesn't do bad I rented a 12 yard pan and it was a perfect match
thanks i was thinking 12 or 14 yard pan. ours is 1973 and still could work ever day and not miss a beat. A tractor build way before it's time Thanks alot Dirt Dogg nice web site you got too. Like that kom you got there looks just like ours
ya they are sweet tractors! another one is the Big Brute!! haha
wait no its the Bug Bud sorry
real good cheap horsepower tractors....i lost out on buying one on Ebay by a minute last year. The things had a reman CAT in it.
i ran a steiger with a 6 way electric dozer blade,one of the hardest things i have ever run, the tractor was nice but trying to keep up with the electric blade,and those big balloon tires,but after you got the hang of it,it was nice to run ,6 speaker stereo and 6 or 7 foward gears, i was young at the time i'm glad i had the chance to run it.
you pushed dirt with it?...those big blades are usually for pushing silage piles up
ya,ran the fill with 30 bellys hauling bank run ,i worked for argee at the time at the vitro tailings site in salt lake city,they like that tractor because of the compaction they were able to get with those big tires.the guy that normaly ran it worked alot of hours so once in a while it would be my turn to spell him.
Gday all, We had a couple of Steigers many moons ago and yes they were just great. They started (I think) from 210hp with a 3208 Cat and ran through to 525HP with a 1150 Cummins with 855s, 903s, 3306 Cats and 3406 Cats all through the middle HP ranges. Some had lock up converter Allisons and some (many as I remember) with the 1010 Spicer constant mesh trannies. Back in the late seventies and early eighties they had the ag market all sown up( no pun intended). Cheers.
i ran a 1976 Steiger Panther with a 855 cummins in it, pulled a 10 bottom plow with it. Had plenty of power, was pretty awesome. The neighbor had a Steiger Tiger, had the big engine in it(dont remember what it was) and had the allison trans. in it, he pulles a 12 bottom in the fall and a 60 ft. Kent fieldcultivator in the spring. Had 30.5-32 tires dualled on it. Was way cool,but ground compaction was aweful. Around here, the articulated tractors gave away to front wheel asc. tractors and track tractors. Only ones left here are the guys with child hood dreams. Andy
i used a kp1360 for ages, man that thing was a monster, so much traction!!!
the guy that moved our dirt last year used a KT (1150) cummins powered machine with two pans, Intill we got into the rocky soil switched to a hoe and artic's. but the old girl moved alot of dirt, had problems rubbin holes in the tires from all the torque from that K.
Good machines, buy the ones with the 6 cylinders though, CAT or Cummins, either is good, the 855 will outpull the 903 even thoough it is rated as having more hp. The 6cyl has more torque.
the steigers are a great old tractor. unlike todays 4wd's they didnt need weights because the chassis was so heavy. they played a big part in opening up western australia.
I had a Stiger Tiger pulling a huge disk that we used to blend the impervious material on the fill. Also for aerating after a rain. I found out how much power it had when it broke down one day and we hooked it up to a D9G. The D9 had to pull it in first gear and the Stiger Tiger would run away with it. Powered by Cummins.
This thread needs pics! This one belongs to a friend that rents our tillable ground, recent repaint, the ol'girl looks great! IIRC, its' a Panther, 360hp Cummins. He also has a smaller one that pulls a 16 row Kinze no-til planter. Ed
The next generation of Steigers are a different color....this is our new purchase...axious to get it into the feild and see what its got....
Nice! :drinkup What are you pulling with it? Ed
We will pull a 32 foot disk and feild cultivator....also a landplane and grain cart.... we went with the wide tires for flotation because we have alot of spongy clay ground....
Steiger Tractors I just joined this site to make a comment. I farm for a living with my father who it also a collector. We have two Steiger 450's and two Steiger 470's that are used to this day. We do heavy tillage work with these tractors. They pull Sun Flower's 30 foot chisel plows, Krause 48 foot wing disc, and we use a Wil Rich 67 foot field cultivator. You guys might be interested in Googleing Titan Tractor 525. This is another tractor that in on our farm. It's a reconditioned Steiger 470.
Don't forget, Steiger made articulated 4 wheel drives for Ford in the mid to late 70's and early 80's until Ford and Versatile got together and Versatile began producing them.
Correct, I saw one a few weeks ago, not very common in my area. Ironically, the local Ford dealer sold Steigers, probably a 25:1 ratio of Steigers over the Ford version. Sadly when Steiger went belly up, and CaseIH took over the Ford dealer lost it's main product line, couldn't even sell parts. Ed
Steiger also made the Allis 4WD's prior to the 7580/8550's. ISZ
Hey I didn't know that. Do you have some pics?
This the one? http://bigtractorpower.toytractortimes.com/mywebsite/news.php?story=171&height=400&width=620 BTW I used to operate a Series IV Cougar with a 3306 Cat rated at 250HP, similar to the one in the bottom right hand picture here http://www.toytractorshow.com/titan.htm
Just google "Allis 440". From bigtractorpower.com ----------------------------- Allis-Chalmers 440 4wd History In the early 1970's Allis-Chalmers began to look at follow up to the 1960's T16 4wd (of which only 15 were made). The company looked outside sources for a new model that would be competitive in the market place. Allis-Chalmers worked with White Motor Company first to use the White-Plainsman A4T-1400 as a base for an AC 4wd. A mock Plainsman was fitted with an AC 3500 engine and restyled to match the AC Two-Twenty tractor. The AC/White deal fell through. In 1972 AC turned to Steiger for a 4wd tractor. Steiger used its Bearcat II model fited with a 208 hp naturally aspirated Cummins 555C V-8 engine as the base fr the AC 440. The AC 440 was a popular model with over 1,000 units sold in its 4 year production run. Allis-Chalmers 440 4wd Specifications Years of Production: 1972-1976 Models: 440 Engine: 208 hp, 555 cu-in V-8 Cummins 555C engine Note: no PTO ISZ
My Allis interest lies in that all of our big tractors were AC. We had a 6080, 7000, 7040, 7060, 7580, and 8550. My Dad told me that the 7580 had s/n 00001, though I never bothered to check myself. I don't doubt it though because we farmed ~1.5hrs north of Milwaukee. ISZ
The 555 motor is considered a lemon by the standards of Cummins, Versatile also produced a 4wd tractor with the 555 motor and called it the 555, it's nickname is the trouble 5. General advice is to stay away from that motor and stick to the straight 6's or bigger V8 motors, like the 903. Massey Ferguson made a 4wd tractor with the 903 and it is a legend.
I still have a co-op bearcat II with a 210 cat 3208 .
I've heard that the 903 Cummins had bottom end problems. We have a 1979 Cougar 3 and a 1980 Cougar 3 that we use for pulling industrial disks and tandem sheeps foot packers. A couple weeks ago i was pulling a disk with the 1980 which has an NT855C Cummins in it. I let it idle for about 20 minutes over lunch and then i disked with it for about 30 minutes. I shut it down for about 2 hours and then came back and tried to start it up and it would not start. It smoked but wouldn't start. Well i messed around with the solenoid on top of the injector pump and it finally fired up but it had a nast klack in the valve train. So we took the rockerboxes off and pulled all of the pushtubes and didn't find anything. Took it to the local truck shop and they tore her down and found that there were absolutely NO rings left on all 6 pistons. Most of the pistons had huge holes in the sides. They think it was worn out injectors pouring way too much fuel in. So now shes all rebuilt and has almost twice as much power as before.
I've heard a lot of things said about the 903. Never have heard it called a "legend". Personally, the 855 was my favorite 4wd engine.
how about the Big Bud. My inlaws still farm with one and had two at one time.
Glad you mentioned them.....time for a new thread! Ed
Gday all, just reading the posts and it seems like the Steigers are very good quality machines that do what they are supposed to do, i.e give good hard service with TLC. Just wondering if you can put a Dozer blade on the front of them and a couple of rippers on the back??? Sounds like it has been done before, but wondering on the success of the dozer type conversion? Is there anything i should look for in particular when looking at these tractors? cheers alex
Steiger with pan You can own one here; http://www.ironplanet.com/jsp/s/item/281079 Looks like a well done conversion and with 14000 hrs must have moved some dirt in its day.
The friend that leases my property has a 14' wide Degelman on one of their Steigers, it's used for stacking siliage in the bunk silos. He claims it works pretty good for moving snow also. http://www.degelman.com/ Ed
Ever seen one like this? http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=112200468#!/photo.php?fbid=509034909941&set=a.502307661401.2018949.214000741&pid=30583748&id=214000741 \ http://www.facebook.com/profile.php...1.2018949.214000741&pid=30583751&id=214000741 http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=112200468#!/photo.php?fbid=509034974811&set=a.502307661401.2018949.214000741&pid=30583753&id=214000741
DK Stihl, gday i believe that, that is a Case Steiger, in Australia they are branded as a CASE quad trac tractor, they appear to be identical. Cheers Alex
Thanks, I knew that though, I was wondering if anyone had seen one painted in that color. They come red usually and this one is painted the retro green color.
Righto, well the only products i have seen rebranded were the Lexion headers, they were under the CAT colour scheme and branding, they now have changed to CLASS. It might be a limited edition model??? I believe CASE now has a HD line of articulateds, this might be a rebranding under the scheme. Cheerio Alex
Looks like the real deal judging by the decals. I'd take mine in classic IH red though. FYI - If you want to spend the $$ you can order your new tractor painted a custom color. (not sure about 4WD's though?) Mostly utilized by highway departments, but when I worked for CaseIH I heard about a farm in Florida that had all of it's equipment painted purple?! :beatsme ISZ
I run a 76 panther 325 series 3 with the 3406 cat.. cheap good power, better then any 855 cummins. cant run it out of power and run two days on a tank of fuel, steiger was the forfather for the ford versatile and john deere and international articulating tractors
Not too sure about Steiger being the start , Versatile dates back to he late 60's with some big units also.. Then they were bought by Ford late 80's . sold to Buhler in 2000.. They all have their good / bad points.
Not too sure about Steiger being the start , Versatile dates back to he late 60's with some big units also.. Then they were bought by Ford late 80's . sold to Buhler in 2000.. They all have their good / bad points. Steiger dates into late 50's.
Versatile is credited as the first company to mass-produce articulated four-wheel drive tractors, starting in 1966 with the D100 and G100 four-wheel drives. Steiger on the other hand is credited with selling one of the first, if not the first, modern 4WD tractor. The Steigers first built a tractor for their own use in their workshop, then built another and sold it to a neighbor in 1958. In 1963, the Steigers became serious about building tractors and designed a series of units for sale. John Steiger and his sons, Douglas and Maurice, were successful farmers near Red Lake Falls, Minnesota. They needed a larger tractor in their farming operation that was not available commercially. They built the first STEIGER tractor in their barn on the Steiger farm during the winter of 1957. The first tractor weighed 15,000 pounds, was made mostly from salvaged parts, and was powered by a Detroit 6-71 Diesel Engine. It ran well enough to accumulate 10,000 hours of field time in just 10 years. This tractor is currently displayed in a West Fargo, North Dakota, museum. The second tractor was much smaller and was powered by a 3-71N Detroit Diesel Engine. During the barn production time frame, approximately 125 tractors were built on the Steiger farm with the help of 20 employees. These tractors were distributed in both the U.S. and Canada. Due to increased demand, Douglas and Maurice Steiger reached an agreement with private businessmen from North Dakota and Minnesota to move production to Fargo, N. D. in 1969. Douglas Steiger served as the chief designer while Maurice Steiger headed production. During the 70's STEIGER also produced more than 10,000 tractors for Allis-Chalmers, Ford, CCIL's Canadian CO-OP Implement Limited and International Harvester. The first true AC 4WD would be the 7580 (1977) and 8550 (1978), which were updated with 8000 series sheet metal as the 4W-220 and 4W305 respectively. ISZ
I failed to finish research before commenting...Thank you for the further information..
I'd like to see one of those purple Steigers!