Hi, 

New member here located in NW Georgia.

We have a small 30ac hobby farm, and are planning to purchase a much larger homestead in the next 5 years, est 300ac or so.

While I wait for the right property, I realize we'll have a lot of clearing to do when we'll get there. 

I stumbled on a 1953-54 D6U for sale not too far from me. #9U18082

I'm here to learn and would really like to hear opinions on whether it would be a good idea to restore and use for future land clearing. 

The details from the seller: 

• Ran last 6-8 years ago
• Pony motor has an issue (something about magnetos not touching)
• There appears to be antifreeze in the oil (can see antifreeze on oil dipstick)
• Left side undercarriage newer than the right side (was replaced at some point)
• Right side undercarriage is 5/10 (not clear on the ability for seller to judge this)
• Pony motor exhaust was left open and has water in it

I've spoken with the seller a little and seems he's basically wanting scrap value for it. I'm currently trying to figure out shipping cost (approx 150 miles). 

From what I can research, a range of weight for this should be between 17,000 and 22,000 lbs. The shippers I've spoken with are getting confused as newer D6's are around 38,000 lbs.

For those more experienced on the board, is this a good machine for me to take the next few years to slowly restore and then put to work clearing acres of land? 

I don't mind learning as I go and getting it fixed right, I do have some concerns on parts availability. To be clear, I'd be restoring this to work and not as a hobby or collection piece. 

Thanks in advance.

 

Clearing trees is very hard on these old hand clutch machines, strain on the clutch and drivetrain, blade push braces break or crack, and strain the hydraulics. Newer powershift tractors are built heavier. But if it's just small brush and take your time you might be ok. That coolant in the oil is a red flag! It could open a can of worms and can turn into a money pit in a hurry.

Even if you don't get it, worth going over thoroughly to get in practice for the next good deal.
Agree on coolant in the oil, big red flag. Any idea why? Could be a bad gasket somewhere, or could be a cracked block.
Just sold my beloved 1994 Toyota Hilux for essentially scrap value (with full disclosure) last month after finding coolant in the engine oil. At 300k miles the timing chain apparently wore through the housing. Cost to repair was more than the vehicle was worth.
Not sure what's meant by "magnetos not touching", should be one magneto, dirty points not touching is a common problem. Magneto can be rebuilt or swapped out rather easily.
A relatively big machine, think about how hard to move it from a remote location if you need somebody else to work on it.
Maybe pull the plugs, see if evidence of water in the pony engine.
If it's been sitting out in the rain, pull the oil drain plugs briefly all around, see how much water comes out.

A blasting license might be more fun, unfortunately much harder to aquire.

Keep shopping. If you enjoy working on old equipment and have a talent for it than go for it. I find that buying a more expensive machine that is in good operating condition may be a less expensive option in the long run. It is your choice. Good luck with whatever you do. I like when the old machines are brought back to life.

In addition to the points, the magneto assembly also has a distributor. Magneto sparks once each rev of the pony motor crankshaft, giving the spark to each side in turn. "Not touching" may refer to something in the distributor. Magneto trouble is not a killer issue. A possible cracked block is.

agree with ChuckC as well, i think he nailed it
-better off starting with a running machine, and maybe a little bigger if you want to clear land

Thanks everyone for weighing in.

I think the possible block crack makes this too high a risk for me at this time.

Also, not having an immediate use means I'm tying up capital in this where I could better use it elsewhere.

The undercarriage would be of much more concern to me than the engine. The most common ways they leak water into oil is the o rings on the sleeves, rust pin holes in sleeves or per combustion chambers rusting or the gasket of chambers leaking. Since you say anti freeze and not water and your location being warmer hard to believe the block is cracked. Parts to fix all the troubles I have spoken of are available. As for the pony, this machine would be a prim candite to put a direct electric starter on it. By serial number it should have the hole to just bolt starter on as well as wet clutch. The wet clutch on this model can be slipped all day long on a dozer and not eat it away. I have had several apart the fiction surface has always been good. They wear teeth out that drive it if from the flywheel, never the friction surface.


So if you are a fix it yourself guy it could a be good deal yet. But if oil just pores out of the final drives that also could be a deal breaker, that is a job that needs real pulling tools( up to a 100 tons). Of course the size of the trees you want to take on also becomes a issue. If you have time to dig roots out it can take quit a big tree, but do you want to spend the time.