Kramer K 12 Schmalspur
Built: 1940 · Series: K-Reihe
More machines from model year 1940
Not the right version? The data comes from vehicle registers holding many near-identical versions side by side. Photograph the data plate — we read make and type from it. Open the scanner e-mail address required
Kramer K: from pre-war model to wood-gas tractor – one- to three-cylinder engines with 8.09 to 32.9 kW (11 to 45 hp), 1,100 to 3,990 cm³ displacement
The K series accompanies Kramer from the late 1930s through the war years into the post-war period, and even includes the K 25 Holzgas with a wood-gas generator — an emergency solution for the diesel shortages of the Second World War.
Read on 4 more paragraphs
The register lists 14 live models, from the K 12 to the K 30, built between 1936 and 1957. Output ranges from 8.09 to 32.9 kW, or 11 to 45 hp, weight from 1,045 to 2,750 kg, displacement from 1,100 to 3,990 cm3, across one-, two- and three-cylinder engines.
The long production span of more than two decades shows how Kramer continuously adapted the K series to changing fuel situations and market conditions, from pre-war model to post-war diesel tractor.
For collectors, the K 25 Holzgas is the series' most historically interesting model, direct evidence of wartime fuel scarcity.
Depending on the model, the K series used different cooling methods, including thermosiphon cooling, in which water circulates purely through the density change caused by heating, without a pump; this was simple and trouble-free, though less effective than pumped water cooling. With output up to 32.9 kW, the K models sat mostly within three-point category 0 to I under ISO 730. The widely differing cooling methods within the K series make a blanket assessment of maintenance effort difficult.
Sources: SpecCodex register, model data: Kramer K-Reihe
Technical data
Engine
| Fuel | dieselcorrect |
|---|---|
| Power | 11 hp (8.1 kW)correct |
| Rated speed | 1,500 rpmcorrect |
| Cylinders | 1correct |
| Displacement | 1,100 cm³correct |
| Bore | 100 mmcorrect |
| Stroke | 140 mmcorrect |
| Injection pressure | 120 barcorrect |
| Cooling | evaporative coolingcorrect |
Dimensions and weights
| Length | 2,700 mmcorrect |
|---|---|
| Width | 1,120 mmcorrect |
| Height | 1,440 mmcorrect |
| Wheelbase | 1,800 mmcorrect |
| Ground clearance | 225 mmcorrect |
| Unladen weight | 1,450 kgcorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Drive | rear-wheel drivecorrect |
|---|---|
| Gearbox | 4V/1Rcorrect |
| Forward gears | 4correct |
| Front tyres | 5.25 x 16 ASFcorrect |
| Rear tyres | 8.00 x 20 AScorrect |
| Top speed | 15 km/hcorrect |
Working data
| Fuel tank capacity | 15 lcorrect |
|---|
Origin and approval
| Construction | frame constructioncorrect |
|---|---|
| Units built | 2correct |
Where this model stands
Power-to-weight ratio: 5.6 kW/t (8 kW / 1.4 t)
Power class: Compact (< 40 hp)
Stronger than 1% of the tractors in the register — out of 15,663 models with a stated power figure.
Calculated from the documented figures above — not a rating.
Frequently asked questions
How much power does the Kramer K 12 Schmalspur have?
The Kramer K 12 Schmalspur delivers 11 hp.
How much does the Kramer K 12 Schmalspur weigh?
The unladen weight is 1,450 kg.
What engine does the Kramer K 12 Schmalspur have?
1 cylinders, 1,100 cm³ displacement, Diesel.
How fast does the Kramer K 12 Schmalspur go?
Top speed is 15 km/h.
What are the dimensions of the Kramer K 12 Schmalspur?
2,700 mm × 1,120 mm × 1,440 mm.
When was the Kramer K 12 Schmalspur built?
Production years: 1940.
What to check before buying
- Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
- Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
- Check the weights in the papers against the figures here — attachments change them.
- Check front and rear tyre sizes: mismatched pairs strain the drivetrain.
- Shift the gearbox cold and warm — jumps only show up at temperature.
- Load the hydraulics and watch for sag.
- Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
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This page carries 26 individual figures for this model. They come from 1 recorded source; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
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Other models in this series
Sources: Wikibooks Traktorenlexikon (CC BY-SA 4.0) (retrieved August 2026) · How we check the data
Tractor in 3D section
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