Allis Chalmers Baureihe-U
2 models in this series
Allis-Chalmers U and UC – the first US production tractor on pneumatic tyres from 1932: four-cylinder petrol/kerosene engines from Milwaukee, 18.6 to 19.1 kW, 2,187 to 2,706 kg
Allis-Chalmers was formed in 1901 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from the merger of several machine-building firms and built its farm tractors at the West Allis works. The U model reached the market in 1929 and stayed in the line-up until 1952; in 1932 Allis-Chalmers became the first US maker to fit it with pneumatic tyres as standard, after trials with racing drivers on a bicycle track had proven their advantage over steel wheels. UC denotes the narrow-tread version with a tighter front axle for row-crop work, while U carries the standard tread. Both were powered by a side-valve four-cylinder that could run on petrol or tractor kerosene – a dual arrangement typical of the period, allowing continuous work on the cheaper but harder-to-ignite fuel.
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The register lists here 2 versions with 18.6 to 19.1 kW from four-cylinders of 4,649 to 4,654 cm³ at 1,200 rpm, unladen weights from 2,187 to 2,706 kg, lengths from 3,019 to 3,178 mm, widths from 1,321 to 1,753 mm and heights from 1,365 to 1,718 mm.
The U marked Allis-Chalmers' entry into the mass market for farm tractors and competed directly with John Deere, International Harvester and Case; the whole industry's switch to pneumatic tyres during the 1930s owes much to this model's success. The narrow UC additionally opened up customers in row-crop maize and cotton farming, where the narrow front axle could run between the plant rows.
Buying one of these early models used, the state of the cylinder head and valves matters most, since switching between petrol and kerosene strains the engine more than running on petrol alone; check the cooling system, crankshaft bearings and gearbox gears for wear and play. Spare parts are scarce and run almost exclusively through specialist vintage-tractor dealers and clubs for historic Allis-Chalmers machines; original-size tyres and carburettor parts are among the hardest components to find.
Sources: SpecCodex register, model data: Allis-Chalmers Baureihe U
Models
Tractor in 3D section
Turn the model, look inside and click an assembly — each one is explained.
