Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1545857
After graduating from high school in 1970, I went two years to vo-tech school in Austin, Minn. I started to work at an Allis-Chalmers dealer in Plainview, Minn., in 1972. In the mid-1970s, I started pulling my boss' Allis 1936 "U" and got a first place in the 5,500-pound weight class. Antique puller tractors were 1938 and earlier then. In 1979, I bought a 1935 WC Allis and pulled it and got a first in the 3,500-pound class. After that, I wanted a bigger tractor, so I bought a 1929 Allis 20-35 that was converted to rubber. The 20-35 just had only two gears but did not make a good puller, but one time I got a first when the track was wet. Later on, the WC ran two classes of 3,500 and 4,500 lbs. The "U" ran two classes of 5,500 and 6,500 lbs., and the 20-35 ran anything over 6,500 lbs. I was looking for an "A" Allis with a big bore with a 563-cubic engine. I found one in Oklahoma that they overhauled, putting the big 5-ΒΌ inch sleeve and piston in. They plowed with the "A" with 4-16 plow with hydraulic container that ran by the tractor's PTO. When I got the "A" home and drove it around, I heard a noise sound like a differential. I split the rear end off the tractor and rolled it back. I took both axles off and rolled the differential out and had a bad tooth on the ring gear on the differential. I found a used differential at North Dakota. I put this one in the tractor along with the rest of the tractor parts. I then went to Elgin, Minn., to a tractor pull and pulled the WC and "U." First time to pull the "A." You could weigh over 6,500 and weigh as much as you wanted. I had seven weights on each wheel, a lot of weights on the platform, along with weighs on the front wheels. Two John Deere G's pulled through, a 28-44 Oliver pulled through, and my A pulled through. More weight was added to the sled. The two John Deere G's didn't go all the way. The 28-44 Oliver pulled through again along with my A. More weight was added to the sled and the Oliver couldn't start the sled. My A started the sled and was 2 feet away from a pull-through. Just spun out and 298 feet. At another pull in Clairmont, Minn., a 28-44 Oliver, Dave Ferguson's "A" and Arlo Toquam's "A" and my "A" won first that day. I pulled a lot of times with the WC, "U" and the "A" tractors. The Allis dealer let me use the semi- truck for a few years. I drove my "A" from Kellogg to Wabasha, Minn. Just before I reached Wabasha, I heard a vibration noise in the motor so I slowed down to make sure I could get to the pull. Took the cover off the side and found a loose rod bearing. I pulled the WC and "U." In between pulls, I could work on the "A," taking shims out to get the right clearance for the rod and crankshaft. When I pulled the "A" in the big class, I got first place. When I got the "A" home again, I took it apart to get the rods out to send them to the Twin Cities to have bearings put in. When I got the rods back and put The story of my Allis-Chalmers Tom Hager, St. 32 OLD ALLIS NEWS