the 9T 212 graders would be the next newer models to yours. I believe the main difference between the last 1U graders (made from 1946-1947) is the change to the D311 engine from the D3400 engine.

Someone had a 9T that had had a D3400 put into it, so at least where the engine bolts up, they were the same. At any rate, all Caterpillar products were all constantly being improved over the years, so even with the same serial number prefix, there will be differences as the series progressed. Your grader might be closer to an early 9T machine (made in 1948) than a later 9T (made in the mid 1950's)is (except for the engine)

As far as the prefix goes, I don't know if there is any system to the sequence of the prefixes through the years. In the late 40's to 50's there were U series tractors in the D2, D4, D6 and D8 size (the D7 of that era was the T series) but as your grader shows, there were also U machines at other times as well. So I would be interested to know any system of selecting the prefixes (first number and letter on the old machines and first 3 positions on the later machines)

i got some tires today ---- they are not 1000x24's they are 11.2x24 ag tires from a sprinkler system tread looks new tires area little dry but the price {free} was right and at least they are all the same size they appear about 4 inches shorter than the 1100x24's that are on it now and somewhat narrower. i am still looking for some of the right size and heavier duty but if all else fails these will go onto the machine i guess

How is the adjustment made on the steer box. I'm working on my 212 on and off when time allows. Also--do you know the motor oil capacity? I need to change it. Thanks, LB

"moonshadows" wrote:

i got some tires today ---- they are not 1000x24's they are 11.2x24 ag tires from a sprinkler system tread looks new tires area little dry but the price {free} was right and at least they are all the same size they appear about 4 inches shorter than the 1100x24's that are on it now and somewhat narrower. i am still looking for some of the right size and heavier duty but if all else fails these will go onto the machine i guess

Will those work--the ag tires?? I thought they would be to thin. If so I might try them. I'm thinking of taking off a wheel and slipping on a dayton 24.5 open center style wheel and see what it looks like it would take to make it work by welding in something to make it clamp up. May not even go on--have not tried it. If it would I have a good stock of 24.5 tubeless rough treads and would be all set. I can't think of a better set up. 14 ply radials you can get cheap. They measure same height as original tires. LB

"moonshadows" wrote:

also it has new 8.25 20 tires on the front but the rears are mis matched junk even has one 24.5 on one of the rims what size is supposed to be on the rear ??? i was guessing 1100x24 but would like to find out before searching ---scott

How was the 24.5 working out? Did it seem OK? Do you know if they welding in some sort of shim strip or something. I'd love to make my 212 use 24.5 tires. LB

LB, another machine with the D311 in it the op. manual says 16 qts. in it and that,s the same engine as the D 4U & 5U so they would all be pretty much the same along with the older engines like yours.

the 24.5 is on the rim and holding air with a tube in it it didnt look like there are any modifications ---- the ag tires am am sure are way too thin to use as an everyday machine but around the farm ill use em till i find some of the correct tires. it might just pull the cases apart but ill find out i guess. i just liked the price compared to new !!!

one thing about the 24.5's is the wedge bead against eh square bead on the rims iam sure it is the same as using hte ag type tires it is not right and probably wont last but if they are free you might try it

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just my 2 cents ---scott

Hi, Moonshadows.
Nice find. They were a good light grader that often got called on to do more than they were really designed for. It's a tribute to the engineers who did design them that they did it and survived.

I had not very much to do with 212's and only ever operated one. Even though it was a smaller machine than the Cat 12's I mostly operated, it had an almost identical blade lift gearing arrangement.

The bulk of the wear area on these gears at any one time is at the bottom 1/3 of the gear where they contact the worm gear that drives them. If another 1/3 segment of the gear appears less worm than the one currently being used, turn that segment to the bottom so that the worm gear is driving on that part of the gear.

When you do get it running, if you find that the blade lift controls are inclined to kick back at you pretty easy, remove the blade lift arm from the shaft and remove the inspection plug in the top of the hi-lift gear case in front of the cab, the one that the blade lift shaft comes out of. Then mark the top of the shaft in front of the gear case with a chalk or felt marking pen. Then, with the engine running, use the blade lift control to rotate the hi-lift gear full circle while you inspect it through the inspection hole to look for the least worn section. Put another mark on the top of the shaft shaft when the middle of the least worn section (if there is one) is at the top. Then turn that second mark to the bottom and replace the lift arm with the key in the nearest slot to the new position - if it is the same as the one I operated, there will be 3 key positions in the shaft.

If my memory serves me right, there is also adjustment in one form or another on that worm drive gear at the bottom. It is usually either an adjusting screw and lock nut or shims, depending on the model. If you do adjust this worm gear, be gentle 'cos it is entirely possible over-adjust and make the control very hard to impossible to use. I think it is also good policy to adjust it with just the barest amount of weight on the blade lift so that the worm gear is pushed in against its inner bearing. If you have down pressure on the blade the worm will be pushing out against the outer bearing cover where you make the adjustments.

When/if you take the front cover off the control gear box - preferably after draining the oil 'cos that can make a mess all over your nice, rusty floorplate - you will be confronted with a bewildering array of gears, clutches, drive shafts and control shafts. Stop and look INTO it rather than at it and it may slowly start to make sense and seem a little less daunting. Providing it hasn't already been done to death, it is sometimes possible to swap clutches and gears from one function to another or from one side to the other so that you have less worn dog clutch faces doing the work.

To do this, you really do need to be aware of how the whole system works so that you can decide which faces will be getting used to control what functions. This is the reason for looking INTO the control box rather than AT it. A clue - adjacent shafts turn in opposite directions.

If you get into the control gear box and do decide to do some swapping around, take out the bits that you want to swap and lay them all out in an orderly fashion to make it easy to put them all back as they were intended to be. There are assorted thrust washers and spacers that do need to go back in the right place for it all to work.

If you ever break a control shaft in the control box, you will need to get in there to remove and replace it and the control shafts did have a sometimes habit of breaking at the pin hole where the actuator fork is located on the conrol shaft.

I have had to do the above operation 20 miles from home with a 10" adjustable wrench and the bottom 1/3 of a 4 gallon drum to swap a couple of control shafts around so that I could get the blade up to get home. That was 'fun'. It was also 'edumacational'.

Happy grading.

thanks for all the great information

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i been playing and goofing this afternooon got the pony unstuck pulled the top off the carb made sure the float and valve where ok cleaned the water passages in the pony and set it back up on the engine to fire it up tomorrow


what fills the 3/16 gap between the pony and the head at the water passage ?? just silicone ??

i decided i needed to move it from its current location to do other stuff so hooked it to the truck had wife pull gave it a wiff of starting fluid dropped the clutch it coughed and spit ran out of driveway had her pull it back the other way dropped clutch in reverse and it fired right up after a minute to build fuel pressure it ran great added some water drove down the driveway turned around and came back

when i had it running i checked the operation of all the levers and everything worked good much smoother than anticipated and only one popped at all the others slid in smooth the only problem i encountered is it did not want to go into first gear probably just stiff as i have not spent the day greasing everything yet

iam so happy right now cant sit still too bad it got dark id still be playing ---scott

Make sure you check the sheer pin in the control box drive!!! If some one has slipped a grade 8 bolt in it, it will most likely brake the "power shaft going through the clutch and transmission, if something locks up or jams!!! Requiring the removal of the engine to replace it----if you can find one!!!!
I spent a year looking for the shaft for my 212-9T, mine was broken when I got it.
I have 10.00- 24 on the front and 12.00- 24 on the rear. I am trying to make a deal to trade the 12.00- 24's for some 10.00- 24.
Just a word of caution before you get a chance to check out all the gear box oil levels and adjustment on the turn tabel and the wheel lean and any thing that can jam or stick. A MUST IS CHECK THE SHEER PIN!!!!!!!!!!
Hope you have lots of fun with it.
Frank