"Mangoman" wrote:

Very interesting! I am fairly new to this game and had no idea there were even direct drive D8s after the 36A. Never had heard of a 76V here in British Columbia.

On another note, Mrs. Mangoman went for a hike by herself the other day. Let's say my affection for old iron is completely lost on her. She had to drive a way up a logging road and she she came home she told me she saw a D8K. I nearly fell over in disbelief that she took note

Direct drive D8k’s were quite common from where this tractor came from and points south from there. When you take the per acre intensive practices done it this state and do it on that scale you would have found D8’s pulling general tillage operations such as heavy squadron stubble discs, or a 22’ x 75’ Marvin landplane or a big ed 21 shank vee chisel or best yet was a listing toolbar on a D8k SA with extra saddle tanks for diesel. The latest model DD D8 that was out there for general drawbar tillage was the D8L-SA.

All that has been largely replaced with rubber belts out in that part of the state and a change to permanent planting’s that only need a flail mower and a narrow low profile sprayer now.

"Neil" wrote:

Interesting CR, thanks for posting. Is anyone still running a D8L-SA and would they mind if someone videoed it in action? : ) Do you happen to know what the specs on it are?
And could you expand on the permanent planting you mentioned? Not familiar with that approach.

Neil: CR most likely referring to permanent crops as almonds, walnuts or pistachios. We are beginning to see a few blocks of pecans and chestnuts as well. The stone fruit industry is losing acres, as so labor intensive and too risky for some. Add the regulations to the mix, and it doesn’t add up, so here come the nuts.
Myself, I’ve only witnessed one D8L SA working the Glenn County área pulling a chisel or disc. Quite odd looking at the time; no blade, only a small amount of front counterweights and an AC cab.
The D8H/K is still regarded as the ideal CAT in these parts for orchard removal and ripping. The standard low track machines can drop their dozers and be used to rip between orchard rows. One of my neighbors had a guy fight to get his work with a high track, only to destroy the orchard. Broken limbs everywhere. The H/K can still glide thru there!

I have the D8L -SA build sheet somewhere, I just have to find what box it ended up after a few moves and potential moves. I believe the L SA’s were exchanged for Deere 9400T’s when they came out if I remember the story correctly. The company was also shipping them to be used at their NSW Australia farm operations as well.

Juiceman ripping in a growing orchard... that sounds like a good way to remove all the buried drip or sprinkler lines. I guess my grandfather tried that in an Almond orchard that wouldn’t take water ( furrow irrigation days) in the late 60’s with a D7 and the driver said he looked back and saw the ripper pulling out trees as soon as he put it into the ground. Later they used a AC-Oxnard 400 with only the center shank behind the D4D or 7U.

Here a picture of the D8L ag tractor in 1986 setup for Anhydrous fertilizer injection

D8L SA tractors, 400 bhp, 80,820 lbs, fitted with 3408 engine, 7' 8" track gauge. They were fitted with the standard 3 speed powershift transmission and a 2 speed marine clutch in place of the torque converter, giving them 6 speeds. Had what I consider a soft nose cone and carried a sandwich of weights under the nose for balance. Most of them ran wide track shoes in the vicinity of 30", maybe even 36".

I am not sure of the total build, however I think it was only small, maybe something like 56, eventually nearly all of them finished up in Australia, some from new and the balance were purchased as used units and shipped out here. I purchased one of the last used units from a dealer in Calexico, I know there was still a small number still in the US at the time.

Conventional D8L's were also used in Oz for ag work, generally they were tweaked to get a bit more grunt than the standard 335 bhp, final drives originally gave trouble due to th oil breaking down under heat from continuous loading, the fix was to change final drive oil at 250 hours same as engine.

Wombat

Neal, that D8 of Skinner's is in CA, here is a picture of the actual ripper in question.... and a few from the westside for your viewing pleasure.

"Wombat" wrote:

D8L SA tractors, 400 bhp, 80,820 lbs, fitted with 3408 engine, 7' 8" track gauge. They were fitted with the standard 3 speed powershift transmission and a 2 speed marine clutch in place of the torque converter, giving them 6 speeds. Had what I consider a soft nose cone and carried a sandwich of weights under the nose for balance. Most of them ran wide track shoes in the vicinity of 30", maybe even 36".

I am not sure of the total build, however I think it was only small, maybe something like 56, eventually nearly all of them finished up in Australia, some from new and the balance were purchased as used units and shipped out here. I purchased one of the last used units from a dealer in Calexico, I know there was still a small number still in the US at the time.

Conventional D8L's were also used in Oz for ag work, generally they were tweaked to get a bit more grunt than the standard 335 bhp, final drives originally gave trouble due to th oil breaking down under heat from continuous loading, the fix was to change final drive oil at 250 hours same as engine.

Wombat

Thanks for all the info Wombat. What is this marine clutch? Pardon the newbie questions but it has a conventional powershift transmission that uses planetaries for gear reduction but no old school countershaft type transmission? And the marine clutch is in ot out and no slippage like a normal TC? And what about the 76V and 36 series? Were they the same way or similar to an old 14A etc...?