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Recently there has been a 3-point factory hitch on eBay for the OC3 that is a rare find.  The price tag for me is too high .... but, realize that it may be worth the price if it is a real need for daily use.  If I were to get such a setup, I would use it for a rear mounted, PTO driven tiller (like the new style you can get at Tractor Supply for around $1600, I believe.  But, after giving this some thought, I was wondering if the HP on the OC3 would be enough to really handle this type of implement?  If not, it would be allot of money and wasted effort to use this setup for just a rake or sickle mower on the rear of the crawler.

Obviously, there are a ton more of implements that could be utilized with a 3-point setup, for me, not having a rear lift has posed its challenges through the years.  After careful consideration and looking at this auction item in detail, I realized that the one OC3 I would want to put this on would also need a hydraulic setup (pump, controls, reservoir, and hoses) to even make this all work.  NONE of that is included in the auction with the $1800 price tag!  The reason for my post is about the HP of the OC3 and whether it would be able to handle a tiller type implement in the first place.  Any thoughts?

I use my HG to pull a Farmall Cub 54" tandem disk all the time in my field.  I typically first use a pull-type 2-bottom plow and then disk across that many times for 4 acres.  The crawler handles both implements quite well.  I can plow in 2nd gear in dry dirt .... usually have to go back to 1st if it is heavy and wet ground.  I pull the tandem disk in all 3 forward gears.  I have contemplated getting a 6-foot tandem disk to cover more ground faster, but think that it would be too heavy resulting in wasted time and too much strain on the crawler.  I now have 3 of the Farmall Cub tandem disks that I use with my 2 OC3s and one HG.  I can usually get them for about $250 at auction ($400 on the high side).

There is no thermostat as standard equipment.  There is an option for a water-temp gauge to be added to the top of your instrument gauge panel that, I believe, connects to some sort of inline thermostat (one that would screw into the extra screw-capped port of your water pump).  If you are interested in adding this to your crawler, I'm sure that Landis Zimmerman would be more than happy to assist you and would have the parts to make it happen.  His shop number is:  717-738-2573.

Mark, Zimmerman's sells a quart of tank sealer for around $30.  I just finished using it on one of my crawlers and have been very satisfied.  There was enough left over to also coat my hydraulic resevoir with it as well.

It is first best to power wash the tank to get rid of any loose debris and rust, let it dry, then pour the entire contents of the quart sealer into the tank (plugging the lower drain port).  You rotate the solution around for a few minutes, coating all surfaces, the pour the remaining contents back into the can for future use.  Next, you rotate the tank every 1/2 hour or so all day long making sure that all sides and top get coated (this is so that the remaining solution does not get to thick on the bottom and not dry properly).  The solution looks like milk and traps all debris and surface rust into it, leaving a white, milky coating inside thae tank.  My gas is nice and clear after using this stuff.  It's kind of like epoxy coating your internal tank with a "glue" that will not break down with the gasoline that will be in contact with it.  It stinks and definitely is not environmentally safe!  Once dry, there is no harm though.

Most of the HG models I've seen have the IXK-3 engine (3-1/8 x 4).  There may have been some later model HG's with the IXB-3 engine (3-1/4 x 4), but all that I've seen with the IXB-3 are OC-3's.  Early model HG's had no water pump and used a 2" diameter lower radiator hose straight to the lower block elbow port.  Later HG's and the OC-3's used a water pump and smaller diameter lower radiator port that connected to a U-shaped pipe connecting to the water pump (located behind the fan pulley).

Thanks John!  I sent you a PM with my email address.

Thanks John!  This is very useful information to me.  I have always wondered about when an HG with IXK3 engine added a water pump.  I didn't think that the IXK3 engine every had one until I saw one that was being parted out recently.  The idler setup change info is also very helpful.  Thank you for sharing this input!

I am in the final stages of rebuilding an HG into an OC-3 with a Ware 3-WI Loader and need some input regarding a water pump setup.

I have just purchased a water pump/fan assembly for an OC-3 and was wondering how it connects to the block?  I have not received it yet so I do not have it in my hand to look at.  I am adding this to an IXK3 engine.  Is there a freeze-out plug on the engine face that this pump housing mounts to?  What kind of seal goes between the two?

This project has been a long one and very costly!  I started with the picture you see in my Avitar and will post a completed one when done.  The frame has been changed to the later OC-3 style, new radiator, new idler wheels, rebuilt finals, rebuilt main springs & rollers, new track frames (OC-3 style), new seat mount, rebuilt starter & generator, new hydraulic pump driveline.  $1800 for the base crawler and over $5500 in parts (including loader parts)!

Since the start of this project in 2002 I've purchased two other OC-3's (one with Anderson Blade - newer style & one as a farm crawler to pull plows & disks - 12" grouser plates).  These are addicting!

The Hercules IXK3 engine was used on the HGs and then went to the IXB3 engine with the late HGs and OC-3s (I little longer stroke and more displacement).  The IXK3 did not have a water pump, the IXB3 does.  There was allot of overlap in colors throughout Production and branding from Cletrac to Oliver, so you really cannot go by that for the model year.  The frames went through 3 major changes from the early HG to OC-3, I'll try to summarize as I remember from my own experiences:

1st Generation Frame:

Small or no inside fish plate reinforcement, four rear bolt holes to mount to the differential case with the addition of angle brackets bolted to the side of the frame and U-bolts through these brackets & around the final drive housings for additional mounting support.

2nd Generation Frame:

Long inside frame fish plates for added stiffening.

3rd Generation Frame:

Long inside frame fish plates and fanges that go through the rear finals.  What I mean by this is that the frame had 3/8" thick plates that were sandwiched between the final drives and differential.  This added much better support for dozer operations.

You probably will have a hard time finding out the exact model year, but would probably guess up to 1946 for the 1st generation frame, '47 to '49 for the 2nd, and '50 up for the 3rd.

I'm pretty sure that the 3-HI loader was out well before the 3-WI model.  The 3-HI model superceded the HGH model (both the HGH and 3-HI models were made for the HG but probably made their way onto the early OC-3's).  Landis Zimmerman would most likely know the exact dates of these models if you want the details.  Ray & Harold are also quite knowledgable with the HG and OC-3's as well.

It could be mounted on an HG, but I would recommend the use of the solid idler wheels up front and the heavier main springs on the OC-3.  They can be swapped out on the HG (I believe).  The newer style frames on the later OC-3's help quite a bit, but it will mount to the HG frame as well (the same frame with slight modifications).

The hyraulic pump is front mounted and driven off of the front engine pulley shaft.

Ware 3-HI Loader


Ware 3-WI Loader


Ware 3-WI Loader on OC-3

I will try and dig up some pictures that I have from the past.  I sold the HG loader and optional push-arms and blade that went with it (3-HI), but I have photos of it on file.  The main difference between the 3-HI and the 3-WI is that the latter is much stonger and supported.  It has tubular lift arms as opposed to flat bar arms and the side frames are made from solid steel triangle pieces as opposed to open frame supports.

I have a Ware 3-HI loader with the optional under-side push-frame and dozer blade (best of both worlds), if you are interested.  The loader with bucket came with an OC-3 I bought a while back.  I bought the lower push frame and dozer blade for this model loader from Zimmerman a year or so later.  I never got the chance to mount any of it on the crawler.  I started rebuilding this OC-3 from the ground up and came across a 3-WI loader that I am am going to mount instead.  I opted for this since I picked up an OC-3 with an Anderson blade a few years ago and already have that as a dozer machine.  I'm in Pine Bush, NY (12566) if interested.  EMail me at mailto:nick@pinelinedfarms.com">nick@pinelinedfarms.com if you want to discuss further.

I am in the process of finalizing my HG restoration and found that my front idlers are VERY sloppy!  The reference diagrams in the manual are not very clear.  It looks like there are 2 oil seals per idler and maybe 1 bushing?  Or, are there 2 bushings (inner & outer)?  Is there anything else there that would need replacement?