Pictures posted of the OC-5 experimental tractor

Blake Malkamaki · April 18, 2011, 03:20:40 AM

Folks, I just posted some pictures of the OC-5 experimental tractor at http://cletrac.org/photos/categories.php?cat_id=25

These particular tractors are marked as OC-4A (dozers) and OC-56 (loaders). I'm not sure why they are marked differently, or if there are any internal differences.

I don't know how many were made, or what ever became of them. There is a chance some may still exist. The Zimmermans claim to have one or know of one.

I doubt more than a handful of people have ever heard of the OC-5. I scanned these pictures today from slides I have had for about 30 years, so this is the first time anyone has seen them.

The slides are dated October 1961.

Blake

ianoz · April 18, 2011, 06:09:57 AM

Great Photos Blake

.Thank you for sharing them with us . Ian .

Bob · April 18, 2011, 11:41:45 AM

I saw them one time!! brag brag brag

Thanks for putting them up

Doug424 · April 19, 2011, 03:28:02 PM

Looks they had a lot of similiarities to the OC-9 & 96. Do you know if they used the same style drivetrain? How about the motors?

Blake Malkamaki · April 19, 2011, 11:57:28 PM

I don't know Doug. Maybe someone else will know. Ray Zimmerman knows some about them, but I'm not sure whether he monitors the forum now.

I think the steering is more like the OC-4 - probably Spot Turn, but maybe controlled differential was available too for farming (??) The steering levers look like they almost go under the seat. And there are no brake drums in the back like the OC-9 has.

Blake

Quote from: Doug424 on April 19, 2011, 03:28:02 PM
Looks they had a lot of similiarities to the OC-9 & 96. Do you know if they used the same style drivetrain? How about the motors?

clueless · May 17, 2011, 03:07:48 PM

Sorry for the late reply; haven't been in site for awhile.
I was in a 94 Clevite bearing catalog a day or so ago looking for something Oliver, and OC5 sounded familiar. Looked again and it lists an OC5G as a tractor with a Wauk 185, but doesn't say which 185. Wauk section lists seven 185 dsl and seven 185 gas.
Could be a misprint, as checking 5-6 other parts catalogs doesn't show any OC5. That Clevite catalog doesn't list Cletrac and only lists Oliver OC4, 5G, 6 and 6d, the 5G, 6 and 6D all with "Wauk 185".

John Schwiebert · May 19, 2011, 01:25:09 AM

I doubt if it was a 185 Waukesha. Believe me those catalogs leave a lot to be desired. I think they used the 169 Hercules. I also know that one was built with a Perkins.

Blake Malkamaki · May 30, 2011, 06:25:02 PM

I just found out from my uncle that one of the OC-5s was actually at our farm for some time. Unfortunately, it was before I was born, so I don't remember it.
Blake

Bob · June 01, 2011, 03:29:15 PM

He said it was more like an overgrown OC4

oliverchris · August 01, 2013, 03:21:50 PM

Taking Blake's photos, there is evidence for four of these experimental machines:
a gas-powered dozer labelled as an OC4-A [looks like a 3 cylinder Hercules];
a gas-powered logging-rig loader labelled OC-56 [looks like a 3 cylinder Series B Hercules - just looking at position of air cleaner];
a regular loader with a diesel, labelled OC-56 [almost certainly the one John mentions as having a Perkins];
an unlabelled agricultural machine - probably gas? probably Series B Hercules?? Blake has called this an OC4-A (maybe that was evident from the slide labelling)

I also know of one other (see below) - labelled as an OC46-A - its a loader identical to the regular OC56 above - except it has an original gas-powered 4 cylinder Waukesha - the same as the unit in Oliver 550 tractors

So at least 5 of these were built.

oliverchris · August 01, 2013, 06:39:42 PM

Pics of OC46-A experimental tractor

oliverchris · August 02, 2013, 06:39:33 PM

Apologies for the edits. I'm updating this as I discover more.
This machine has some visual design in common with the Oliver OC-9 (bodywork, drawbar, gas tank & cockpit/seat area, levers/pedals are all similar. However, there's far less that's similar when you take a look at their operation.
Comparisons with OC-9:
The OC46-A pictured above has a three speed transmission. OC-9 is a four speed.
OC-9: Manual shift lever (to driver's left) selects 1st and 3rd in forward position, selects 2nd and 4th in back position. OC46-A: Has a regular shifter for the three gears on the right-hand side (similar to OC4's). Manual shift lever on left-hand side is a hi-lo range selector for all three gears, giving 6 forward and 6 reverse gears!
OC-9: Power-shift lo-hi range lever (in between brake levers). In forward position will select between 2nd & 4th; rear position selects between 1st & 3rd depending on the position of the manual shift lever (see above). On OC46-A this is the reverser lever - selecting between forward or reverse in all three drive gears. There's no dedicated reverse gear like that found in an OC-4/OC46.
OC-9: Brake levers - both forward drives tractor forwards, using right-foot accelerator pedal to increase speed. Both pulled backwards drives tractor backwards. OC46-A: select forward or reverse via the "power-shift" lever. Throttle is on dash like an OC-4/OC-46.
Both models: Gradual turn is achieved by setting one brake lever in neutral and pulling on the other in direction of turn.
OC-9: the right & left left-foot pedals operate a left or right spot-turn. OC46-A: Has spot-turn braking unit - probably same as those found in OC4's. The single pedal on floor is the clutch pedal. The OC46-A has no 'trans-o-matic' or torque converter.

The serial tag on the OC46-A is a modified OC-9 tag. Serial # is EX-02.

oliverchris · August 28, 2013, 01:53:27 AM

I purchased this experimental tractor in Charles City, Iowa (not far from where it was built) a couple of weeks ago. It will be next-up for restoration

Blake Malkamaki · August 28, 2013, 03:20:49 AM

I'm pretty sure all those tractors were built in Cleveland Chris. I could be wrong, but all the development, testing, etc was all done in Cleveland.

oliverchris · August 30, 2013, 01:25:23 AM

Hi Blake. The owner told me he purchased it through his connections at the Charles City factory. The OC4 Series B's were already being built there, so I made the assumption that these potential OC4/OC46 replacements were built there too AFTER the Charles City plant took over crawler production in '62. But I stand to be corrected. I recall that your slides were dated 1961, so that would indeed suggest Cleveland. However, my tractor is not one of the 4 in your slides, so maybe we'll never know

We may know more when we take it apart. I'll have another chat with the man who used it for 60 years.