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Chamberlain 55DA Chamberlain Logo
Chamberlain model 55DA Click Speaker to start & run engine ( 26 seconds ) file size 153kb
   
Serial No: 241
Build Year: 1956
   
Owner: Rick Gibbs
Original Owner: Jim Rogers
From: Northampton, Western Australia

Tractor History

The tractor and engine was purchased from Ian Harrison of Geraldton, Western Australia in May 2004.  Ian owned this tractor for about 10 years.

When Ian purchased the tractor, it had been parked at Jim Rogers farm at Nothampton in Western Australian, having been retired for some years.  The tractor had been fitted with a Ford 300 ci diesel engine and was used as the rear tractor of a tandem couple.  A governor link attached to the enginge became disconnected and over-revved the engine, causing the tractor to be retired.

The tractor started life in the eastern wheat and was fitted with the Ford engine when the Rogers were farming in that region. The tractor traveled to Nothampton where the farmer relocated his farming business.

The 55DA engine was advertised in the then "Elders Weekly" and was located by Ian Harrison in the great southern of the state, where a family of Stones had a few chamberlains.

This engine was completely overhauled and fitted to the type 55 rear end. &nmsp;The restoration project took 10 months and was completed in March 2005.

To view the restoration photo album and slide show,    Click Here

SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE
  • 2 cylinder, horizontally opposed, overhead valve, 4 stroke, bore 6.625 in., stroke 6.250 in.
  • 1,200 & 1,300 rpm. Compression ignition.
  • Displacement per cylinder: 215 cubic inch, compression ration 13:1
  • Crankshaft: Nodular iron, fully counter-weighted, drilled for full force feed lubrication to big end bearings.
  • Main Bearing Front: Heavy duty roller.
  • Main Bearing Rear: Heavy duty barrel roller.
  • Big End Bearings: Replaceable steel backed white metal precision type 4.75" diameter 3.0" long.
  • Connecting Rods: High tensile alloy steel drop forgings, drilled for full presure lubrication to gudgeon pins.
  • Cylinders: Special nickel alloy cast iron.
  • Cylinder Heads: Special nickel alloy cast iron, fitted with hardened valve seat inserts.  Valve guides are special cast iron.  Detachable air cooled cylinder head for petrol auxiliary combustion chamber.
  • Pistons: Aluminium alloy with AI-Fin bonded Ni- top ring insert.
  • Lubrication: By submerged gear type pump of large capacity, delivering oil through drilled passages to crankshaft.  A spring loaded by-pass valve is provided, set at 45lbs. per square inch.  An easily removable strainer is provided for the suction line of the pump.  A heavy duty tractor type oil filter with replaceable cartridge is provided.
HORSEPOWER
  • 54.6 Max. belt, 46.0 Rated belt at 1200 R.P.M.
  • 52.0 Max. drawbar, 39.0 Rated drawbar.
  • 7,268 lb Max. drawbar pull at 2.375 mph.
FUEL
  • Diesel. Fuel tank capacity 30.0 imp.gallons.
  • Gasoline ( starting only ) tank capacity 1.0 imp.gallons.
  • Filtration: A replaceable element, micronic type filter with strainers and a sediment trap.
COOLING
  • Thermo-syphon system using large diameter header pipes of ample height for efficient circulation.  Radiator of heavy duty tubular type with cast top and bottom tanks.
  • Ample cooling is provided and is controlled by radiator shutters operated from the driving seat.  A water temperature indicator is provided on the instrument panel.
GOVERNOR
  • Mechanical. Controlled by hand lever.
ELECTRICAL
  • 12 Volt starting and lighting system.
  • Four lights are provided, two in front and one at rear, using 12 volt 24 watt single contact globes and the instrument light using 12 volt 5 watt single contact globe.
  • The front and rear lamps are mounted on ball swivels so that they may be turned in any direction.
IGNITION (For petrol starting)
  • High tension magneto with delayed impulse coupling.
INJECTION
  • Separate CAV "Z" type pumps for each cylinder supplying pintle type injector nozzle.
CLUTCH
  • Over-centre type, driving plate is carried by involute splines in fywheel ring gear.  A ball-bearing clutch release collar is provided.  Clutch operation is by conveniently placed hand lever, which also permits operation from behind tractor platform to facilitate coupling up of implements.
TRANSMISSION
  • A three speed and reverse sliding spur gearbox mounted on the rear of the engine, proving nine forward gears and three reverse.
  • Gears are forged from high grade alloy steel and case hardened.
DIFFERENTIAL
  • Bevel gear type with hypoid crown wheel and pinion, running at four times rear wheel speed.
FINAL DRIVES
  • Two large ( 18 inch diameter ) case-hardened bull-gears meshing with pinions on the differential shaft.
  • Rear axles are 3.50 inches in diameter, high tensile steel.  Rear wheels are mounted on long splines through tapered clamping sleeves.
STEERING BRAKES
  • Individual steering brakes with separate pedals to assist steering under exceptional circumstances.
SERVICE BRAKE
  • A powerful brake operates on both rear wheels through compensating mechanism.
STEERING
  • Recirculating ball type steering gear.
  • Connected to front wheels by adjustable draglink and track rods fitted with ball joints.
POWER TAKE-OFF
  • Splined shaft is to the A.S.A.E. standard of 1.375" 6B.
  • Shaft speed is 540 rpm at 1200 engine rpm.  Clockwise rotation (viewed from rear).
  • Height above ground - 32.25 inches on 18 x 26 tyres.
  • End of shaft is 14 inches ahead of drawbar pin.  Shaft is 2 inches to the right of center.
  • This power take-off is capable of transmitting full engine pwer continuosly.
BELT PULLEY (Optinal Extra Equipment)
  • Belt pulley attachment is provided with bevel gear drive at rear of differential housing.
  • Pulley - 13.0" diameter x 7.0" wide.
  • Pulley Speed - 810 rpm at governed speed of 1200 rpm
  • Belt speed is 2,740 feet per minute.
TYRE AND WHEEL EQUIPMENT
  • Front - 7.50 x 18.0 on split cast wheels. ( Optional 8.25 x 20 )
  • Rear - 15.0 x 30.0 on split cast wheels. ( Optional 18 x 26 )
OVERALL DIMENSION
  • Length 135.0", Width 68.0", Height 90.0"
  • Wheelbase 83.0"
  • Turning circle 12ft-8inch.
OVERALL WEIGHT
  • Standard (on 18 x 26 tyres) without water or weights - 9,480 lbs.
SPECIFICATIONS AND GEAR CHART ( M.P.H. on Standard Tyres )
Eng.rpm 1 Low 2 Low 3 Low 1 Int 2 Int 3 Int 1 High 2 High 3 High
1,200 2.4 2.9 3.4 4.0 5.0 6.3 9.5 11.5 13.8
1,300 2.5 3.1 3.6 4.5 5.5 6.8 10.3 12.5 15.0

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