1989 Deutz-Allis 9190: Tractor Talk

When Klockner-Humboldt-Deutz (KHD) took over the ag side of Allis Chalmers in 1985, the only part of the old tractor lineup they wanted to keep was the big stuff. Specifically, they wanted the recently upgraded 8000 series. We told that story in the December 2014 Tractor Talk. The Spring Green-colored KHD tractors ended up replacing most of the AC small and mid-sized equipment. They were built in Germany and rebadged as Deutz-Allis, which ultimately became the corporate name for the new company. That’s also a story we told back in the October 2013 issue of Diesel World.

With a 119-inch wheelbase, the 9120 is a long tractor. That was a good thing from the weight balance and ride comfort standpoints, but made for a wide turning circle. This tractor weights more than nine tons before weight are added. It came standard with AWD and an 18-speed partial power shift transmission. This one has already lived a life of hard work but is not done yet. The rear dual radial tires make this a tractor that’s still up to long days in the field with big implements and tough ground. It’s seen here on AGCO Dealer J.L. Wannamacher’s lot in Ottoville, Ohio.

The Allis-Chalmers buyout occurred in March of 1985, with the factory slated to be closed later in the year. From that time until December 6, 1985, the plant cranked out rebadged 6000 and 8000 series tractors as fast as it could. These were going to hold the big tractor line for Deutz-Allis while parent KHD figured out how to roll out a new line of big equipment.

The obvious first answer was a larger German KHD model though they didn’t quite have the features needed by the American market. This was proven by the introduction of 7100 series Deutz-Allis units, which were 100+ hp tractors. These were superb tractors in most ways but more suited to the European farming scene. On top of that, the exchange rate was unfavorable for competitive pricing, making it difficult to gain a foothold in in the domestic market.

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The Deutz BF6L513R engine was a fairly new iteration of the Deutz air-cooled engine family in 1989. It’s modular, meaning the basic cylinder displacement and engine design features can be found in many configurations, from inline to Vee, from three to 12 cylinders. Deutz has had air cooling down to a science for decades and the cooling fan on this baby could double as an Apache helicopter tail rotor. As long as it was kept revved up, it could stay cool in all climates. These engines are just a little under square and the six-cylinder crankshaft is supported by seven main bearings. In automotive use, this six was often rated for 240 hp. For ag use, you see them set at 200-212 hp but can be run at 223 hp intermittently. Bosch injection dominates the German diesel industry and the Deutz are so equipped. The BF6L513R used a PE inline pump. The turbo is a unit from Triple-K, one of Germany’s long-standing manufacturers. Despite being air cooled, at 1,400 lbs., the engine has some beef to it.

Deutz-Allis considered building a version of the widely accepted 8000 line in Germany but that was rejected due to tooling costs, as well as the exchange rate again. In the end they went to White (which was made up of the old Oliver and Cockshutt companies) and had them design a new composite tractor that featured a White final drive mated to a Deutz air-cooled six-cylinder diesel. Deutz engines were already distributed here, so it wasn’t a complete stranger in North America. The rest of the new 9100 series tractors was as familiar to Americans as apple pie. The 9100s had everything the American farmer desired, and were styled in a way that linked them back to the beloved AC brand. Best of all, the trademark AC Persian Orange was back.

The 9100s came in three variants, the 9150, which was powered by a 150-hp, 374-cid turbocharged and intercooled Deutz. The 9170 and 9190 were both powered by the big Deutz 584-cid turbocharged six but the 9170 was a little lighter and rated at only 172 hp. The 193-hp 9190 only came with all-wheel drive where the 9170 and 9150 could be purchased with conventional rear drive or all-wheel drive.

There was still one wild card feature in this line of tractors, the Deutz air-cooled modular diesels. There was a bit of a familiarity curve for the American farmer. The Deutz diesels did best when spun up, which also kept them cool regardless of ambient heat or load. Lest the term “spun up” remind you of the not-always-so-fondly-remembered period when two-stroke GM diesels attempted inroads in the American tractor market, the four-stroke Deutz was another breed of cat. It was nowhere near as “peaky” as the Jimmy, nor as loud or thirsty, but it required an operator to run his equipment a little differently and it was louder than a water-cooled powerplant. Since “different” can be perceived as “bad,” the Deutz-Allis air-cooled tractors are left by history with no gray area. They are either greatly loved or greatly reviled.

The all-wheel drive system features a German-made ZF front axle, which was then, and is still, common use in the American ag industry. The rear final drive was a White unit that had roots back in the Oliver days but was well proven by the time the 9190 came along. Some say the 193 hp Deutz is pushing against this final drive’s design limitations but that is not generally proven by lots of failures.

The control layout had a slightly Euro flair to it but still was comprehensible to American farmers. Some of the KHD-built tractors didn’t have that quality. The 9190 was in the upper tier of operator comfort and can still hold its own in that regard.

The cab was nearly identical to the one used by White in the same era and it was quite comfortable for the day. Air conditioning was standard.

The 9190 was the biggest tractor in the series. It was powered by a 584-cid Deutz air-cooled inline six. The tractor was Nebraska-rated at 193.55 PTO hp. With front wheel assist, it generated 170.3 drawbar ponies and a maximum of 18,870 lbs. of pull. The Deutz was coupled to a White 18-speed partial power shift transmission that was well proven and popular. The cab and most of the systems were also White, but the front sheet metal was styled to evoke Allis Chalmers. It also bore a striking resemblance to KHD tractors.

Behind the scenes, as the 9100 series debuted, KHD was struggling. The recession and the vagaries and challenges of the American market made the Deutz-Allis venture a money pit. As is the way of the world, one company’s money pit is another’s opportunity and in 1990, the AGCO Corporation was formed from the bones of Deutz-Allis. In 1990 the Deutz-Deutz Allis 9190 became the AGCO-Allis 9190 and remained on sale into 1992. By then, AGCO was moving forward with a new line of tractors, some of them still using the Deutz air-cooled diesels. But that’s another story. DW