1956 CJ5 Jeep Ad - First appearance of a Stratton Hydro-Lift?

eWillys post this 1956 newspaper ad -

The drawing with the dirt scoop appears to show a Startton Hydro-Lift.  This is the earliest example of ad showing the Stratton lift replacing the Monroe lift. 

We will update this post as we learn more.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

It has been a great year here at Farm Jeep.  First came Teddy, the new Lawson Hill Farm  puppy.  Teddy arrived in March and quickly took up his role as official Jeep dog.

In May, the Spring Willys Reunion was held in Farm Jeep's hometown, Columbus, Indiana.  We gave a presentation on the history of the hydraulic lifts that made the Jeep a fully functioning utility tractor.  May is our favorite time of year in Indiana, filled with bright, sunny, warm days.  But not this year.  Storms battered the show, but it was a still a great time.

Summer time and the living is busy.  We took the Farm Jeep to a number of antique tractor shows across south central Indiana.  These are great events for collecting stories about how Jeeps were used on farms.  We plan to post some of those stories here.  We also returned to the county fair where the Jeep has become a crowd favorite in the antique equipment tent.

The fall edition of The Dispatcher Classic Willy/Jeep Magazine contains an article, the first of a series on the making of the farm jeep.  More articles will be published in the coming year.  We have enjoyed working with the editor and the Jeep community in gathering information for our take on history.

The year ended with the surprise of a Bantam plow finding us, as described in our last post.  What a very fun year.  We definitely look forward to all the discoveries of the next Farm Jeep year.

A Bantam Plow Saved From the Scrap Pile!

This is a story we couldn't make up.  We received a note from Les from near Waterloo, Ontario who had found our posts about Bantam plows.  He said his father had an old plow with a Bantam tag that hadn't been used for 10 years and was about to go to the scrap pile.  Les ask if we might know of anyone who would be interested in it.

We jumped on the opportunity.  Four days later, Barry was in Ontario to pick up this beauty.

The plow appears to be complete.  The coulters are frozen, but the landside gauge wheel hardware is there and is free.  It does have on old wire car wheel instead of a Jeep rim. but it adds character.  Not sure how much, if any restoration, we will attempt.

The trip

Evan had to miss this JPRT (Jeep parts retrieval trip).  Barry's first pre-trip task was to determine what sort of paperwork he would need to bring the plow back to the states.  Some net searching indicated that all that was required for used farm equipment was a bill of sale. It would be a 9 hour trip each way, so he decided to break it into two days.

The trip north was uneventful and the weather quite pleasant for the first of December.  The best part was meeting Les and his father Leroy.  The only downside was Barry was in a rush to get back to the US and couldn't spend more time talking with them.  Leroy loaded the plow using his backhoe and even strapped it down, while Barry stood by just admiring the beautiful sight.  Leroy supplied a bill of sale and it was all that was needed for getting the plow back home.

Ripley, Believe It or Not

Barry resisted giving Les a hug for sending the note.  These were big guys and he wasn't sure that was a Canadian thing.   But he did push Leroy for some history.  Leroy said, "Well, it's from Ripley, believe it or not!"  The plow had been attached to a tractor he had purchased in Ripley, Ontario some 10 years ago.  The seller said if he wanted the tractor, he had to take the plow too.  So the plow was set aside while the tractor underwent a restoration.  The tractor is gone, but the plow remained. 

What we learned 

Les had sent us the model number NDGP-12, which is the same number used by Newgren.  So it is now clear that they did simply change the tag from Newgren to American Bantam, keeping the Newgren model number.  Les also sent the serial number 5005.  While we don't know what starting number Bantam might have used, it is easy to speculate that they started with 5000 and this was the fifth plow released.

We didn't learn how it arrived in Ripely, but it does give us hope that more Bantam labeled plows will surface.  We just hope that there are more people like Les out there who will save them from the scrap pile.

  

The things we have learned - Newgren hydraluics

Quentin from Ottawa, Ontario, sent us a note and pictures of the Newgren lift that he has rescued.  After wandering through the Farm Jeep site, he had questions about bringing the lift back to life  Quentin's lift is missing key components, leaving him with the basic frame.  While trying to respond to his questions, we thought it might be worthwhile to write a piece on what we have learned since we started our restoration over a decade ago.

Some perspective

The story of the Newgren lift begins and ends in just a couple of years.  The Newgren Company began selling a version of the Love Lift in 1946 and stopped production of the its own designed lift sometime after 1948 when it was purchased by Monroe Automotive Equipment Company.  The Newgren's simple design has allowed owners to keep the lift working even when key components had to be replaced.  Our focus has been to keep our lift as original as possible.  We were extremely lucky that our lift came with everything except the pump.  Later, we were able to find an original pump and bracket.  But between the time we found the the lift and installed the original style pump, we experimented with a number of alternative pump configurations.

This is not a how-to post, rather a more of a don't-do-what-we-did warning.  We also don't have complete information on how to replace all the components.  But hopefully, we can point Quentin and others in the right direction.

The basics

The Newgren system uses a single-action cylinder.  That means hydraulic fluid under high pressure is used to extend the cylinder and raise the implement and the weight of the implement retracts the cylinder to lower it.  A control valve is used to direct the fluid for the required action.  To raise the implement, the valve must direct the fluid to the upper (or top) chamber of the cylinder.  To maintain the position of the implement, the value must shut off flow to the cylinder and dump the fluid being pumped under pressure into the reservoir.  To lower the implement, the valve must open the upper chamber and allow the fluid to empty into the reservoir.

  

When we started, we didn't have this basic understanding and it caused us to make a number of mistakes.  For example, a single action cylinder requires a "port" to allow air to move in and of the lower chamber.  In most applications, having the air port open to the environment isn't a problem.  But with the Newgren setup, the port is right down in the dirt and dust.  The designers wisely used the extra space in the reservoir, as an "air tank" by attaching a hose from the lower cylinder port to the top of the reservoir.  We overfilled the reservoir, not understanding the need for the air space, and it resulted in a pressurized system. Adding to our problem was the lack of a relief valve as shown in the diagram.  The end result was blown seals in the pump and damage to the cylinder seals.

Simple, but not easy

The first piece of the puzzle is to find a single action cylinder that will fit in the frame and has the appropriate bore and stroke.  The bore (the diameter of the cylinder in which the piston travels) will determine the speed and power of the lift.  The stroke is the distance from a fully closed to a fully extended cylinder. Newgren used at least two different styles of cylinders.  Our cylinder body was rusted and had to be replaced.  In the process of rebuilding the cylinder the stroke was shortened, mostly like when the rod was replaced.  The end result is that we don't have the full range of lift.

The Newgren lift uses a large metal "push" block to move the implement up and down.  The critical measurement for the cylinder is the stroke length.  The cylinder must be able to push the block and attached short arms through the complete lift arc.

We believe our cylinder to be a 3" bore with a 6" stroke.  At this point, we would have hoped to have had a recommendation for a modern day replacement.  We don't.  We are sure that one exists and we will try get recommendations from others.  When we have information we will update this post.  But for starters, you will need a cylinder with a base mount that will fit the Newgren frame and no rod mount.  The rod rides in the lift block and will require a stop or collar to engage the block.

Going in the right direction

The Love lift and the Newgren lift had a control handle next to the drivers seat.  This was possible because the hydraulic control valve is located on the front of the reservoir.  It uses a spring-loaded push/pull rod to raise and lower the implement.  Releasing the handle returns the valve to the neutral position.  Our control valve doesn't seal properly and allows the cylinder to leak down.  The Newgren valve doesn't have O-rings or other seals that can be replaced.

We attempted to find a modern control valve to replace the original but haven't been able to do so.  An alternative might be to mount a control valve between the seats.  You would loose the ability to control the lift from the rear of the jeep, a unique and handy feature, but could maintain the between the seats control.  Another alternative would be to adapt the Monroe solution of having the reservoir and the control valve mounted between the seats.  In a case, like Quentin's, were you don't have a reserve tank in place, this might be a good alternative.

We are looking for someone to duplicate the Newgren control valve with provisions for O-rings,  Again, if we find a source or have a duplicate made we will update this post.

Reservoirations

The original Newgren reservoir fits neatly inside the frame.  It has a fitting on top for the air "bleeder" hose described above and the mount for the control valve.  Most importantly it is sized to hold the proper amount of fluid and an air pocket for the cylinder.  There is no easy way to fill the reservoir (you use the small pipe at the rear of the jeep) and no way to measure the fluid level.

The Newgren reservoir measures roughly 8.5"W x 10.5"L x 4.5"H and is held in the frame by a metal strap.  Instructions say to fill the reservoir with 5 quarts of oil.  While we are not aware of any ready-made tanks of this size, one could be fabricated.  However, the reservoir does not need to be locate in the frame.  Other solutions are available.

All kinds of pumps

We have tried a number of different style pumps - crank driven, belt driven and electric.  The Newgren lift pump (and the Monroe lift too) used a pump mounted on the front of the crank pulley.  The pump was/is the same pump used on International Harvester series "A" and series "C" tractors.  It has a flow rate of around 4 GPM.  These pumps are still available from IH/Case parts suppliers, but are very expensive.  This is the pump we currently have installed.

Pictures of Newgren lifts have shown that belt-driven pumps were also used.  Our guess is that these where replacements for the failed crank pulley pump.  It should be noted that the Love lift did use a belt driven pump and these may have also been used on the very early Newgren version.  The most common belt-driven pump is the Monarch HY-LO series.  Good information here - http://www.ewillys.com/2012/10/29/monarch-hy-lo-hydraulic-brochure/

The HY-LO-Jeep pump was commonly used for snow plows and they are still available.  This is combination pump/reservoir/control valve.  The control valve is operated via a rod that fits through the firewall and a mounting bracket under the dash.  For applications like Quentin's, this would be a simple solution.  You would not have between-the-seats control or at the back of the lift, but otherwise a very good alternative to the crank pump .

There is a version of the HY-LO-Jack that is a pump only (no reservoir or valve).  We own one of these but failed to get it to work properly, most likely because it was worn out.  And once these gear  type pumps are worn out, they cannot be rebuilt.  You need to be very cautious of buying used gear type pumps that have lots of hours on them.

Electrified 

A clear advantage of using an electric pump is that it only runs when needed.  Our CJ2a had been converted to 12 volts when we found it.  Since we were having problems with the HY-LO pumps, we decided to purchased a 12 volt pump off ebay.  The first had its own reservoir and this setup did not work well.  Unencumbered by the thought process, we simple hooked the two reservoirs together.  Rather than try to explain or analyze why this was a bad idea, we will do what we did back then and move to a pump without a reservoir.  This second pump, which had been used on a truck lift-gate did work well and served us until we acquired the crankshaft pump and bracket.

At the time when we were searching for an electric pump, there were few options within our budget.  A check of ebay today shows many pumps available.  Included in the list at the time of this posting was a 12 volt version of the Monarch HY-LO pump.

We have seen pictures of Newgren lifts using 6 volt versions of this pump.  They were mounted between the driver's seat.  Unfortunately, 6 volt pumps are hard to find and if you want to keep the stock electrical system, this may not be an alternative.

What would we do?

Our initial goal had been to have a working lift.  But then as we learned more about the Newgren history and built a second jeep, the goal changed to having a lift that was as original as possible.  Our lift is more show than go.  So what would we do if we were just looking for a working lift, as Quentin is doing?

Since he is missing so many components, we would find a cylinder and use a HY-LO belt-driven pump.  That pump would provide three of the four missing components.  It has been used by many Newgren owners and can still be found in good shape.  This is the arrangement that John Ittel run's on one of his 3Bs  and says it works well.  John has a number of Newgren lifts among his collection of farm jeeps and we would take this as a good recommendation.

We would carry the frame to a good hydraulic shop and have them find an appropriate cylinder.  One of the joys of the Newgren design is that the frame stripped of its components is easy to haul around.

If the jeep will have a 12 volt system, then an electric pump with reservoir and a control valve between the seats would be a good working option.  We like the option of the pump being active only when needed.

Given our experience we would not recommend duplicating the Newgren reservoir and control valve.  The reservoir is difficult to fill and there is no way to determine the fluid level.  It should be possible to  modify the design to overcome these issues.  If so, coupled with a modern control valve it could allow between the seats operation.

If you want a crank driven pump, you can purchase the IH/Case pump.  Newgren used two types of brackets.  The first was a simple strap metal design that could easily duplicated.  You would need to use the Monroe style coupler to mate the pump to the crankshaft.

The "special" crankshaft and pump adapter used on the early Newgren offer no special advantages.  It may difficult to find the Monroe style, but it is much improved design and uses the standard Willys pulley.

We would again look at a simpler pump solution, either electric or belt-driven.  Whatever your pump choice, make sure that there is a pressure relief valve in the system.  A lack of one, coupled with are lack of knowledge cost us two pumps.

Hope this helps

As we stated at the beginning, this post is not a how-to, but a way to share some of our lessons-learned and idea of what we may have done based on hindsight.  We welcome comments and corrections. 

Love is everywhere....

Original Love Lift

Just received a note from Justin, from Jeffersonville, IN, about rescuing a 1962 CJ3B.  The jeep had lived and worked on a family friend's farm.  The owner had passed away a few years ago and the jeep was resting unused in a field.  The jeep has an original model Love Lift and was used for mowing around the farm.

Justin is planning on repairing the lift and making it operational again.  He asked if we had any additional information on the lift and unfortunately we don't.  The sales/installation brochure is the best documentation we have ever seen.  We have been working on the history of the Love Lift and while we have learned some interesting facts, we have not uncovered any information that might be useful to a restorer.

What struck us about Justin's find is that the lift, most likely made in 1946, was installed and working in a 1962 CJ3B.   The Love Lift, like the Newgren and Stratton models that fit under the bed, would need no modifications to be installed in any post-WWII jeep.  It is possible, maybe even probable that the lift had been installed on one or two earlier model jeeps before ending up here.

Control lever next to the driver's seat

We continue to marvel at the engineering of  the Love Lift.  Love was able to design the lift to work with Ford-Ferguson 3-point implements, a feat major tractor manufacturers weren't able to accomplish until patents expired in the 1960s.  So nearly 70 years later Love's creation is still (or soon will be again) working on the farm.  We think that is a great farm jeep story.

 

A Home Town Jeep Heater

The Small Town Jeep Club held its 2017 Aaron Thompson Memorial Jeep Show in a park just east of our home town of Columbus, Indiana.  The event featured a couple of hundred jeeps of all ages and we took the Farm Jeep to add to the fun.  We did have fun, but the real excitement began when we were parked next to a beautiful red 1947 CJ2a.

The jeep in its original red paint had been found in a Columbus garage.  The lucky owner got the jeep, which had been sitting for a couple of decades, running with minimal effort.  Air in the tires, fresh fuel and a new battery were all that was required to get it rolling.  While the owner doesn't have a lot of history, the 2a does provide some clues.  Barely visible on the lower windshield frame are the remains of a sign that ended with GARAGE.

As we walked around the well preserved jeep we spotted an unusual heater located on the passenger side. The knob read "ARVIN" and the owner confirmed that the heater works well.

Columbus was home to the company that became Arvin Industries from 1919 until the year 2000 .  The complete story is at Preserving Arvin.  It is more personal at Farm Jeep, since Barry's father worked at Arvin.  Barry also worked at Arvin in the summers when attending Purdue University.  So this was a fun discovery.

While we didn't examine the heater we are guessing it is the Universal model pictured in a 1941 catalog.  While Arvin had models for specific vehicles, the jeep wasn't around then.

According to the Preserving Arvin site, the company did produce a number of parts for jeeps and other military vehicles during WWII.  Maybe we can find other Arvin products are a part of jeep history.

Farm Jeep at the Fair

We love going to the country fair.  We can drive there with the plow hanging off the back.  We've won our share of ribbons, but the real reason we go is to meet and talk with the many people who have never seen a farm jeep.  Bartholomew County is home to a number of major players in the transportation industry, including Cummins Engine Company.

The fair is all about food for many people and there are large lunch-time crowds.  We time our visits around lunch and not just for the pork chop sandwich served up by local producers, but so we can talk to the many engineers and techs from the area.  They wander through the antique equipment tent that is on the route from the parking lot to the food stands.  A very large percentage stop at the Farm Jeep display

Most of the questions are technical in nature, rather than functional (how well does it pull that plow?) questions we are ask at tractor shows.  It is not unusual to see someone hand off his cup of home-made ice cream to a friend while he takes a look at the underside of the jeep.

The last day of the fair, we added a portable DVD player to show a short (7 minute) Willys promotional film.  As you might expect from a crowd on a time schedule, there were only a few people who watched the entire film.  But we expect it to be a bigger hit at the next show.  We continue to search for ways to provide information about the jeep's role in farming history.

Speaking of farming history

Our favorite part of traveling to shows of all kinds is the opportunity to meet and talk with people. Over the years, we have heard many personal accounts that tell the Farm Jeep story in ways that ads and promotional films can't.  We plan, in the coming months, to start recording some of those stories here.