\u00a0C. F. Struck Corporation of Cedarburg, WI has been manufacturing small dozers since 1967.\u00a0 They manufacture a small, personal dozer that can do many of the jobs of a much larger dozer if you\u2019re not in a big hurry.\u00a0 If you\u2019re old enough you may still remember the advertisements in several magazines for a dozer kit that you put together yourself.<\/p>\n
The first mini-dozer (MD) was the MD34 which was an all belt-driven dozer except for the final chain drive.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The picture on the left was taken from an assembly manual. \u00a0The picture on the right is an MD34 owned by my neighbor. \u00a0He has promised to call me when he gets it out of his barn so I can get some better pictures.<\/p>\n The MD34 had a 6\u201d wide single chain track with agricultural, detachable type links.\u00a0 You could buy the dozer assembled, as a kit, or any part you wanted to purchase separately.\u00a0 The plans even included a blueprint for a plywood body for the money conscious home owner.\u00a0 The MD34 had a dual belt system driven off the engine.\u00a0 There was a forward drive belt and a reverse drive belt.\u00a0 A hand lever on the left side applied tension to the appropriate belt depending on the direction the operator wanted to go.\u00a0 Both belts were connected to a power shaft which was used to belt drive a main drive pulley for each track.\u00a0 Steering levers applied tension to the v-belts that connected the power shaft to each main drive pulley.\u00a0 Applying tension to only one drive pulley provided steering.\u00a0 The hand lever returned to the neutral position when released.\u00a0 Since the dozer came as a kit, the owner could install an engine of his\/her own choosing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Because of the success of the MD34, it was followed by the MD40 (detachable, agricultural type chain track), MD45 (CA550 roller chain track), Md50, and Md55.\u00a0 Each model had refinements and improvements over the preceding model.\u00a0 A major characteristic of these early series was that the operator basically sat \u201clevel\u201d with the top of the dozer hood.\u00a0 The MD34, MD40 and MD 45 had footwells while the MD50 and MD55 had fenders that doubled as footrests.\u00a0 All models were belt driven with the exception of the chain to the final drive.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n All the MD series tractors after the MD34 used the same basic belt drive system.\u00a0 A belt from the engine rotated two power shafts in opposite directions.\u00a0 In neutral, the system looked like this:<\/p>\n (Click on image for larger view)<\/p><\/div>\n Notice in the picture that in the neutral position the control handle permits slack in both the upper and lower clutch belts.\u00a0 The belt from the engine rotates the upper power shaft in a clockwise direction and the lower power shaft in a counterclockwise direction.\u00a0 There was a main drive pulley and clutch belt for each track.\u00a0 Turning was accomplished by applying power to only one drive pulley.\u00a0 For forward motion, the control handle is used to tighten the tension on the upper clutch belts.<\/p>\n (Click on image for larger view)<\/p><\/div>\n And, for reverse motion, the control handle loosens the tension on the upper clutch belts and tightens the tension on the lower clutch belts.<\/p>\n (Click on image for larger view)<\/p><\/div>\n In 1972, Struck introduced the Model MD1200 and MD1600.\u00a0 These models were manufactured until 1986 and could still only be purchased in kit form.\u00a0 The MD1200 had 1 forward and 1 reverse speed and a 12hp Tecumseh engine.\u00a0 The MD1600 had 2 forward speeds and 1 reverse speed and a 16 hp Tecumseh engine.\u00a0 Both models had a 6\u201d wide, single chain track.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Struck introduced the MT \u201cMagna Trac\u201d series in 1975.\u00a0 The MT1800 was manufactured from 1975 to 1981.\u00a0 The MT2000 was produced from 1976 to 1983.\u00a0 These two models more closely resembled the conventional dozer with the operator\u2019s seat located at a level below the top of the hood.<\/p>\n Both these Magnatracs had a Peerless 2338 transmission with 4 forward speeds and 1 reverse speed.\u00a0 Clutch action was provided by an idler pulley tightening a belt between the engine and transmission.\u00a0 The clutch belt was the only belt in the drivetrain and everything else was chain driven.\u00a0 Turning was accomplished by braking either rear axle.<\/p>\n (Click on image for larger view)<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n The MT1800 had a 16 hp Tecumseh engine with a 6 inch wide, single chain track.\u00a0 The MT2000 had a 16 hp Tecumseh engine and was the first Struck manufactured dozer with a 9 \u00bd inch, double chain track.\u00a0 Both tractors were still sold in kit form.<\/p>\n I was fortunate enough to locate and purchase an MT2000 in 1998.\u00a0 It had been used at a sawmill operation so it showed a lot of wear and previous owner \u201cmodification.\u201d\u00a0 With my son\u2019s help we completely disassembled the entire dozer and rebuilt it from the ground up.\u00a0 It has proven to be a very useful machine in warm and cold weather.<\/p>\n In 198?, Struck introduced its next dozer in the MT line, the MT3000.\u00a0 The MT3000 featured a gear, chain drive combination and was produced from 198? to 1993.\u00a0 It was equipped with an 18 hp Briggs and Stratton engine and the 9 \u00bd\u201d double chain track.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In 19?? Struck introduced its first line of hydraulic drive dozers (Magnatrac Hydraulic)–the MH4000A, MH4000B and the MH5000.\u00a0 These dozers could be purchased as a kit or preassembled and tested.<\/p>\n![\"Magnatrac](\"https:\/\/cubcadetman.com\/cc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Magnatrac-pic-8.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"Magnatrac](\"https:\/\/cubcadetman.com\/cc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Magnatrac-pic-9.jpg\")
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