Steiger Number One
The Big Tractor was built during the winter of 1957-58, it only took two months to build. It was built with mostly used and hand fabricated components. The engine came from Interstate Diesel in Minneapolis, it was a 425.5 ci. Detroit 6-71 inline six cylinder engine producing around 200 horsepower at the draw bar. This engine was the same engine that was used in an Allis Chalmers HD-14 dozer. The axles and transmission were from a Dart mining truck. The clutch bell housing was hand fabricated and the drop box was also was also built by the Steigers. The Big Tractor was a monster.
It weighed in at 15,000 pounds, was 20 feet 3 inches long and had a top speed of 17 mph with the 8 speed transmission and 18.4 x 26 tires. It stood 7 feet 10 inches to the top of the hood and was 9 feet 10 inches wide and still manages to have a small 10 foot turn radius. The draw bar was made from an old plow beam, and could easily pull two 6 bottom plows hooked in tandem. Barney, as it is referred to by many, was also used to pull an 80 foot harrow and the Steiger brothers also built a 38.5 foot cultivator by using a 14.5 foot cultivator and hinging two 12 foot cultivators on the sides that folded up hydraulically. The first Steiger was used on the farm from the spring of 1958 until it was retired in 1973 with over 10,000 hours of hard use. In 1975 it was refurbished and taken to Bonanzaville in Fargo where it has been on display until the present day.
