1976 DEUTZ D7209

1976 DEUTZ D7209

Though Deutz had been in business many years and had been selling industrial engines in the United States since the 1950s, it didn’t start importing Deutz tractors until 1966. As you might remember from the “Vintage Smoke” column in the November 2019 issue, Deutz, known at the time as Klöckner-humboldt-deutz (KHD), was one of the founding fathers of diesel. The company was originally created by Nikolaus Otto, famous for perfecting the four-stroke Otto cycle.

Deutz had been building tractors since 1938, though in that era it had not yet introduced its signature air-cooled diesels. Development of the Deutz air-cooled diesel would come during World War II. The war, and its aftermath, would create obstacles for Deutz, but it restarted engine production in 1949 and tractors in 1950. Those first postwar tractors were essentially a redo of Deutz’s prewar water-cooled tractors, but this time with an aircooled engine. The water-cooled version was also built.

Fast-forward to 1966. KHD was flying high and decided to open a North American distribution facility in Atlanta, Ga., called the Deutz Corporation Farm Equipment Division. The 05 series was being replaced by the updated 06 series, and the units chosen for U.S. distribution in 1966 and 1967 were a mix of 05 and 06 tractors that were offered in power ratings from 23 (D2505) to

85 (D9005) horsepower. By 1967 and 1968, the 06 tractors were well established. In 1968, Deutz tractors became Deutzfahr, with the merger of the Deutz and the Fahr companies, both well-known and long-standing German agricultural equipment manufacturers.

At that time, the Deutz tractor designations, like D7006, made a lot of sense. The “D” was for Deutz. The “70” was the roundedup horsepower rating of the tractor, and the “06” represented the tractor series. Engines ranged from two- to six-cylinder inlines with power outputs from 25 to 92 horsepower. The 06 tractors featured the new 912 series engines with a 3.94 x 4.72-inch bore and stroke. The 912 would prove to be one of Deutz’s “just right” engines, and versions of it remain in production today.

In 1974, the Deutz D7206 would come to the North American market, replacing the D6806. At just over 70 horsepower from its 230 ci, F4L912 four-cylinder, it would be in a sweet spot for the utility market and a strong seller in certain parts of the country. The D7206 came with a good collection of standard features including a Cat II 3-point hitch, 540 rpm PTO, 12-speed gearbox and a drawbar. Options included four-wheel drive, heated cab, up to three hydraulic remotes, swinging drawbar, air compressor, plowing lamps, rear exit exhaust, and hydrostatic power steering.

The D7206 would be replaced in 1981 by the restyled and updated D7207. The D7206 was not Nebraska tested, so we don’t have that data. Deutz materials show it at 71 hp at 2300. The D6806, which was similar to the D7206, was rated at 68 PTO horsepower and 58.6 drawbar horsepower.

The story of Deutz tractors in the United States did not end well. We’ve told the tale here in Tractor Talk about how KHD bought Allis-chalmers in 1985 and used that to claim a larger slice of the American ag products pie under the Deutz-allis name. That didn’t work out as planned, and the venture became a money pit.

By 1990, the AGCO-ALLIS corporation was formed and KHD gradually backed out, allowing AGCO to become its own entity. Still, whatever failures the corporate entities encountered, it wasn’t a reflection on the quality of the Deutz tractors, especially those from the 1970s.

pgreg and Laenette Guilford’s ’76 Deutz D7206 looks well-kept and regularly used. Though the shade changed slightly over the years, green was the traditional Deutz color. The chassis color changed from a silver to a darker gunmetal around 1971. The orange wheels were traditional until near the end of 06 Series production when they changed to an argent silver.

Nothing super whiz-bang in the driver’s station. It’s a good place to work by the standards of an open station tractor of its day. The main gearbox, built by ZF, has a synchronized 4-speed, with a 3-speed range box. This trans is reputed to be bulletproof.

The working end highlights the Cat II 3-point hitch (5,732 lbs. capacity) and the 540 rpm PTO. This one also has a swinging drawbar, which is listed as optional in some sales literature and as standard in others, so it might be a difference in the global markets or year model. Also shown in some promotional materials is an optional 7,275 lbs. capacity on the 3-point. It appears the Guilfords are running some plus-sized rubber on this D7206.

The 912 series, in service for more than 40 years, was one of Deutz’s home runs. This F4L912 in agricultural form made 70 hp at 2300 rpm. These have a deep-skirted, five-main block, with direct injection and air-cooling. They have a modular design, so the basic 912 series was built in 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 cylinder variants. The injection pump is a Bosch PES. The hydraulic pump for the tractor is driven directly from the engine. The nomenclature gives you some hints on the nature of the engine. In this era, the “F” indicated a further developed engine. The “4” represents the number of cylinders. The “9” tells you the engine series. The “12” is the rounded stroke in millimeters, in this case 120 mm.