# Case/ DB 1212



## mhg (Dec 20, 2015)

Hi everybody

Went crazy at an auction over the weekend and bought a Case/DB 1212 to run a NH 570 baler. What has been the good the bad, the ugly of these tractors? A neighbor who runs a 1412 on a NH 5070 hayliner talked me in buying it. He loves the power shift.

Thanks MHG


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## skyrydr2 (Oct 25, 2015)

The 1212 was known to break cranks if lugged hard at low rpm. 
Hopefully you get a good powershift transmission! Wicked pricey to repair and no one in the USA or Canada has hard parts( planetaries and gear case bits). 
If it is a powershift DO NOT START OFF IN ANY OTHER GEAR BUT 1! It can be in any range 1,2 or 3 but must be shifted to 1 before letting out clutch or you will cook the clutches and seals because the hydra-shift pump stops when the clutch is pushed in! Only dumb thing about the unit!
These tractors like to work! They will smoke under light duty work and if not worked hard at some point, glaze the cylinder walls and then start burning oil.


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## mhg (Dec 20, 2015)

Thanks for the advice. It's an ugly old thing, hopefully that's only skin deep.


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## skyrydr2 (Oct 25, 2015)

They can be made to look nice with proper attention to details and color choice. I think they look best white on chocolate.
They turn really good and have a really simple engine layout. Yes they can leak oil from the engine where it mounts to frame but that can be easily fixed with a bead of silicone properly applied. 
DO NOT EVER POWER WASH THE ENGINE AT THAT SEEM!It will ruin the gasket and really leak oil!
Steam clean or just use Super Clean first and a garden hose. Everything else can be power washed.
Depending on its age it could have a side mounted steering ram or it could have a transverse unit mounted on the axle. The latter steers much faster and shsrper,BUT had a higher chance at being a "leaker". Oh and its a real hum dinger to service too.. 
But once fixed correctly and installed with the proper thread sealing compound, will give you decades of trouble free service.
These tractors were built to work and hold up! With just basic grease and oil changes will out last any other rig in its class! Especially the clutch! Abused.. it is no different actually worse because they were so precisely made. The 3 point hitch is especially susceptible to issues if not used correctly and maintained oil and filters. 
Hydrashift units need the oil to be clean and full and as mentioned earlier, shifted correctly and they will last for a very very long time.


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