JDcrawlers Messageboard

Hey KenP, I did try a hammer before only just hit it near the end close to the oil seal where the ram goes in. I thought if I could cause it to cock a little bit it might break it loose. Ended up denting it up a bit and put a small crack in the very end around the perimeter of the seal. I hope that ...

Well, I got it loose. Wasn't as hard as I thought. I had been soaking it with penetrating oil all winter. I tried with just the normal grease gun application but still no luck. Then I hard plumbed the grease gun to the tensioner and applied heat. I heated the cylinder until it was almost too hot to ...

KenP, yep good advice. I will probably just use a propane torch and will keep that moving as well in attempt to get uniform heat buildup. A slow uniform rise is better than a lot in a small area. Thanks.

Thanks guys. I just really can't figure how this one ever seized up in the first place. I just rebuilt them about 4 years ago and the machine has never been run in water and it is stored indoors. I always clean the machine up quite good after each use. I don't remember, does the ram fit quite tightl...

I bought my hoses from Deere and they were surprisingly not that expensive. They must use them on newer machines or something. I found that same thing with the fuel pump. There is a replacement pump for the 350 that is used on current day machines. I think it only cost me $40. I almost always try to...

I got my radiator on my 350 completely recored for $350. Just like new and much cheaper than a new radiator. I found the shop by asking my local dozer mechanic who he used.

Lavoy, you obviously have a lot of experience with these machines. If a good grease gun won't move them I wonder if before you scrap them why you wouldn't at least try putting the thing in a press and trying to get it to move? If you can get it to break lose you might save the whole unit. I'm thinki...

OK KenP, I know I can be an idiot some time and we engineers are the last to read the complete manual. I just found some instructions in the shop manual under the section about the description of the track system while I was looking under assembly and dissassembly before. It addresses this issue exa...

KenP, good thoughts and you might be correct. I think we are just operating off different assumptions. I was assuming the engineer designing the thing would plan for it getting stuck and someone having to use the entire pressure of their grease gun to move it. I could be wrong of course so I'm check...

KenP, I like your idea of drilling a hole, that's something I have considered as a last resort but it really wouldn't be hard to plug afterwards I guess. I don't believe my relief is plugged because while it is open I can pump grease into the adjuster and right out the relief again. I'm not sure wha...

I don't think the grease is hard. I just put fresh in a couple of years ago and when I bleed the adjuster on the opposite side the grease comes out nice and smooth. I think the thing is rusted. I did some checking, a common long handled grease gun is supposed to put out 3000 to 5000 psi depending on...

Oops, excuse me, mine are on the springs not on the adjusters. Sorry Rick, my mistake.

I still haven't got mine unstuck yet. I was going to fill the spring with metal spacer bars so that it would go solid when I push on the front idler. But I can't find enough steel of the right thickness laying around my place to do the job. I'm also concerned that if I just drive into something soli...

Rick, I have a JD350 and there are supposed to be sheet metal covers over the track adjusters. Mine are missing too but they show up in my parts manual and my shop manual. They are simply curved covers with bent flanges that bolt to the roller frames on both sides of the adjuster. They would be easy...

Wish you luck Coehill. My parts are regular JD350 design but still got stuck. I haven't had time to work on mine lately but I'll let you all know if I figure out a way to get it unstuck.