JDcrawlers Messageboard

On the topic of parts from JD, I'm finding the clutches discs to be about 1/2 price from aftermarket alternatives as compared to JD. Now that may be an exception rather than rule since I'm pricing parts for the early 550/555 transmission but even so that may indicate that the clutch plates are in th...

Have you got a service manual for it? Disclaimer: I'm certainly no expert on that machine or any other JD crawler for that matter as I've only recently become the new owner of a junk 555A. So take all this for what its worth. If it was mine, I'd probably try to fix it. Mostly because I'm cheap, but ...

I have seen someone else post about cracked converter housing. I haven't noticed any cracks in the housing, but it was getting dark last night and the converter is still in the way. As many of the bolts as were missing on this machine -- nose cap practically loose, half of the floor pan missing, onl...

Thanks west. Kinda embarrassing to admit, but after getting home last night and writing up the post I took a fresh and clear look at the manual again. And almost immediately I read (and understood) the part about the 12pt head bolts holding the stator to the transmission front cover. :oops: I had re...

Ok, we worked on the 555A again today, made some progress and still got issues. I will try to give a chronological synopsis. * Started by pulling the top off the torque converter housing. Once in there, saw right away that the torque converter spider gear drive on the input side was stripped and all...

Thanks. I can imagine that the dozer frame would be easier to work around than the loader as the loader arms have already been a nuisance just in my efforts to get the engine running. We thought about unhooking the loader right off the bat, but I was reluctant as some of the pins looked like they'd ...

Parts seem to be readily available (aftermarket and through dealer) also found several machines in salvage yards for parts. Hey west, curious about the machines you mentioned in junkyards. Were those yards local to you (i.e. within driving distance) or something you found online or otherwise ordere...

Yes, I read everything I could find on the early 550/555s. Reading posts from Digitup2 was quite encouraging as it seemed all the others talking about the 555A transmission were so incredibly negative with little explanation as to exactly why.

Thanks haze. I'm anxious to get to her Sat. and do some more diagnostics. I can imagine that if the drive coupling is the culprit, that the guts of the converter may still be intact and maybe has not yet contaminated the trans. However your point is still a good one. West has about convinced me that...

Eureka! west, you know I've never worked on one of these transmissions, but I have worked on quite a few others syncrorange, etc, and I kept thinking "how are you going to get those shafts out from the top of the trans??" But after you explained that statement makes perfect sense now. You can either...

Great information, thanks West. It seems you pretty much did an entire overhaul on the transmission, that is encouraging. I too noticed the oversize sealing rings from JD, but I was assuming they were oversized on the diameter only and not the width, so that is good to know. Assuming I have a torque...

Thanks Tigerhaze. I will definitely inspect pressures closer if I find the converter is actually turning.

from jdparts.com I think you've got to register with them, but once you do you can look up about anything. Item No. Part No. Description Qty Price 3 R28794 DUST BOWL 1 14.25 USD 7.xx USD aftermarket 5 T21327 SEAL 1 49.87 USD 18 AT21689 MUFFLER 1 150.24 USD 54.85 USD aftermarket 9 T27559 BOOT 1 8.51 ...

West, thanks for the reply. That is certainly encouraging to hear about the transmission rebuild. What all did you have to replace? I was reading another poster here talk about checking and reusing the steel rings in the clutches and only replacing the sintered disks. With about 60 disks total at ab...

Let me first say I'm very happy to have found this forum. Thanks to Lavoy and many of the great members who share a wealth of information. I recently bought a 555A crawler that had been used in a landfill at near scrap price. The muffler had been left off it for some time so the engine was stuck. Du...