JD 64 power angle tilt bulldozer

[JD440ICD2006]

I have a 64 blade and just rebuilt the tilt cylinder. The parts book shows a boot (AU 10336) of some kind that fits over the metal box that the cylinder goes in.
I would like to know if this boot is available and what material (rubber?) it is made of. I like originality plus it looks like the boot could keep most dirt out of that cylinder box.

[Lavoy]

Originally they were made of rubber, not sure what they are now. I don't have one on hand, but they are about $87.
Lavoy

[JD440ICD2006]

Lavoy,


I figured they would have been rubber. Someone tells me that they think JD has them and they are now leather? If so, how would that work out in the outside environment and in dirt? How would you care for it? I think rubber would be better.

[Lavoy]

My fingers got ahead of my brain. Quite an accomplishment as I type real slow, unfortunately I think even slower. The original ones were made of leather, not rubber. They seem to stand up fine. One thing that is not on the 440 that they added to the 1010 is a sheet of steel directly above the cylinder. That goes a long way in saving the leather, and the cylinder rod.
Lavoy

[JD440ICD2006]

Lavoy,

That is interesting, would you treat the leather with leather conditioner or just leave it like JD ships it? Would it be painted yellow, or do you know what color they are now?

[Lavoy]

They used to come in just a brown color. I think that Deere impregnates the leather with something like a preservative and that makes it look like a darker natural leather color.
Usually they get treated eventually with a little hyd oil conditioner when the seal on the tilt cylinder leaks.
Lavoy

[JD440ICD2006]

Lavoy,

Yea, I know that will happen at some point but I just rebuilt my tilt cylinder so I hope I can run it a while without much leaking.
It was a work of art. Someone had welded the spanner nut on to keep the thing from blowing out. All it needed was a straight ram rod and a new snap ring.
The things some folks will do to "save" money is beyond me. They lost enough hydraulic fluid out of the welded up spanner nut over time to buy new cylinders all the way around, maybe more.