New to the board- Question about JD MC

[catmatt]

Hello,
This is my first time to the board. I have been collecting antique crawlers for nearly ten years now. I mainly own small gas caterpillars from the twenties and thirties, and a clark airborne dozer. Two weeks ago I bought a JD MC crawler, 1952 with the intergal tool carrier. The machine runs great as it had it's motor rebuilt a few years ago. A couple of questions.

This machine has a hydraulic system for the blade (the blade is not attached presently). This blade attached on the outside of the track fram to hydraulic system mounted between the front idler and rear sprocket. I suppose it is a hydraulic cylinder of some sort enclosed to twist and raise and lower the blade? Anyways, This leaks on the end. I am guessing it needs seals, however this part is not in the parts manual for the mc. Does anyone know the part numbers for these seals? This unit thing had to be JD- it fits on the track frame perfectly! Perhaps it will be in the tool carrier manual?

My second problem is the track shoes. Many of the bolts and nuts that hold the shoes to the rails are loose. Is this a common problem for JD mc's? I have nine caterpillar cralwers, twenty years older, and I have never seen so many track pads loose. Many of the bolts and nuts are in poor shape and cannot be tighten; so I am looking for a source for new track bolts and nuts. John deere still makes the bolt, however the nut is obsolete. What have you guys done?

Thanks for the help.
Matt

[Lavoy]

The part numbers for the integral cylinders really don't do you any good. Everything inside of the cylinders is o-rings and backups, readily available at any good hyd shop.
Don't worry about the nuts, just use a standard 5/8" NC grade 5 nut.
The reason so many pads get loose, is when you have to tighten them with a box end wrench and not an impact, it gets to be a pain in the butt, and you don't get them as tight. Once the nut rusts on the bolt some, the problem gets worse. Cut them off, throw them away, and put in new bolts and nuts, problem solved.
Welcome to the board.
Lavoy

[Howard Yoder]

Just curious if the tool bar has been welded up or if it is in good shape. Sounds like you found nice outfit. You found probably the best site for J.D. crawlers. Good Luck on your crawler. Howard