Valve Body and Leak Down of Bucket

[powerwagon75]

Hello to all!

Well, I have a 440 crawler that we've obtained for functional use, more so than total restoration.

My question is: Where do you all suggest getting parts to repair the valve body? (2-spool) And, just in case, are there complete valve body assemblies available anywhere?

The bucket has a visable leak down issue. In process of getting it dismantled to rebuild all cylinders and replace ragged hoses. There are a few leaks on it here and there, but I don't think cumulatively they add up to the pace at which the bucket drops when the oil is warm.

I really like the old grunt, and it was an asset this past winter, as all my snow came in the form of packed drifts that the snow blower wouldn't even attempt to throw.

Really like to get it up to snuff on the hydraulic side, to do a little dirt work this summer.

This really looks like a great site and definitely a font of information!

eric

[Stretch]

If you have a local hydraulic repair shop you should be able to get any part you need to repair. I have rebuilt my spool valves and cylinders by just tearing them apart and getting new packing, o-rings, and seals all from an independent shop. If by chance you would need a rod rechromed or straightened they would be able to do that also.
It sounds like your packing in the cylinders is bad if it leaks down.
These are not complicated.
I have rebuilt 4 cylinders and two double spool valves for less than $200.
Good Luck
Stretch

side note: JD is proud of those same parts

[digitup2]

I purchace my seals and packings from Hercules Bulldog -http;//wwwherculesbulldog.com These people are in USA and Canada and the last seals I got from them were $280.00 cheaper than the kit from the dealer and the same quality and markings as Cat ?.One of my compeditors in town here has a EL111 Cat excavator the track seals were leaking on it badly he told me he could not afford the $2200 rebuild I got him to bring it out to my shop and showed him how to fix it him self $28 for two kits and he did it himself !!.If you can do it yourself you can save big $.They even have rebuild kits for valving and controls. I find the trick to rebuilding these controls is take it easy and keep it clean .I just purchaced seals for the stabliser pad rams on my older JCB backhoe for $600+ less than dealer quote .Digitup.

[JD440ICD2006]

Digitup, here is the web site that they can just click on to get there.
Thanks much for that info, that will save us loads of $$$$$$!

http://www.herculesbulldog.com/

[powerwagon75]

Thanks for the info guys! All good responses. Will have to be tackling this very soon....so, may be asking for more advise if I get into a pickle.

Forgive my ignorance, but one more question. When you say the cylinder packing is leaking and causing the drop, are you saying that it is leaking internally to the return?

thanks,

eric

[JD440ICD2006]

Eric,

You are exactly right. What happens over time is the o-rings or packing shrink and get worn and distorted. This allows a small but effective way for the fluid to slip past.
It is doing the same thing that we do when we push the lever foprward to "unload' the cylinder, only it is doing it slower.
Depending on some variables, it will do it when it warms up, but not when it is cold. Others leak all the time. Many of them, if the leak is not bad, will stay up as long as the pump is running because the leak is much less than the pump volume. But shut her down, and watch out.