420C

[jdjoe_indiana]

Guys...I love the pics of the restored crawlers on here and I look at my "treasure" ...or "junk" that my wife calls our crawler. Where does a guy start on one if you budget is limited? Should a guy work on the undercarriage and steering clutches ect..as I read once this is the main value area of a crawler. Just getting fustrated with watching the years go by and can't really do much. Thought about pulling the tracks off and soaking them in a horse tank to get them loosened up. Also have the henry loader and backhoe..but thought I shouldn't put any money in them as I can't use em' with out the crawler.

So where would you start? I look and see it was 2006 when I brought the crawler home ...geez where does the time go? Still would love to find a service manual for download on it? I have parts manuals on pdf. that I would trade.

Thanks in advance!

[Lavoy]

If your tracks are that tight, the pins and bushings must be good. Get the crawler out and run it around in the snow, or a large mud puddle. A steam cleaner will work as well if you keep at it.
I think your idea of undercarriage and/or clutches is good one. Get the crawler mechanically sound, then worry about cosmetics.
There are no free downloads of service manuals, only the parts books. Service manuals are readily available for $60 or less for new reprints, used is cheaper.
Lvaoy

[jdjoe_indiana]

...I would love to run her around Lavoy...but she dosn't run either!! But you didn't know that. I hope you are right about the tracks though. The grousers show no wear on top...I would estimate I have an inch or more of ridge on each pad. The whole crawler sat for years before I bought it and has sat four more since. Worst thing...and hang on this hurts....the yo yo left the inspection plates off the top of the finals. I will snap some pics of the tracks for the experts to view. Thanks Lavoy.

[jdjoe_indiana]

Got it....thanks to a post on this site I should have read first!

[Gil]

Your pads have been replaced. I would almost be scared to run that aggressive a grouser on a loader crawler. Be careful making turns and don't use so much power when pushing that you put too much strain on the drive train. With grousers like that the tracks will not slip and allow any give.

Your drive sprockets are worn. Unable to tell from the pictures if the pins and bushings are good or not. Maybe you will be lucky and find that they were changed when the pads were changed but I doubt it very much. Anyone who repinned a machine with that much wear should have changed the sprockets as well.

[JD440ICD2006]

That is some of the deepest two bolt grousers that I have seen.
The point with the loader made above is that you have totally different loads at different points on a loader crawler versus one with a blade.
If I were you, I would find some loader tracks and get those off of there.

[Lavoy]

I would concur on the pads train of thought, grouser pads on a loader are very hard on steering clutches, undercarriage and drivetrain in general.
The rails themselves look good, yes, sprockets are worn.
If the crawler does not run, I would look at the engine first, but before doing so, I would pull the top cover off of the tranny. If the transmission is full of water and all of the gears rusted to no good, I guess I would look for another crawler, and use this one for a donor.
Steering clutches can always be fixed, but if your engine has been frozen and broken, then you are looking at more money again vs. a rebuild.
Lavoy

[jdjoe_indiana]

I will dig into the trans and post some pics this week I hope. I am a little discouraged...but that is how things go. Is there a market for the grousers I have? When I had originally bought it I looked at it as a general sign perhaps it didn't have many hours on it. What do good sprokets look like? What % gone would you estimate mine at? Thanks and will post pics later. Joe

P.S. Thanks for unlocking my account Lavoy....

[Lavoy]

Sprocket percentage is a really hard number to give, but give that the flange on one side of your is just about chipping, I would say yours are well past 100%.
Lavoy