1956 420C

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td14addict
40C crawler
40C crawler
Posts: 19
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 8:05 pm
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada

1956 420C

Post by td14addict » Fri Jul 31, 2015 4:51 pm

I am not sure where is best to post this as I have some questions along with my pictures, but figured ill post up an introduction over here and can post another in the tech support if need be.

To get right into it, im new here, clearly, been lurking off and on for a few years. Anyone that was also on the Red Power forum back from about 2005 may recognize my name I was a regular over there until my time seemed to disappear.

Back in the last 60's my grandfather acquired a few pieces of equipment to build a trailer park out of an old swamp. among them was a 420C 4 roller dozer, a 1941 International TD14 dozer, a Hough HH loader, and a Case W3 backhoe. in 1991 (i was 2 years old) they sold the equipment. After many years of looking at photographs of myself and my father on the old machines I convinced my father and grandfather to track down the guy they sold the equipment to and see if its still there. Back in 2004 we found him, unfortunately the only thing he had left was the TD14, which at that time hadnt run in years and was in a few pieces. The John Deere had been sold off as a parts machine for a fella 5 hours away, the loader went as well as the backhoe. I bought the TD14 back from him in 2006 and have gotten it back into working condition. I also tracked down both the loader and the old backhoe, but have since lost track of them. Unfortunately the Deere is gone for good.

This brings us to why I am here. Yesterday I bought myself a 1956 420C 5 rollar dozer. Its not the same as dads but close enough to fill the void. It has been sitting for a number of years (5-6) with nothing on the exhaust and has unfortunately stuck. I pulled the head off today and was actually impressed at how good it looked. My TD14 head looked like the surface of the moon when I pulled it off so I was relieved to see much less corrosion on the little Deere. So as of right now it has been soaking all day in a 50/50 mix of Marvel Mystery Oil and Furnace Oil. I applied some vibration to the piston with an Air Descaler on a block of 4x4 cut to fit in the cylinder.

I have removed the starter and have attempted to free it with a bar on the flywheel with no luck as of yet, I realize this takes time and patients. So I am wondering what may be the best thing to try first to free it up? Can I damage it by giving it a little tug with another machine in gear? is the hammer and block going to be my best bet? I know my father sheared the shaft that runs from the engine to the trans off in his twice so I dont want to harm that.

also the left steering lever seems to be unhooked as the lever is very free feeling, and the previous owner told me the brake band is broken on that side. Other than that overall the machine isnt to bad looking. One sprocket is worn a fair bit more then the other, and the pins and bushings could be better but for my purposes it will be great.

Enough with the words you guys want pictures right? the first will be of my cousin on dads old 420 the rest will be of mine. If you guys are interested I have a bunch of old photos of the machines from the 70's until when i last seen them I can post them if there is interest.

As happy as I am to have this machine it is also partly sad as my grandfather passed a year ago next month just one week before his 97th birthday, I wish he was here to see it.

Thanks
Stefan

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Lavoy
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Post by Lavoy » Fri Jul 31, 2015 8:52 pm

Welcome to the board.
Don't pull or jerk the crawler, all you will end up doing breaking something else. Water is a better penetrant than anything else other than heat. Get all the oil out and fill the bores with water. If you have one, you can sometimes force water past the pistons with a power washer and get things loose. I know it takes time, but don't succumb to the temptation to go the shortcut route, it usually ends up costing money. Take your time, think it through, be careful. Once you get it loose, pull the pistons and check the bore.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

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shinnery
350 crawler
350 crawler
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Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2006 4:55 pm
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Post by shinnery » Sat Aug 01, 2015 12:31 am

I like your towing machine, I have 2 '96 2500 ClubCabs a 4x2 and a 4x4 both with the V-10. The 4x4 has a NV4500. I am working on a '98.5 3500 ClubCab 4x2 NV4500 CTD. Lavoy will not steer you wrong.
No trees were hurt in the creation of this message.
But, many electrons were terribly bothered.

440IC/602, 2-440ICD/831 MM UBU-LP, 445N-LP, 445E-LP, BIG MO 400-M, 4 Star-LP M5-D, M5-LP, M602-LP, M670-LP, G900-LP, G900-D, G1000 Vista-LP Case 580CK

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td14addict
40C crawler
40C crawler
Posts: 19
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 8:05 pm
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada

Post by td14addict » Sat Aug 01, 2015 9:37 am

Thanks for the replies. I do have a 4000 PSI hot water pressure washer, i could give that a try. I wasn"t planing on dropping the oil pan though, I assume if I was to use the pressure washer I would want the pan off so the water flows right through the engine? As of last night the front most piston seems to have come free (based on the fact that the oil no longer stay ontop and when I hit it with the hammer the sound is different. I believe I just have the one piston to "Break free" at this point then it will be whether or not I can get the rings free and the cylinder clean enough to run.

As for the tow rig, its not mine, I wish I had that setup but that is my buddies. its a 98 2500 12 valve Cummins with the NV4500. Our truck is the silver 2001 2500 24 valve Cummins in the background. Its automatic as its our plow truck and we don"t haul any trailers with it.

Thanks

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td14addict
40C crawler
40C crawler
Posts: 19
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 8:05 pm
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada

Post by td14addict » Sat Aug 01, 2015 8:48 pm

Heres an update from today, I pulled the steering clutch because it seemed like some thing was broken in there, it seems now as though it wasn't installed properly and was completely out of adjustment. Given that it has been sitting I pulled the clutch pack apart so I could check for rust and found the steels all rusted up so they will be getting sandblasted before going back into the machine. I also noticed the seal between the final drive and the steering clutch is chewed up, and one of the bearing has some pitting on the rollers so they will be replaced as well. My father remembers shims going on the cover to set the preload on the bearings, are these still available? I will probably be buying my bearing local from a place that sells old tractor parts, just because I like to support the local guys and they treat me well.

I have his old service manual here but it is missing alot of pages, is it possible to get a digital copy online? I like being able to print off the section I need and not have to worry about destroying it in the garage.

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Lavoy
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Post by Lavoy » Sun Aug 02, 2015 9:53 am

Shim packs are available, I stock them. Digital copies of manuals are available from Deere, you may find one occasionally on Ebay.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

Eurotrash
40C crawler
40C crawler
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Aug 15, 2015 9:00 am
Location: Arlington, wa

Post by Eurotrash » Tue Aug 18, 2015 1:21 pm

Weve always used atf to break a rotating assembly free. Poor it on and let it set over night and it usually works its self through.

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