First crawler

Show us pictures of your JD crawler and attachments.
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bob lavoie
40C crawler
40C crawler
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Mar 07, 2013 7:58 am
Location: Richmond, VA

First crawler

Post by bob lavoie » Tue Mar 12, 2013 1:57 pm

Going to try to post a pic from the day I towed it home. I have set up a photo bucket account so we shall see. Any way this is my new to me and first crawler. I believe by the serial number it is a 1959 440 ic. It would barely run when I got it. Had trouble just getting it on the trailer. I put new plugs, wires, cap, rotor, choke cable, and a Petronix electronic ignition which helped a great deal. It will now start and run pretty well. The rocker arms were all around .050" lash, they had not been adjusted in a long time. So I adjusted them down to .015". All the forward gears work (5) and reverse work. The reverser works as well. The winch is a gearmatic 8a that seems to work well. The brake level is missing though. Blade has manual and manual tilt. I will take some pics of the track links and sprockets, after reading some horror stories on here I'm a little worried! I bought this on a whim, drove by it sitting on the side of the road for sale, turned around, rang the door bell, and purchased it. I thought parts for the track etc would be pretty accessible. I purchased a new home and have some work I need to use this for and then plan to tear it down and have a go at a restoration.

http://s1280.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... sort=3&o=4
Bob Lavoie
1959 440 ic

Howard Yoder
1010 crawler
1010 crawler
Posts: 353
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 6:53 pm
Location: Columbus Ohio

Post by Howard Yoder » Tue Mar 12, 2013 2:56 pm

doesn't look to bad except the tract is ajusted out about all the way if the rails are still good you can see if Lavoy has any pins and bushings left

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Paul Buhler
350 crawler
350 crawler
Posts: 991
Joined: Wed May 21, 2008 6:25 pm
Location: Killington, VT

Post by Paul Buhler » Tue Mar 12, 2013 5:22 pm

Welcome. If you got it for what you consider a fair price, then you're in good shape. As said, the tracks look nearly worn out. Keep checking in here as you learn more about your machine.Sounds like you have mechanical skills, so this is a reasonable new venture. A shop manual is a must, and if you send me an email, I'll send you a .pdf of the Gearmatic 8a/g winch manual. Good luck with your home and your new second, or is it the third... project. Paul :D
Last edited by Paul Buhler on Wed Mar 13, 2013 9:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
Paul Buhler
Killington, VT
420c 5 roll with 62 blade, FOPS, and Gearmatic 8a winch

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NNAATZ
1010 crawler
1010 crawler
Posts: 296
Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:16 am
Location: austin,mn

Post by NNAATZ » Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:09 pm

looks in really fair shape, and complete. a very good start

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scampr
440 crawler
440 crawler
Posts: 210
Joined: Wed Dec 12, 2012 3:36 pm
Location: south/central NH

Post by scampr » Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:28 pm

i dont know what you got into it... but it looks like a great start for sure. Enjoy it and you will find you will get hooked on them.
scampr 440icd, 350B, 47 Farmall H, 55 Farmall cub and ashamed to have a Kabota too

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Willyr
2010 crawler
2010 crawler
Posts: 695
Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2010 3:03 am
Location: Downeast Maine (North of Ellsworth)

Post by Willyr » Tue Mar 12, 2013 9:12 pm

Image

Those tracks are at the end of their adjustment.
former owner of a 1956 420c
All help is greatly appreciated.

Proud owner of a project 1952 JD 60

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFehqXVd9z4

JimAnderson
1010 crawler
1010 crawler
Posts: 305
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 7:01 pm
Location: Gloucester,Virginia

440

Post by JimAnderson » Tue Mar 12, 2013 11:01 pm

Welcome to the fun.As posted earlier the pins and bushings are in
need of replacing,for sure.You may have a few hours use left in them
and it's amazing the work these things can do in a few hours.The pads while worn alittle are not that bad.The rails are in my opinion based on the pictures warrant new pins and bushings.With that amount of P&B
wear the sprockets will probably need to be replaced as well.All in all
not a bad score.JMHO,luck JimAnderson

whiteclipse16
2010 crawler
2010 crawler
Posts: 622
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:02 am
Location: Steubenville, OH

Post by whiteclipse16 » Wed Mar 13, 2013 6:38 am

Looks like a nice starter to me.
If you're not happy with it I can probably take it off your hands, the winch and reverser at least.
I found out this weekend when pushing dirt for the first time that a reverser would be super nice.
Ben

Great Grandpa's 1960 440ICD 602 blade
Between SN's: 455,633 - 456,801
Currently Rebuilding/Restoring

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Paul Buhler
350 crawler
350 crawler
Posts: 991
Joined: Wed May 21, 2008 6:25 pm
Location: Killington, VT

Post by Paul Buhler » Wed Mar 13, 2013 4:01 pm

Looking at your other pictures, I see rock guards that are not too beat up indicating that the rolls may all be in good shape. The front idler has good meat on the rim, the pads look good and the rails look deep enough. So as already stated, you may get away with just a pin and bushing job with new(er) sprockets for a good upgrade to your undercarriage.
I also see a blade that's not beat up with a relatively new cutting edge. The fenders, seat and sheet metal also look pretty good indicating that the previous owner(s) didn't beat on the machine, so other machine components should have benefited too. JMHO

Best wishes with your crawler. Paul
Paul Buhler
Killington, VT
420c 5 roll with 62 blade, FOPS, and Gearmatic 8a winch

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Lavoy
Site Admin
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Post by Lavoy » Wed Mar 13, 2013 4:56 pm

On the whole, a good looking old girl. Obviously the tracks are the most visible issue right now, but if the rest of the crawler turns out to be good, you have a very good start.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

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