grease plug on tensioner jd450

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charlie3933
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grease plug on tensioner jd450

Post by charlie3933 » Thu Sep 07, 2017 6:39 pm

Hi Everyone
Working on a JD450c serial number 201788T

I removed the grease plug from the yoke and compressed the tensioner ( a good amount of grease came ) so I could get the track on. is the plug more than just a plug, did I screw up? Can I use an air operated grease gun to refill the tensioner to adjust the track?
Also do you need a special grease gun in order to fill with oil to add oil to the rollers?

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Stan Disbrow
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Re: grease plug on tensioner jd450

Post by Stan Disbrow » Thu Sep 07, 2017 7:06 pm

Hi,

Did you catch the all-important ball bearing that is just inside that plug, or was it tossed out with the grease (like so many others have lost thru the years)??

Rollers use a special grease and gun:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10405

That topic has its' own thread.

Stan
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Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
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charlie3933
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Re: grease plug on tensioner jd450

Post by charlie3933 » Fri Sep 08, 2017 7:34 am

What is the purpose of the little ball? Will the plug not work without the ball?

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Re: grease plug on tensioner jd450

Post by Lavoy » Fri Sep 08, 2017 3:36 pm

The ball is the seal, will not function without the ball.
Oil is not really used in the rollers anymore. What you want is track and roller grease, but it is hard to find in tubes, best alternative is Corn Head grease.
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Stan Disbrow
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Re: grease plug on tensioner jd450

Post by Stan Disbrow » Fri Sep 08, 2017 4:13 pm

Hi,

What happens without the ball is, you pump the grease in and the yoke moves forward. You think all is fine, but as you move the yoke slides backwards and you lose the tension.

I mentioned it, because if you didn't grab the ball, and have not yet permanently tossed the pile of greasy rags, you might be able to pick the ball back out.

Stan
There's No Such Thing As A Cheap Crawler!

Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (now known as 5045D)

charlie3933
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Re: grease plug on tensioner jd450

Post by charlie3933 » Fri Sep 08, 2017 4:55 pm

Well, i searched the pile of grease, no luck could it still be in yoke? What size ball would I need? Would a dealer have them? The rollers don't have grease fittings, what's up with that? I seem to be taking 1 step forward and 2 steps backwards. I knew breaking a mirror a couple of weeks ago was going to cause me some grief.
'Charlie.

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Stan Disbrow
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Re: grease plug on tensioner jd450

Post by Stan Disbrow » Sat Sep 09, 2017 6:23 am

Hi,

The ball just sits under the plug and seals when the plug is tightened. When you loosen the plug, the ball lifts up off the seat and allows grease to flow past and out the hole. You aren't supposed to remove the plug normally, but since the grease flow is slow many do to speed the process up. And, the ball leaves right at the beginning. It might still be around the machine.

I can't recall what size it is, sorry.

The early machines had rollers you had to lube. At some point, I think during the B run, they changed to 'sealed for life' rollers loaded with 30 weight motor oil. Probably because too many were not lubricating rollers, or doing so with a standard grease gun and blowing out the seals.

If you don't have grease fittings on the rollers, then you don't have to worry about that part.

Stan
There's No Such Thing As A Cheap Crawler!

Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (now known as 5045D)

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shinnery
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Re: grease plug on tensioner jd450

Post by shinnery » Sat Sep 09, 2017 4:52 pm

You need a ball large enough to cover the opening the grease comes out through, but small enough the grease can get around it and out the relief orface. I would say somewhere over a half the diameter of the plug, possibly 2/3 or 3/4 the diameter of the plug. I do not believe it is a critical diameter.
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Re: grease plug on tensioner jd450

Post by CuttingEdge » Sun Sep 10, 2017 4:24 pm

Tell them you lost your balls at the John Deere dealership and they will either suspect you just got married, or know you lost the balls out of a track adjuster. They carry dozens in stock. I know this because like you...not knowing...I lost my balls. No not the 3 times I got married, but in fixing my bulldozer.

As for the grease fittings, you MIGHT have the kind mine have. They are a special button type of grease fitting on the idler so that only the proper grease gun can be used. Equally the right type of grease. Again, they may be sealed depending on the year and model of the machine.
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charlie3933
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Re: grease plug on tensioner jd450

Post by charlie3933 » Mon Sep 11, 2017 12:47 am

Thanks, I will call the dealer Monday. Might get a few extra.

charlie3933
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Re: grease plug on tensioner jd450

Post by charlie3933 » Mon Sep 11, 2017 12:58 pm

Thanks cutting edge, called the dealer and now have 4 balls and 2 jam nuts on the way. My grease plug didn't have the jam nuts? now I wonder if it actually had the ball under the plug. the balls were 70 cents each, I forgot to ask how much the nuts were.
Charlie. :D :D :D :D :D :D

charlie3933
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Re: grease plug on tensioner JD450

Post by charlie3933 » Wed Sep 13, 2017 6:26 pm

Ok got my 4 new balls and a pair of nuts today with UPS shipping $19.45. Ordered the lock n lube fitting for the grease gun, should have it by the weekend. :D :D On my tensioner one grease fitting is next to the grease plug and another fitting is located at the other end of the yoke. do I need to add grease there also :?: :oops:

charlie3933
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Re: grease plug on tensioner jd450

Post by charlie3933 » Thu Sep 14, 2017 7:26 pm

WOW I received the lock n lube today and It came with free seal kit..I was able to move the Tensioner about 1/2 inch? Using an air operated grease gun, might need something bigger. I have no idea how much pressure the grease is under. Air pressure was set at 100 psi.
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charlie3933
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Re: grease plug on tensioner jd450

Post by charlie3933 » Thu Sep 14, 2017 8:11 pm

I am 99.9 % sure the ball was never in the yoke. The jam nut was missing and only about 1/4" of threads remained outside the casting. I think that's why they left the nut off.

charlie3933
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Re: grease plug on tensioner jd450

Post by charlie3933 » Fri Sep 15, 2017 3:33 pm

Ordered an 8000 psi grease gun and another lube n lock coupler last night, would it be better if the track was not on the ground when tensioning the track?

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