To buy or not to buy

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Sosza
MC crawler
MC crawler
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2018 7:36 pm

Re: To buy or not to buy

Post by Sosza » Thu Apr 12, 2018 7:07 pm

well I'm going to be back in it..... I guess the question would be how much is the upgrade.?

Sosza
MC crawler
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Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2018 7:36 pm

Re: To buy or not to buy

Post by Sosza » Sat Apr 14, 2018 4:34 pm

Lol so I’m a bit freaked out I bought it should be moved to my shop this coming week I got a parts manual that the guy had when I bought it, and been looking through it. I honestly didn’t realize they had a wide and normal tread set up. So it’s a factory wide as stated above, not really meant for moving dirt.....? And hard on the undercarriage if you do....? which it has been repaired a bit in the front crossbar, and frame......I’ve been reading a bunch on this forum... to make it a reg. Track set up is it just the rear and front crossbars, does the frame need to be replaced? I see 3 part numbers for each side, and the sprocket set up in the manual is a bit funky.... Just aprears to be an extension and set of bearings. That would basically need to be removed and then the sprocket goes on the final drive axle.......Cost?


I guess the issolator upgrade is 2 grand if any is still available, but as the isolator was just replaced.... not sure if this should be done?

I ordered a tm should be here in about a week, and I’ll start tear down, and tearing into the reverser..

Also it’s a 350ce I messed that up

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amos
1010 crawler
1010 crawler
Posts: 360
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2016 7:29 am
Location: Piney Woods of east Texas

Re: To buy or not to buy

Post by amos » Sun Apr 15, 2018 4:41 am

Sosza wrote:
Sat Apr 14, 2018 4:34 pm
Lol so I’m a bit freaked out I bought it should be moved to my shop this coming week I got a parts manual that the guy had when I bought it, and been looking through it. I honestly didn’t realize they had a wide and normal tread set up. So it’s a factory wide as stated above, not really meant for moving dirt.....? And hard on the undercarriage if you do....? which it has been repaired a bit in the front crossbar, and frame......I’ve been reading a bunch on this forum... to make it a reg. Track set up is it just the rear and front crossbars, does the frame need to be replaced? I see 3 part numbers for each side, and the sprocket set up in the manual is a bit funky.... Just aprears to be an extension and set of bearings. That would basically need to be removed and then the sprocket goes on the final drive axle.......Cost?


I guess the issolator upgrade is 2 grand if any is still available, but as the isolator was just replaced.... not sure if this should be done?

I ordered a tm should be here in about a week, and I’ll start tear down, and tearing into the reverser..

Also it’s a 350ce I messed that up
Wide track aka low ground pressure track is good for wet swampy conditions,shoreline work,snow,any place where you don't want to sink into the ground/muck. As it is a "low ground pressure" track you have a lot more surface area and the pads can be damaged in rough,rocky conditions.
Conversion from LGP to standard track group can be expensive: back to a donor parts machine.
Amos
Pushin hard or diggin deep life is good.
What's ahead is what matters. What's behind is already done.
A fool of a man is he who doesn't ask questions...
God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason...

B Town
350 crawler
350 crawler
Posts: 752
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2015 7:04 pm
Location: Western Iowa

Re: To buy or not to buy

Post by B Town » Sun Apr 15, 2018 8:34 am

If the isolator has been recently replaced, probably don't need to do anything else with it. I know some people would upgrade to the D series, if they were this deep into the machine and this was their "forever machine". Remember, the widepad option will have some value. Realize someone out there someone would love to get there hands on a complete "kit". From what I have seen, yours is in excellent shape. IMO, I would not run this u/c on hard surface. If you do the work yourself, buy reasonable parts, sell what you can, I think you will have a very good machine near it true market value. Your hard work and $$$ will be repayed by hours and years of service by this little crawler. Take care, Bruce

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Stan Disbrow
350 crawler
350 crawler
Posts: 2894
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:13 pm
Location: Raleigh, NC

Re: To buy or not to buy

Post by Stan Disbrow » Sun Apr 15, 2018 8:57 am

Hi,

Yes, the wide track is worth some bucks, so that will help you out in the end if you swap it out. Some folks really need that, and that set look pretty good in the pics.

As far as using it, it would work where I live nowadays in NC, in a river valley. This time of year ground is squishy. And, lots of spots look like mini swamps until mid July. Those see water pump up out of the ground and over the pads of a regular track crawler. They also suck in cows and, sometimes, wheel tractors with loaders which go to pluck them out. :P

Where I lived previously in NY it was on a ridge and all shale with a couple inches of dirt on top. A wide track would not have worked out there at all. The pads would be all bent up in short order.

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

Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
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cantbeatadeere
440 crawler
440 crawler
Posts: 149
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2014 4:30 pm
Location: new york..upstate..

Re: To buy or not to buy

Post by cantbeatadeere » Sun Apr 15, 2018 1:13 pm

I have been there and done it with the isolator -- without any hesitation the "D" isolator kit from Lavoy would be in it. I was able to get a brand new forward clutch spider probably three years ago now(this part has the splines on it you are showing as worn)....hope this site helps you as much as it did me when I tore mine down. :D
1970- JD 2520, 1991- JD 400G long track, 2003- JD 4710, 2012- JD 1026R, 2014 Bobcat E42 long arm, 2016- 14ft dump trailer, 2017- 24ft 11,000lb hyd. tilt equipment trailer aaand 2018 ram 2500 Big Horn CUMMINS :D :D

jwbcontracting
40C crawler
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Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2005 11:20 pm
Location: EDMONTON ALBERTA

Re: To buy or not to buy

Post by jwbcontracting » Sun Apr 15, 2018 8:10 pm

To change this to a narrow pad it’s really just a pad swap and remove / install both crossmembers. Worst part would be broken bolts in the frame / crossmember and reverser, which could require engine removal. We have done 5-7, probably a 2 day job for my dad and I counting removing broken bolts. Maybe 12 hours if things went real well with limited bull shitting.

The axle extensions and bearing holder are expensive. Last few I sold went to Alaska and Michigan.

We like bent pads as they turn nice on hard ground yet have floatation in soft. It does look like you have excellent undercarriage and it’s really just the rails that wear our prematurely.

Another option is to cut your pads down to 18” to 24” if you are concerned about wear. We had one a year ago cut down to 24” and it worked really nice.

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Lavoy
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Re: To buy or not to buy

Post by Lavoy » Mon Apr 16, 2018 10:07 am

I would think tracks, crossbars and extensions should be worth about what you paid for the crawler. Almost impossible to find good ones any more.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

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