Jd 350 reverser oil

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JSmith
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Jd 350 reverser oil

Post by JSmith » Fri Apr 27, 2018 6:02 pm

What kind of oil should I put in the direction reverser on my jd 350. My manual says type a transmission fluid but is there a suitable replacement. Thanks

Don2018
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Re: Jd 350 reverser oil

Post by Don2018 » Fri Apr 27, 2018 6:10 pm

I have a 1966 350 with direction reverser. My service manual says to use JD type 303 which is the same fluid used in the transmission and hydraulic system. I believe 303 is now called jd Hygard but I use a quality hydraulic oil out of a 25 gallon drum in our shed.

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Stan Disbrow
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Re: Jd 350 reverser oil

Post by Stan Disbrow » Fri Apr 27, 2018 6:24 pm

Hi,

ATF won't work. Originally, they used John Deere Special Purpose Oil Type 303 to use the full name. Easy to find Type 303 in any farm store. Deere replaced 303 with HyGard. Easy to find at any JD dealer and all the farm stores have an oil that is equivalent to HyGard as well.

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)

Don2018
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Re: Jd 350 reverser oil

Post by Don2018 » Fri Apr 27, 2018 6:33 pm

I’m also confused about your manual telling you to use atf. Are you sure you’re looking in the correct manual?

Don2018
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Re: Jd 350 reverser oil

Post by Don2018 » Fri Apr 27, 2018 6:33 pm

I’m also confused about your manual telling you to use atf. Are you sure you’re looking in the correct manual?
Don

Don2018
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Re: Jd 350 reverser oil

Post by Don2018 » Fri Apr 27, 2018 6:34 pm

I’m also confused about your manual telling you to use atf. Are you sure you’re looking in the correct manual?
Don

jwbcontracting
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Re: Jd 350 reverser oil

Post by jwbcontracting » Fri Apr 27, 2018 7:24 pm

ATF works fine in reversers. We used it for better cold weather starting, however in the last 20 years we ran our high horse power widepad loaders with backhoes they only worked in the summer months. We had no failures in the 2 machines due to slipping disks nor any fade in performance when worked till their maximum capabilities. Only issues we had were bearing failures every 3-4 years at which time we did fairly extensive rebuilds.

THG ( transmission hydraulic gear) fluid is the equivalent and we use Walmart brand. We use this oil in out 440 and 540 skidders.

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psprague
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Re: Jd 350 reverser oil

Post by psprague » Fri Apr 27, 2018 9:09 pm

I use a single weight 30 SAE in the crankcase and 303 oil everywhere else in both my 440 and 450.

I was talking to my dad once about something like this, he said Why don't you just use what they recommend?
JD 450c forestry, JD 440A cable skidder

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Re: Jd 350 reverser oil

Post by jwbcontracting » Sat Apr 28, 2018 7:02 am

For use in Alberta Canada our 350’s would not start in cold weather when my dad build access roads across muskeg if THG was used. The 350’s placed rip rap and pushed material for building the roads and the skidders pulled in the timber.

Deere oil is expensive that’s why we don’t use it. THG is the equivalent to the Deere spec.

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Stan Disbrow
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Re: Jd 350 reverser oil

Post by Stan Disbrow » Sat Apr 28, 2018 9:24 am

Hi,

He also posted over in the Early Forum, but didn't repeat it here:
JSmith wrote:
Fri Apr 27, 2018 5:35 pm
Hi. I changed the oil in the direction reverser on my jd 350. Before it worked fine now it has no power. I put in atf fluid instead of type a transmission fluid. I think the atf is too thin. What oil can I use. It is impossible to find type a. Thanks
So, ATF is not working for him at the moment.

There are a lot of considerations inside an automatic transmission which don't apply to our kind of equipment. Then, there are considerstions we have which ATF does not address. So, the lubricant is quite a mismatch. I can see using it in the winter in the Great White North, but I would get it the heck out of there when the temperatures get around to rising.

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)

JSmith
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Re: Jd 350 reverser oil

Post by JSmith » Sat Apr 28, 2018 10:55 am

Thanks a lot. My manual said type a tranny fluid was ok but I put in atf. Worked fine in the winter and early spring but now it has more weight on it (backhoe) and it's warmer so it won't go up a steep hill and barely turns. It worked fine before so I think all will be well once I change the fluid. Thanks again.

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Stan Disbrow
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Re: Jd 350 reverser oil

Post by Stan Disbrow » Sat Apr 28, 2018 12:30 pm

Hi,

Back when, Type A was pretty much the same as hydraulic oil. As time went on, each became significantly different. It isn't the base stock, as in the actual oil. It is the additives, and they account for 50% or more of the lubricant. Always more and better additives for a given application.

But, I don't recall Type A ever being called out in a 350 manual. Just 303. So, that must be a 1965 manual from the first days of the Straight 350. I had a 1968 one, and the matching manuals called out 303. So, now I wonder which year it was that Deere came out with 303..... I still have some of the early 5 gallon cans of Special Purpose Oil around. Flat topped steel, which just says 1960s as far as that goes. No lithographic date or anything on the can.

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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Re: Jd 350 reverser oil

Post by Lavoy » Mon Apr 30, 2018 10:28 am

Keep in mind what you bought was not Type A, and Type A was specified for a reason. You substituted a different fluid with different properties. 303, Hygard, or any of the other names are readily available from multiple suppliers including WalMart. If viscosity is your concern, Deere makes LowVis HyGard as well. Drain it, change the filter, and refill with HyGard or equivalent and see what happens.
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JSmith
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Re: Jd 350 reverser oil

Post by JSmith » Mon Apr 30, 2018 6:05 pm

I put some tdh in and it works fine. Thanks

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