Looking at a 350B ...anything you see that says..RUN!!?

[kilohertz]

Going to look at a 1971 350B with a 6 way blade tomorrow, which is mainly what we want to transfer to our '65 350 which has a 6310 on it now. The 350B has the 6305 6 way blade, overall it looks pretty crappy but looking past the rustyness, I think the undercarriage is usable, it's supposed to run, but needs a bearing in the track system, not sure what he meant but will find out tomorrow. Will have my trusty JD266 track gauge with me, and truck and trailer and cash in case it looks good...One thing that jumps outs at me is the right track adjuster, looks like it is higher in the center where the cylinder meets the housing, and yes tracks are worn, sprockets so so....chain, well???

Anything you see in the pics that I should watch out for that I may have missed? Oh, and thanks Lavoy!!! For setting me up with the photo gallery, it's awesome, so easy to use and doesn't take a half hour to post pics anymore. Just excellent.

Thanks all!

Cheers

[jwbcontracting]

No need to measure the tracks, they are 100% worn.

Best to check all crossmember bolts, caps, frame bolts. If this were my machine I would be removing the track frames and crossmember (possibly frame sections), Dozer mounts. Then start rebuilding from there if the reverser, tranny, steering clutch’s and final drives were good.

This is the day 1 winch, very difficult to adjust the brake band. Were in the process of rebuilding 2 450 and 1 350 winch right now.

You might have been at my dad’s a few months ago for a set of new 450 rails??

[NWJD fan]

Cream puff driven by a little old lady on Sundays

[gregjo1948]

Chains are shot. Looks like hydraulic cylinders are leakers. Probably won't push much with loader pads. Track adjuster will probably leak and allow the tracks to keep loosening if good chains are installed. Looks like the winch is non- functional. Check to see if housing bolts are tight with no separation between the housings. Especially between reverser and transmission. If you're going to fine grade, check the pins/bushings (slop) in the blade.
Overall, I'd say, this machine will be a money pit to put back into "good" condition.

[Stan Disbrow]

Hi,

Yup. The u/c is run out to about 500%. I see at least one frozen pin+bushing. Sprockets all gone with it. I see where all the rollers are not original. So, I can't say if they are any good or not. Of course, those rails are not original to that machine either.

If it runs, moves, and steers you probably have rebuildable bits in that respect. Yes, what I see is a pile of parts. Hopefully, self-propelled. To make use of it, it would really need everything pulled apart and rebuilt. But, that would just be Gravy for you. You want the PAT.

So, I would pay my real attention to the blade itself. And, the control valve. See how much work you have to do on that between pulling it off this one and putting it on yours.

The photos bring back memories. Not so good ones. Of my going here and there for years looking at 350s. Wanting what I eventually wound up with, and seeing machines like this. And, always high dollar because they all seem to have '50% u/c', and I could never tell if that meant one track flops off all the time or both tracks flop off half the time!

Stan

[kilohertz]

Thanks boys, that's exactly the sort of info I was looking for. He turned down an offer of $2K last year (CDN$, would be about $1300 USD) so given what you have told me, and what I expect he might want for it $2500 or so, (about $1800 USD) is it worth it? Assuming the engine runs okay, no knocking and decent sounding, reverser works, tranny gears all seem okay and it steers etc...and all the blade functions work.

Thanks again....

cheers

PS Jason no, that wasn't me, haven't been to Edmonton since the 70's.

[Stan Disbrow]

Hi,

The main question is, is the PAT worth half of what you pay for the entire self-propelled parts pile? To you, that is. Me, I like the outside mounted blades. But, I don't change it all that often. It gets set for a job, and left there until done. Then, it goes back straight. Those blades are far easier to alter than the inside mount manual blades. So, that is Good Enough for me.

So, I see price as being half and half. Half for what you want; half for parts. So, I think if those parts still work somewhere near properly, you'll wind up OK in the long run.

Making it a decent user machine is going to mean at least an entire set of u/c from Berco. What is that today? About $9k? I gave $13k for my 350C in really good shape so there is a figure to work with. But, it has the outside manual blade. It would have been more like $15k - $16k if it had the PAT.....

Stan

[kilohertz]

Thanks Stan,

Okay, well that is a good way to look at it, appreciate the opinions and it gives us something to consider. Heading there in a couple of hours, I'll report back this evening.

Thank you

[Stan Disbrow]

Hi,

Here is hoping it moves. Forward and back. Left and Right. The blade isn't too sloppy. And, nothing sounds like lug nuts in a tin coffee can!

Stan

[psprague]

Hi,

Yup. The u/c is run out to about 500%.

Stan

That is a brutal assessment.

And kind of what I thought went I saw it. That don't need no stinkin track gauge.

[kilohertz]

Well it was a good learning experience... When we arrived I noticed it was in a different location than last year when I saw it, good sign, it moves. This time we had more time and went over it for 5 minutes, enough time to decide oh boy, had a few giggles, took a few more pics to post here, and left without even hearing it. Holy cow! What a disaster. Worn, doesn't even come close to describing it, not only is the u/c toast, all sharp corners on the machine have been rounded off, like someone put it in a rock tumbler. The track gauge didn't even have enough area to show how worn it is, there needed to be another 1/2" in all dimensions, maybe a gauge from a 450 would have been better The idlers had so much play I made a video, can't seem to post it here though, the whole idler slops back and forth, and both sides are different, as are the sprockets. Engine oil looked good, but couldn't get the reverser or tranny dipsticks out, tight like they haven't been moved in years, and no sign of grease or lubing anywhere on the machine.

Pins missing in the 6 way, cylinder hanging off, leaks, blade worn through, the poor thing had just been "riden hard and put away wet", it's whole life by the looks of it. WAY more of a project than we need. I talked with him on the phone afterwards as he wasn't there when we looked at it, and said maybe next spring we would revisit it, for MUCH less money.

There are other machines out there.

Thanks everyone for your help....the 6 way hunt continues.

Cheers

[Stan Disbrow]

Hi,

Moth eaten blade. I like the diamond plate patch. Best part of the machine.

Now, there is an u/c which has been run to destruction. The roller coaster effect is classic! I noted in the earlier pics that the rollers don't have grease fittings. At first I thought they were snapped off or buried in crud. Then, I realized they look like sealed rollers: No 'eyebrows' on the lower side. Did someone replace rollers and keep on using the same rails?

Well, it matters not now. You didn't get it. Smart! Well, that one right there embodies bad things I saw in several machines - all in one.

Stan

Edit: My guess is they changed rollers and changed to loader tracks at the same time. So, this is at least the second set of wrecked rails this machine has seen.....

[Rincon]

Looks a little rough, I was always one to judge the outside, inside will be the same. Depending on price. Parts are not cheap.

[psprague]

I'd agree with you; when you have one, a spare, at the right price, is a gold mine.

This one's been rode hard and put up wet many a time though...

[kilohertz]

I like to idea of using it as a "spare parts machine". Forget about restoring it, if I can get it at the right price, there are a lot of usable items on it, engine, tranny, reverser, drives, 3315 power winch etc. We have 2 350's already, so a parts machine might be the best way to think about this one. I'll give it a month then call him back. I would think $1500 would be a reasonable offer?

Thanks!

PS, would the inside 6 way mount be strong enough to hold an outside mount blade? I could adapt our good condition 6310 blade to the hydraulic unit, maybe, would have to study them for a while.