Removing skid plate and belly pan changing reverser filter

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jbshocks
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Removing skid plate and belly pan changing reverser filter

Post by jbshocks » Tue Nov 27, 2018 7:09 am

I am new here and have a jd350 that I inherited. I believe it is a 1967 from what I recall looking up. My grandfather bought it in 1972 as sort of hobby use at a hunting cabin and it has been garage kept ever since. It has nice original paint on it and looks good. My grandfather was the last one to do any serious maintenance to the machine in about 1980. Since then it has only seen grease and oil with the exception of an injector pump, lift pump and fuel filters. The reverser cable became seized so I changed it out this last weekend but it got me wanting to make sure the proper maintenance is done on the machine. I bought a reverser filter and bucket of fluid to do the filter at the same time as the cable. It looks like I could get the filter cover plate off from the top but it doesn't seem like the filter would fully come out if I did it. The reverser fluid is very clean from checking the dip stick. So I have have several questions.
1. Can the reverser filter come out from the top?
2. Would you still change the filter and oil if it was perfectly clean? 40 year old oil.
3. If the pan has to come off what is the best way to do it. I recall my grandfather had a pair of rail road ties that he would drive up onto in order to work on the dozer. Is this typical and safe? What does the plate weigh? Seems like it would be like handling a 500 pound sheet of plywood.

thanks for any insight or recommendations on how to maintain the old girl.

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Rincon
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Re: Removing skid plate and belly pan changing reverser filter

Post by Rincon » Tue Nov 27, 2018 2:02 pm

I use double side by side ties on each track strapped with lag bolts. works great gives 8 more inches. plenty of room for jacks etc. on a 450C. 450 pan weighs about 150 lbs maybe.

original possum
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Re: Removing skid plate and belly pan changing reverser filter

Post by original possum » Tue Nov 27, 2018 2:34 pm

You shouldn't have to pull the belly pan or any part of it to change the filter. Just remove the four bolts and take it out. You will be working at arms length. Any fluid in the reverser will drain onto the belly pan and thence wherever when the filter cover comes loose. Swab out the inside with (clean) rags while the filter is out.
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Timbertime
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Re: Removing skid plate and belly pan changing reverser filter

Post by Timbertime » Tue Nov 27, 2018 11:46 pm

Years ago my John Deere dealer told me I don't need to change the reverser filter unless something brakes in the system or the oil looks out of normal. So I still have my 50 year old John Deere oil in the system and the old 350 is running fine!

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Stan Disbrow
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Re: Removing skid plate and belly pan changing reverser filter

Post by Stan Disbrow » Wed Nov 28, 2018 5:26 am

Hi,

Over time, the spring loaded plate tends to collapse the paper filter element. Then, it tends to bypass. That takes many years. But, now all these machines have many years on them.....

Stan
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gregjo1948
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Re: Removing skid plate and belly pan changing reverser filter

Post by gregjo1948 » Wed Nov 28, 2018 5:48 am

Rincon wrote:
Tue Nov 27, 2018 2:02 pm
I use double side by side ties on each track strapped with lag bolts. works great gives 8 more inches. plenty of room for jacks etc. on a 450C. 450 pan weighs about 150 lbs maybe.
I like to raise and block up the blade also, which makes rolling a floor jack under and rolling under on a creeper.
JD 350B diesel 6way blade, Case 580B Loader/backhoe, Farmall 504 high crop w/ flail boom mower, International 404 , International 284 diesel w/belly mower, 1972 Ford F600 dump truck, Galion 3-5 roller, Allis Chalmers D17, 1620 Ford

dtoots1
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Re: Removing skid plate and belly pan changing reverser filter

Post by dtoots1 » Wed Nov 28, 2018 8:25 am

on the skid plate i used a pulley and rope to both lower it and lift it back up!! heavy!!! need my fingers etc!

jbshocks
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Re: Removing skid plate and belly pan changing reverser filter

Post by jbshocks » Wed Nov 28, 2018 9:51 am

Stan Disbrow wrote:
Wed Nov 28, 2018 5:26 am
Hi,

Over time, the spring loaded plate tends to collapse the paper filter element. Then, it tends to bypass. That takes many years. But, now all these machines have many years on them.....

Stan
So what do you guys think? No reason to pull the belly pan? Run it until there is a reason to pull it? Seeing how I have the filter and fluid dump the filter with the belly pan in place and deal with the mess based on the filter possibly collapsing?

original possum
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Re: Removing skid plate and belly pan changing reverser filter

Post by original possum » Wed Nov 28, 2018 10:39 am

Stan is right. I have pulled one that was not only collapsed but disintegrating. Wouldn't know it until there is a problem. BTW, on older machines that lived in humidity you may find you need a blue-tipped wrench to remove the belly pan and then you remove the side rails to install new captive nuts.
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dtoots1
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Re: Removing skid plate and belly pan changing reverser filter

Post by dtoots1 » Wed Nov 28, 2018 10:53 am

i try to use common sense when looking at situation .....(you) knowing your gram pa's work ethic and looking at condition of dozer i would say he probably changed the oils and had it ready for use.....now that you have a new filter etc get it out and see what condition it is actually in and clean out housing etc. may be a bit of trouble getting it out and if filter does get damaged you at least have a replacement .....cleaning up any oil spill may be worst of the job!!

by the way belly pan bolts are many and they do break! and simply no need to take it off at least right now

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Re: Removing skid plate and belly pan changing reverser filter

Post by jbloam » Thu Nov 29, 2018 7:03 pm

When I pulled the belly pan on my 350 I made a cradle in the shape of a capitol letter i with 2×4's and bolted it to a floor jack to lower the pan off and raise it back on. Worked great.

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