Just Purchased a 400G

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Skyridge
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Just Purchased a 400G

Post by Skyridge » Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:50 am

Hello, Jason here. I just bought a 400G long track that is in ok shape considering the location (interior Alaska).

Grousers are good, track chain pins have about a 3/8”-1/2” wide flat side on them, drive sprocket teeth are worn to sharp points. I figure I’ll plan to change the sprockets eventually. Not really sure how long to let them run, normally.

Mechanically, it seems to run great. I can’t run it for more than a couple minutes at a time because I need to put a radiator in it, tree branch destroyed the original one. Muffler has a crack that I could probably weld, but I might try to find a new one in an effort to quiet this machine down as much as possible. Water pump shaft has some free-play when wiggled. Figure I’ll swap that while the radiator is out. There’s a lot about this machine that I just don’t know yet. I haven’t really been able to operate it properly and the weather conditions have been very adverse since the purchase. I think I’ll have to wait until summer to really start getting to know it. I can locate some parts I need in the meantime.

I have a few questions for the group: First off, I can’t seem to find the original serial number. There’s a plate on the front of the battery box that looks like a serial number plate, but it’s very worn out and pretty much illegible. There is a 4 digit number stamped in it that’s easily readable, but it doesn’t look like the correct serial number. Maybe someone knows another place I might find the serial number. The data plate on the engine is clearly readable, not sure if that can be useful for determining the number of the machine. I’ll attach pics of everything. I did read a useful thread that gives the serial numbers for each year of production, now I just need to determine the serial number of my machine. I guess it’s not absolutely necessary for me to know the year, I would just like to.

Does anybody have any suggestions on where to locate parts? From what I remember reading, this machine has the same engine as a 450 and the frame of a 350. Not sure if that means the parts are interchangeable to some degree, or what. For now, I would just like to locate a new radiator and muffler. Seems like there should be lots of options that would work. Water pump looks to be easily found on eBay.

Also, if someone knows of any good 400 threads or links I should be reading, let me know, please.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Skyridge
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Re: Just Purchased a 400G

Post by Skyridge » Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:55 am

Can’t seem to figure out how to post pics.

Jim B
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Re: Just Purchased a 400G

Post by Jim B » Sun Apr 04, 2021 1:09 pm

Welcome to the Board.

You can't post pictures direct to this site. The site has a separate server for picture storage for uploading to a post. You can read about it on the Messageboard Q&A and Announcements Board when you are logged in. Or you need to use another third party picture hosting site.

The tag on the front of the battery box is the one you need the info from. Clean carefully, take pictures from different angles and lighting and possibly you can get more of the number. I have heard of some people removing the drive screws that hold the tag and getting a look at the back of the tag to see the stamping impressions on the back and getting numbers that way, no guarantee of success. A dealer might, that is a big might, be able to relate the engine number to a year. I don't know of any public lists of engines by year. Your tag should look like this and #4 is the number you need. Even the first few digits of the 6 may help narrow the year. The serial number (years were not used for identifying the change) really only comes into play, as far as parts. if there was a change during the production run of the 400G. As a note the year (85) of my 450E, is stamped to the far right of #5.
Image

You can use the John Deere on line parts catalogs, for free. Clicking this link should take you to the search page for the Parts Catalogs. https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/search Just enter 400G in the search box and it will bring up a lists of machines to choose from. You should see 400G Parts Catalog # PC2209 in the list. You can find the John Deere part numbers for your 400G parts and use the part numbers in your searches. Some things may be the same on other models but using and comparing the actual part numbers is the best way. Lavoy, owner and provider of this site, sells parts so he is a good source to contact (email postmaster@jdcrawlers.com or call him) when you are looking for parts.

If the fan wiggles at all, repair or replace the water pump when the radiator is out, otherwise you may be buying a second radiator. Fan belt as well while your there.

If the sprockets are worn to points they are pretty well worn. If your use is intermittent, you can likely get by for quite a while by keeping the tracks adjusted. The chains are likely worn so putting new sprockets on old chains, or vis versa, just accelerates the wear on the new parts. An undercarriage is a system and for best life chains, sprockets, idlers and rolls are all rebuilt or replaced at the same time. HTH
Jim

Skyridge
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Re: Just Purchased a 400G

Post by Skyridge » Sun Apr 04, 2021 2:14 pm

Thanks for all that useful info. Damn, I looked at the 15 step procedure for posting a pic and just posted them on Craigslist instead, here’s a link:

https://fairbanks.craigslist.org/com/d ... 76263.html

The data plate on my machine looks nothing like that. HOWEVER, upon closer inspection of my pic, I see that there are a couple of drilled out or broken rivets just above the plate in my pic. I suspect that the original plate got removed or broke off, for whatever reason, and the existing plate is a dealer or rental yard info plate or something.

Here is a link to the serial number list I was referring to earlier:

http://www.jdcrawlers.com/messageboard ... hp?p=10975

Jim B
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Re: Just Purchased a 400G

Post by Jim B » Sun Apr 04, 2021 3:11 pm

Certainly not the original tag. It appears to be a dealer's or maybe a rental unit tag as you said. If you could try carefully cleaning it a bit you might get enough info to identify whose tag it is and contact them if they are still in business. They might have records tying that number to the real serial number.

You can use the parts catalog and as long as a part doesn't show a serial number break it should be the same for all 400Gs, and even then the earlier part may sub to the newer one. Sometimes both the old and new sub to a 3rd or 4th part number.

B Town
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Re: Just Purchased a 400G

Post by B Town » Sun Apr 04, 2021 5:01 pm

Nice looking crawler with inside mount dozer. Some Deere crawlers had the SN stamped in the battery box metal directly behind the original SN plate. Very gentle cleaning may reveal a SN in small font.

Best regards

Bruce

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Re: Just Purchased a 400G

Post by Lavoy » Mon Apr 05, 2021 7:35 am

That is a dealer stock number tag, not a serial number tag, keep looking, or it is missing.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

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LeonardL
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Re: Just Purchased a 400G

Post by LeonardL » Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:51 pm

Your 400G is the later model of the series. I noticed in the picture that it has the contoured front nose and the late model decals. So if you don't find a serial number you will at least know where it is in the line. There were a few serial number breaks on the 400G but they were done on the earlier models. As Bruce pointed out, the serial number should be stamped in the metal on the battery box. As he said it should be directly behind where the plate was mounted. They were also stamped in the back, top of the transmission case on some machines but not all.

You are correct that they are a culmination of the 350D and the 450E. However they are their own machine. So some parts are exclusive to its breed. They have the 450E engine with the transmission and HLR that has the 450E internals but the case itself is different than the 450E. The final drive line uses the 350D steering clutch and brake but the clutch housings and final drives themselves are larger than the 350D and again is exclusive to the 400G. The track and undercarriage are mostly 350D but have a couple of differences between the two machines.
40 plus years working on JD 350s, 400Gs, 450s and other equipment both Ag and Construction.

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