555A Crawler Loader

[jboettcher]

Digitup
Haven't heard from you lately. As you may recall I had to replace seals and bearings on my crawler's final drive and you were a great help. Everything went well except I did not tighten the set screw in the brake drum which pushed back and ruptured the internal hydrolic line to the streeing clutches. Pulled the cover after removing the tank (all by myself). Installed new line and I'm back in buisness. I'm starting to understand this machien and how it works. My next plan is to turn the pins and bushings. Weld on some new grouser's, repair or replace a couple of roller's and new after market sprokets. A couple of the rollers need the flanges built up. Finally a question for you. The transmission has never run more than a little in the green. It always pushes strong, unless I lose fluid from couplings etc. Add fluid and it's back to pushing. However I know it should be up there in the green more. Is this something I should tackel myself? I have the time but not the money to put in the local JD shop.

Myassitis

[digitup]

#1-Original equipment gauges should not all ways be believed #2-Is there change in cold to warm to hot oil pressures #3-Can you see a oil pressure fluctuation between shifts [If so dose it jump or drop between shifts ]#4-dose it slip in high gear . We just bought a precision gauge system for this job for the shop and I have learned a few things over the last few weeks about power shift testing .Most power shift [multiple plate clutch systems ]need a minimum of 150 lbs pressure to work properly.Anything less is on its way out !!.Take a GOOD 300 lb pressure gauge on 4 feet of double braid hose and Deere will have a 1/4 in p.t. fitting at least on the side of the power shift transmission for testing .Hook to this or even put a Pioneer fitting on for future references and you will find quickly how accurate your gauge is and go from this point through the power shift .watch for peak pressure it is very important . NEVER live by the gauge on the dash even if it is OEM equipment I have seen people rebuild complete transmissions to find the gauge never moved .Digitup.P.S.how was the duck and goose hunting this fall I didn't get any in at all !!.I got my deer at 5 am one morning with the pickup with the plow harness and never hurt the pickup a bit .that was the extent of my hunting !.

[jboettcher]

Digitup
Thanks for the reply. Duck hunting just ok for me. My biggest problem is working for a living instead of sitting in my duck blind. Just don't kill many ducks at the office. Retiring from my Government job in April of 2009 then I'll have more time. I'm going to study your e-mail in detail this week end and plan on getting gauge etc. for proper testing. My gauge (dash) is the original and it does not have any psi numbers, just the red, green and then the red again. I would like to have a decent gauge which shows the psi instead. I'm going to check this week end on any flucuation while shifting. I have never noticed anything with the exception of after running hard the transmission pressure would drop some, but I was also loseing oil via bad couplings. So I don't know if was from wear or just low oil. I"ll let you know. I'm the Director of Project Developement and Construction Management for a County Government.
Office type, not an operator or contractor but my plan is to do small ponds and clearing with what ever equipment when I retire. I live in a rural area which is fast being developed. Everyone who moves out here wants fench rows cleared and a pond built. My goal is to have the piece of equipment that is most flexable to do this work along with a trailer to haul it. It will proberly not be the 555a as it has to many hours on it and maybe not as big as I like. Any suggestions? What is it you do exactly.


Thanks Jim B.

[digitup]

My favorite machine if just one to use is a 490 Deere or 130 size excavator my self.Add a thumb and you can do most jobs safe and efficient .12 ton class are easier to get around the country side with as well.Then add a 550 size dozer for the next unit and the sky is the limit.You mentioned turning pins and bushings in that other post I get this done by a track guy scheduling. it in it takes about 2 days to do and is well worth it if done early.I normally just buy new tracks for production machines .But with older stuff I will turn at 60% of life left and get as much as possible out of it .Digitup.

[digitup]

I noticed you asked what I do for a job .In the seventy s my dad and I started with a Buckeye wheel trencher and a Deere 310 hoe and a 450 dozer installing drainage tile and farm excavating We ran the business together till the 1990 when I brought older and younger brother into the picture .Today I have two full drainage crews with a Wolfe plow and a old Fiat Allis 21B with a plow attached .This is my main business and the other equipment needed two tractors two backhoes and five pickups as well as another wheel trencher just for larger drains .The excavating end has grown as well over the years with Two new 550J and one 450J series trim dozers [one 550j is equipped with RTK the GPS control system the other has a laser and a EGC blade control system ] we have three other older dozers as well and three excavators .Little brother looks after the construction end and older brother the trucking end we have a 60ton and a 35ton floats and two dump trucks in that end I kind of over see all this and run the drainage devision They let me be boss if I don't say too much!.I am set up that I can drain darn neer any thing as we have a lot of swamp holes in this area I can take the worst part of your farm and make it the most productive part for around 800 dollars per acre .Digitup.