More Steering Questions

[digitup2]

Smiley you will notice while you run your 350B that the brakes fade quickly that was a John Deere exclusive built in problem .But you had a easy fix moving the seat back I have seen that happen on the newer stuff as well . Set your brakes up when they are warm not hot or cold . It will be more comfortable to run set right .It takes a while to set the brakes and clutch up but watch and mental note what different settings feel like .The big trick is to keep both as equal as possible in movement the 350s and 350Bs as well as the 450s and 450Bs had clutch fade like crazy as they got older .I always took a couple combination wrenches 1/2 or 9/16 I think!! and tied a boot lace to them around the box end and long enough to wrap around your wrist and use comfortably then if the wrench slipped out of your hand it would not end up in the bottom of the housing .I pulled one apart years ago and found about 6 wrenches in the bottom .All were mine and no one admitted to putting them there There is clearance down there if one gets away but it is hard to get one out later so just try the boot lace trick it's the easiest.It's sort of like mitty strings they may teas the hell out of you about it but nothing gets away from you that way. Digitup.

[Smiley]

Thanks for the thought starters. After going through my manual, i saw what your talking about. It states that the earlier models have their own pump/filter system. I'll have to wait til april before i can get to my machine and check it out. If it isn't a separated system, then it gets assist from the transmission pump. I always check this fluid so i know it's not low and also had the filter replaced when i bought it, so likely thats not the source of the issue. I also did read that perhaps the flywheel is loose which casues excess vibration. Considering the on/off nature i don't think that any shafts are bent as was also described.

So yes to answer your previous question, no engine issue, only drive train/steering. but again, considering steering returned to perfect operating during this 20 minute vibration abatement, i'm not sure that steering is the area to look at. Also, one more fact. When it went back to vibrating, the machine had a drift to the right in 3rd (more pronounced than in 2nd, but still exists). I had to keep correcting it with my left steering about every 50 yards, so going down the road i had to zig zag to keep going down the road.

If you have any other thoughts, please don't hesitate. I hate having equipment that doesn't run quite right.

[Tigerhaze]

I wouldn't think the flywheel would be the issue as it is constantly rotating when the engine is running, especially since you didn't notice any vibration when idling.

Are you sure there isn't something in the undercarriage misalinged that is causing vibration? Those kinds of things become more pronounced in higher gears when moving.

[digitup2]

when you are in forward the brake bands are set to lead toward forward torque so when in reverse the band tends to grab a bit because of the band setting and torque .At this point set the brake up a little leaving the clutch alone you will feel better turning ability quickly . Digitup.

[Smiley]

Thanks for the added insight. Your right, there is no vibration in idle, only moving. I suppose something could be hung up. I'd have to get into to see, but i did notice that the sides of the tracks (the parts that ride over the wheels) were polished bright after running it for the 2 miles, but i passed it off to normal running at a distance. Also both tracks showed this characteristic, so again didn't think much of it. Previously it was mentioned to jack it up and run the tracks, to maybe see what's happening. Any thoughts on this tactic?

Also, let me ask your collective opinions. Any issue in running in the cold? Other than running on thicker fluids til they warm up? I figured they are made for all weather conditions.

Thanks too for the mention on adjusting the clutches/brakes. I'm just concerned that if this is not the real issue, all i'll be doing is messing this up, considering the steering worked perfect for the 20 min's of running in 3rd.

[digitup2]

Smiley watch for that vibration that is a gear kickin out somewhere that dosen't sound good at all I hate to make your new year but watch that it could be your bull gear look into that quickly .Digitup.

[Smiley]

Hi Digitup, thanks for the reply. But your bumming me out, although I was thinking it has to be something like that - not just fluid or an adjustment. Can you give me any hope? Is it fixable, in the field? Costly?

[jdemaris]

Thanks for the added insight. Also, let me ask your collective opinions. Any issue in running in the cold? Other than running on thicker fluids til they warm up? I figured they are made for all weather conditions.

You ought to jack up each side near the sprocket and see if you can move either up and down with a pry bar. If so, you'd better pull the final and fix real soon.

As to cold weather - there's one particular issue with 350s - the hydraulic system. Deere had a lot of trouble keeping filters on - and /or the hydraulic filter restriction indicator breaking from hammering up and down so much. Deere had two problems. One - standard Hyguard oil is too thick for temps below 20 degrees F. Two - the original return oil filter was too fine. To compound the issue - that filter is often installed wrong. It is supposed to have a long steel bushing inside of it that allows you to tighten the hold-down bolt tight. Often, that bushing gets lost (often sitting at the tank bottom). After that, the hold-down bolt never gets tight enough for the filter to stay on - since if you tried, it would crush the filter.

Deere's fix was #1 to come out with winter-grade Hyguard, and #2 to come up with a new hydraulic filter element that was less restrictive. Keep in mind when I say "new" I'm talking about 20-30 years ago.

When all is right, with the correct winter-grade Hyguard - or some other 10W hydrualic oil, and a clean filter IN PLACE, you will still see that restriction indicator bounce up and down at cold starts. But, after a few mintues it should stop. If you never see it move - you've already got problems. Probably means there is no filter attached at all.

[Smiley]

ok, got it. My fix to the cold fluid was to put a magnetic heater under the oil pan and hydraulic tank and let them warm for about 3 hours. This didn't help the fluid in the lines and pistons, but figured it was easier on the pump. Other than running slow, i didn't notice too much issue in the cold.

As for checking the sprocket, will do in April. On the other hand, could this actually be the clutches grabbing/thrust bearing out of position or even some clutch springs that gave up the ghost? I was reading thru my 8N manual and it call this type of condition out specifically as well as ran into an ex-shop teacher/hydraulics tech at Tractor Supply who provided his thoughts on the situation.

[CELSESSER]

Checking the sprocket for any loosness in APRIL is OK as long as the crawler isn't used AT ALL untill after it is checked in April. If the pinion and bull gears are trying to seperate due to bad bearings, the next revolution could blow the final--- $$$$$$$$$$$!

JMHO

[Smiley]

Thanks. I noted that your log on says your from Norther Michigan. Where at? Do you know of any good guys who work on machines up there?

[CELSESSER]

I'm from Gaylord, there used to be a local fellow with a small shop that worked on old equipment but his clientel mostly died off so he closed up and moved out west where there was work. Typical Michigan story. There are several posters from the board in the area,Traverse City, the Straits, and Digitup who has been replying to your posts has property in the UP but not sure where.
Where are you located? Having reread the post I would guess that your deer camp must be either in Luce county(used to have a camp 20 miles north of McMillan) or possibly over around Ontanogan. Am I close? Also, When it was vibrating were you on hard frozen ground and when it was smooth were you on some snowpack? With my 440 dozer with single grousers in 4th or 5th on frosen ground or cement it will rattle your fillings out and your vision is very blured. On snowpack you can go full throttle in 5th and it is smooth as silk. A little hard on the rollers as they don't like to turn with grease in them when cold! If you have power assist with a seperate resevoir, you may just be low on fluid and when shaking badly the punp was sucking air? Don't know anything about the hydraulic assist so I may be shooting blanks.
Still check those sprockets for movement!

Chuck

[jdemaris]

Thanks. I noted that your log on says your from Norther Michigan. Where at? Do you know of any good guys who work on machines up there?

There's a small shop in Posen - a potato farming community in Presque Isle Co. Also, there's a place in Lachine (Alpena County) that specializes in older Allis Chalmers crawlers and wheel tractors. Summerix Implement Inc. I think he uses several independent repair people in that area of Northern MI. If you call them, they might tell you?

I've got half a dozen tractors parked up there in Hawks and Case Township (Presque Isle Co.), not too far from the Mac bridge. I've spoken to many local people about who they use for repairs. Some good stories, and some bad stories - but all expensive stories. I didn't hear of anybody working cheap.

A new John Deere dealer just opened there also. Bader Brothers in Hillman.

http://www.sumeriximp.com/

[CELSESSER]

I do have CRS syndrome. It is jdemaris and not Digitup that has a place up here.
I have dealt with Bader brothers in Mt Pleasant. The counter man really knew his stuff. Volker Deere out of Lake City and Big ripids will drive orders up to the cattle auction in Gaylord once a week, no charge which is kind of nice. They are ag but will hunt industrial.
Posen and Lachine, now there are two little backwater communities!
Not much ag here anymore and the heavy equipment operators all have their own inhouse mechanics.
I talked to an old guy with an early 440 that said he spent $7000 for undercarrige work at a JD dealer two years earlier. It did not look like it had had any final work done on it or anything else. Not sure if he was nuts or just got taken advantage of.

Chuck