350 Left Track Drive Problem

[JD350CL]

I have a 1969 JD350 Crawler Loader. While pushing dirt into a materials pile I started having a problem with the left track not driving. I can move the crawler around but there is little or no power in the left track. Sometimes I could pull on the right steering lever very lightly and the left track would work enough to make a turn but if I pull harder on it the track just stops. For a few days everything started working properly again like something had been stuck and had let loose again. When doing dirt work again the problem is back with no power in the left track. If I try to work the crawler hard I get a very loud grating noise and everything stops. If I move the power reverser into neutral the noise stops. then when I move it back to forward or reverse I can go again. Is my problem in the left side steering clutches and pressure plate or somewhere else?

[KenP]

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[JD350CL]

Thanks for your response Ken. I have done the adjustments you mentioned but not for awhile and I will try it again. My crawler sat idle for almost 10 years before I bought it so I've had to do quite a few repairs on it but I've never had the left side apart so I don't know the condition of any of the parts in the clutch. Any thoughts on what that long period sitting idle may have done to those parts?

[KenP]

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[gerald]

Just bought 1970 350 thats doing the same but on the right side and was parked for years . I used mine about 15 minutes and had enough. going to order a clutch . Im new to the crawers love them. It could be from working on D11s and eveything cat has made. The grinding noise is spooky to here. May be pull the final shaft an see if the splines are still good.

[gerald]

I dont get around the old girl much . Im here now and found her in poor maintenance . The bolt for the left track adj was bent right over took the drimal an cut it off where it would set . Im not real shure but it works some way . i dont have my manual with me . The manual explans it all for new clutches right now im doing it by the sea of my pants. very nice machine. Gerald