Track locking up

General help and support for your Lindeman through 2010 John Deere crawler
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Keith Sullivan
MC crawler
MC crawler
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Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 7:17 pm
Location: Nova Scotia

Track locking up

Post by Keith Sullivan » Tue Jan 28, 2014 8:20 pm

1956 420c loader crawler have experienced track lockup solid won't move forward then will backup to about same rotation and locksup in reverse no noise can't see any obstructions feels internal like a brake coming on the steering fades as it's worked for a couple of hours steady wondering an adjustment or service :?: :?:

JWB Contracting
2010 crawler
2010 crawler
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Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2009 10:08 pm
Location: Edmonton, Alberta

Final Drive

Post by JWB Contracting » Tue Jan 28, 2014 9:56 pm

Check your final drive. Use a bar and see if there is play in the offending sprocket.
Jason Benesch

John Deere 420, 430, 440 & 350C With 3 Point Hitch
John Deere 400G With Winch
John Deere 2010 Crawler Dozer
John Deere 420, 430, 435 & 440 Wheel Tractors

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wizner85
430 crawler
430 crawler
Posts: 81
Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2011 3:52 pm
Location: Danville PA

Post by wizner85 » Wed Jan 29, 2014 11:08 am

I had a similar problem. Turns out the master link in the track came out an inch or so and was grabbing the rock guard. Couldn't see it since the pin was on the bottom and getting stuck in a not so visible area.

Also had a problem on a 1010 where the brake band was too tight and would cause the one side to lock up going forward or reverse. Just back off the nut a bit.
440 ICD 64 blade & 8a gear attic winch
440 ICD 831 loader with scarifier and weights
420 62 blade 3pt
Looking for 24 scarifier and 440 log arch

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Lavoy
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Post by Lavoy » Wed Jan 29, 2014 5:44 pm

I have had the exact same thing, bearing roller was laying in the bottom of the final drive and came around with the bull gear. New bull gear, pinion gear, final case and bearings later, I was all ready to go. In other words, shut it down immediately until the source is discovered, gets real spendy in a hurry if you don't catch it.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
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Keith Sullivan
MC crawler
MC crawler
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 7:17 pm
Location: Nova Scotia

Track

Post by Keith Sullivan » Thu Jan 30, 2014 10:00 am

I like the bolt suggestion the best when it gets above zero around here I'll check it's a strange problem whereas it seems to disappear although we all know they come back nothing self fixes thanks for the help when I get my snag found it'll be posted

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Gil
1010 crawler
1010 crawler
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Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2007 3:19 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by Gil » Thu Jan 30, 2014 5:15 pm

You did not say if one track was locking up, or both tracks. Obviously different symptoms. Either way I would head Lavoy's advice and not run the crawler until you diagnosis the problem. It would be great if Wizner85's master pin scenario turned out to be correct but I would lean more to a final drive issue. JWB had good advice. Check for play in the sprocket.

Last time I had the symptom, I jacked up one side of the crawler so the track was off the ground. I could easily identify the loose play in the sprocket. In my case it allowed the track to go sideways and bind on the bottom roller closest to the sprocket. Could be a reasonably affordable repair if you caught it early. If you use the engine to turn the track, you will see just how much torque that little two cylinder engine puts out, and how rapidly it can chew up teeth, gears, and bearings.

If both tracks are locking up, the problem is most likely in the transmission gears or in the ring and pinion area. For example, a bearing could have failed and allowed a shaft to tilt and still rotate a little in one direction before it binds. Again you can test for these symptoms by having the crawler raised off of one track, decouple the other track by using the steering clutch, and turning the track by "hand" without having the engine try to do it.

Good luck to you and we hope you discovered the problem soon enough to make it affordable. Gil
JD440-ICD loader; JD440-IC bulldozer; JD440-ICD backhoe; JD440-I backhoe; JD440-I tractor; + five recumbent JD440-ICs

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440 iron popper
1010 crawler
1010 crawler
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Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 7:48 pm
Location: Québec, Canada

Post by 440 iron popper » Thu Jan 30, 2014 5:23 pm

Lavoy wrote:I have had the exact same thing, bearing roller was laying in the bottom of the final drive and came around with the bull gear. New bull gear, pinion gear, final case and bearings later, I was all ready to go. In other words, shut it down immediately until the source is discovered, gets real spendy in a hurry if you don't catch it.
Lavoy
Yes. To lock a track like this, it is mechanichal and serious. If it looks like:

Turn by itself without pulling the lever
Engine bugs down
Same forward and reverse

Don't run it no more! It sounds like a final drive. It happened to me too on a 440. You can check my post in the " show and tell" called "bull 2". It turned into a major project for me... Basically the crawler was running just enough for a buyer to buy it... I was the lucky one :shock:

If both tracks lock together that's another story...

Good luck! Keep us posted.
440IC 1958 #443712, 602 blade, Gearmatic winch project in the back
440IC, serial tag gone, Blade with tilt
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