350 steering clutch adjuster

Post support questions about your JD350 and newer crawler here
User avatar
Lavoy
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 10937
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2005 8:32 pm
Location: North Dakota
Contact:

350 steering clutch adjuster

Post by Lavoy » Fri Feb 26, 2016 10:41 am

OK, once again, Deere in there infinite wisdom has substituted in a part that is totally useless, and wholly unsuitable for the purpose it is intended. I've talked to 3 different people in the last 3 weeks that have busted steering clutch adjuster linkages on there dry clutch 350's, same part as would be used on 1010 too. The parts Deere will send you now do not work, will not work, and can not be made to work! :lol: :twisted: :( :( :twisted:
I had a DTAC case opened on the subject, and Deere says I am stupid, and that their parts work. SOOOOOOOO, I am working on an alternative/s part that will work. Actually working on 3 different alternatives, just waiting for parts and tooling to get here to try all three. Bear with me, should have something done next week or week after.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

User avatar
CatD8RII
1010 crawler
1010 crawler
Posts: 324
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2006 9:26 am
Location: PA

Post by CatD8RII » Fri Feb 26, 2016 10:05 pm

Try not to get too frustrated!

I seriously wonder if anyone at DTAC has even knows what a 350 is let alone has worked on one.

I've heard some horror stories from some of my buddies that work at a construction dealer nearby in their dealings with DTAC, some of the lines about "obviously you're doing it wrong/ we can't be wrong!" etc etc!

Talk about support!

User avatar
Stan Disbrow
350 crawler
350 crawler
Posts: 2894
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:13 pm
Location: Raleigh, NC

Post by Stan Disbrow » Sat Feb 27, 2016 5:58 am

Hi,

It is all part of the Great Conspiracy. Y'all know. The one where we all have to go buy whatever the latest and greatest is. ;)

Stan
There's No Such Thing As A Cheap Crawler!

Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (now known as 5045D)

pondhogvt
440 crawler
440 crawler
Posts: 121
Joined: Sun Jul 14, 2013 2:04 pm
Location: Johnson,Vermont

350 adjuster

Post by pondhogvt » Sat Feb 27, 2016 1:50 pm

Lavoy, give me a part number for the part you need,, I have a bunch of 350's torn apart,,, maybe I could send you a good used one or maybe one good enough for your re-tooling effort.. to help you for all you've done for us here on the site,,, good luck Mark.
350 loader,350c dozer winch and arch,450c winch and arch,450e winch and arch,D37p komatsu lgp dozer,D85 Komatsu dozer,D8k Caterpillar.

User avatar
Lavoy
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 10937
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2005 8:32 pm
Location: North Dakota
Contact:

Post by Lavoy » Sat Feb 27, 2016 3:31 pm

AT17364 is the part I need for one of the variations I am trying.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

pondhogvt
440 crawler
440 crawler
Posts: 121
Joined: Sun Jul 14, 2013 2:04 pm
Location: Johnson,Vermont

350 steering

Post by pondhogvt » Mon Feb 29, 2016 9:10 am

Lavoy, I found a complete one,,,, I think I have a better one I will try to remember where I put it.. and find it today..

my e-mail is pondhogvt@gmail.com

please send me your mailing address.. thanks Mark
350 loader,350c dozer winch and arch,450c winch and arch,450e winch and arch,D37p komatsu lgp dozer,D85 Komatsu dozer,D8k Caterpillar.

User avatar
Lavoy
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 10937
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2005 8:32 pm
Location: North Dakota
Contact:

Post by Lavoy » Mon Feb 29, 2016 9:32 am

Mark,
Will do. I don't need a good one, main thing is just to get dimensions and stuff off of it.
Thanks,
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

User avatar
jtrichard
350 crawler
350 crawler
Posts: 1883
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 9:48 pm
Location: Joshua Tree CA

Post by jtrichard » Mon Feb 29, 2016 10:22 am

Can you post a pic of the part you are talking about? Thanks :D :D
2010 with 622 dozer with mod. 35 ripper and a 2010 with 622 dozer bought in 1969 and a 2010 loader with drott and mod. 36 ripper

gcgrant
430 crawler
430 crawler
Posts: 50
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2006 11:40 pm
Location: Kamloops BC

Post by gcgrant » Mon Mar 28, 2016 5:28 pm

On my 350 the ball joint part of the clutch adjuster broke off flush with the actuating arm. Tried to get a nut welded onto the end of the bolt to remove it but it was just too tight for my mig torch. I noticed that bits of weld were attaching just fine to the arm, so I had to assume it was cast steel not iron. So I just welded the ball back on. Not pretty, but it seems to work just fine.
I discovered this wasn't the first time this ball had broken, as I found remnants of a previously broken one in a bunch of bits and pieces I had from a former owner. And not only that, a new ball and parts of the old adjuster assembly!
I think I can see why these balls are breaking, the threads do not run all the way up the shank and there is no washer under the head. I think they are torqued on pretty tight and are under shear rather than tension.
Please correct me if I'm wrong here.
Gcgrant

User avatar
CuttingEdge
2010 crawler
2010 crawler
Posts: 534
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2014 5:13 pm
Location: Maine

Post by CuttingEdge » Tue Mar 29, 2016 4:08 pm

PondHogVT...if you can help the guy that helps so many of us...my hat is off to you in sincere thanks.

In life you cannot always help out, but you can often be empathetic, sympathetic or just thankful.
I have no intention of traveling to my grave in a well manicured body; instead I am going to slide into heaven with a big power turn, totally wore out with busted knuckles, jump off my dozer loudly yelling, Woo Hoo, another Shepard has just arrived!

eidolon
420 crawler
420 crawler
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri Aug 21, 2015 3:24 am
Location: East Kentucky

jd350 clutch link fix

Post by eidolon » Wed Apr 06, 2016 6:15 am

Been there, fixed that - just yesterday (I think). The problem is the old L shaped link with the ball and socket (PN AT17364) has a different thread pitch (smaller, machine thread I think) on the adjuster rod than the part they want to give you to replace it (AT317916, I'm guessing). The new part has standard automotive fine threads (3/8 - 24) on both the adjuster rod as well as the ball side that screws into the steering lever. If you lay the old and new parts side by side, you can barely see the difference, but it becomes obvious when you try to put the old jam nut on the new adjuster rod or screw it into the clutch shaft coupling (PN 17365). It jams after a few turns. My solution (after lengthy discussion with my JD parts person who couldn't figure it out either) was to run a 3/8 - 24 tap through the clutch shaft coupling (17365) and rethread it. The tap went through easily since there is not much difference in the pitch (24 vs probably 28). Of course that weakens the thread structure in the coupler a bit, but the new jam nut (a standard 3/8 fine thread) should take most of the pushing stress when you activate the steering lever as long as you snug the jam nut against the adjustment coupling (17365). There is no force pulling against the threads at any time during normal operation. Why does that ball coupling seem prone to break and why did JD use machine threads on the adjuster rod? I have theories for both if anyone is interested in hearing. I can also tell you how I got the broken ball stud out of the steering lever but all that might be more than anyone wants to read in one post.
JD 350B, IH 500E

User avatar
Lavoy
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 10937
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2005 8:32 pm
Location: North Dakota
Contact:

Post by Lavoy » Wed Apr 06, 2016 9:05 am

I have a few options, just thrilled yet with any of them. The threads are 32 pitch. I do have a new 32 pitch die that just arrived and am going to experiment with threading rod to try and make a replacement for the part Deere screwed up.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

eidolon
420 crawler
420 crawler
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri Aug 21, 2015 3:24 am
Location: East Kentucky

ball joint breakage

Post by eidolon » Wed Apr 06, 2016 10:12 am

I think the reason my clutch link ball joint broke off was because the brake band got loose and wasn't engaging (The adjusting bolt tends to back off). Pulling hard on the steering lever to get the brake engaged probably overstressed the clutch ball link since the clutch release was already bottomed out. Something to watch out for. I was able to get the broken piece out after about an hour by pushing several different screwdriver tips against the broken end hard and turning it to the right. Eventually, I was able to get the unbroken end protruding from the rocker arm far enough to grip it with needle nose pliers and continue unscrewing it through the back side.
JD 350B, IH 500E

User avatar
jtrichard
350 crawler
350 crawler
Posts: 1883
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 9:48 pm
Location: Joshua Tree CA

Post by jtrichard » Wed Apr 06, 2016 11:07 am

I have never seen this part BUT this might explain WHY JD used 32 TPI http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/ge ... sed-76454/
2010 with 622 dozer with mod. 35 ripper and a 2010 with 622 dozer bought in 1969 and a 2010 loader with drott and mod. 36 ripper

eidolon
420 crawler
420 crawler
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri Aug 21, 2015 3:24 am
Location: East Kentucky

pitch 32 and "surprise" on right steering clutch l

Post by eidolon » Wed Apr 06, 2016 5:58 pm

Read the web link on pitch 32 threads. None of it makes sense for use on a bulldozer. I always thought these kind of threads were used on machine tools such as lathes for fine adjustments. Maybe the design engineer for the 350 thought you need fine adjustment on clutch links? design engineers can be a bit anal like that. Separate subject: All my previous posts on this subject dealt with a problem in my LEFT steering clutch.. Today I pulled the cover off the RIGHT steering clutch (for comparison) and, lo and behold, the entire configuration was DIFFERENT! The spring loaded ball joint coupling (AT 17365) was attached to the RADIAL arm linked to the steering lever (vs the clutch throwout lever as on the left clutch). The fine threaded adjustment rod with the right angle ball joint was attached to the clutch throwout lever - but the ball assembly was much larger. IOW, the entire set up was exactly reversed from the configuration on the left clutch and with a strange right angle ball joint to boot. Otherwise, the set up worked the same and the brake linkage was the same. NOT IN MY 350B parts book! I am wondering if it is a set up from an earlier 350 model, or maybe someone had trouble finding a replacement part for the right angle ball coupling (AT 17364) and came up with their own solution.
JD 350B, IH 500E

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 42 guests