JD 350 track loader

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anid4me1
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JD 350 track loader

Post by anid4me1 » Sat May 23, 2020 3:42 pm

I have Recently acquired a JD 350 track loader. I think that it might be a 1974 model.
Please tell me where I can find the nomenclature plate in order to determine its date of manufacture.

The track tensioners on my JD 350 have a couple of different problems.

I have separated the track and I have removed the left side track tensioner. The right side is untouched other than trying to pump grease into the "brand new" grease fitting.

Problem 1. The left side track tensioner leaks the freshly applied grease out of a 3/16" hole under the cylinder.
It has been suggested in a forum that there is a 1/4" ball bearing that is part of a check valve that is missing.

I introduced a 1/4" ball bearing into the relief screw port, drew down on the screw and the grease still pours out of that same 3/16" relief hole located on the bottom.
I have tried many things, all to no avail.

Problem 2. the right side track tensioner grease fitting simply refuses any attempt to introduce grease at all! I used a brand new zirk fitting and still, it refused the smallest amount of grease.

I really don't want to buy new cylinders!


My next step is going to be heating up the housing with a rose bud torch and try everything that I can think of, whether grease pressure or a vice and a pipe wrench!

Can anyone fill me in on the internal workings of a JD 350 track loader track tensioner from the 70's.
Fingers crossed and hoping for the best, thank you in advance,
Jeff

Jim B
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Re: JD 350 track loader

Post by Jim B » Sat May 23, 2020 6:26 pm

Welcome to the board.

For future reference your 350 posts should be on the Late Models Board. Lavoy will likely move this post over there when he sees it.

If it is a 1974 as you think it will be a 350B, not a straight 350. The serial number tag locations are as follows. 350s and 350Bs up to serial number 142199 the tag was on the front panel below the seat in the area behind your right calf when sitting in the seat. Starting with 350B, serial number 142200, and all 350Bs, Cs, and Ds after that the tag was on the front panel of the battery box where you should see it when getting on the left side of the machine from the ground. There is a list of the serial number ranges by years on the FAQ board. If you don't see a tag in one of these locations but see a couple 1/8" holes about 2-3"apart it will help narrow the choices. post back if that is the case and the guys will have question about the machine to narrow it further.

The check ball (part number R42859) is 3/8" not 1/4".

The adjuster are basically single acting hydraulic cylinders. The rod is the piston. You can look at the line JD parts catalogs if you want, here is a link https://www.deere.com/en/parts-and-service/parts/ . Put 350, and appropriate suffix if it is a later series, in the model box and search. It will bring up choices with 350 in the titles, choose yours. Note the 350 and 350B had one catalog for the crawler and a separate catalog for the loader attachment. A 350 or 350B loader attachment should have its own serial number tag separate from the crawler.

If you don't have Operator's, Service/Technical and parts manuals for your machine you should get them. Contact Lavoy (postmaster@jdcrawlers.com), he has manuals in his store (which provides this site for us to use) for these machines. It will be best if you have the serial number to be sure of the year and model since the 350, 350B, 350C, and 350D all had different manuals.

original possum
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Re: JD 350 track loader

Post by original possum » Sun May 24, 2020 9:03 am

Heating it can ruin the seals. I have had good luck tapping with two hammers (opposite) while applying pressure on the zerk.
Early 40C w/Yakima toolbar and homebuilt ripper: 350 w/6-way

anid4me1
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Re: JD 350 track loader

Post by anid4me1 » Tue May 26, 2020 12:48 pm

Jim,
Thank you for your response. I inserted a 3/8" ball bearing into the relief port and it worked. The zirk now takes a limited amount of grease without leaking out of the 3/16" hole.
I tested the hammer idea but the shaft is still stuck solid. Again, my last ditch effort may be to heat it up and replace the seals if I can't get it to move.
I have tried twisting the shaft with an oversize pipe wrench and a long cheater pipe, all to no avail.

I found the nomenclature plate under the seat where you said that it would be. Thank you again for that. Although the information has been painted over, I managed to scrape enough of the paint off to read the "type" 4E3D. The serial number is also legible. I was looking for 350B or something like that. I really don't know what to make of "4E3D".

I did read a maintenance manual that a friend has that is for a JD 450. The track tensioner appears the same as my 350. Sadly, it fails to describe any method of repair. It shows the ball bearing on the schematic breakdown but fails to show what the diameter is of the ball bearing check valve.
I was disappointed with the lack of information in the manual. It was of absolutely no help at all.

A few of my control levers on the dashboard are frozen solid as well. I do not know what they do. I have yet to remove the cowling covering the engine, I am sure that I will be able to figure those things out over time.

Hopefully, I will be able to figure out how to navigate this site better in order to load pictures.
Thank you for your time and input Jim, it is greatly appreciated.
Jeff

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Re: JD 350 track loader

Post by B Town » Tue May 26, 2020 2:33 pm

Hello anid4me1,

The SN info for the JD crawlers is in the FAQ section. Thank you to Stan. Here is the link to the 350’s. Look about response #13.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2410

I believe a portion of the same info is near the front of the owner’s manual.

Best regards, Bruce

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Re: JD 350 track loader

Post by Jim B » Tue May 26, 2020 6:00 pm

Hi Jeff,
The 450 breakdown Bruce pointed you to is close to the one for a 350. Here is the 350 breakdown from the parts catalog introduction.

SN = serial number
T = Tractor (You should have found a T in front of the 4)
4 = JD350
E = Crawler loader
3 = Diesel
D = Transmission (Sliding gear with reverser)

Serial number: What is you 6 digit number? (put a 0 in front of the number if you only have 5 digits to make it 6). This will determine the year.

T= John Deere Dubuque Works (is for the build location and should be after the digits)

This serial number is a straight 350 crawler loader with a diesel engine and sliding gear transmission with reverser.

The right manuals for your machine will help you. No, they don't have every detail you might think they should. You need to remember you are dealing with manuals that the manual writer expected professional, experienced mechanics would be using. Some would have had factory training as well. They aren't written for DIY'ers. I worked under experienced mechanics when I started. We all had to learn, and hopefully are still learning, so don't think I am saying any of this against you. Using the manuals, and asking questions here, will help get you through about anything. Lavoy can help you get the right manuals.

Manufacturers don't give out much info on parts even as simple as the check ball. They want you to go to them for your parts. Those check balls have "escaped" on a regular basis when people have to put tracks back on. They pull the set screw fully out and grease comes out, many don't realize that check ball was under the screw. They scoop the grease up (with the ball hidden in it) and throw it away. Is your grease gun a good one?

It might not hurt to add your general location to your profile, someone might be near you or know a source for something that might help you. HTH
Jim

anid4me1
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Re: JD 350 track loader

Post by anid4me1 » Thu May 28, 2020 12:10 pm

dear Jim and Bruce,
I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to give me your advise.
I have got to say that I am struggling a little bit with the navigation on this site. It is difficult to find your posts whenever I do find the time to log on.
Please be patient with my untimely responses.

Lets talk about the grease gun that I have... I was unfamiliar about the quality differences in grease guns! I googled it this morning and I will do a little research and find one that will work best, thank you for that wonderful advise. This single idea may save me a ton of time and cost.

I managed to find a place to edit my profile so that I could include my location. I live in Concow California.

The serial number on the plate is 051862T. There was a mention that it might be possible to know the date of its manufacture from this number.
I looked at one of the links that discusses the serial number in the prior posts and I did not see a correlation between those serial numbers and the serial number that shows on my plate. I am unsure as how to troubleshoot for that.

I wonder if it might be possible to do a face chat at some later date to be able to discuss the specifics of particular issues surrounding this track loader.
Although I am new to John Deere and track loader/crawlers general specifications and maintenance, however, I do have a solid grasp of general mechanics.

I look forward to furthering correspondence.
Thank you,
Jeff

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Re: JD 350 track loader

Post by Lavoy » Thu May 28, 2020 1:58 pm

If you login in every time you come to the site, all new posts will be highlighted. As long as you can remember the subject line of your post, and it is highlighted, there are new responses to your post. If you don't login, then that function does not work.
In the FAQ's section under 350 serial numbers it shows, 1967 42485 - 64992 which makes it a 1967, not sure how to list it any differently.
Get a 350 manual, parts and service both, 450 manual is useless, completely different machine, adjusters are completely different, other than function.
The ONLY way you are going to get a stuck tensioner apart is to push the piston out with grease. If that won't do it, the adjuster is junk. If you pressurize it to 10,000psi with a grease gun and it doesn't move, I would surely not be adding to that pressure with any form of heat unless the wife has you very well insured.
As far as manuals, Deere has the best in the business as far as I am concerned, but they are not going to give the diameter of the check ball in the book. That info may or may not be listed on the Deere parts site under that specific part number, or in the dealer parts screen, but other than common hardware like bolts and nuts, dimensions of a part is virtually never given in a parts or service manual. It is irrelevant, a mechanic working on the crawler would have the parts guy order him the part number necessary, not go to a parts cabinet and start measuring a bunch of check balls. If an owner went to Deere to get that part, the only way he would get it is with a part number. If you are expecting any manual to give you that kind of info, you have unrealistic expectations.
If you are unsure as to what any given control does on your crawler, I would also suggest getting an operators manual for your crawler, and whichever attachment it may have like loader or dozer. Making assumptions on old crawlers usually leads to expensive repairs eventually. Crawlers by their nature are expensive to own and maintain, do everything possible to not add to that cost, and a full set of manuals is by far the cheapest thing you will ever buy for a crawler.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

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77 Ford
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Re: JD 350 track loader

Post by 77 Ford » Fri May 29, 2020 7:35 am

Lavoy wrote:
Thu May 28, 2020 1:58 pm
.... Crawlers by their nature are expensive to own and maintain.....
Lavoy
Myth busters proved that statement to be true !
JD- 450C track loader
Serial #208336T

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Re: JD 350 track loader

Post by Lavoy » Fri May 29, 2020 8:03 am

Then I should have been a guest on the show, I could be the poster child!
You always hear the old adage, " A boat is a hole in the water to throw money into". We need a saying like that for crawlers.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

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77 Ford
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Re: JD 350 track loader

Post by 77 Ford » Fri May 29, 2020 2:04 pm

Well I'm a loader guy...

"Load another 1,000 into it"
JD- 450C track loader
Serial #208336T

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Stan Disbrow
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Re: JD 350 track loader

Post by Stan Disbrow » Sat May 30, 2020 4:38 am

Hi,

And I have my tag line! ;)

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)

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