450B - location of .500" ball in transmission front cover

[RightForkMaple]

My family has owned this 450B for last 10 years. 8 yrs ago we pulled engine and rebuilt including replace clutch. At that time, we did NOT remove bell housing or oil pump on front transmission cover or front transmission cover. Few weeks ago disaster struck. Clutch destroyed itself. Nothing left of throwout bearing, throwout bearing carrier ruined, all 3 fingers of pressure plate worn off or broken .... you get the picture, not a pretty site. For the entire 10 yrs we've owned it the trans has often shifted hard, HLR never seemed to behave properly, we never felt confident we had the HLR linkage stopnut adjusted for correct pressure per JD factory manual Power Train section 50, page 10-7.

With the engine removed now, I insisted we investigate further into the transmission. I read the RandR sections of manual very carefully before removing transmission front cover. No mention of this metal ball that I could find. The parts catalog (front section of 3" thick JD manual) has good exploded view of trans front cover on page 35-6 and 35-7. At top of page 35-6 is shown "item 3" part number D2361R steel ball. BUT, the exploded view is NOT clear where the ball is located. Even before removing front cover I asked my local JD service department. The guys are great but all too young to have ever worked on 450B. I was extremely careful removing the trans cover watching for this ball. It looks to me that it is missing in my dozer ???? I looked carefully in every orafice of that cover with flashllight but didn't find it. I ordered one and hold it in my hand, a nice .500" round ball (exactly 1/2"). Please, Please, I hope there is someone out there who can clear up my mystery, where does it belong ? Thank you for any help. One more detail, some former owner has definitely removed this trans front cover and trans top cover... loose bolts, damaged bolt heads, no gasket or sealant under top cover.

[LeonardL]

Okay first of all I want you to know I'm way out on a limb here. It has been at least a hundred years sense I was last in a 450's front transmission cover! So bear that in mind. I may be as wrong as I can be on this and hopefully some of these 450 / 550 guys will jump in here. That being said, hopefully it will give you an idea where to start looking. So... I think... and the key word here is "Think" the ball is a check ball that just drops in that hole you can see from the parts page at the JDParts page. Item #3 the ball and Item #4 the front cover. I also think it has something to do with the transmission oil pressure resulting valve. Either that or the cooler bypass valve. I apologize for not having a more definitive answer. But, it is a place to start. I remember there being a ball up there. I just can't remember where it goes exactly. I am going to continue to dig on this because I want you to have the right answer.

[RightForkMaple]

Thanks for the response. Do you recall if the ball would just "fall out" if you turned the cover over ? If so, you are helping to confirm the ball was missing in my cover for the entire 10yrs we've owned the beast. I remain hopeful your response will trigger additional insights from more of the gang.

[LeonardL]

I am pretty sure that yes the ball can fall out and be gone. As I recall there should be a plug of some sort to keep the ball from falling out. If one of the prior owners has had this thing apart then they probably left it out or it fell out when they removed the front cover and didn't discover it being gone. I wish I could fully remember how this thing functions and what it's purpose is. But... age and milage is working against me on this. My experience is mostly with the 350's and 400G's. I did work on the 450's but it wasn't very often. We never had any issues with them other than the usual undercarriage work and an occasional major break down. Also most of our 450's were newer from the 450E's on out to the current 450J's they have now. The 400G has the same transmission and HLR that the older 450's have in them. They have this same check ball in them as well. 400G's were what happened when Deere crossed a 350 and 450.
I'm still poking around on this. I want to refresh my memory on it as much as you need an answer. The older I get the harder that is to accomplish!!

[LeonardL]

Okay I just stumbled on to where this ball goes. It goes in the top hole just like the picture shows in the parts book. Then the transmission oil pressure regulating valve assembly screws in on top of the ball. I actually found this while looking at the 400G parts book. Try this link and it will show the picture. At least I hope it does. If you can't get the link to work then send me a PM and I will give you my e-mail. (https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/sid ... /pgId/5784). I have no idea why Deere decided to separate the ball from this assembly. It would have been a lot simpler if they had put it all together. Or at least have the parts description say what the ball actually is and or does. Anyway... hope this helps.
I've edited this last bit in... I went back to the JD Parts page and looked under the 450E and it shows the same picture as the 400G. I also discovered that the ball can and will fall out of its position when the front cover is removed. It will roll out as soon as you lean the front cover to the rear a little bit. Hope this helps and good luck with it!!

[RightForkMaple]

I can't thank you enuf for continuing to dig on my question. The link worked and I see that JD at least added dotted line in the later model to indicate the sequence of parts stackup for "oil pressure regulating valve" that mounts in that top hole. It still concerns me that we have not yet seen documentation showing the ball at the bottom of the stack. I am somewhat confused by your last comment that ball rolls out if cover tipped toward rear only slightly. I tested the fit of the ball in bottom of that top hole yesterday. I used a claw to drop it in. The diameter of ball is perfect fit in bottom of the hole. I used a magnet to pull it back out. My point is that one would need to completely remove cover and turn it almost upside down to dump out the ball. I have not asked this next question yet ... it is possible that ball belongs behind "bypass valve" that inserts horizontally in the back side of cover ??? This is accessible ONLY when the cover is removed from trans. Thanks, Tom at RightForkMaple

[LeonardL]

Okay... now you have me doubting myself all over again. I know the ball goes in that position. And I may very well be wrong about it falling out the back of the cover. I just remember it falling out in a way that I knew the cover had to be installed before the ball could be or it would just fall back out. Once again bear with me on this and I will see what else I can dig out. The last ones of these I worked on were 400G's so they may be a bit different than the 450's. They are a lot newer than your 450B so something may have changed. I tried to find my older 450 tech manuals but I think the last guy that borrowed them still has them. Or at least I hope he does. He's probably hoping I have forgotten about them and he would be mostly right!!
I still think the ball goes right where you have it. I just need to clarify what I'm thinking.

[RightForkMaple]

You made 2 specific points that encourage me we are on the right track. Your 1st point "I know the ball goes in that position". Your 2nd point "I knew the cover had to be installed before the ball could be or it would fall back out". I remain hopeful one of the gang who works more frequently with the 450B transmission could confirm for us. Thanks, Tom