Barn find 420C getting it going

[Cubby267]

I have just acquired a 420C from a barn that was running 3 years ago. I got a lot of good history from the 90 year gentleman (Don) that sold it to me. Currently it was not running but in "Good shape". What I found was a gem as far as I am concerned (newbie to crawlers). Don purchased in 1972 and it was shot. He rebuilt the engine, reworked the steering and main clutches. He also worked on track frames, pins and bushing in the tracks, reworked bottom rollers and new deep dish sprockets all in 1974. He used it on odd jobs on his small farm for the last 45 years, he estimates 300 hours. His son recently passed and he is unable to work on it by himself. What I found when I started checking it over was easy and straight forward. Ignition switch was bad, gas tank was full of crud. Bought a new 6 volt battery, jumper for the ignition and clean and flush tank and carb and it fired right up. Drove it out of the barn and tested all functions. Main and steering clutches work as they should and seem to be within service manual adjustment specs for the pedal and steering arms. I pulled inspection caps and looked inside the steering clutches housings (clean and pretty) but made no adjustments in there. Track adjusters are about an inch from all the way back, they have all the adjustment left in them and I have about 2" of track sag on top. Checked all fluids, nothing needed adding. Motor oil was fresh and clean as a pin. I put about 1 quart of antifreeze in the radiator just to top it off. And yes he also provided me with the 420 Service Manual SM-2019. It is great, covers both 4 and 5 roller crawlers and all four 420 wheel tractor models.
My find;
1956 420C S/N 80122 ( seems like really early production probably made in late 55)
4 roller 4 speed trans
12" pads set at 46"
Owner before Don painted it industrial yellow (poor job at that) but all the sheet metal is there and in reasonable shape. It came with an outboard mount 6' straight blade currently not mounted. Don also purchased an inboard mount power angle blade that was included with my purchase. The angle blade has never been mounted to this crawler.
I have had it home a day and have already skid some logs out of my swampy bottom ground and it did great. I can't wait to get the straight blade mounted and move some shale.
Any feedback on things I should check or do before I put it into service please yell at me!

[gus]

Personally, I would change the engine and transmission oil. It's been sitting and collecting condensation. The oil on top would be clean but there could be water there.

I bought a transmission, which was sitting in a field. Pulled the cover, perfect clean oil. Got it home and a quart or more water on the bottom.

[Cubby267]

I did decide to do just that. I picked up the 90w for the tranny and some hydraulic so I can drain that also and clean/check the magnet plug. I use Hy-tran in my compact tractor, will that be OK in the crawler hydraulic system? From what I have read some say to drain the reservoir and put in some fuel oil or Kerosine and circulate for a minute then drain that before new oil goes in. I that a useful exercise? Even though the spool valve and cylinders were not mounted the reservoir had oil in it so I will renew that before I attach the blade. Using new hydraulic lines and I have flushed the cylinders already.
Thanks for the advice!

[dtoots1]

Helps to have your location...which you can load in under your profile..found in the dropdown login box.

I might be interested in your inside mount dozer blade for my 420..once i get blamed thing back together..by power angle i assume is hydraulic?
private message me any info..mine currently is loader

[Canuck 420c]

Welcome to the forum.You have a early or phase one 420c looking at the serial numbers it is a bit later into the 56 production run


Phase one serial numbers 80001-94818

[Cubby267]

Canuck thank you for the feedback/information. I was assuming with s/n 80122 it would have been very early in the phase one production.
I have been scanning through a lot of the posts and am finding a wealth of information. It is great to have all the JD crawler specific expertise. I have been working the 420 quite a bit this last week and have not found any significant issues yet.
I did find that not being used to it, a few hours can be a little bit of a workout!

[Canuck 420c]

Would it be possible for you to post pictures of your crawler aswell as the blades you have for it?

[Cubby267]

Canuck,
I have seen a lot of post about posting pictures. I don't seem to have a handle on how to do that! I have tried but been unsuccessful. Any advice you can give me would be appreciated.

[Stan Disbrow]

Hi,

The pics are hosted elsewhere. You can use any online photo storage site, or the one which was created for our use.

http://www.jdcrawlers.com/messageboard/ ... =5&t=13015

Stan

[Cubby267]

My first attempt at pic post.

[Cubby267]

Here are some pics of the straight and angle blade I got with the crawler purchase.
https://ibb.co/N5yjD8Z]
https://ibb.co/2DJRNmh]
https://ibb.co/35M4LHzS]

[Lavoy]

OK, the outside arm is a jobber blade, I don't recognize it. The other blade is a heavily modified #61 Deere.
Lavoy

[Cubby267]

Lavoy,
Thank you for the information. I just went to the John Deere dealer and found that they had (in stock) a lot of the seals I needed for my spool valve. The ones they did not have I can make (cork rings between segments). Thank you for the help with that also. John Deere also told me that I can stack multiple spools, since I have a spare valve I think that is what I am going to do for the angle blade.

[Canuck 420c]

Nice looking crawler.Looks like you need a few parts for that crawler battery covers (sides) and new seat cushions Lavoy should have those and any other parts you might need

http://www.jdcrawlers.com/parts_main.php

[Cubby267]

Canuck,
I actually received with the purchase the right and left side panels for the battery area. The hood is in rough shape and the 1/4 locks are mostly missing so I haven't put the battery covers on yet. I have the back cushion also, both seat and back cushions are shot I will renew those. I am working on the charging system for the next project. I tried to polarize the system and nothing. I will be pulling the regulator to check wiring and contacts there.