Military Surplus JD 350 Straight

[Jim B]

I intended to make the post asking if you called Lavoy in the thread about the blade controls. However, Lavoy's phone number is on the landing page. (He is in CST for business hours.) Sometimes a phone call or direct email (postmaster@jdcrawlers.com) is the better way to contact him. He has posted that info in the past, not to count on him seeing something in a thread.

I don't know that they don't care is the right take away, their hands may be tied. From what my dealer has told me the Ag dealers can get a part for construction equipment if that part was used on Ag equipment as well. If it is a "yellow" only part, the green dealer can't get it. Mother Deere's rules as I understand it.

As far as blade looseness, I don't know that I have seen specs. When I worked for a contractor if they got to where it was hard to hold a grade or pivot points were binding, they got rebuilt. the new machines using systems like Trimble for grade control would need to be tighter than an old 350 doing general grading. JMHO

[dabear3428]

thanks Jim, I have decided to build a custom solution to the main electrical connector, i will post photos later. I cannot get excited about putting a used unit in there, gives me a reason to break out the 3d printer.
I'm still interested in user experiences on the fit of the 6-way, so anyone that has input please chime in.

[dabear3428]

is there a trick to removing the front floor plate with the floor mounted tach? I have it unbolted but something is keeping it from coming out.

[dabear3428]

never mind i found it

[dabear3428]

how important are the hose clamps that secure the hydraulic hoses where they pass thru the lift arms on the 6 way blade?
is there a source to obtain them.
yes i will call Lavoy.

BTW anyone that is having issues with the main electrical bulkhead connector on there 350 i have a 3d print that allows use of inexpensive pin and sleeve waterproof connectors as a replacement, they are rated for 45A and 25A (different amperages can be selected). I will post photos when i get a little further along, i will be glad to share the 3d print file or even send one to someone that asks.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL719PBY?re ... title&th=1

[dabear3428]

well the work continues, I have as usual gotten obsessed with not having an electrical system that flakes out every time i want to use the dozer, so i started with replacing the main electrical connector, then after i saw what a disaster the control panel was underneath, and testing every thing only to find that none of it worked up to my expectations, key switch replace it, light switch inoperative replace it, start button inoperative and the replacement key switch provides start as part of the key rotation so replace it. i then get to the meters the oil pressure is inoperative so replace it and as long as im replacing that i decided to replace the ammeter and water temp (i have not tested them but assume they will be inoperative also) as well as the tach, to date i'm keeping the hour meter, alternator/voltage regulator and the neutral safety switch. All of the wiring except the battery cables and the direct line to the starter is being replaced. so while i'm in there now is the time to fix/replace/upgrade the lights, so i'm installing led headlights, roll bar mounted forward, side , backup lighting, with new switches and relays/fuses. oh and replaced the dash light with internally lit gages.
this dozer is exactly the opposite of my expectations, i had assumed that steering clutches/brakes and reverser would be an uphill fight but to my surprise not so.
I was also surprised that under all of the mildew the original military paint on top of the JD yellow is in surprisingly good condition, so just pressure wash and i think i will leave it alone.

[dabear3428]

does anyone have any idea of how to check the torque on the reverser to transmission bottom bolts, i checked the top and they are tight but getting to the bottom looks tuff.
anyway back to the electrical, so far i have not found anything in the electrical system that is working, even the hour meter had bad wiring, i spent the weekend redoing ALL of the electrical, and as usual on a 55 year old dozer the side projects slow everything down.

[bulletpruf]

I just used a big combo wrench on the reverser bolts to ensure they were tight. You should be able to use a crow's foot on a torque wrench if you want to torque them.

[dabear3428]

Thanks

[dabear3428]

ok so i completed the electrical rework, i kept the alternator and voltage regulator as well as the neutral safety switch and hour meter, that was it, all new wiring all new switches all new gages. i put on LED lights under the hood and provisions to mount forward/side and reverse lights from the ROPS. i completed the wiring on Sunday and tried it out, no start no power to anything and at the time i had spent the weekend fighting mosquitos, so i just put the tools up and did not look at it again until Tuesday, when I started testing point to point I found that the main power to the start switch had come loose while i was installing the rewired dash, i fixed that and it started right up, the alternator works, the lights work as well as all the gages. I'm tidying up the wiring and putting the hood back on as well as the exhaust stack. The 50 year old wiring is now retired.

[dabear3428]

A few photos
https://photobucket.com/bucket/b9673e95 ... tion=focus
https://photobucket.com/bucket/b9673e95 ... 704c5e60bb
https://photobucket.com/bucket/b9673e95 ... f447c38996
https://photobucket.com/bucket/b9673e95 ... c36a28946f
https://photobucket.com/bucket/b9673e95 ... 85f1b5a2a2
https://photobucket.com/bucket/b9673e95 ... f3872e3902

[dabear3428]

the only gage not working now is the tach, the drive spins and is connected to the engine but i think that the end is wore down too much to engage the tach, but i will sort that out later. the dozer starts if you even think about turning the key, not really smoky, has good power, after adjusting the steering clutches it pushes good and steers good. it looks like there were new steering pressure plates and hardware put in shortly before they stopped using it because there were a lot of new shiny parts in the clutch housing.
i do need to get hearing protection to wear because it is loud!!!!
turns out that all the play in the 6 way blade is between the tilt housing and the horizontal pivot, no slop in the king pin so most likely i need to take out some shims and it bears on solid steel at the end of its motion so no need to worry about breaking something.

[bulletpruf]

the only gage not working now is the tach, the drive spins and is connected to the engine but i think that the end is wore down too much to engage the tach, but i will sort that out later. the dozer starts if you even think about turning the key, not really smoky, has good power, after adjusting the steering clutches it pushes good and steers good. it looks like there were new steering pressure plates and hardware put in shortly before they stopped using it because there were a lot of new shiny parts in the clutch housing.
i do need to get hearing protection to wear because it is loud!!!!
turns out that all the play in the 6 way blade is between the tilt housing and the horizontal pivot, no slop in the king pin so most likely i need to take out some shims and it bears on solid steel at the end of its motion so no need to worry about breaking something.

Excellent news!

What's left to do?

[dabear3428]

adjust track tension, replace seat, make up my mind on what i want for lights, need to work on foot brake pedal, tach issues, figure out plastic on control levers (6-way handle and steering levers), push some dirt/brush

[bulletpruf]

adjust track tension, replace seat, make up my mind on what i want for lights, need to work on foot brake pedal, tach issues, figure out plastic on control levers (6-way handle and steering levers), push some dirt/brush

I saw one of the vendors sells a new seat; maybe it was on eBay? I need armrests, but my seat is fine.

Track tension should be fairly quick.

On the plastic, there's a bunch of stuff on Amazon - rubber dip coating and plastic dip coating. Some of it comes in an aerosol, too.

Here's a video - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ynus6EK3ydk