blocking locations to support a 420

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Paul Buhler
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blocking locations to support a 420

Post by Paul Buhler » Tue May 03, 2011 6:56 pm

Hi: I'm looking to block up my 420 so I can remove the tracks for re-pinning and bushing. I was wondering if the pans on the final drives are a good blocking location? If so, it would allow me to have the machine lower to the ground on a sturdier, nom. 8x8x16 and 2x stacked set of wood blocks at the rear with additional blocks under the blade and then front cross bar. If I need to use the rear cross bar the stack looks to get higher and more wobbly.

Thanks for any thoughts.
I'll fill you in on my track job when it's done - I'm taking pictures as I go. Paul
Paul Buhler
Killington, VT
420c 5 roll with 62 blade, FOPS, and Gearmatic 8a winch

JimAnderson
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420 support

Post by JimAnderson » Tue May 03, 2011 8:35 pm

Paul,
Blocks under the final pans are just fine.Where those things are
located they take plenty of abuse.One thing you might try is to
jack up one side and remove the track.Slide a 4x6 under the rollers
and let the thing down.Secure the machine from rolling and repeat
on the other side.I have done this before and it works well.Two
2x6 stacked will work if you can't get 4x6s.Where did you find pins
and bushings?Hopefully not from the latest batch from Korea.
Luck,JimAnderson

Ray III
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Post by Ray III » Tue May 03, 2011 9:39 pm

6x6 blocks under each side of the drawbar support, and the front held up by the blade and blocked as shown.

Did not even need a jack, just raise the front, slip a 2x4 under the center rollers, raise blade to tip machine forward, blocks under the back, then raise the whole machine off the ground with the blade.

Image

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Willyr
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Post by Willyr » Wed May 04, 2011 5:54 am

My prior 420 I did the similar thing. Yet I backed the crawler out of the shop. Popped the pins (I had jacked the tracks up prior and got the pins in same spot), then drove the tractor back into the shop allowing me to get off of 75% of the track.

Then I went with a floor jack and raised backend to accept the 8x8 blocks and some 2x4. Then push down with blade and your free.
former owner of a 1956 420c
All help is greatly appreciated.

Proud owner of a project 1952 JD 60

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFehqXVd9z4

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Paul Buhler
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Post by Paul Buhler » Wed May 04, 2011 12:11 pm

Hi:
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences. I'm planning to block up the tractor on a level parking area so that I can split the tracks, lay them out and winch them onto the tilt bed car carrier that I have available; I'll roll them up once loaded.

While off, I want to take off the frames and replace two bad rolls. I might even put on some new paint.

When I get them back, I'll unload them at the back of the crawler with the idea to lever them under the sprockets and last roll, lower the crawler a bit, (2 x whatever, under the other rolls) and back onto them, and then come-along them together (The short version of the real exercise which involves leverage, lifting, grunts and groans) to put in the master pins. If that doesn't seem to work, I'll go to plan B. The last time I put tracks back on I had an excavator to help which made the lifting and dragging part easy. No such lifting help this time.

I'm always open to other ideas as well.
Paul
Paul Buhler
Killington, VT
420c 5 roll with 62 blade, FOPS, and Gearmatic 8a winch

country53
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Post by country53 » Wed May 04, 2011 12:50 pm

I lay down a 4x4 wood drive on it until dozer rocks forward, then I put a block that is precut under the drawbaw(fits tight), then I activate the blade down and the dozer raises it self, then I put jackstands under square pieses that tracks are hooked to. Then you're ready to have fun.

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Paul Buhler
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Post by Paul Buhler » Wed May 04, 2011 8:08 pm

I lay down a 4x4 wood drive on it until dozer rocks forward, then I put a block that is precut under the drawbaw(fits tight), then I activate the blade down and the dozer raises it self, then I put jackstands under square pieses that tracks are hooked to. Then you're ready to have fun.
I like it; quick, easy and safe.

When I had a 450c with a winch, we did it the same way with the block under the winch, but the winch on the 420 is attached differently and I didn't want to cause a problem while trying to solve another.

Thanks. Paul
Paul Buhler
Killington, VT
420c 5 roll with 62 blade, FOPS, and Gearmatic 8a winch

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Paul Buhler
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Post by Paul Buhler » Sat May 07, 2011 10:45 am

Tracks are off. Thanks for the help - I used bits of everyone's thinking.
Used 4x4 blocks under the tracks to lift the rear. Blocked under the finals then lifted the dozer with the blade on 12" high blocks, which freed the 4x4s and allowed jack stands to be placed under the front cross bar. Lowered the machine onto the jack stands - nice and solid. Spun tracks, loosened tension and removed master pins at the idler end. Found that I could "back off" the tracks one side at a time - they flopped off to the rear without incident - easy and sure saved a lot of lifting. They'll be off to the pressman this week I hope. Now I can play with the frames, bad roll(s), and replace one front idler.

Jim: The pressman has a supplier. He's used these pins and bushings before with good results; I don't know at this time where they come from. If I like the results, and the pressman is willing, I'll share his name and number here.

Note the snake? Haven't thrown a track yet, but I knew it would only be a matter of time with that much slop working on the side hills around here.


EDIT: 7/16/14
I tried to organize my Photobucket albums and wound up corrupting the following pages' links, so I've posted a new link to my 420 album. You'll have to sort through to match pictures with descriptions. Sorry, but it would take me longer than I want to re-establish good specific links. Hope you find the pictures helpful. Paul


http://s460.photobucket.com/user/pbuhle ... t=3&page=1
Last edited by Paul Buhler on Fri Jul 18, 2014 7:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Paul Buhler
Killington, VT
420c 5 roll with 62 blade, FOPS, and Gearmatic 8a winch

Ray III
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Post by Ray III » Sun May 08, 2011 6:13 pm

Where do you plan to find a front idler?

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Paul Buhler
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Post by Paul Buhler » Sun May 08, 2011 6:57 pm

I have an extra front Idler assembly already. I got it, and two rolls from Fred in Chester VT. He advertises on VT craigslist. He's currently parting out a 430.

http://burlington.craigslist.org/grd/2353553131.html

Now don't be buying all the good stuff.

Paul
Paul Buhler
Killington, VT
420c 5 roll with 62 blade, FOPS, and Gearmatic 8a winch

Ray III
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Posts: 609
Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2007 1:39 pm
Location: Troy, NY

Post by Ray III » Sun May 08, 2011 8:38 pm

About a 2 hour drive, I may have to go clean him out. :lol:

JimAnderson
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430 parts

Post by JimAnderson » Mon May 09, 2011 8:19 am

I have been dealing with Fred for years.He is very reasonable on his prices and has a neat collection of tractors.I was at his place 2 years
ago and unless you have a big trailer you won't clear out his parts
collection.Luck JimAnderson

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Paul Buhler
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Post by Paul Buhler » Mon May 09, 2011 9:35 am

Sheesh, there goes that secret. :(
I agree with Jim.
Paul Buhler
Killington, VT
420c 5 roll with 62 blade, FOPS, and Gearmatic 8a winch

JimAnderson
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Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 7:01 pm
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420 support

Post by JimAnderson » Mon May 09, 2011 11:04 am

Paul,
The first thing i thought of when Fred's name came up
was the same thing you just expressed.A very good secret revealed.
With that said, over the years I have come to realize that this
is a very small community and sooner or later everyone gets
to know everyone.I had been dealing with Fred for sometime and
got to the point where we would call each other to say hello.During
one such conversation the subject of small gas engines came up.I
told him that my father in Maine ,who just passed away, had a
considerable collection of them.Fred realized that the person who he visited several times was my dad and he knew his collection well.
I finally got a chance to meet Fred face to face and he is an
amazing person and quite a gentleman.Luck,JimAnderson

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Paul Buhler
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Post by Paul Buhler » Mon May 09, 2011 3:19 pm

Jim: I called Fred last year and scheduled an appointment to see what he had for parts. As you said, he's very personable and took the time to show me his many "toys". I liked the way he organized his space - neatly. I felt like a kid in a candy shop and thought of all the "nice to haves" I could have bought that day. He let me pick through and choose the parts I wanted, and his prices were fair. As you know he spends part of each year in Chester, Vt and part down in Florida running a different business.

I hope our combined demand doesn't force him to raise his prices. Paul
Paul Buhler
Killington, VT
420c 5 roll with 62 blade, FOPS, and Gearmatic 8a winch

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