450B side frame bolts

[crawler123]

Does anyone know the size and length of the 2 side frame bolts that go into the engine clutch housing?

From the head size of the two that are still there I would say 7/8 but I'm not sure and I don't want to remove them now.

Also do the holes that these bolts thread into go all the way into the clutch housing or are they blind holes?

[smokydiesel]

They are a shoulder type bolt that has a 3/4"-10 thread on the end. Length from the end to the head is 3.875". Only available from deere for a rediculous price. I had mine made at a machine shop for $30 apiece. They thread into the clutch housing and are theaded thru. On my 450 3 out of the 4 were broken off inside of the clutch housing. If yours are broken off inside then you are in for a real treat. I had to make a couple extensions to run cobalt drills to drill into them and then use an easy out to get them out. The last one spun inside of the clutch housing and fell into the clutch housing as i tried to drill it out. Luckily i fished it out with a magnet and a flashlight thru the hole in the top of the housing. For a while i thought I was gonna have to yank the motor.[/url]

[crawler123]

Ok thanks smokydiesel.

Well I guess if the holes go all the way through then both on that side are broken off inside. I thought one was stripped and one broken but neither one goes all the way through. Still could be partially stripped though.

So they must be some kind of structural bolts with big heads. I measured the head size and it matched a 7/8 bolt.

I have heard of some using left handed drill bits so they don't go into the housing.

Tell me about how you made your bit extension extension. Either that or you would have to find some really long bits.
The easy out would need an extension also.

I have a 6 way blade mounted inside the tracks and that's kind of in the way also. But there is a big hole through the blade mount.
I might end up taking the whole blade system off because the frame to steering clutch has a cracked weld. Need to find out how that's done.

[smokydiesel]

I can sent you a drawing of the replacement bolts I had made if you would like some dimensions to look at?? Left hand drill bits would be a great idea, I used what I had. I highly recommend using cobalt drills as they will take the abuse of drilling thru tough steel on the end of flimsy drill extensions. Also use lots of WD-40 to lube the drill to keep it from burning up . Also I soaked the bolts for about a week in Kroil to help them come out after I got them drilled. My machine is an inside mount 6 way also. You can get them out without removing anything else. I made my own drill extension. I took a 1/2" drive socket extension and cut the female end off so it would fit inside of a 1/2" drill motor chuck. Then I bought a 3/8" drill chuck from lowes that has a hex drive on it, I pressed fit a 1/2" drive socket onto the Drill chuck hex so that I can use any combination of 1/2" drive socket extension to get the length of extension i needed. This also allows to use any size bit that will fit in the 3/8" chuck. I also made a bushing to fit in the clutch housing hole to center up the first drill on the broken bolt. I used a 1/4" drill as a pilot then opened them up to 3/8" to accept the easy out driven by a socket and long extension. I could also send you a pic of the extension I built if that would help you. Both of the welds holding the sideframes to the trans were cracked on my machine also. Hope this helps, Paul

[smokydiesel]

Also on my machine the "dogbone" brackets that the bolts go thru between the frame rails and clutch housings were junk also. One side was broke in half and the other had the mounting bolts that come up from underneath snapped of inside of it. These also are no cheap date from deere(about $300 each). I also reversed engineered these made drawings and had them made at about half the cost of new. Just trying to give you the heads up before you tear into it. I removed rewelded and gusseted my side frames without removing the plow frame. Yes it is tight to get them out but it is possible. I had to invite my father in-law to the party as they are heavy and awkward to handle by yourself.

[crawler123]

smokydiesel

You should have a pm

[smokydiesel]

Now you have mail