Deere 450B with hoe and 4 in 1 bucket...

[hetkind]

http://asheville.craigslist.org/hvo/5374950181.html

I saw this ad, and it sounds like a blown steering clutch...if I do my own repair, it is a good deal.

What do you all think? If it will load on a trailer under it's own power than transport is easy.

Howard

 

[td25c]

If the hours are correct that would be something to get a hold of .

They were very common in my area in the 1970's & 80's . Pretty handy units that made money .

I'm still trying to talk my buddy out of his JD 450C combo rig .

 

[Don k]

Could be that the steering clutches are stuck. Was a problem on 450's before the 450C which had wet clutches.

 

[hetkind]

Could be that the steering clutches are stuck. Was a problem on 450's before the 450C which had wet clutches.

Could be, operator reports sudden failure in use...worst case scenario, clutch packs come out for rebuild. Labor is my own, heated shop large enough for the crawler, just need leverage to optimize the deal. Current owner wants out for CTL and doesn't want to take a loss on a newly purchased machine, aka buyers remorse.

Howard

 

[check]

I've watched these with some interest. Even rarer are the dozer backhoes with a 6 way blade. I never ran either kind but suspect they have issues with all the weight in the rear. The one in the ad has a swing reduction instead of the more desirable swing cylinders.

 

[hetkind]

Well, looking at the track, it seems awfully worn for under 1,000 hours...

Howard

 

[wlf89]

looks to have more than 900hrs

 

[hetkind]

I told the guy to give me a call once he had the steering fixed and I would come look at it...I suspect the current owner overpaid and is underwater on this one.

Howard

 

[td25c]

I've watched these with some interest. I never ran either kind but suspect they have issues with all the weight in the rear.

They do . For extensive work with the blade or loader bucket you detach the hoe unit .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MCr4Lm7NxI

 

[hetkind]

Well, the Cl poster has admitted the steering clutch is toast and has dropped the price 3k to compensate. Time to go look at the machine.

Howard

 

[hetkind]

Looked at the machine yesterday with a local dozer operator/mechanic and aside from worn track and the stuck clutch it looks very good...Put a deposit down and arranging for common carrier transport.

Howard

 

[hetkind]

Just wanted to provide an update...hopefully I can arrange transport for the machine next week, to the local dealer for steering clutch repair. The road to my place is still solid ice and low boy would end up down a steep hill. However, in preparation, I ordered a couple cases of fuel, oil and hydraulic filters from Rock Auto at close out prices, some new 3/4 drive impact sockets and today Woot at 6 ton bottle jacks for $20 each, so I got three. I am looking forward to getting this piece of equipment up at the house so productive work can start.

Howard

 

[hetkind]

One more update...machine was paid for, collected, and transported to my local dealer. The mechanic who offloaded it thought I got a good deal. The track expert evaluated it on Friday and condemned the entire undercarriage, but the quote for parts was $6400 including sprocket, front roller, bottom idlers, and rebuilding the adjustors (track including shoes and chain, of course). Not too unhappy, since the track needs to come off anyhow to get to the clutches. So, it comes in tomorrow or Tuesday for a evaluation and estimate on the steering clutch cost. We are due for another foot of snow this week, so getting a machine with a worn track and stuck clutch, driven by a dozer novice like me, up the mountain, would have been a challenge.

And he came down to 10k on the price...to account for the stuck clutch. I suspect I will have 20k into the machine by the time I start working it. Dedicated transport by a low boy and really nice driver was $850 or under $3/mile round trip.

I know I can do this cheaper by doing the repair labor myself, but I would like the machine to be ready to work in the next month, not the next year.

Now, should I save the old grouser shoes for welding rebuild? Once the track is off and the shoes are in a pile, preheat and weld repair is fun project. I have a old, old Hobart AC 300 amp welder that can weld 1/4" rod at 60% duty cycle...or essentially never have to wait for the machine between full length beads, and a propane forge for pre and post heat.

Howard

 

[check]

the track needs to come off anyhow to get to the clutches.

Someone with more knowledge might chime in, but I don't think the tracks need to come off to do the steering clutches.

 

[hetkind]

Someone with more knowledge might chime in, but I don't think the tracks need to come off to do the steering clutches.

I believe the main sprocket will interfere with the shaft the clutches ride on...

Howard

 

[check]

I believe the main sprocket will interfere with the shaft the clutches ride on...

Howard

It's been 35 years since I worked on one. Feeble memory. I remember doing something to the left (dry) steering clutch on a 450 or 450B and repaired it without splitting the track. Maybe The clutch didn't need replacing. I raised the operator station about a foot and was able to access to repair and whatever I did fixed the problem. Maybe you'll be as lucky.

 

[repowerguy]

No need to break the track, just remove the bat box or the hyd. tank depending on which side it is.

 

[hetkind]

not to argue, but the track has to come off anyhow for replacement! And if I am paying dealer labor, I would like to minimize labor hours by combining jobs in the same area.

Thanks for the input...I would do the work myself, but time is one of the issues.

Howard

 

[Ronsii]

I have a 450bc and if the clutches are really frozen then you have to pull the sprocket and final drive box.

 

[hetkind]

Well and update...I had the local Deere dealership fix the clutches and undercarriage and asked them to change the fuel filters since I heard horror stories about losing prime. And they must have forgot.

The crawler comes off the truck, goes 100 yards and dies, most likely of fuel starvation, blocking the sole access to my house and a neighbor's house. The fuel filters were full of black algae and we ended up having to run to the dealer for a sediment bowl. The front filter also had a internal failure with the top cap separating from the rest of the filter and sticking on the shaft. Now we are having trouble making it run for more that a few seconds at a time. It seems to have good flow from the tank, I took apart the petcock valve and it seemed to have good flow. and the filters are full and pressurized.

Now, here what is puzzling, I hand prime using the lever on the lift pump and it takes a good hundred strokes to get resistance, but as soon as I crank it, all the resistance goes away. Could that be air in the line between the filters and injector pump or a perhaps a clog in the line between the tank and lift pump? I don't have much experience with these machines.

Now, the manual says the early models had a strainer in the supply line, and the later models had a strainer in the tank, and mine is one of the last of the 450B . The crawler is NOT at my shop, but parked down by my mailbox, at the bottom of a STEEP hill to the shop. I am thinking my next step is to blow out the fuel line between the tank and the lift pump. I think the lift pump isn't getting fuel as needed and can't keep the pressure to the injector pump. To pull the tank strainer out involves pumping out the fuel tank, to blow out the line involves getting compressed air (too far for my shop system, get my portable out of storage and run 200 feet of extension cord).

Plus I have this silly thing called a day job that is eating up all my time, my team is already two men down due to retirement, and our team leader has severe family health issues that are using up her time, so I am working double right now.

I would like to hope it isn't an injector pump, but from what I have read, a distinct possibility.

I am open for comments...

Howard