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Champion D600 tune up

Burnin

Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2018
Messages
10
Location
Canada
Just brought home a champion D600 from a Ritchie Brothers sale.
Pretty good condition for its age, I farm with my dad and brother.. got it to fix up our yards and perhaps a little ditching in some fields set up for better drainage.
I've never "operated" a grader before and I must say I didnt *absolutely destroy my driveway today...... :)
What i noticed is a small amount of play in each component from the moldboard to the lift cyl rod end ball socket that adds up to a fair amount....
is there a resource, or can someone point me to where I can find info about what can be adjusted/modified/or replaced to tighten up the business end of this machine?
Thanks!
20200710_161400.jpg 20200707_153805.jpg
 

rsherril

Senior Member
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
264
Location
Far West Colorado
Occupation
Geologist, Retired from teaching sciences
On my grader there are shims in all the componets from the moldboard slide up. Removing shims can take out some of the play, but on the moldboard slide, wear is uneven across the rails and may result in the blade sticking when it is at the far end of its positions. Lot depends on how well these components were serviced, (read greased).
 

Burnin

Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2018
Messages
10
Location
Canada
It looks like the vast majority of shims are gone already..
I did see maybe one in the circle.
But I'm thinkin that the rod end of the lift cylinders can be machined down to get a tight fit again and I guess anywhere that has no shims will need to be machined if I want it tightened up?
My brother has a small mill so I can probably do that.
Any tips?
Or tricks I should know about?
 

rsherril

Senior Member
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
264
Location
Far West Colorado
Occupation
Geologist, Retired from teaching sciences
Well I started with the circle. Using the instructions in the Technical Manual and help from the forum. Then I began to understand how the circle works and why motorgraders wear out. Taking the play out there requires vertical and horizontal adjustments. Greasing the circle gear teeth is often ignored until significant wear has taken place. You might take notice when you rotate the circle 360 degrees. Does it seem to wobble a bit? Having a machine shop in the family would be a good thing.
After you finish with all the componets in the blade lift, you might want to take a look at the front end. Whole lot of parts to wear up there and if you're 'into fine grading then slop in the lean wheel will cause problems. It's a lot to wrap your head around.
If I had a new grader I would never plow snow with the blade. I would grease it all around every ten hours worked. I would park it in a heated shop and charge 'em up the yazoo to work it. Dream machine is a pre 1995 12H that been through the rebuild program to original tolerances. Probably cost more than the original machine. Meanwhile we've bought ourselves an education, and that ain't all bad, (I hope).
 

Burnin

Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2018
Messages
10
Location
Canada
Thankyou.
This old girl is definitely not as bad as some I've seen.. you know the ones where multiple parts have been broken and scab welded back together multiple times....
I just went through it last night with a grease gun [over 2 tubes] and replaced 2 broken zerks and cleaned 2 that wouldn't take grease.

There are 2 zerks on each walking beam piviot, side by side... one will take grease the other wont, the same ones wont on both sides.
I didnt remove the stubborn zerks to clean as n them yet, but was wondering what component they each direct grease to?
 

DB2

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2015
Messages
1,008
Location
Winnipeg MB Canada
The tandem pivot sleeves. Try picking up the rear using the blade and see if that helps.
Cut my teeth on one that looked very similar to yours a long time ago. Simple machines that were nearly indestructible.
Jade Equipment in Edmonton can help with parts.
Cheers
 

rsherril

Senior Member
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
264
Location
Far West Colorado
Occupation
Geologist, Retired from teaching sciences
Well maybe that dream machine would be a Champion. I cut my first blades on a AW 200. Hydralics AND Rear Steer. Did I mention six wheel drive? Tough mountain machine with a Detroit plus blower for the higher altitudes.
 

.RC.

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Messages
730
Location
Qld, Australia
I would o out and run it first to see whether it is required to spend a huge amount of time fixing something that might not matter in the first place.

We have a well used John Deere 670 that has a good amount of play in the linkages, it is still quite suitable for our needs. A neighbour bought a very good condition 12H to grade private bush roads and was complaining to me every time it hits a decent rock it stops dead, as there is no "slop", whereas his old Allis Chalmers grader used to just ride over the top of the rocks.
 

rsherril

Senior Member
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
264
Location
Far West Colorado
Occupation
Geologist, Retired from teaching sciences
And road surface is the other half of the equation. Well maybe a fourth as roads are for drivers and they are the beneficiary after all. My drivers go right down the middle leaving ruts on either side of the crown. I can talk to them until I'm blue, but they're the ones that pay. So maybe the "Dream" is a tight machine on good surface with drivers that get it by paying top dollar for a well maintained road. Maybe...
 

rsherril

Senior Member
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
264
Location
Far West Colorado
Occupation
Geologist, Retired from teaching sciences
Stopping dead in the road reminds me of an operator who had a particular "ROCK" that caused him to hit the window one to many times. He took me and half a box of dynamite to the offending rock and taught me how to "plaster and blast-her. My job was traffic control on one end.
 

Burnin

Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2018
Messages
10
Location
Canada
Thanks for the replys!
I'll keep Jade equipment in mind for parts.
We have been using it now a fair amount since getting it home, and it seems pretty good despite the slop I noticed. My dad is throughly enjoying it and its surprising how the county roads around our family's yards mysteriously have been greatly improved since it came home......
We had to change one front tire, just weather checked and old... already had a tube in it...
But other that that and me fixing the shifter gate (little bit of building up with the welder, grinding and a new roll pin) it's been really good actually. A fun machine [read sandbox toy] to have around the farm!
 
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