How do you determine the remaining life of a Case 450C undercarriage?

[Bote]

Can weld a shoe but why? Either buy a used or just buy a new.
As to the rails is there a solid side set of links? That would be the joined split link assembly which makes replacing Idlers much handier.
Can have a experienced shop welder bring well worn idlers back into spec, may have to replace bearing seals while inspect bearings.

I'll check the rails for split links. I assumed all chains had a master link but as these are replacements they may not.

I'd really like to run this machine about 40 hours before I address the idlers. What would be the impact on the rest of the undercarriage?

The dimension in the wear chart for top of the flange to the tread area is .69" for no wear and 1.01" for 100% worn. The left idler dimension is 1.07" and the right is 1.009". I have many pipefitter and millwright buds who could build up the idlers but that would be a lot of metal. A coworker milled the flange down on his machine but I think that accomplished nothing.

 

[DMiller]

Better off to weld up and grind to dimension on Idlers, be less expense than buying new Deere, Could and Should check with the Aftermarket suppliers as ITR Being SALT will nearly have to be Split Link or will be ONE single OFF looking, Flat Face Pin. Other than wearing the running face on the rails oddly or extending the idler further to get to tension should not be much problem.

 

[Bote]

Case dealer told me the same thing. Said to just run it and keep an eye on the rails.

 

[Bluox]

Case dealer told me the same thing. Said to just run it and keep an eye on the rails.

Look at your picture of the idler and the master link is on the front of the idler.
The Case dealer is right that idler has a lot of life left in it.
Bad Bob

 

[MG84]

As for the brakes not working that is a common problem on all of these older case machines. They are hydraulic and have two master cylinders in the dash as I'm sure you know. When they get old the master and/or slave cylinders start leaking and either lose all the flyid or get air in the system. Top them off with clean fluid (hydraulic fluid, not brake fluid), bleed and see if they work for a while. If so you may just need to rebuild the cylinders. If the hydraulics aren’t the problem the dry brakes may be worn out which is a bit of a job to change them.

 

[Simon C]

Look at your picture of the idler and the master link is on the front of the idler.
The Case dealer is right that idler has a lot of life left in it.
Bad Bob

Bluox, Good eye. 9'oclock on the idler is the master link. I have seen stuff that was worn way more. Just to finish a job I once cut the edges off the rollers of a D8N so that the rollers would not hit the pin bosses any more. Would not hurt to do oil samples on the transmission and final drives, cause they can be dollars also.
Simon C

 

[WANDERA JACKSON]

A new and well maintained undercarriage whose parts had proper heat treatment has a life expectancy of 10 years. Under ideal working conditions a machine is expected to work for 8hrs a day for 5 days a week to give a total of 40hrs a week. this implies that it works for 160hrs a month giving a total of 1,920 hrs a year. if the machine has worked for 7100hrs so far, it means that it has covered only a bout 3years of its undercarriage life and still has a balance of 7 years to have its undercarriage rehabilitated/replaced. Some times the working conditions may not be ideal and the machine may work much more than the above hours. however, at 7100hr covered its under carriage still has some good years of life. For at 7100hrs, it is just giving predictive engine overhaul indicators.
Undercarriage parts are replaceable or can have several repair options to keep the machine on road
Thanks,

 

[Mcrafty1]

Today I spent a couple hours checking the dimensions of the undercarriage parts per the service manual. Everything but the idlers had almost no wear. The bushings were perfectly round with no flat spots. The sprocket teeth showed little wear. Unfortunately, the idlers are both worn 100%. My friend spent about $5k on the undercarriage right after he bought it in 2008 but he doesn’t remember what parts were replaced. Obviously not the idlers, but most likely everything else. He put less than 100 hours on it over the 15 years he owned it. The service manual mentions having idlers reconditioned. What is the reconditioning process? The cheapest new ones I found are $800 each not counting freight. One of the shoe plates has a crack. Can these be welded?

I sprayed Kroil on the range shifter linkage last week and it was free today. It tracks straight and everything seems tight. It has NO brakes; they didn't work when my friend bought it. It has the dry brakes. A bud who has owned two 450s drove it today and pushed some big logs around. He said it was "tighter" than either of his. I attached a few pics. I have more but was limited to 4.

The undercarriage looks to be in great shape INCLUDING the front Idlers, they don't look anywhere near worn out to my eye, at least in the picture. The undercarriage condition sweetens up the deal MUCH as far as I'm concerned, The brake issue would not discourage me from buying the machine as long as the remainder of the drive train functioned as it should, especially since you said you wouldn't be doing more than 120 hrs. yearly with it. JMHO.

 

[Bote]

$10K bought it. I have to prepare a place for it next to my shop for servicing it. I'm going to put down 6" of dense grade. I picked up $250 worth of filters yesterday. I'll change the oil in the engine, transmission and final drives and all the filters. I'll see what I can do with the brakes. Getting a new seat too. Finney Equipment in Alabama has complete seats with armrests for $265. Anyone ever buy from them?

 

[MG84]

Sounds like you got a heck of a good deal. Some maintenance and a little TLC and it should give many hours of good service. Mine needs new seat cushions as well, I found a set on Ebay a while back that had the back, bottom and arm rests in the proper brown color. Haven't bought it yet but It might be the same dealer. Post back on how they are if you get them.

 

[Bote]

Sounds like you got a heck of a good deal. Some maintenance and a little TLC and it should give many hours of good service. Mine needs new seat cushions as well, I found a set on Ebay a while back that had the back, bottom and arm rests in the proper brown color. Haven't bought it yet but It might be the same dealer. Post back on how they are if you get them.

When you transport do you run chains through the tracks at the front and rear? My owners manual is a reprint and you can't really tell from the pics. I'm going to pick it up in a few days.

 

[MG84]

When you transport do you run chains through the tracks at the front and rear? My owners manual is a reprint and you can't really tell from the pics. I'm going to pick it up in a few days.

I use 4 chains and binders for the machine itself, one at each corner. Actually its just two long chains but I’m just using the last 2-3’ of the chain with the hook. Hook the chain to the trailer stake pocket or tie down, then hook the ratchet binder to the track pad itself, about 2/3 the way up the sprocket or idler. Cinch it down tight but don’t go crazy. Then throw one chain over the blade c-frame and bind it down.

BTW, the laws have changed since the owners manuals for these machines have been written. I haven’t looked in the manual for my dozer but the procedure to chain down my Case 480e backhoe is no longer legal as the manual describes it. For any equipment over 10k you need 4 individual tie downs, one per corner, and a tie down on any ‘attachments’ which in this case is the dozer blade.