operating a case 450

[707pc50]

I just bought a case 450, and havent had a chance to operate it much, but would like some clarification on operation it. When is it appropriate to steer using the independently gear shifted tracks, as opposed to the pedal brakes? Also any thing else I need to know, dont run one track in one gear and the other in blank or dont do this or ....... Most of my experience running a dozer is on joystick control machine which is easy as pie.

thanks

 

[alrman]

If it is a straight 450, the brakes will be dry. From what you are saying, they must still work.
The 450's were designed to be steered on the levers, only use the brakes when you need to stop in a hurry or in tight situations.
Plus they are not a pleasant repair to carry out, so don't wear them out.........

 

[digger242j]

Been a long time since I ran one, but yeah, what alrman says. I was pretty much told to try and avoid the brakes altogether, because they wear out in a hurry.

Also any thing else I need to know, dont run one track in one gear and the other in blank or dont do this or .......

My recollection of it was that you put the levers for both sides in your left hand, and the bucket joystick in your right. (The 450 I ran was a loader, but I don't imagine the dozer would be much different. ) Then you just push both forward if you want to go in high range, pull both back if you want to use low range, and more or less twist your wrist in the direction you want to turn--that way whether you're in high or low, the levers will be in different ranges, and you'll turn. I don't recall any issues with having one side or the other in the "neutral" position.

 

[thebaz]

I am running a 455C that has the same setup as any 450 as far as transmission. I use the trans levers to steer most of the time. As mine is a loader I do a lot of pivot turns using the brakes. The 455's have an upgraded brake version. The last of the 455/450C crawlers had wet brakes and transmission modulation. It is important that you decelerate when changing trans speeds otherwise it will be pretty hard on the whole drive train as under throttle it will be the equivalent of dumping the clutch on a manual trans.
When pushing and making minor steering moves I generally move the inside lever for the direction of turn into neutral, you can do this under full power as long as the 450 keeps moving, if it slows down or stops due to loss of traction from only driving one track, then back the throttle off before re-engaging the trans for the inside track.
I use the trans steering, (one track in high, one track in low) when I don't need to turn in a tight radius, or when I need both tracks driving to push around a corner. This will only work well under medium load as it takes a lot more power to drive the machine with the two tracks driven at different speeds.
The key is to get experience with how the 450 responds under brake steering and trans steering and then you have the option of using either depending on what is easiest for the 450 to cope with in the given situation.
After years of using this type of trans, I love it, and next to hydrostatic is probably one of the best in the business.

 

[bigshow]

The 450C's I ran, had the standard case configuration, shorter lever to the left ran f-n-r, forward being pushed forward, neutral in the middle, reverse pulled toward you, ( don't hit your nuts). The two levers of the same height, in the middle, side by side controlled each track, left for left, right for right. If the two speed transmission is in low, I.e. rod is pushed down, we always ran the two track levers in the forward position, it would be 3 rd gear. Now to work it we were NOT allowed to use the brakes, you used the track speed levers.

to turn left, you would pull the left lever back either into neutral, the middle detent, or into 1st gear all the way back.
This would cause your right track to turn faster than your left Thus turning you left.

To turn right, pull the right left back into neutral or into first gear.
This would cause your left track to turn faster than your right thus turning you right.

Try to avoid the neutral detent when doing real steep slope work, you might not like the end result.
By pulling up on your two speed transmission lever puts you in high, but also your drive lever gears change from 1-N-3 to 2-n-4, respectively.

Hope that helps.

 

[Tinkerer]

I ran 450C's like bigshow described. It was a pretty handy dozer to use after I got used to the steering. The spring pressure for the steering lever detents is adjustable. I found that getting them set correctly made a lot of difference in how easy it was to steer.

 

[thebaz]

I ran 450C's like bigshow described. It was a pretty handy dozer to use after I got used to the steering. The spring pressure for the steering lever detents is adjustable. I found that getting them set correctly made a lot of difference in how easy it was to steer.

I am a bit curious as to what sort of material you were pushing around in 3rd? I use 3rd if I am fast finishing, but would be seriously under powered for digging in 3rd so I am usually selecting 3rd for the outside track of a turn.
Out of interest, how tight did you set the detents for the trans levers? Mine have always been just enough to feel the detent but loose enough to pass through without undue force.
Also, point taken on using neutral when on a slope. The machine will actually turn in the opposite direction when going down hill if you put either track drive in neutral.

 

[bigshow]

I used to just yank to the hand throttle all the way open and let er sing. Mostly for trim work, no real heavy pushing, so I was able to leave it in 3rd, sometimes pull it into 1st. As far as "decelerating" before shifting, we never did, like I said pull hand throttle as afar as it would go and get going. Not saying you shouldn't, but we never did, ran em like the ol 3b's, TD25's, 175's and 250's. Get comfortable with it, start out slow, and eventually it will all come naturally to you.

 

[dirtfan]

This thread brings back a lot of memories. I have run a lot of 450's, 850's, and 1150's. We used them for grading and light cleanup.
Just use the high/low levers for steering. Be a little careful on banging them in and out going down hill or when a track may be spinning.
Case had as tough a machine as there is out there (powertrain wise). Just don't stall the engine out going up hill, it can be scary. LOL.

Dirtfan

 

[Tinkerer]

Out of interest, how tight did you set the detents for the trans levers? Mine have always been just enough to feel the detent but loose enough to pass through without undue force.

That is exactly how I had them set.

 

[Drc]

I seem to remember they would counter rotate the tracks, maybe not?

 

[thebaz]

I used to just yank to the hand throttle all the way open and let er sing. Mostly for trim work, no real heavy pushing, so I was able to leave it in 3rd, sometimes pull it into 1st. As far as "decelerating" before shifting, we never did, like I said pull hand throttle as afar as it would go and get going. Not saying you shouldn't, but we never did, ran em like the ol 3b's, TD25's, 175's and 250's. Get comfortable with it, start out slow, and eventually it will all come naturally to you.

You can only shift the 450C under full throttle if it is one of the latter models with modulation on the trans, other wise the changes are too brutal and will result in premature wear at best and at worst break something, as well as really jolting the operator with every change. Don't try this at home kids.

 

[thebaz]

I seem to remember they would counter rotate the tracks, maybe not?

450s and 850s only had high and low speed on each track. 1150s and 1450s had high and low as well as forward and reverse on each track so they could counter rotate. The older Case crawlers 800 and 1000 I think had the Terratrac trans with the same shifting as 1150s and could also counter rotate