jdemaris
12-31-2003 06:08:53
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Re: Re: Re: JD 350b new owner in reply to MrBill, 12-30-2003 19:12:28
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John de Marrais here. The 350B doesn't have any converter. A hydraulic reverser (Twin Disk) was optional though, and that's probably what you have. The reverser housing is fastened to the transmission by two studs and nuts on top, and two bolts on the bottom. Besides these four fasteners, there are two dowels that keep the two housings from shucking back and forth keeps them in alignment. These machines did NOT originally have an inherent problem with coming loose. What does happen, is, the first time the machine is pulled apart for a rebuild - usually a blown reverser - the bolts don't get re-installed tight enough. I've had to pull apart new machines, and it's near impossible to get the bolts out without heating them so they'll stretch. I suspect Deere assembled them before having a frame around them. At the dealership, we tried all sorts of tools for removal, but usually wound up using the torches. In reverse, it's difficult to get them in tight enough. Again, we used box wrenchs with chains on them. So, what happens to these machines over time, is the bolts work loose, and the counterbore for the two locating dowels get egg shaped. Once that happens, the transmission does not stay in proper alignment with the reverser, and the splined coupler gets ruined - sometimes also ruining either, or both, of the splined shafts (output from the reverser and input to the transmission). We sold 350 and 450 crawlers for industrial, farm, and forestry. When a logger used a 350 for bunching, they really took a beating. 450s held up much better. Most common failure was the reverser. I suspect if the past owner of your 350B told you it tends to come loose, then it's likely the dowels are hammered out. We had a few occasions where we removed both cases, and sent them to a machine shop to be rebored and oversize dowels installed. It cost a fortune and wasn't worth the bother. We also installed new cases and shafts and a lot of machines. At one point in time, Deere had a "case reclaiming kit" with oversize counterbore tools, dowels, etc., but don't know if such a thing still exists. I have never seen these bolts come loose on a 350 series that had not been already taken apart at least once. Problem is, when the crawler is in assembled form, there isn't room to get an adequate tool on the bolts to tighten them. As far as your backhoe goes, the "barrel" was a weak spot on John Deere hoes. Massey F., Allis, and a few other companys used them. It takes the place of having two separate swing cylinders, but it weak and tends to leak. Deere was selling kits to remove the barrel cylinder and install two conventional and separate swing cylinders. We threw a lot of barrels into the scrap heap after doing conversions. The barrels tend to get scored up and leak a lot. That, and having little swing power, Deere gave them up. I don't know if you can buy major parts for them anymore.
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