540B

[PaYoungBuck]

Just wondering where and what is the best way to get to the hydrolic drain plug and and motor oil drain is.? The machine will be home tomorrow and I have all new oil and filters for it. If I remember it's on the bottom of the transmission. Thanks. Any other pointers?

[mad murdock]

see if you can get a manual for it.  That will help you more than anything.  a parts catalog, and a maintenance/shop manual- www.manuals.us  this site is a good source, or maybe even (flea) Ebay?  Any skidder I have serviced, had access panels in the under armor plates to access service points (usually).  The really old iron sometimes you have to take the belly plate off to access the oil drain service point.  Really old, I mean early 60's and older.  Even some of those machines still had access through the belly plates, so you only had to take the armor off if you were doing major surgery.  Usually for routine servicing, access is pretty easy,  I cant remember on the JD skidders if the side brush guards come off with tools or without tools, either way, there is usually only one or two bolts if they are bolted.  other than that, service access is good, for the engine.  Tranny and winch, not sure.  havent had to service a JD skidder much, most of my JD exposure has been operating and servicing JD crawlers.

[thenorthman]

On the 440a ya pretty much have to pull the belly pans, there are holes to supposedly access drain hole and what not... you can see the plug with a flash light... getting a wrench on it is another story.  Its a good idea to pull em off and clean em out anyway, they tend to collect all manner of funk, mostly oil and grease, which is why you see machines that have burned to the ground, if they aren't cleaned every now and then you basically have a giant kerosene lantern waiting to be lit.

Don't worry the belly pans come off pretty easy, just use a floor jack and a spacer of some sort, they are kinda on the heavy side.

Hopefully they changed the location on the engine oil plug, mine points right at a cross member, as soon as the plug comes free oil shoots every where, out of 9qts? I managed to catch maybe 2... the rest are in the driveway.

[MJD]

While you are under there greasing the u-joints check the u-joint bolts, once when I was greasing the u-joints on my 440 I noticed a bolt missing and found all the others very loose on 1 u-joint, if it came apart it would tore things up.

[stamper]

Service book is something you have to have.
keep the radiator fins clean...watch your hydraulic oil temp.
10-4 on the driveshaft bolts..front one costs 800$ [all parts]
It took 20 or 22K to rebuild the powershift trans. I think
front hatch under the engine is heavy and hinged, let it down slow or it will jump off the hinges.
I bent some wrenches to reach in to adjust the winch brake

[PaYoungBuck]

Well I got it home and got the motor oil, fuel and air filter changed. Now I'm gonna replace some hydrolic lines that are weathered after I get it washed up and check for any leaks. Then a set of bull rings and a new seat and some welding on the limb riser should be ready for the woods in a couple weeks

[MEloggah]

 :-Xi want pics of this weapon. ive never been a jd fan due to the fact nothing is inexspensive to fix. they can and do sink small operations all the time. we had two, both new from the dealer. never again. tree farmer here on out for this poor boy. good luck to ypu and be easy on that powet shift! regaurdless of what you here dpnt be affraid to use the clutch in lowrr gears especially foward to revo.

bp

[Decked]

I had a 540A & a 540D. Used the clutch ALL the time on the landing & in lower gears. I never had a tranny problem with either one of them.

[timberlinetree]

Good luck with your new skidder. Hope u get her woods ready soon. 8)

[PaYoungBuck]

Well I have it washed pretty good maybe a little more to do. Gonna get the last hydrolic line made up and on it in the morning. Then to change the hydrolic oil and filters. Maybe go pull a skid or two of firewood from out back first just to sooth the itch. Thanks everyone. I'll get some pics up soon. It isn't pretty but it runs pretty good.