Crawler/ dozer

[Blackcanyon]

Hello members. Thinking of purchasing a small crawler for use in my woodlands and I'm looking at an international 500 and a jd 40. They seem cheap for what they do and thinking my wood shod sled would go good behind it. My mill has no debarked and I like using the sled. The time factor is a non issue as I'm cutting and milling for my own uses. Any members experiences with small crawlers would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[mills]

It'll work. Dad did it for years. Slow, but steady. His was, I think, an old JD 350 bucket loader that he had made a set forks for. He pulled them out with the crawler, and then loaded the truck. I remember constantly having problems with the right brake. Took forever to get the truck loaded, and then you would be worn completely out when finished. And he still has it. Uses it three of four times a year if he needs to or not. He likes to start it up anytime he has a crowd around. Says it runs like an old Singer sewing machine.  :D It does.

[BurkettvilleBob]

I guess it depends if you can find a good deal and whatever that "good deal" is doesn't need a bunch of work. In terms of bang for the buck, a cheap old crawler can pull a lot more then a cheap old tractor, but it could turn into a money pit. I love dozers, but they sure like to "skate" on ice and snow, so be careful in off camber situations!

[Blackcanyon]

The jd 40 could be bought for 3,500 and has spare track parts and a winch. It runs good and goes good. The international is 4,000 and needs steering clutches. Even though I'm sure the international is more of a machine I like what the old John Deere is about. I also feel the antique engine guys have kept the jd more "alive" as far as parts availability is concerned.

[tacks Y]

I had a 500 skidded the wood for my house and more. But those steering clutches are a $$$$$ pain. Maybe now after market suppliers? You can remove with out taking track off. I would look for wet clutches, my TD8E gives me no problems. More money to start, may be a Case 450? Not sure what year they went wet. My 500 one year this side next year the other. It did sit out. Look over the finals for leaks, they can get pricey.  

[Frozendozer]

I've used and sometimes still do, a John Deere 440 ICD crawler of 1960 vintage, it's about 6000 pounds and can be loaded on z small trailer.   The two cylinder Detroit diesel  makes lots of noise and it is slow, however I  only pull the trees a couple of tree length and drive my truck up to the deck of logs.  I cut firewood so it's all dry trees Ian pulling.  Another method I use is to build a road thru the trees and then drive my truck to the end of the road.  I then fall the trees onto the road, cut up the trees and back the truck up and load.    It actually makes for an easy load .  I would recommend a small dozer as a practical way to get logs , plus you have dozer to do other work like plow snow , clear land , create building sites, ect

[Blackcanyon]

Well I pulled the trigger on the small John Deere. It is a 420 not a 40. It is a long track (5 roller) and has a winch. It runs goes forwards and backwards, stops and turns. Runs like a champ. I maybe overpaid (3,400$) but it is a 1960 and the guy is the second owner and I knew the first owner. I also got a second set of tracks and 2 spare sprockets. I can't wait to go put put in my woods and fix on some of my logging roads 😀

[Al_Smith]

I've got 3 D4 Caterpillars 1940 7J ,1943 2T ,1946 5T and  one Oliver OC-6 1954 .They will pull a lot but come with their own set of problems.Often because of their age you could spend a fortune just in the under carriage because of lack of maintenance and lack of lubrication from previous owners .To detrack  a crawler,even a little one is  back breaking task . It's worse to retrack one that tosses a track because of a bad undercarriage especially in a muddy field .

Fact as I type and in the last month I've spent some time and money just making ready the Oliver that had sat for 14 years unused that I've owned  for around 35 years.All so I can lay down a crushed stone pad to sit a 40 foot shipping container.I  only paid about scrap iron prices for it ,$200 and I suppose all told might have an additional $1500 over the years .It's paid for itself but I have many hours of wrenching on that thing to keep it running in good condition .Little rascal,a tad less than 10,000 pounds has a lot of power though even as old as it is .
I am.like the farmers waiting for the rains to stop .You can't plant corn in a water logged field and you can't grade mud almost like the Louisiana swamps even if it is northern Ohio .

[tacks Y]

Blackcanyon, I think you did fine at 3400. I see them asking that and more. My dad had a 410 I think and tracks jumping off was a pain,

[jimparamedic]

A roll cage is a must. and not just for rollovers it will protect you from falling limbs and snap backs. Other then that take your time and be safe. And remember its a small machine not a D9.

[Al_Smith]

You can pop a tree with a little dozer but it's like elephant hunting with a 22 rifle . A mod 40- 420 JD is just little 2 tonner,yard cat .For that it does just fine .They aren't indestructable though  You can tear the finals out of them  then really have a job on your hands .Traveled that road too .
I'm not trying to sound like a smart alec but find every lubrication point on that machine and tend to it in a timely manner .If it calls for grease ,grease it .If it calls for oil oil it .Some track rollers use oil ,some use a semi fluid mixture I think called ball and track lube  ,use the correct one .Some rollers like Oliver  the seals are designed to let the oil out but keep the dust from getting in  .You pump them until the oil blows out .Caterpillar you only pump until you feel pressure else you will blow the seal out.I have not a clue what kind the JD  420 has but I'd imagine Google could find it .

[Frozendozer]

my dozer  john deere 440 ICD, is on the same family group and for the price you paid I think you did well.    The stearing clutches ate not difficult to set up once ypu understand how they work and if it has a reverser that too can be tricky.   

I've had offers of $ 7000 for mine, however it would be difficult to replace it in my location for that price.   I tell people wait a while And you might be able to get it from my estate

[Al_Smith]

I did shove a little dirt around today with good old '' Ollie " I installed a new heat gauge and had to try it out .1/4 throttle in first gear it barely got up to operating temp .In line 6 gasoline engine smooth as silk. 4 core radiator ,handles heat real well .Now to order 25-30 tons of crushed limestone. 

[Blackcanyon]

I thank everyone for the comments and the feedback and the safety and maintenance advise are duly noted. The owner said he has a special grease fitting adapter for the undercarriage he will give me. He is a friend of a friend and I will have continued contact with him which I consider valuable. He has owned it for about 30 yrs and knows it well. I bought it for a novelty as much as anything else and couldn't think more of that old stuff. I can imagine it brand new and what the farmer and his buddies thought of it . I can also imagine the new swear words he invented the first time it threw a track 😂. 

[snowstorm]

I thank everyone for the comments and the feedback and the safety and maintenance advise are duly noted. The owner said he has a special grease fitting adapter for the undercarriage he will give me. He is a friend of a friend and I will have continued contact with him which I consider valuable. He has owned it for about 30 yrs and knows it well. I bought it for a novelty as much as anything else and couldn't think more of that old stuff. I can imagine it brand new and what the farmer and his buddies thought of it . I can also imagine the new swear words he invented the first time it threw a track 😂.

its for the button head grease fitting they were meant to use a low pressure gun

[Remle]

For future reference, if you go to JD Parts Online, their is a complete parts break down for the machine in catalog PC 505.

[Al_Smith]

I thank everyone for the comments and the feedback and the safety and maintenance advise are duly noted. The owner said he has a special grease fitting adapter for the undercarriage he will give me. He is a friend of a friend and I will have continued contact with him which I consider valuable. He has owned it for about 30 yrs and knows it well. I bought it for a novelty as much as anything else and couldn't think more of that old stuff. I can imagine it brand new and what the farmer and his buddies thought of it . I can also imagine the new swear words he invented the first time it threw a track 😂.

its for the button head grease fitting they were meant to use a low pressure gun

I might add it's ' a good thing you have the Alemite fitting because they are rather rare .You need to brush the heads off with a wire brush to get the dirt off and sometimes give them a squirt of WD -40 or something to free up the little button in the fitting .The 3/8" button heads in sizes from 1/4" to 1/2"pipe thread  on flea bay,couple bucks a pop .I think I got 5 for 12 dollars .Typical flea bay,many try to get more money than that .If you buy any be careful because some are in metric . I wish they had used button heads for oil and zerts for grease but many did not .

[Frozendozer]

throwing the track is no big deal, I did it several times when I first got mine.  I learned s quick way to get it on all I needed was a freeze gun, wrench and jack all.  my machine is easy to disconnect the track.   I can put the track back on in under 30 minutes

[Oliver05262]

  OK, I'm quizzed. What's a freeze gun?

[Al_Smith]

I haven't tossed a track on the Oliver since I rebuilt the under carriage .I have untracked one of the D4 Cats  because somebody had the track on backward .I've never tosssed a track on the Cats,double flange rollers .

The worst I ever did was on a little Oliver HG that only had 10" tracks in a muddy field .I like a dummy tried to turn it in the mud and walked it completely off .I got it out by using oak planks under the track rollers .That was a two day job .That little thing only weighed about 5,000 pounds .

[Frozendozer]

lol   sorry auto correct and failing eye site   grease gun

[Old Greenhorn]

lol   sorry auto correct and failing eye site   grease gun

:D :D :D :D :D :D OK, now I really feel stupid, I didn't get that one either, but didn't have the courage to ask. It just proves that the only stupid question is the one not asked. You should have seen the guesses in my head!

[Al_Smith]

Assuming grease gun means  hydraulic track tighteners ? Nice if they work ,not so nice if they don't .

[Frozendozer]

grease gun to refill the tensioners after I used the wrench and jack all to squeeze all the grease out.

[Al_Smith]

Yes if you just popped off a roller or the front idler   .I'm not so certain that would work if you completely  tossed it .The tensioners on my old Oliver are home made from 4" cylinders .The way the guy made them you need to remove the track frame to work on them and the seals are bad .I had to use a different method to tighten the tracks .Some times you have to make do the best you can with what you have .