1965 John Deere 350 logger special

[NHtreefarmahfan]

Good morning everyone. I just bought my first crawler. A 1965 JD 350 "logger special" 3 cyl Gas outside manual blade and a winch with arch. This is the straight gear transmission no reverser. And from what I've read and been told Im better off without the reverser. Something unique is who ever ordered it ordered it with a extra valve and had a set of hoses to run a log splitter. I don't know what the pump specs are but I'd think it would be rather slow running a splitter If anyone has a opinion on that I'd like to hear it. And let me know what you guys think overall and if there's anything I should know about these 350s please let me know thank you 
 

[chet]

From what I can see from the pic it looks like it was well cared for. For what it's worth, I would not give up the reverser on mine.

[NHtreefarmahfan]

Thank you! I believe I'm only the 3rd owner. Whoever had it new was real proud of it Has some stripe and scroll work painted in red on it with the name " Lil Johnny". I don't think it's had a hard life. Everyone told me the reverser bolts like to come out on there own. But I'm sure that depends if the owners really cracking the whip on the ol deer  :D 

[mike_belben]

id take it.  


Outside arm is a lot more robust than 6way inside arm. Looks like itll snake thru the woods and youll never be on here asking about obsolete powershift parts.  

[NHtreefarmahfan]

snake around is right! That's what I like about the 350 its just a handy little machine. Cant really buy a dozer this size new that I know of. That makes me think. what would be appropriate rigging for something this size. pervious owner has it setup for 3 chain chokers I forget what size main line  

[barbender]

Are you sure the 3rd valve isn't for running a little loader? They were a pretty popular setup with a small loader in a trailer behind them.

[NHtreefarmahfan]

If it did Id love to have it  :laugh: :D I have seen those setups and they look super handy. I was told it was used for a splitter but the guy I got it from had never used it for anything. The valve looks to be all factory setup not something pieced together. The hoses are pretty good sized and are about 4 or 5 feet long with quick couplers. I think a loader would honestly make more sense cause id feel a splitter would be slow with this machine.

[EricR]

The book I have says they came with a 15 or 23 gpm pump.  That would run a splitter pretty good. The auxiliary valve with remotes was an option.  Not necessarily intended for a specific purpose but incredibly handy for so many things. Just personal preference but I have never been a fan of putting hours on a machine just to run something like a splitter if avoidable. A Briggs and Stratton and 2 stage pump are far cheaper/easier to replace then the components in that dozer.

[stavebuyer]

I ran 5/8" swaged to 9/16" on my 350

[barbender]

I'd like to put ydraulic remotes on my cable skidder. Not for anything specific, but who knows?😁 I'm jealous of your dozer, it's a clean machine👍🏻👍🏻

[NHtreefarmahfan]

Thank you for those pump specs Eric! I agree about putting unnecessary hours on the machine. But now my mind is thinking about getting one of those loader trailers to pull around  ;D

[NHtreefarmahfan]

Thank you Barbender for the kind words!  ;D And Stavebuyer how many chokers you run on ya 350? And chain or cable? Thanks all
For the great reply's 

[stavebuyer]

Thank you Barbender for the kind words!  ;D And Stavebuyer how many chokers you run on ya 350? And chain or cable? Thanks all
For the great reply's

I always ran 3 chain chokers. Saw timber you only need 1 but sometimes you need to cut a tree in two where they lay or use the extra slider to re-direct around a stump/ledge etc. With the small arch it's easier to keep from plowing a furrow with chain chokers. I had D handle 1/4 rod for getting chains under the logs and usually placed my chain before I felled or bucked.

[stavebuyer]

The winch will pull way more than the machine weighs; trees of much size you can't hold with the brakes and winch. You have to back against a tree or stump or your machine will move instead of the log.

[NHtreefarmahfan]

Thank you for all the info stavebuyer! Are the JD winches pretty trouble free? I have the 3315 model I believe 

[thecfarm]

I run 6 chockers on my 3 pt winch. Sometimes all 6 are used, sometimes only one. 
I don't have the set up you have, but they don't get in the way if I don't use them, but sure are handy when I need them all.

[C5C Tree Farmer]

Be sure to check the oil in the final drive housings. The bull gear covers ride quite low on the 1010's, 350's, and 450's and are susceptible to rock damage. The cover get fractured and lubricant leaves and the operator is none the wiser until the sprocket starts to wobble. At this point there is nothing left to fix. The final drive housing and everything inside it is junk. 
I fixed both a 1010 and a 450 with this ailment.

[chevytaHOE5674]

UP here that remote valve was usually used for a loader on a dray being pulled behind. Was the first forwarder way back when.

[EricR]

Thinking you are more referring to the older single axle loaders but this was my set up for a little while  it worked well.
 

[mike_belben]

I would hit the scrap yards looking for a cab chassis truck with straight frame rails and a dana 80 or larger rear to make a loader trailer out of.   

An autocrane makes a good loader base, you get the swing gear base, an integrated hydraulic winch and a squirt stick out of that.  Just gotta extend the base tower post, build a main boom. Then get a grapple, rotator, dangle link, landing gear and a backhoe valve.  There are lots of old woods 750 type pin on backhoe attachments out there to donate everything but the grapple parts.  


I figure its $20k + for most people to get a forestry loader trailer now.  Should be able to build one for about $5k spread out if you have the skills and time.   A cable jammer using electric winch isnt as awesome but is dramatically cheaper. 

[moodnacreek]

Be sure to check the oil in the final drive housings. The bull gear covers ride quite low on the 1010's, 350's, and 450's and are susceptible to rock damage. The cover get fractured and lubricant leaves and the operator is none the wiser until the sprocket starts to wobble. At this point there is nothing left to fix. The final drive housing and everything inside it is junk.
I fixed both a 1010 and a 450 with this ailment.

Here is a man who knows. Final drives are everything on an old crawler. Watch for loose bolts under there. If memory serves 350's have a crossmember that gets loose.

[Ed_K]

 We had a 350B at the farm, it got used a lot for skidding cordwood. Keep an eye on the cross member as the bolts loosened up all the time, if they get backed out to far you have to tap to a bigger size or try helicoil them, didn't last to long tho. Also had problems with the reverser to the extent we would leave the reverser in reverse and use the gear shift, reverse would go forward and 2nd would back up. We started to pull it apart and that's when the buy out happened and it's still in the quanset hut in pieces.

[47sawdust]

Mike,
that suggestion of using a Woods 750 backhoe donor for the start of a small loader got the wheels turning. Uh, oh!

[snowstorm]

The good thing about it it's not a 1010 or 2010. The outside blade is not a plus. In the 70's there were several of them around here. Some with the roto boom mounted to the rear others on a trailer. The top hat bushings on the front cross beam would break. Have new ones made to fit the beam and taller.  A pice of 3/4 plate drill and tap the track frame with a 3/4 bolt and weld the plate to the cross beam and braced. That will solve that problem. That has dry steering clutches and you will get to see them it's only a matter of time. I have seen water or fuel from a leaking tank find it's way in there. I don't remember it being that bad to pull the clutch's . It's a lot less work then a 450. You will have a track off if using in the woods and it's going to be more of a pain getting it back on with a outside blade. And every time you hear a squeak from the tracks it costs you $1

[mike_belben]

i never considered the blade arms getting in the way of track reinstall.  good point.  havent had one come off yet. close once on a steep sidehill, but i noticed it and walked back into the rail.