JD-350 steering

Cal Innes

Member
I am considering buying a JD-350. The right steering seems to have no ability to turn. The owner had told me it was weak but when we gave it a go there was nothing. Owner says "humph, that's new". He will look at it but says it is most likely just a matter of taking a turn or 2 on the yoke that attaches to the brake lever.... as for me, I am not so sure.
What is involved in repairing that?
Thanks,
Cal
 
Steering problems in crawlers are just about never just "simple adjustments."

With the 350. When you pull back on the steering lever . . . first it decluthes (dis-engages power to the track) and then second . . . it activates a brake as you pull further.

You've got to figure what your problem is. Is there is power to the track all the time - or it is just not braking?

If you run the crawler up a steep incline in 1st gear and then slowly pull back both levers - there should be a point where gravity will let the crawler roll backwards down the hill - even though it's in 1st gear forward and the foot clutch is "up." If it won't roll backwards - it's not declutching. If it DOES roll - then pull back the levers all the way and see if it then stops like you just hit the brakes - because you just DID hit the brakes.

In most cases - there dry-clutch crawlers have stuck or slipping clutch disks AND bad brake bands. On top of that -they often have rusted-stuck linkage.

To test the linkage - hold your foot down hard on the foot-brake pedal and then try to move the right steering clutch lever back and forth. If it won't more without making the brake pedal move with it - it's stuck.

9-10 times from what I've seen - if an owner says "it just needs a simple adjustment" . . . you can bet it needs MUCH more then that. Often $1000s more worth of work unless you do all the repairs yourself and then still - not cheap.

I guess that's one nice thing about Oliver Cletrac and Case 310 and 350 crawlers. No steering clutches at all. Brake bands yes - but they ride in oil and cannot rust.
 
another thing to check is pull the lid off the steering clutch/brake band housing...look for oil on anything inside...i dropped 5 grand fixing my 350B steering and new chains.
 
I have an Oliver OC46 that won't drive on the right side. It has a bad clutch. Yes it has clutches on each side.
 

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