350 clutches wet or dry?

[bonker81]

I'm having problems with the 350 I just bought. The tracks will not drive under load and will work a little when the tractor is off the ground. When I pulled the covers on the steering adjustment housing both had water and sludge in them. I ran some degreaser and clean hydraulic fluid through them to try to was the crap out but I am now in the process of pulling the final drives to get at the clutches and clean them out. I have one side apart but the shaft from the transmission will not disengage from the clutch assembly and therefore I cannot get the final drive housing out. Has anyone run into this problem? What can I do? Should there be fluid in the steering/brake adjustment housing? Am I looking at new clutches? How much and where do you get them? One more thing, how thick should the brake shoes be before they need to be replaced since I am in the area? I don't know if it's important but the final drives were also contaminated with water and something that looked more like chocolate soft serve.

[Lavoy]

If any oil got in the clutches, they are junk. Completely clean the clutch housing out and get rid of all oil or otherwise.
If the oil in the finals is that bad, I would clean them out as well. Replace the pinion seal while you have the final off, it is cheap insurance.
I normally have steering clutch parts on hand.
Lavoy

[bonker81]

Has anyone ever run into problems having the shaft from the transmission not separating from the final drive when pulling the final drive housing?

[Lavoy]

Yes, had it happen on many two cylinders, also my 350 last fall. If you have the opposite final off, you can put a shaft through and knock it out. Otherwise, you will need to pry until it comes out, or pulls out of the drive hub.
Lavoy

[bonker81]

The saga continues. I wanted to pull the cover on the rear of the transmission thinking I could work the shaft going to the final drive free. When I pulled the plug on the drain I found the entire compartment was full of water. When I finally got the rear cover off I found everything coated in sludge. Does the ring gear compartment get oil? It seams it should but manual did not appear to address it. Anyone have any encouraging news because this seems to be getting pretty ugly to me.

[KenP]

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[Lavoy]

The only way to get at the shaft is what I listed, no other way period.
Put the back cover back on, fill the tranny with kerosene or similar, run the engine for a while, drain and repeat til it drains clear. Refill with fresh gear lube and try it.
Lavoy

[bonker81]

That is the manual I have but it seems like the ring gear is separate from the rest of the tranny. I filled the tranny through the dipstick/fill port next to the PTO lever under the seat but when I pulled the rear cover off it was all water. It seems like the two compartments are separate. Does the PTO have anything to do with it? The machine does have the PTO shaft out the rear cover. The machine did sit outside for a number of years and one of the steering clutch housing covers was not bolted down. This is my first crawler and I sure am learning fast. I'll have a much better idea what I'm looking at next time.

[KenP]

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[Lavoy]

Trans and rear end are all one case, it is filled through the dipstick mentioned above. If the fluid is not moving to the rear of the case, there is a hole plugged someplace.
Lavoy

[bonker81]

Thanks for getting me back up a running Lavoy, any idea where the hole or holes may be? There is a cover plate on the top of the housing above the ring gear, is that just an inspection port?

[Lavoy]

Should be low in the case wall between the front and rear sections of the tranny case if memory serves (which it usually doesn't).

[bonker81]

alright, time to take this weeks insight to the tractor. Stay tuned this time tomorrow for more questions about just what i have gotten myself into.

[bonker81]

Alright, I was able to get a couple hours in on it today. I took some pictures but I left the cord at work so I will post them tomorrow. Lavoy, I found the port for oiling the ring gear. It was clear on the ring gear side so it must be a little gummed up on the tranny side. Anyway after another four hours of jacking and jimmieing we still cannot get the final drive housing out because we cannot get the drive shaft free of the trust bearing sleeve. We have it to the point where we can see the splines starting to emerge from the sleeve but we cannot get it out to the point we can hoist the housing out. What is the trick to getting that shaft clear of the thrust bearing sleeve? Pictures tomorrow.

[Lavoy]

It should be virtually impossible for the sleeve to be the problem. If the sleeve was that tight on the shaft, it would just pull the sleeve out of the quill, they don't come out that hard. Double check that nothing else is bound up somewhere.
Lavoy