440IC - Steering Problems

[cdstech]

I was lucky enough to "Inherit" a John Deere 440IC about 7 months ago. It was running great. I have been changing the oil, keeping up on lubrication and other than an adjustment to the "reverser" a while back nothing major. The crawler would not engage when moving the reverser lever to the reverse position, which after reading the manual I have with it, (although tattered and worn), I discovered if it does not "click" into place it needs adjustment. So I did this and wallah everything was good.

Then about a month ago the steering started acting strangely. The dozer would take turn at will when going up an incline or if you hit a bump. Now when the right hand control is pulled back to stop the right track the dozer sits still and will go nowhere. Apparently something in the left side (final drive?, or clutch not engaging) has gone out or just plain ole worn out.

I need some help trying to determine what to do in order to fix this. I only have the original operators manual which does not contain detailed break downs of parts, and I am not even sure if I need to take the track off and open up the rear or if this is something else.

Any help and pointers would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks In Advance.
Mike

[jdemaris]

Apparently something in the left side (final drive?, or clutch not engaging) has gone out or just plain ole worn out.

I need some help trying to determine what to do in order to fix this.
Mike

Take the top-cover off and peek inside with a flashlight - and see what is, and isn't turning. Obvisoulsy the ring-gear is turning since one side still works. There's a splined stub drive parts that can strip (but that's rare). Look first to see if there's free play between the throwout bearing the clutch pressure-plate fingers. When you look at it while it's slipping (getting power but not moving) it's will be pretty easy to diagnose. Just follow the power flow from the inside (ring gear), throught the clutch-pack ,out to the final-drive input. If the final-drive input IS turning - then you know something is broken inside the final drive.

[jeff Kemp]

When I tested mine I put the blade against a stump and put her in 1st gear. Let the clutch out slow and see if both tracks turn. If the right side does not turn I think you have a broken gear or something stripped. If the clutches are bad the tracks should still dig if going straight ahead.

[mini kahuna]

if the steering clutch is slipping,worn out,adjusted wrong or oil soaked that side track will not recieve full power and will not spin the track.

[Gil]

cdstech: Did you try to follow the instructions in your manual for adjusting the steering clutch and brake? What was the result?

What your manual did not show is that there are a pack of friction plates alternating with steel plates that make up the steering clutch. They spin inside of a drum. This is the brake drum. The brake band (which is in your picture) goes around the outside of the drum. If the brake band is too tight the track won't turn.

The pack of plates in the steering clutch are normally pressed together by strong springs in the clutch pressure plate. When the friction plates press against the steel plates that makes the track turn. When you pull the steering lever, the throw out bearing in your picture presses against the fingers of the pressure plate . This releases the pressure on the friction and steel plates and they can spin. When they spin the track won't have any power to turn (but it would still roll if for example you were headed down a hill).

If you pull the steering lever back just a little bit farther, the brake band tightens and the track will not turn (even on a hill). The brake does not seem to be the problem in your case because apparently the track will roll if you release both steering levers and the crawler is driven forward by the track on the other side.

As others have mentioned, an oil soaked clutch, or a throw out bearing that is always pressing against the clutch pressure plate fingers, will allow the clutch to slip all the time and you will not get any drive power from the track on that side. That is why you should try that adjustment in the book first.

There are more dire things that could be wrong, but let us know the results of those adjustments first. You can get a better picture of all this if you buy the JD440 Service Manual in hardcopy or on CD. Parts Manuals are also available.