420steering question

[SOLDIER12]

Hello again. Another nw guy question. I a not sure what to check here. When trying to turn my crawler after setting a few days its seems ive got to milk it to get it to engage on both sticks. After it gets worked up it seems fine and gets better as it goes.
its not too bad an issue for me i dont have much work for the old girl but i like it and am wantint to keep it in decent shape. she will be garged after i get my small project done

[JD440ICD2006]

Sounds like an adjustment or two, provided the finals and all are in good shape.
Typically, if they have oil on the disk, they work OK when you first start cold, then as they warm up they begin to fail.
You may have the better of the two problems.
JD Service Manual lays out all of the adjustments.
Let us know what you find.

[Tigerhaze]

Are you keeping it outdoors without a cover? if so, you may be getting moisture condensing in the steering clutch housing which causes them to "stick" after sitting for prolonged periods. After working them for a little while, this moisture evaporates. This is a common problem for dry steering clutches when exposed to moisture.

I have to store my 2010 outdoors, so I make sure to keep it covered. I also prop the steering levers back when being stored to lessen this problem. Garaging them is the preferred option.

[Stan Disbrow]

Hi,

Yes, you pretty much need to keep crawlers under cover. They will last a *whole* lot longer that way. Any old pole barn will do, it doesn't need to be a true garage! Tarps are OK in a pinch, but all too often they don't breath well enough and can lead to issues as well.

Don't forget to put some wood down under the tracks to keep them off of the dirt, especially during the winter. Any old small tree trunks would do, or any old 2x4's, 2x6's or what not. Doesn't have to be fancy to keep the ground moisture out of the rail pins and bushings on the ground (or the pads sticking if it drops below freezing).

later!

Stan

[Gil]

If you keep your crawler under a tarp outside, the key is to put a tarp UNDER it. I use heavy plastic on the ground covered with old roofing tin. You need to keep moisture from coming up from the ground, or as Stan says you will have problems.

As far a a cover, I keep my exhaust and air intake loose so I can remove them. Then I cover the crawler with a 10 foot by 16 foot piece of roll roofing for flat roofs. I can buy end of roll sheets here for about $2 a foot for a 10 foot width. It will last your lifetime if you don't poke a hole in it.

On the edges I double it up and use Trap Grabber brand grommets. Mine withstand 60 mph winds - but I also put a coffee can over the exhaust manifold just in case.

[Stan Disbrow]

Hi,

Yes, the tarp under would help out a lot. You can still get into a moisture trapping situation when the weather warms up but the machine is still cold and water vapor winds up condensing all over it. Then, the closeness of the tarps blocks airflow and it takes a lot longer for the water to re-evaporate than it would in a pole barn.

But, tarps are better than having it just sit there with no cover at all!

The can cap over the stack is really important. I've always used them, even in the barn (just to be safe). Other machines can use the stack flapper, but on 2 cyl machines, they tend to be annoying - banging all the time unless one is using a high throttle setting.

I've seen more issues from water getting down the stack than I care to think about...

later!

Stan

[Ray III]

I've never covered my 420, just something to keep water out of the shifter and a rain cap on the muffler. The clutch housing covers are siliconed to keep driving rain out as well, and I have the plugs in the bottom of the clutch housings. So far it has not had a moisture related problem other than track pins sticking for a few minutes.

I do use it at least once a month.