New member just purchased older 450 loader

[Jim S.]

I'm new to the site and crawler ownership. Thanks to all for the wealth of knowledge and experience posted here. I've just spent a few informative hours searching and perusing the site.

My crawler is old and rough but I believe I have the skill and determination to get it running (a used replacement engine was just installed after the original siezed, but owner could not get it running on first try and has lost interest). I intend to do as much of the mechanical work myself as possible since I have considerable mechanical and automotive experience. I also have access to an experienced construction mechanic who also evaluated this crawler for me.

Although the serial number is hard to read, I believe it is T5E3M 113983T, which puts it as a 1970 model. Is my understanding correct that T5E3M refers to various options and build configurations? If so, does anyone have the breakdown of those codes? The parts catalog I have shows serial number breakdowns in the front but it does not have the same configuration of codes.

My first task will be to get the necessary pubs. It came with an original operators manual (OM-T32592) and a parts catalog for the 450B (PC-1170). I will search the usual sources for a service manual which Deere lists as SM-2064.

My first question: are there enough differences between the straight 450 and 450B to warrant getting a correct parts catalog? I realize that Deere has the parts catalog on-line but I find paper manual much preferable. Deere's site lists 5 different catalogs for the 450 (PCs 918, 919, 920, 922 and 927). I presume they were consecutively published as minor changes were made and that any one of them should be adequate for my purposes.

I will use the loader for personal use only - minor land clearing and maintenance on my 20 acre very rural homesite. This crawler will also have a bit of sentimental value to me since I worked in the Dubuque works where this was built for a number of years starting in 1972.

Regards,
Jim

[digitup2]

Jim it is always great to see new members asking questions. If you worked in the Dubuque works then great we were kind of looking for someone that could decipher the line codes for us !!.That is the T53EM at the start of the serial number you were asking about. Now to answer the first question YES there is considerable difference in the 450 and 450B series you need the right manual some things will cross over but most will not your adjustments are slightly different from one to the other and 202 engine to 219 but they are similar . The steering adjustment would be the big thing . What did you do at the Dubuque works and when did you work there.I have owned a lot of iron from that place!! . .Digitup.

[Jim S.]

I worked at the Dubuque Works as a welding engineer with three main responsibilities: conducting weld failure analysis, training and certifying new production and maintenance welders and assisting production welders with various problems as they occured. I really enjoyed all aspects of the job because of the variety of tasks and continual chance to learn. I was right out of college so my learning curve was high. It was great to occasionally visit all the areas of the plant during slow times and breaks. I was able to wander the whole plant, less experimental areas, from the foundry to engine machining line and, of course, the assembly lines for small ag tractors and crawlers.

Wish I could help with deciphering the line codes, but I was not involved at all in assembly or finished products so the line codes are unknown to me as well. I certainly do recall some of the weldments I see on my 450, particularly the frame and masts, since they involved welding steel castings to mild steel. The steel castings often varied in fit and finish so filling considerable gaps when welding them was a frequent challenge. At the time I was there, we consumed over a million pounds of welding wire a year.

When my machine gets cleaned up, I'll look it over for employee number stamps. For each complicated weldment, the welder would stamp his employee number in a specific location when completed so that it could be traced if warranty or failure issues should require. It was usually a 4 to 7 digit number stamped in approx. 1/8" or 5/32" numerals. As I recall, they were in an out of the way location but visible from the exterior of the machine.

I worked in Dubuque for two years, starting in the fall of 72. I was then transferred to a new plant being built just to the north of Davenport, Iowa which was actually an extension of the Dubuque works. We were making mostly welding intensive stand-alone assemblies like loader and excavator buckets. I stayed there for one year and then enlisted in the Army in '75.

I just took delivery of my loader today so I'll no doubt have more questions once I look it over and get into it. Previous owner told me the replacement engine is from a 450B. I trust he checked the backward compatability...

Regards,
Jim

[Tigerhaze]

Hi Jim-

It will be nice to have your input, as we have questions regarding welding techniques and questions about the factory welds come up from time to time.