Gonna go look at a 655

I'll have to go look at the plugs on the bottom of mine again. I cannot remember how much clearance there is on the underside. I haven't taken mine out yet, but it's on the to-do list. Since my machine is in a barn, I'm not worried about water getting in there right now.

Spent some time this afternoon pressure washing down in the middle of the machine.  Don't think it has ever been cleaned out in it's 45 year life!  Not much oil on it, must not leak (it does have oil in the various gear cases).  While trying to flush out the underside of the trans and rearend, discovered a small pto shaft, maybe to run a pump or winch?  The ripper makes it unusable.  Is there room between the final drives and the skid plate to remove the clutch housing drains?  Still a lot of dirt, now mud, down there.  Believe I have evicted the last of the wasps but bought another can of spray just in case!
Haven't found anymore wallets, yet.



Edited by JohnCO - 08 Aug 2016 at 1:53am

try JB80

Messed around with it a bit today.  Took the cover off that is under the dash and covers up the hydraulic lines that go across the machine.  Found 11, count um, 11 separate wasp nests.  Neutralized them.  Looked in the left steering clutch/brake hole.  Some rust but not bad.  Wonder if something like Stoddard solvent would free them up without soaking into the bands?

If you take the clutch housing covers off and you get the plugs out of the bottom, you can power was wash out all the crud ( mine had a lot of brake and clutch related dust) and replace the plugs with one of those expanding rubber plugs you can get at a hardware store. Do you know if the levers are moving the throwout bearing for the clutches? If they are, maybe you just need to bump a tree to break the clutches free.

Nope

Thanks Dale!
As long as I don't mention the name of him who must not be mentioned!

Edited by JohnCO - 20 Jul 2016 at 3:57pm

Be careful John, be VEEERRY careful... ye never knows what traps he has already set for you and DJ... much less ol' Less.    

 Say John, googled your area with all them water ditches mapquest wouldn't let me get down and swim in the reservoir...   Was an interesting look.

good buy!...hope you claimed the wallet and money since it was your machine! lol. I need to come out to your place someday and see your play pen!

Yeah, I looked at it Tuesday afternoon.  In pretty good shape although the tracks are probably the weak point.  Still for me to play with on the farm they should last a long time.
It didn't have a battery in it and the brothers who are selling it for their 91 year old dad didn't really want to invest in one.  They had hired a mobile machanic to  check it over and get it running.  He charged them $400 and didn't really do much but drain the fuel and put a battery (his own) in it and got it started.  I didn't want to make another 25 mile trip into the city to look at it again so I went to a a closeby parts store and bought a battery, figuring I could use it elsewhere if I didn't buy it.  They told me to get some starting fluid too as they used it to start it last time.  I didn't think it would be necessary unless the engine was toast but got some anyway as the wasps were everywhere and I find starting fluid isn't healthy for them.  Put the battery in, the engine turned maybe half a rev before firing and running smooth.  Drove ti forward and back, trans and converter work fine, no steering or brakes it has been sitting 15 years.  Made an offer of 25 hundred, got it for $2,700.  Will mess with the clutches and brakes a bit but if they don't start working, will try the diesel fuel trick.  Thanks for the advice albatros.  A side bar,  When the guy was getting the engine started he dropped a wrench below the floor.  One of the brothers got a bent wire and started to fish it out the rear.  Found the wallet of the original owner, had $80 bucks in it plus several credit cards that expired in the 1970's.  Wonder how long the owner looked for that wallet before giving up?

That sounds like a good price if the UC is in good shape. I did the steering clutches on my 653 and looking back, I wish I would have plugged the drains in the housing for the clutches and filled them with diesel. Everything was stuck of stiff and took a lot of work to get free.