I'm probably gonna regret this, but I bought a 420C

[PHPaul]

Elderly friend of mine has a 420C that needs some transmission work and offered it to me at a VERY attractive price.

I'm familiar with working on older tractors in general but never a crawler.

According to him, it needs a bearing but other than that is ready to work. I have no reason to expect he'd intentionally mislead me, but it IS a 60+ year old machine AND a crawler, so...

I'm told the tracks, final drives and clutches have to come off to work on the transmission. That should be interesting. Reasonably sure I have the tools needed, assuming a "cherry picker" engine crane will handle the final drives.

Just an introduction at this point, but I'm sure I'll be back with pictures and questions. Going to pick it up Sunday.

 

[ovrszd]

Great project. Looking forward to following your progress!!!

 

[thepumpguysc]

Kool project.. by all means, please post your progress..

 

[pmsmechanic]

I had a 40C. It was a fun machine. I don't think you would need to take the tracks right off. The track sprockets bolt onto the final drive housings. With a bit of fan dangling you should be able to get the final drives out without totally removing the tracks. This looks like an interesting project!

 

[beenthere]

Had a 420C and had to work on the final drives.. don't recall it was a major problem, but was about 20 years ago. Learned that someone had worked on them before me, and they just welded things back in place. Was expensive getting past that damage.

But sure was fun after getting it back together and in usable condition. Good luck to you. Hope to see pics as you progress, and maybe some better "recall" will come back to me.

 

[PHPaul]

Should run with a tuneup, trans needs work (probably a bearing) and left front idler wheel needs some attention, flopping around a bit. Hopefully bearing, maybe shaft. Have all the tin except one battery box cover. Serial number dates it as a 1957 model.

Now the fun begins...

 

[ovrszd]

Great Winter project. Updates appreciated.

 

[Shaneard]

That's awesome, good luck with your purchase! I've always like the 420C and want one but don't need one.

 

[PHPaul]

Got some of the heavier bits removed and the crawler shoved into the shop. Next step is to drop the belly pan along with about an acre's worth of dirt and debris, and then see about getting the engine started. Drain and replace all the fluids and filters, clean the carb, install the usual tune-up parts like rotor/cap/condenser/plugs and wires and see what's what.

I can post occasional updates here, or you can check out my site at Crawler Project

 

[beenthere]

Hopefully you will post your progress here on TBN. tks