JD 450C - Undercarriage Need Replaced

[mwaehler]

I recently purchased an early-80's 450c Dozer Crawler w/a 9300 Backhoe. My question is: I had a local shop inspect it and I was told it needs a new undercarriage (complete) and tracks - Any idea what a reasonable number of hours to do this repair would be? The tech tells me 80 hours & at $95/hr it's just too much $ & that doesn't include an additonal $6000 in parts. Just trying to get an idea what other people have paid for similar work & if there's any reccomendations on cheaper parts.

Thanks
MW

 

[jenkinsph]

How bad are the tracks and undercarriage? Can it still be used as is? I ask this because the cost of the work is very close to what a used machine with a good undercarriage sells for. Unless you bought this very cheap you will never get your money out of the repair. Sadly, you may be better off selling it and buying another machine.

When buying this type of equipment it is best to have it checked out before you buy it, not afterwards.

 

[spruce Deere]

Well, just cause its a little crawler dont mean little repair bills.This is where in the for sale ads for crawlers and dozers says under carriage 10% or under carriage 75%. That percentage means what is left, not how much is left to be used up...... Been a while back now, but the local JD shop completely rebuilt a 550 crawler under carriage all but redo the guts in the finals and the bill came to $20,000.00 'no little smilies to describe such emotion'. A few miles away a caterpillar D-6c, about three times the machine, got the same treatment at a undercarriage shop, the repair bill was within a few hundred of the far smaller crawler. I think aftermarket undercarriage parts like berco or trex I think its called, might help with price but its the LABOR of extracting busted bolts and such that always cost.

 

[Kevin M]

Its gonna be expensive no matter what, its a labor intensive job. Plus the parts and some of the tools you need to complete it !

 

[ctlguy]

Its gonna be expensive no matter what, its a labor intensive job. Plus the parts and some of the tools you need to complete it !

I agree, it will be expensive. But if you where quoted 6k for the iron parts that is not a bad price at all. A running machine with decent or better tracks should be worth atleast 20k (not the same for all parts of the country of course).

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

what is your skill level and how much time do you have to get it fixed up?

1. if you pay someone and buy all new parts, you might as well sell it or keep it for a parts dozer for the next one...

2. be patient in buying used parts and do most of the work yourself...

i see parts on ebay and craigslist quite a bit.....you could start gathering parts- might take a year....lots of driving around, etc....

just some ideas...

 

[Barely Smokin']

I recently purchased an early-80's 450c Dozer Crawler w/a 9300 Backhoe. My question is: I had a local shop inspect it and I was told it needs a new undercarriage (complete) and tracks - Any idea what a reasonable number of hours to do this repair would be? The tech tells me 80 hours & at $95/hr it's just too much $ & that doesn't include an additonal $6000 in parts. Just trying to get an idea what other people have paid for similar work & if there's any reccomendations on cheaper parts.

Thanks
MW

MW, consider posting here:

Dozers - Heavy Equipment Forums

 

[jenkinsph]

I recently purchased an early-80's 450c Dozer Crawler w/a 9300 Backhoe. My question is: I had a local shop inspect it and I was told it needs a new undercarriage (complete) and tracks - Any idea what a reasonable number of hours to do this repair would be? The tech tells me 80 hours & at $95/hr it's just too much $ & that doesn't include an additonal $6000 in parts. Just trying to get an idea what other people have paid for similar work & if there's any reccomendations on cheaper parts.

Thanks
MW

I might add that this is based on the survey by one repair shop, you may want to get a second opinion. I had a 450B many years ago and was always putting money in it. Traded up for a new 850 with a large bank note, never really made any money with either one. Old wore out dozers are not the same as old tractors, you have to spend alot of money on the dozers and it is impossible or hard to get back. Today I would hire the dozer work out and do the tractor work myself.

 

[brin]

Run an ad on craig's list and ask around your community for a mechanic that needs work...Yes there are mechanics around that can do this kind of work that for one reason or another do not have steady work and if you get the parts you can save a bunch...I have done this before in my area and it has always worked out. I had a JD 450 Crawler loader and the fella I used to service it drove an old converted school bus..he had his shop in it and his rates were way less than a shop with big overhead...He worked on my udercarriage and hydraulics and saved me a bunch....clutches to as I recall.

 

[jeffster]

Seems about right to me. We have an older 80s 550 and while I love using it when needed, it really is stressful as something ALWAYS breaks on it. Seriously, if it isn't a busted hydraulic line (can't tell you how many of those I have replaced), it is a broken track, or the last one was a broken tensioner (cylinder collapsed). Everything on a dozer is expensive to maintain and repair, unfortunately. Just changing that track tensioner took about 10 hours and a large knot on my head from when the pry bar slipped (don't ask). While we did the work ourselves it was still a $500 repair bill. Most of the time was getting the stupid bolts out as they pretty much become permanent after a number of years, so I imagine changing the entire undercarriage could take quite a long time...