JLG LJ500 Little John stand-on mini skid steer

   / JLG LJ500 Little John stand-on mini skid steer
  • Thread Starter
#41  
Yes! I am following and enjoy the updates. (I love resurrected iron and am quite envious.) :laughing:
I imagine it has been a while since he has parked in a heated spot for the winter! Little fart looks comfy.
So, . . . complete concours correct restoration is in the works???
I too have a workshop basement and tuck-under garage. Love it as far as same temp summer and winter as the house and can zip downstairs in my slippers to do whatever. Downside is that everything household has to go UP the stairs.

Nice! :)

I don't plan on a full restoration, at least not this winter. I need to get each failed or failing part rebuilt back to good operating condition. He's definitely comfy in the semi-heated basement. Coldest it gets down there is around 58* or so. It allows me to keep my motivation up, too. All my tools are currently down there right next to the LJ500. I'm going to grab some Harbor Freight dollies and jack it up onto them so I can move it around without starting it.

The list for winter that I can think of off the top of my head:

- Grind out and weld the two cracks on the rear upright/support area
- Repack the bucket curl cylinder (already did the lift cylinder)
- Drain the hydraulic oil and refill it with the specified 10w30 motor oil
- Motor oil drain/refill
- Tighten the slack on the chain drives off the hydraulic motors
- Fabricobble a proper battery mount system so it's not just sliding around in the belly pan
- Maybe tighten up some of the linkages
- Build an exhaust heat shield to prevent my curious nearly 2yr old pitbull from trying to sniff or lick the exhaust (lol, dumb dog is actually way smarter than that!)
- Add some lights, though with LEDs I'll likely need to incorporate a rectifier bridge to clean up the juice enough for the LEDs not to flicker. (will probably do to my snowblower first)
- Bend back one of the pallet forks, someone lifted too much weight with it and it's a royal pain to mount/remove. Worst case I'll just grind some off the mounting surface


That's way more than I thought I'd be doing this winter, that's the first time I put this list "on paper."
 
   / JLG LJ500 Little John stand-on mini skid steer #42  
I'm also enjoying your updates and looking forward to pictures.
 
   / JLG LJ500 Little John stand-on mini skid steer
  • Thread Starter
#43  
Excellent! I wasn't sure if anyone was following along or not. Nice to see interest! I'll keep chuggin' along as I get time with it and keep updating as I go.
 
   / JLG LJ500 Little John stand-on mini skid steer
  • Thread Starter
#44  
Little more work to the mini skid steer. Got the tilt cylinder removed. Upper pin is seized BADLY. Hopefully it'll come out in the 20T press. I don’t want to mushroom the end.

I’ll put a bit of heat on it to warm it up if need be, after I disassemble it. It’s so worn I can move it with my pinky.

Had to pull the auto-leveling linkage with it, looks like someone failed to remove it before... Ends were a bit mushroomed.

Pic2: Seized. It almost looks like it's part of the cylinder end.

Pic3: Breakdown.


#16 in pic 3 is the pin we're looking at. I had the exact issue with PN #7, it was terribly seized. Took a lot of work to get it out. I'll drill for a grease zerk. Next to be pulled and greased are #2 and #21 as I'm sure they're probably just as seized as these past two.
 

Attachments

  • 7CCF166D-2D98-4F18-9E37-5E24F565085A.jpg
    7CCF166D-2D98-4F18-9E37-5E24F565085A.jpg
    887.6 KB · Views: 210
  • A4567414-B8BB-4FFE-8501-443A27F9A2C8.jpg
    A4567414-B8BB-4FFE-8501-443A27F9A2C8.jpg
    699.8 KB · Views: 204
  • 2B67B9EF-D1C8-426D-909C-3D5DEA75DD22.jpg
    2B67B9EF-D1C8-426D-909C-3D5DEA75DD22.jpg
    202.9 KB · Views: 202
  • CCD0EA8E-C028-402D-B82B-DE11C7B214F1.jpg
    CCD0EA8E-C028-402D-B82B-DE11C7B214F1.jpg
    218.1 KB · Views: 199
   / JLG LJ500 Little John stand-on mini skid steer
  • Thread Starter
#45  
20T press popped the pin after I put my weight into it. Sounded like a shotgun when it let loose. I’ll have to clean up the pin and bore.

Couldn’t get gland nut off at first, 36” pipe wrench with a cheater bar and my 150lbs on it cracked it loose.

Next, repack the cylinder and reinstall.
IMG_2001.JPG


IMG_2002.JPG


Looks weird in the pic but it’s an illusion. Looks great in person.
IMG_2003.JPG
 
Last edited:
   / JLG LJ500 Little John stand-on mini skid steer
  • Thread Starter
#46  
Forgot the pic of the pin that popped like a shotgun:

If this isn’t the poster child for “install a grease fitting!!!”

Adjustments.JPG
 
   / JLG LJ500 Little John stand-on mini skid steer
  • Thread Starter
#47  
So I went to rebuild this cylinder (tilt/curl) two nights ago, it seems like the parts kit is incorrect. Maybe JLG recycled the part number or something. First kit was perfect, lift cylinder is strong as it should be. The tilt/curl is weak, really needs a rebuild. I'll have to bring it to a hydraulic shop to match up the seals.
 
   / JLG LJ500 Little John stand-on mini skid steer #48  
Hello. Funny reading.
i just bought an old jlg also. But hard to get hold of themanuals. Did you manage to reache anyone?
I allso have problems with the engine it dies when it gets warm and dont seems to have that much power left in it. It almoste dies when i am turning the machine 😳.
I will try to change the hydraulic fluid and the filter first. Which oil did you end up using? Iso32?
 
   / JLG LJ500 Little John stand-on mini skid steer #49  
And by te way which hydraulic filter is seated in your machine? size and spec?
 
   / JLG LJ500 Little John stand-on mini skid steer
  • Thread Starter
#50  
Hello. Funny reading.
i just bought an old jlg also. But hard to get hold of themanuals. Did you manage to reache anyone?
I allso have problems with the engine it dies when it gets warm and dont seems to have that much power left in it. It almoste dies when i am turning the machine .
I will try to change the hydraulic fluid and the filter first. Which oil did you end up using? Iso32?

And by te way which hydraulic filter is seated in your machine? size and spec?

Hey, been really busy lately without much forum time. I have a manual for it, if you send me a PM with your email address I'll forward it to you.

I ended up using regular 10w30 engine oil, as that's what the manual calls for.

As for your machine nearly dying as it gets warm, check spark, check fuel flow too. Make sure it's full of oil, these engines have a low oil switch that'll kill the motor if it runs low.
 
Last edited:
 
Top