Hey Guys, I have a chance to purchase this 67 CASE high lift for my farm in Mid-Missouri. This would be my first tracked machine. Having very little experience with tracked machines I'm trying to determine if it's a decent deal at $7K. Very few machines available this size and price range in my area. It's a clean machine for it's age. Undercarriage looks to still have good life in it. Most of the hoses need replacing and all the cylinders leak with 2 leaking bad but it starts right up runs good and operates. No brakes but everything else works. No gauges the neighborhood kids broke them out. Very interested to know what you think. Does this look like a decent deal? Would certainly appreciate any information I can get!
It looks pretty decent from the two photos you posted--maybe get some more pics of the track chain and front idlers. The sprockets look like they are barely worn. Hopefully the chain, rollers and idlers are in the same shape! Hydraulic cylinders are pretty simple to repack, unless you have scored rods or find a score inside the barrel. A local hydraulics shop could be your friend here unless you like to do this stuff yourself. Same with hoses- get new ones as necessary. Brakes might be a bit more of a pain--I don't know how these old Case crawlers are arranged inside- they may not be a "standard" clutch/brake system but may be a differential steering like the old Cletracs. But the machine is small, so parts won't necessarily be as heavy if you have to get far inside to get at brake bands. If it has steering clutches or even a main clutch, take a look at them for replacement while you are in there as well. Does it have a forward/reverse lever or do you have to stir the gearbox to go forward/back? Cute little machine--I'd love to have it on my stump ranch along with my '73 Case 580B backhoe! YMMV Jon.
Thanks, Yup on the cylinders. The idlers and rollers all look of the same condition. The brakes, from research would be nice but not a necessity and are a pain to repair. 2 center sticks, 3 positions each, forward, neutral & reverse. Separate stick for high/low. Hand & foot throttle.
Need to look at the bushings on the rails. You need the brakes for sharper turns and safety.
Neat trackloader and Welcome to HEF!!
Thanks for the comments!! Going back to check all parts again from the excellent recommendations. So far is the cost in the ballpark of good deal?
I'd say it is a decent deal. Old machine but may not have been beat to death. It is always better to see if you can get some more off in a final round of haggling. If you are going to buy the machine and do your own monkey wrenching, you will need to find a parts and service manual- Ebay and the OEM are your friends here. I've always been curious about those older Case steering methods- a F/N/R transmission on each track. I think it will take some getting used to--running it would be like a monkey trying to eat 2 bananas at the same time... Still, I'm envious of your opportunity. Jon.
Need to see more pics. of the rails, bushings and rollers. If those need replacing could cost as much as the rest of the machine or more. Also need to know what's wrong with the brakes. It's hard to say if it's a good deal until you know what all it needs.
I spent some time on Case 450s. The high- low speed levers are how it is steered. It takes a while to get used them but the steer the machine nicely. Brakes are not needed to steer it. I preferred to not use them for steering. They better be in good working condition if are going to do any work on slopes.
Being it's a loader I thought the brakes would be needed more than a dozer because you typically make tighter turns with a loader. Loading trucks, digging ponds and trenches or stockpiling material it's common to brake one side to make tight turns or need to stop quickly. It's also good to have working brakes if you get in an emergency situation. Having said that I'm not sure how sharp a Case machine can turn with the high-low levers so maybe the lack of brakes isn't a big deal on relatively flat ground?? I know on my Cat loader it's good the brakes are easy to apply. I've had the throttle stick the odd time and could have hit the dump truck or something else if the brakes were weak or hard to apply.
Haven't got a damn thing done for a couple days. Can anyone recommend an free online service, owners and/or parts manual? Checked the links I could find in the forums, but no luck. Trying to learn as much as I can before my machine gets here.
Nothing much is free in this world today...I checked Ebay and there are about 150 listings for various Case 450 manuals. A new set of 3 manuals looks like it would cost about 150$. Jon.
You got that correct..... I was quoted $166 JUST for a motor parts list PDF.....
I have a 1987 Case 450C dozer, much newer but the transmission operation is the same. The two tall sticks that are side by side are actually High and Low for each track, the other is Forward/Reverse. The trottle pedal is also an accelerator (like in a car) vs a deccelerator like most other dozers. To steer you throw one track in high, the other in neutral or low, depending on what you want it to do. There is no way to counter rotate the tracks on the smaller Case dozers, only 1150 size and up IIRC. There is also a range shifter down near the floor that gives you two higher gears, but I never use it. The H/L and F/R are powershift, the range shift is not so you must be completely stopped. There is not modulation on the transmission on those early machines however, so let off the throttle when shifting H/L or F/R, but they can be shifted under load, while moving. As for the brakes, that machine has dry brakes and it was generally considered not good practice to use them for steering, except occasionally in tight areas. That said, the first and easiest thing to check is the hydraulics on the brakes, the master/slave cylinder have a tendency of going bad. If mechanically everything works, transmission is in good shape, motor runs good, and the undercarriage is good it's probably a pretty goo deal. Post some more pics and we'll let you know.
OK Guys, Here are additional pics from my trip today. I gotta say it looks, (to me), like the undercarriage was completely rebuilt at some point. Appears to be little wear on the track pins, and rollers. Took pictures as best I could it's hard to see most of the undercarriage. Got to start it up cold and it fired right up. The 78 year old owner with help rebuilt the right side lift cylinder so it's not leaking any more! Still not able to find much information about the brakes. All I know is they are "dry brakes". The bushings and the rails look good from what I can see of them. What am I missing?? Any questions and/or comments are sure appreciated by this novice inexperienced buyer!!
From the looks of the pics, the undercarriage looks pretty decent for a $7K machine. A few things you can check on the undercarriage: Raise the machine up with the bucket and turn the bottom rollers by hand. If any are loose or wobbly they are bad. They should turn by hand with a moderate amount of pressure. To check the top roller just watch it while someone else drives it, if it turns, doesn't wobble or make bad noises it's probably ok. Move the machine back and forth while turning, watch the front idlers both for play in the bearings and for wear/play in the idler yoke. Tracks look a little loose. Tighten them by pumping grease into the tensioner fitting, should be at the back of the idler yoke, under a square headed cap (if it is like the later 450's). Pump it up until there is just about an inch or so of sag between the top of the front idler and the top roller. Hopefully they aren't stuck, or the seals aren't blown on the tensioners. Drive it around and work it a little, see if the tracks hold tension. Watch for stuck bushings in the tracks as they go around, one link will stay pushed up at an angle if it is stuck. Probably a few other things on the undercarriage I'm forgetting but that is a good start. With all that being said, it is a $7K machine, so temper your expectations accordingly...
Thanks All. Yes it's home now!
Cool!!! Are you going to try and fit ROPS on it?
Would like to. My property is mostly pasture so it's not an immediate need. Will be attending to hoses, filters, and fluids first!