Hello everybody...been a loooong while since my last post. Life gets busy as we all know. I'm posting a question concerning an old JCB I just bought last night...haven't even gotten a lot of info yet as I have to go get it home this weekend. No serial or model numbers yet...more to come on that this Sunday when I get it home.. I do know, it's a 1984 2 WD, great old machine with a lot of potential for what I need it for, which is around the farm use only. Got a nice running Perkins, 4 speed and reverser he (seller) rebuilt 2 years ago...I got it warmed up and it's all good. (Bought it off Craigslist and was a rush-job...he had people lined up to buy it but I got there first, so I didn't really get to analyze the situation like I normally would.) Everything's tight, except the swing mechanism on the bottom of the hoe. You can swing the boom back and forth by hand....Something's awry obviously. It's got that "T" setup, I'm thinking it's a set of rams inside the housing, or something that's broken. Need some insight...any takers? Thanks in advance!
The swing tower main shaft comes in from the bottom, the lower part of the frame has splines that the shaft locks into and a lower gear that the rack works with to make it swing. Mark a line across the main pin at the top bushing for the swing, with the bucket of the ground like you said swing the hoe buy hand and watch your mark at the top, if it moves with the swing it could be striped in the lower frame and if it don't it could be a broken lower gear or rack issue. The pistons can be packed once you remove the tubes, you have to loosen the four bolts, they are tight around 700, and put some hyd pressure to them to unseat them before removal sometimes. You can replace the packing without removing the piston I seem to think, the cushion bolt and spring to remove the piston is around 300 if needed to remove, there is a o ring under the piston also. Really need to know the model and s/n. Just thinking out loud, be careful around that backhoe since it free swings while testing with it off the ground.
Good stuff sheepfoot...Like I said, I found it on Craigslist and literally POUNCED on this machine (was listed at $3500.00, I bought it for $3,000...) and it's in way better shape than I would have expected when I first saw it online. It runs sweet, front loader is strong with repacked curl cylinders, etc. The owner took pretty good care of it for what it is; did what he needed to do but the backhoe issue was a bit more than he wanted to tackle himself understandably enough. I'm going to haul it home this Sunday, and when I get it home I'll be able to check things out good and I'll get back on here with s/n and more info on the situation. I sure appreciate your help...:notworthy
1984 JCB 3C 1400 TLB swing function inoperable...no swing at all. Well, I got it home today, and did a little CSI work to it, not as much as I'd like to have...but here's what I come up with: The ID tag is worn pretty bad, pretty tough to read, so this info is off the actual certificate of title for now until I find better numbers somewhere else. The hoe is a JCB model 3C1400, 2WD. The swing function is broken. With the hoe locked into travel position, if I turn the swing lever either way, the main pin turns inside the bushing, but you can swing the entire boom by hand. Something's either stripped or broken down in that lower drive unit it appears. I threw a short ratchet strap on temporarily to keep it from flailing around every time I change direction...that could get spendy if I were to mow the side of my wife's Grand Cherokee off or something, if I wasn't paying attention like normal. Any suggestions as to where to start ripping into this? Sheepfoot seems to have a good bit of advice on this deal....where you at Sheepfoot??? LOL.
swing shaft Well that's a good looking machine, I think you are looking at the lower frame splines striped or the shaft is striped. I would first round up some plugs and caps for the boom, stick, bucket so you can plug them at the control valve, next run the boom, stick and bucket out and remove the boom cylinder pin and the main boom pin, plug your lines and pull away leaving the tower on the machine. This will solve the issue of it getting away from you and hitting the wife's jeep which would cause more pain than the parts to fix it!!. Once moved to a safe place, away from the jeep, you can go to pulling the tower out by capping the swing hoses, securing it with a hoist, installing a floor jack under the lower plate( pin shaft may or may not drop out easy, bump down from the top) removing the lower bolts on the lower part of the tower. Note also to measure the length to be able to clear the ground, you can jack machine up with the stab and front bucket, add cribbing or jack stands as needed to make it safe, make sure the park brake works if resting tires on cribbing. Shaft comes out the lower end along with some lube so be ready for a mess. Once out hoist the tower out and place on the ground, inspect the shaft and splines in the lower frame. Now you can also just leave the tower on the back until you round up some prices, and use it for counter weight to run your loader too, but you will need to find what is wrong with it also, so it is a no win, it has to come down, but if you want to flip it like it is you could chain off to the stabs to stop the swinging and use it to. The lower frame has the weldment that could be replaced at one time, you had to measure the height of the old boss, and mill off the top the new boss before installing, cut the old off, line up is a must between the shaft and bushings or you will make a mess real quick with new and old parts, some parts require a welders cert in hand to purchase and need the machine co instructions for preheat and welding. More if needed, been awhile since doing these, hope this helps you out, any other jcb tech's that can help? PS the swing rack and piston can be pulled down after removal or while pulling it down, it will need to be cleaned out and checked also.
with the engine running, does the rear end attachment move when you use the lever to swing it left or right? I am thinking outside the box here but it maybe worth trying before a major strip down.There maybe a possibility there is no hydraulic feeding the 2 cylinders which would allow the boom to swing like it is
Actually robin, there's plenty of hydraulic pressure there. I can move the lever and see the main boom pin move, and the boom "tries" to move when applying swing. I think sheepfoot just wants to see me work! LOL. Thanks for the help guys...:notworthy (FYI): I'm not flipping this one...it's a permanent fixture with me for the duration, being I only gave $3,000.00 for it. Tough to find them that cheap for sure...√
JCB Swing function issue. I got an email yesterday from someone here...not even sure who at the moment, that sent me a complete service manual in PDF file form on this machine. I just wanted to say THANK YOU very much...that is a good gift, and I downloaded and saved it for reference. It shows explicit details of hydro systems, and plumbling, and although not very much of the exact problem area in the swing unit, but I still see what it looks like inside there now, and can visualize what I needed to do. Sheepfoot, your explanation is also welcomed, and many thanks as well for that. Being so close to winter moving in on me here, and no garage (GRRRRRRRR,) the plan is to A) stay away from the wife's Jeep, and B) I welded a stiff-arm from the frame to the boom temporarily, to keep it straight and locked the travel lock in position for the winter. The machine will only be used to lift things I no longer care to do with my back and arms...and also to push back my snowbanks after I plow with the truck. I think it's wise to leave the boom attached throughout the winter as a counterweight for snow time. It snows every day here on this God-foresaken mountain, so it's nothing to see 120" of it at the end of the season. The plow truck is a 1997 F-250, a yard truck with permanent chains, a flatbed with 5-6 mounted, junk 11:00x24.5 truck tires on back for weight...and has a wicked heater and fm radio...so that's the main rig to plow with. I'll just fire the hoe up as needed now & then to push the banks back when I start feeling clostrophobic. No sense in wearing that thing out trying to start it when it's -20F, etc. when the old '97 F-250 starts right up and it's comfy to use, and I put a bunch of work lights on the top and rear so it looks like a snowmobile trail groomer at night now. Once I get all set up, the hoe swinging again, etc., then the plan is to buy a snow pusher box eventually, and chain the rear tires up. Chains can be bought for anything from your workboots to a skidder by going to tirechains.com believe it or not... Thanks again, for the help.:notworthy
no problem
Anybody know where I can buy a full service manual for this 3C1400 JCB by any chance? Would like to have one I can open up in the garage and reference from time to time.