Buying an old skidder

[chevytaHOE5674]

I has nothing to do with just JD. It is a bad idea in any open rops skidder.
If it doesn't have screens and doors take the chains off in the summer and buy new tires.

Or get yourself some wire mesh, and cut it to fit. Then weld it to the ROPS, thats what's been done around here. And it works pretty well, keeps the slash outside where it should be.

[grassfed]

For $ 5000, if the machine starts, runs and shifts well, steers well, the winch works well, the blade goes up and down and the tires hold air, and you do not have to pay a lot for shipping BUY IT NOW!   Don’t worry about the diff lock... If it works great if not then you can still use the machine. For what you are paying don't be too picky. The one reason not to buy an old machine like this is if you are not mechanically inclined and would have to pay a dealer to fix it.  If that is the case then forget about any old skidder. My 440B costs about $500 a year for parts and about 10hrs of my labor. I use it to haul about 75-125 cords a year and have perhaps 2 days a season when the machine is not working and I could be working. Fuel grease oil and filters are extra time and money. If I had a dealer do the work and had to ship the machine back and forth it would probably cost $2500-$4000 a season.

[junkstang]

I went by and operated the skidder yesterday.  We pulled a few logs out of the woods.  We pulled up a tree length poplar with a 34" butt.  I was worried about the shift linkage, but the machine shifted relatively smooth.  Maybe because of the wear!!!!!

Two major concerns I noticed while operating.  The owner told me that a problem with the machine was that he would have to put the winch in gear before starting the machine.  The winch worked fine, the cable spooled off freely and I winched the poplar up a steep grade to the machine  (I saw at least 60' of cable, I forgot to ask how much was on the winch)  I snaked the log a good ways and then had to release and snake from the other end because of a y in the road.  It was at that point that we realized that the winch was out of gear (jumped out on its own, which the ower admitted that it did from time to time.)  I had to shut down the machine to put it back in gear.  Then it was back to work!  What would be the common cause that would cause the winch to jump out of gear? Would it be a major problem to fix?  I would hate to spend the day starting the machine over and over, hard on a starter.

The other issue was the blade, when pushed forward the blade would go down as expected and lift the front of the machine.  I had to fiddle with the lever to get the exact spot for the blade to lift and when I pulled it all the way back it would lock as he told me it should.  It seemed to be a very very small area in the control action that would lift the blade.  Is this an adjustment that can be fixed or is it a sign of something going wrong with the hydraulic system?

I am not expecting a perfect machine for $5000.00, but I would hate to have to spend $10,000 on it as soon as I get it home.



Thanks for all comments.   

[grassfed]

would cause the winch to jump out of gear

Only the older machines had a shifter for the winch. The newer ones had the holes for the winch shifter but the one on the transfer case was plugged with what looks like a freeze plug and there is no shifter lever.

On the newer rigs the winch runs all the time when the engine is running.

I bet that John Deere took the shifting mechanism out because it caused the problem you described.

You could go to jdparts.com and look at what is different between the older winch drive system and the newer system and see how hard it would be to lock the winch drive, on, permanently. It should not cause any problems leaving it on because as I said they got rid of the shifter on the later machines.

As far as what causes it to jump out, I am not sure but with something like that it is worse if it jumps out with the winch is under load than if it just falls out from vibration when you are driving around. If it pops out under load I would think bad bearing, shaft or gear. If it falls out from vibration could be sloppy linkage and you should just wire it like the Diff lock.

[mad murdock]

Is it a 440 A or 440 B?  If the winch is in working order, I think that you are getting a good deal.  As for dozing with a skidder, it is not sufficient to break a new road or something like that, the blade and the machine is not built for that kind of work.  The only skidder that I have operated that did a half way job of pushing dirt was a Franklin 132, which is about 3 times bigger than a JD 440.  I have a Garrett Model 15A, it has a beefier blade than the JD 440, but still is not really sufficient for any kind of regular dirt pushing.  I have used my machine for road maintenance, and pushing snow, and it works ok for those tasks. My experience has been that when using a skidder for heavy dirt moving, usually something ends up getting broke, the blade is just not heavy enough, and the hydraulic control does not allow for the finesse of fine dirt work, the machine is very good for clean up and brush piling though, and of course they can not be beat for dragging out wood. The JD 440 is a nice machine as it is very nimble, and has a low CG which makes it more sure footed on irregular (hilly) terrain, harder to tip over. Having said all of that, I do like my Garrett better than the JD 440, as it is similar in size, but parts are very inexpensive, as it was built with a lot of off the shelf parts, i.e. Ford diesel, heavy truck Trans, and Gearmatic winch, though the JD winch probably is more trouble free than the old gearmatic I have.  A TJ is more machine than  JD 440, but considering price and proximity to your place you are looking a ta a fair deal IMHO.

[junkstang]

I also forgot to state that the differential locke did work and the wire was keeping the locke from falling into full locke position.  After locking in and driving straight for a short distance, I got off and did not see fluid pouring, It still may have a leak when locked in but I don't believe it is pouring oil.

I am going to check the JD website to see if I can find a drawing/diagram and maybe getting a better understanding of what might be happening.  I had not thought of doing that, thanks!!!!!

 

[junkstang]

 
I drove the skidder home yesterday and got it for $4500.  The skidder drives well and seems tight.  The only problem that I have noticed so far is that the winch will jump out of gear and does it when the winch is not under load.  It can be used now like it is but I am going to pull the top off of the transfer case and look at the PTO drive and see if I can lock it in gear.  I will report back when I know more.  The steering motor may be to close to the case to pull the cover easily.  I am hunting a shop manual now,and  I have printed out the parts diagrams from JD.

[Magicman]

Sounds like you are "on your way".  Old machines that aren't in full production can still do work.  Congratulations.....

[Kodiakmac]

I'm running an old (1968) 440 I bought about a year ago.  I hooked a bungee cord onto the diff lock because my clumsy heels were always inadvertently engaging it.  I baby the old buggy, so I rarely use the diff lock.  Your neighbour is probably just being careful

Here's an excerpt from a post about a year ago that you can apply to any used skidder:

Check engine oil, hydraulic oil for water.antifreeze contamination when the machine has been parked for a few days.  Just crack open the oil-pan drain plug a wee bit and let out a 1/2 cup of fluid...if it doesn't look like waste oil, it's probably water or antifreeze.(Water in hydraulic fluid not usually a big problem, but water in engine oil can be)

check pins at the tickle points (have the owner raise front end with blade, put skidder in gear and let the clutch in an out a few times, if the pins/bushings at the articulation points are shot, you'll see the machine buckling up/down at this point)

Check brakes and clutch by holding brakes, putting trannie in a lower-mid gear, and letting out clutch while reving engine.  If engine doesn't stall, the clutch is shot...if you go ahead, brakes need work.

Check skidder and winch by using it!!!!

[Bobus2003]

I have a '69 JD440 and I have the same problem with it popping the winch out of gear, I solved taht by putting a Bungie cord on it to keep it engaged.. Now as for the diff lock.. There may not be a problem and like some have said just a way yo keep from accidently engaging it or, It could have a problem and its to keep it from being a bigger problem, On mine i unhooked the pedal so it couldn't be engaged accidently.. It works great and doesn't leak oil on the ground, it Leaks oil in the diffrential, fills it up and blows out the Wheel seals.. Not a Fun Fix Possibly why its wired up

[zopi]

Are yoou in eastern VA? I'm in Smithfield..probably not too far from you.

[Old Iron nut]

 Re the JD 440 skidder. A number of years ago I had the opportunity to operate one of these machines (diesel) and found it to be pretty good. However; it had some shortcomings in the hydraulic system. We thought the front main pump was faulty so we tore it down and replaced some of the capsule units in it. This helped but things were not right. This main pump gets its supply from a small priming pump in the rear of the transmission.   The hydraulics would stop working if you had the machine in gear and your foot on the clutch. We kinked the machine off either the left or the right and drained the tranny. We then removed the rear transmission cover and found that the priming pump is in top of the transmission with a long steel line extending down to the bottom where the oil is. The line had fell out of the pump and the pump was picking up air. I brazed the line in the back of the pump after I pulled the back off the pump. All they had to hold the line in was an o-ring. The unit performed great after that. Just had to remember to shift it into neutral and keep the foot off the clutch pedal when winching. Hope this helps those with similar problems. Old iron nut.

[junkstang]

I live in Charlotte County about 20 miles south of Appomattox.  Thanks for all of the advice, The pins are tight, must have been replaced.  I pulled the top cover that is under the steering valve and over the PTO ( I think it is called the clutch inspection plate).  I got extremely lucky!!!!! The rod/lever that engages the PTO/winch drive had a snap ring which had jumped out of place.  It was still on the shaft but not in the grove, which was allowing the PTO "driven" gear to slide off of the drive gear.  The forks and gears looked new.  I installed two new JD snap rings, reassembled, and it works great.  The winch is a beast!!!!!!!  The machine started Saturday morning unassisted and it was about 30 degrees and I ran it all day.  Snaked hardwoods logs, pushed up a fence and pushed up some old stumps my 90 horse tractor would not touch!!!  Saturday night I repairs two minor hydraulic leaks which while repairing with the proper o-ring realized that they had been repaired before with cotton string.  I have alway heard that you could do this but I have never tried it.  I am "tickled to death" with the machine and looking forward to my next opportunity to run it.  And I am also wondering how many o-rings have been replaced with a cotton string!!!!!!      

[rickywashere]

prolly none as even if you do repair them with cotton that drip a little that cotton trick is ment for short term use only

[mad murdock]

Glad to hear you are having fun.  Old Iron when inspected well, is the best deal out there. A skidder is so much better than a tractor for dragging wood, it is not even close, in comparison.  Merry Christmas!