The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Forestry and Logging => Topic started by: Jase on December 23, 2016, 07:43:51 PM

Title: JD 540 Skidder fan blade removal/swap
Post by: Jase on December 23, 2016, 07:43:51 PM
 Hello,
This is my first post, and I am excited to be here. Long term I am going to be doing some cutting of white birch and beech, to establish a sugarbush, and will have questions for those who have experience.

At the present moment my question is regarding how to get the fan blade out of my good friend's skidder so it can be swapped from blowing forward to pulling air through the radiator and past the fuel filter..

It appears as if taking the fan blade off/out through the top of the hood may be the best option. We took it off today and then put it back on when realizing it would be a fight from start to finish.  He used to have a JD440 and said removing that fan was easy and has done it twice in the last couple of years...

any and all suggestions welcome.. as to how to make this an easy task,
Thanks,
Jase
Title: Re: JD 540 Skidder fan blade removal/swap
Post by: ohiowoodchuck on December 23, 2016, 08:08:03 PM
I had to pull the nose forward some on my 440 and loosen the bottom radiator nuts then remove the top bolts were they bolt in to the bracket arms. This gave me enough room to pull it out the side. Hope it's the same on a 540
Title: Re: JD 540 Skidder fan blade removal/swap
Post by: finding the trail on December 23, 2016, 08:14:25 PM
 I'm guessing you want to warm the fuel in the filter ?
Title: Re: JD 540 Skidder fan blade removal/swap
Post by: Jase on December 23, 2016, 08:44:00 PM
Quote from: finding the trail on December 23, 2016, 08:14:25 PM
I'm guessing you want to warm the fuel in the filter ?

Yes, that and to keep his feet warm(er)
Title: Re: JD 540 Skidder fan blade removal/swap
Post by: Jase on December 23, 2016, 08:45:40 PM
Quote from: ohiowoodchuck on December 23, 2016, 08:08:03 PM
I had to pull the nose forward some on my 440 and loosen the bottom radiator nuts then remove the top bolts were they bolt in to the bracket arms. This gave me enough room to pull it out the side. Hope it's the same on a 540

OK, so the nose and radiator have to move... That is not ideal.. but if one knows going into the project it is a lot better than finding out along the way. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Title: Re: JD 540 Skidder fan blade removal/swap
Post by: ohiowoodchuck on December 23, 2016, 08:58:53 PM
That's what I had to do to get the fan blade out. I took that grill out and there was six bolts that held the nose on. Took them out and slide it forward a bit. Then did the bolts and nuts on the radiator. That gave me enough room to get my hand in and remove the bolts on the fan. I had already removed the four bolts on the fan shroud and slide it back toward the engine.
Title: Re: JD 540 Skidder fan blade removal/swap
Post by: Jase on December 23, 2016, 09:49:23 PM
Ok, that is were we are headed... nice that it is warm tomorrow... Thanks for the replies.
Jase
Title: Re: JD 540 Skidder fan blade removal/swap
Post by: Maine logger88 on December 23, 2016, 11:10:51 PM
Don't know what model 540 you are working on but on my 540B or a D there is room enough to take it off through the side doors with a (9/16 I think ?) wrench. I've rebuilt the water pump several times on mine without taking the hood or nose off. Tho if you have something handy to lift with it's not a big deal to remove the nose either.
Title: Re: JD 540 Skidder fan blade removal/swap
Post by: ohiowoodchuck on December 24, 2016, 09:43:03 AM
Quote from: Maine logger88 on December 23, 2016, 11:10:51 PM
Don't know what model 540 you are working on but on my 540B or a D there is room enough to take it off through the side doors with a (9/16 I think ?) wrench. I've rebuilt the water pump several times on mine without taking the hood or nose off. Tho if you have something handy to lift with it's not a big deal to remove the nose either.
Your probably right. I was giving my experience of doing the water pump in my 440 and what I had to do to get my big meat hooks in there just to get the fan blade off. It was a 9/16 wrench on the fan bolts.
Title: Re: JD 540 Skidder fan blade removal/swap
Post by: Beattiebros on December 24, 2016, 09:57:47 AM
There is room to take the fan out without unbolting the nose piece.On the outside of the nose there a bolt for the top of the radiator that is slotted,just loosen them and you can tip the top of the rad forward enough to remove the fan.i always loosen the fan bolts first,unbolt the shroud,(pull that toward the engine)tip the rad forward,and them roll the fan blame out toward you through the passingers side sidepanel.I learned this way after reading the service Manuel after fighting it a couple times.Hope this helps,not to rain on your cold feet but swapping the fan around on mine didn't change the direction of the way the heat blew I had to buy a different fan,that was a pull not push.
Title: Re: JD 540 Skidder fan blade removal/swap
Post by: Gearbox on December 24, 2016, 10:06:45 AM
Who makes a reversible fan that will fit . Just push the blade in and turn it to push or pull . Had one on my 850 case dozer . Would switch to push in the fall to keep the leaves from plugging the grill .
Title: Re: JD 540 Skidder fan blade removal/swap
Post by: Jase on December 24, 2016, 10:18:29 AM
Quote from: Beattiebros on December 24, 2016, 09:57:47 AM
There is room to take the fan out without unbolting the nose piece.On the outside of the nose there a bolt for the top of the radiator that is slotted,just loosen them and you can tip the top of the rad forward enough to remove the fan.i always loosen the fan bolts first,unbolt the shroud,(pull that toward the engine)tip the rad forward,and them roll the fan blame out toward you through the passingers side sidepanel.I learned this way after reading the service Manuel after fighting it a couple times.Hope this helps,not to rain on your cold feet but swapping the fan around on mine didn't change the direction of the way the heat blew I had to buy a different fan,that was a pull not push.

Excellent information! This is a big help. Thanks.  We have a new and different fan from JD (8 blade puller type) to replace the 6 blade pusher(I could have mis-counted). Mostly to keep the diesel fuel filter happy, and maybe the operator a little more comfortable.