[Wademckeown]

Hi, I'm a new member, I'm purchasing an early 70's 444 tractor. This tractor has control on the left side of the dash below the forward-reverse control it is about 3 inches in diameter and has a knurled outer edge to turn it. The markings on the dash were worn off and the seller didn't know what this was for. I've looked at the manuals on this site and I can't find anything about this control. Any help identifying this control would be appreciated.

If anyone has any advice or knows of any posts on redoing a snowcaster, that would also be appreciated.

Thanks, Wade

 

[Hydriv]

Re: What does this knod control

Your 444 is either a 1971 or 1972.

The knob is a depth control for the mid-lift cylinder. Case put that feature on the tractors for those two years only. On the dash tower's vertical surface directly below the knob is a long slit with an indicator that travels up and down when the knob is rotated. I am not certain as to why Case felt this feature was needed because they abandoned it in 1973.

Deck mowing height is set by the adjuster on the deck. Tiller digging depth is set by adjusting the retarding tine that is bolted to the chain-case. Snowcasters are reliant upon the setting of the ski's at the outboard edges of the housing. Utility blades also have adjustable ski's on them. One of these days, someone will offer us an Op Manual that explains how that knob was to be used.

Refurbing a snowcaster is pretty straight forward.

Dismantle it totally.

Media blast all parts to bare metal.

Inspect all parts.. Straighten anything that is bent. Grind out cracked welds and re-weld them.

Install new end bearings on the auger and new support bearings for the jackshaft.

Inspect the sprockets for damage and wear.

Install a new chain when you get to the re-assembly point.

Prime everything and then spray multiple coats of Power Red paint on them.

Adjust the auger so that it is almost touching the rear of the housing.

If the metal paddles are worn down, then consider installing rubber extensions made from conveyor belting. Use stainless steel carriage bolts to hold them on.

Others are free to add to this list.

 

[dbeiter]

Re: What does this knod control

Tom, is this a rare option??? I have only seen 2 with the float control on them..

 

[Hydriv]

Re: What does this knod control

Dave,
To the best of my knowledge, this was not an option for either 1971 or 1972.

I have a 1971 442 and two 1972 444's with this knob. According to the parts manual, it came on manual lift 220 and 222 models as well as the HyLift 224, 442 and 444's. Photos in the front of the parts manual indicate this and so do the other pertinent pages. The dash is marked "ATTACHMENT - down stop". Pages 44/45 refer to it as a "height adjuster" as do pages 68/69 that cover the HyLift parts.

http://www.manuals.casecoltingersoll.co ... marked.pdf

What is interesting (and of course "Case confusing") is that this feature was apparently not incorporated on the newly introduced 446 tractors. I believe that if it had been used on the 446, then our earliest 446 parts manual would show two different dash decals. Instead, the engineers put an ammeter in the spot where that "height adjuster" appeared on the other models. I think that 1972 was the last year for the red charge light on the start/gen tractors and then the ammeter was standard equipment after that. Just the same, the brand new for 1972 446 models was supposed to be the Mack Daddy of the line. So if this "height adjuster" was all that beneficial, why was it not standard on the most expensive model on the showroom floor? As a salesman back in 1972, how do you 'splain that to your customers? Perhaps Bob Meyer's has some insight.

http://www.manuals.casecoltingersoll.co ... marked.pdf

 

[Wademckeown]

Thanks for the thoughtful reply to my question and for the link to the parts manual. I think that the snowcaster will be a fair amount of work, but everything moves and all the parts are there, so it should be doable. Since we seem to be in the grips of global warming (80 degrees on March 15th), I'm not sure I'll ever need it, but it will be good insurance if we ever have winter again. Also, thanks for correcting my spelling mistake on the heading, I was a little embarressed when I saw I had mispelled knob(actually a result of my lousy typing skills rather than my lack of spelling skills) .

Again thanks for the input. This is a really great site!
Wade

 

[Hydriv]

Wade,
You have a short window after posting a new thread or a reply in a thread, to EDIT what you wrote. In the lower right corner of your post, an EDIT button will appear. Click on it, make the changes and then Submit.

Yes.... this has been a freak winter for much of North America but don't let that lull you into complacency. Next year is ..........next year. It could turn right around and we could be up to our eyeballs in white stuff. So, jump into the snow blower soon and get it done. When finished, try to find a way to test it. If you have a shallow approach to water in a stream, river, pond or lake, then go and blow some water around.

Sawdust is another test and I'm sure that you can think of some others that are not abrasive to the new paint. Don't overlook the PTO clutch, the drive belt or all the pulleys plus the tensioning spring. If you want 100 percent from the blower, then everything must work 100 percent including the engine when it's under a hard load.

 

[bobneumann]

My '71 442 has this and I have found one use for it: It can function as a poor-man's "selector valve": Dial the knob all the way in and the mid lift cylinder is entirely immobilized. At that point any use of the lift valve is diverted entirely to the 3 pt hitch.

It's certainly not ideal. But it can come in handy in an occasional situation.

 

[miles44]

I don't know if this will help or not, but my 220 has this adjustment knob as well. Its a 71 or 72 with hydro lift for the attachments.