545D

[Ultradog MN]

My pal Kenny has wanted a 4wd tractor all
his life.
He has a very nice 545.
I found a 545D that he may be interested
in.
It is a bit rough. Cab is mostly rotted
away in back from working in salt. Seller
says brakes are binding up and 'high
shifter is locked up but it does drive.' I
wonder what that could be.
The shifters are on opposite sides from the
6x4 and 8 sp transmissions we are used to.
Photo.
Is this a new style transmission?
Still use a clutch?
He would not want electronic shift or
torque converter.
He would prefer it open station. Glass in
cab looks good. It that something that
would sell if we parted out the cab?
Could you convert a cab tractor to open
station - plastic parts, electronics
electrics, etc get wet?
I think about 90% of his current 545 would
interchange with any old 4000/4600 chassis
tractor. We know those well enough.
How much of a 545D would interchange with
his 545?
Thanks - from Ken

 

[Check Break]

(quoted from post at 15:28:07 08/07/22) My pal Kenny has wanted a 4wd tractor all
his life.
He has a very nice 545.
I found a 545D that he may be interested
in.
It is a bit rough. Cab is mostly rotted
away in back from working in salt. Seller
says brakes are binding up and 'high
shifter is locked up but it does drive.' I
wonder what that could be.
The shifters are on opposite sides from the
6x4 and 8 sp transmissions we are used to.
Photo.
Is this a new style transmission?
Still use a clutch?
He would not want electronic shift or
torque converter.
He would prefer it open station. Glass in
cab looks good. It that something that
would sell if we parted out the cab?
Could you convert a cab tractor to open
station - plastic parts, electronics
electrics, etc get wet?
I think about 90% of his current 545 would
interchange with any old 4000/4600 chassis
tractor. We know those well enough.
How much of a 545D would interchange with
his 545?
Thanks - from Ken

<img src=https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cvphotos/cvphoto132594.jpg>

Parts lookup says that's an 8x8. I've never seen one. All 545D-s around here, and there were a lot of them, had the hydraulic shuttle. I take it this machine has no shuttle.

I'll go out on a limb and say much will interchange. There's little difference between a 545A and 545D aside from the electric upgrades to the transmission/shuttle. There's plenty of 545D-s that are scrapped out to supply donor parts. Problem is the scrappers are criminals and want to recover the cost of their parts machine with every sale. Change the seat and rear sheet metal over the fuel tank, add a ROPS, and you're almost there.

When the cab goes, so do all the electronics that aren't under the hood. Don't worry about them getting wet. A 555E and I'd be singing a different tune.

If she's cheap and there's still oil in the front axle planetaries, go for it. If they're dry, she's just a 2wd.

 

[Destroked 450]

That one has the Kubota built 8x8 synchronized shuttle shift transmission, I've wrote about them before.
They have an oil pump and screen that if not properly serviced can cause extensive troubles and costly repairs
I've got some spare synchronizers for those transmissions but that's about it, new synchro's if still available are over $2k each and there's 3-4 of them
I'll have to look in the transmission service manual I have to see if high - low shift is synchronized or not but I'm thinking no, manual's out in the shop somewhere

 

[Check Break]

(quoted from post at 16:22:14 08/07/22)
That one has the Kubota built 8x8 synchronized shuttle shift transmission, I've wrote about them before.

I change my vote. Doesn't sound like something you should get into.

 

[UPFord]

The 545D brochure shows the 8x8 torque converter transmission with the electronic controlled hydraulic forward and reverse shuttle as the only 8x8 option. Is there a forward/reverse electric shuttle control on left side of the steering column? And no clutch pedal.

 

[Destroked 450]

After a bit of searching it appears the 8x8 torque converter transmission is a modified version of the 16x8 dual power Kubota built transmission with the dual power acting as the reverser

 

[Ultradog MN]

Thanks guys.
Always great info here.
It doesn't sound like something he would want to get in to - or I would advise he get in to anyway.
Where does the drive shaft to the front wheels come out of - transmission or rear end?

 

[Destroked 450]

Drive shaft connects to a drop box on the bottom of the rear axle housing

 

[RodinNS]

It's got the 8x8 syncro with a torque. IT may have a bad range syncro... If it was the main lever jammed I'd say the lever is bad but the range is just a straight throw...
It will be an expensive repair. That is the expensive syncro... prob 4 grand.

Rod

 

[Billy NY]

Heres a photo to go with your post, relatively easy maintenance function, just get the gasket and O ring, and use a means to
flush the screen.

 

[Ultradog MN]

We talked about it today. I read him my post and all the replys.
He isn't going to move on it.
Of course we got to wondering how much would interchange between that tractor and an earlier one.
If you could stick a crash box in it and keep the rear center housing...
But there are just too many potential gotchas in that fantasy.

 

[Sean in PA]

The parts site drawings seem to indicate that the 545D could have had 4WD with the regular 8 speed transmission as well as with the 8x8 synchro, but the parts inside the rear axle for the 4WD were different between them, so he would most likely need the trans and rear end from a 8x2 donor tractor to make it work.

 

[Check Break]

(quoted from post at 17:43:07 08/09/22) We talked about it today. I read him my post and all the replys.
He isn't going to move on it.
Of course we got to wondering how much would interchange between that tractor and an earlier one.
If you could stick a crash box in it and keep the rear center housing...
But there are just too many potential gotchas in that fantasy.

I think you're going to find that the center housing is different. You'll need a crash box and drop box for the 4x4. Better off looking for a 545A (or 445A) 4x4 that's all mechanical.

 

[Destroked 450]

You would have to have the gearing for the front axle to
8x8 trans has a high speed output like the old SOS trans
It uses the same 6.16 ratio rear gears as the sos rear axle
Swapping in a 8x2 axle with 3.50 rear gears would require a front gear swap to match up the axle speeds

 

[RodinNS]

The gear ratios are more dependent on tire size I believe... That's not to say there weren't a couple different drop box ratios.

 

[Destroked 450]

There s actually 4 different gear ratios for the front diff along with 2 top gears and 3 bottom gears for the front drop box depending on tire size and weather 8x8 or 8x2 trans
Just went thru this on neighbors 5030 4x4 with 8x8 trans
16.9-30 rears and 12.4-24 fronts and 8x8 trans calls for 20:1 gear set that s no longer available
Same tractor with 8x2 trans takes 10.66:1 gear set
His drop box gears were ok so we didn t research them other than seeing the different numbers in the parts book