Machine models

John Deere 550LC: front options, transport and pump feedback

The linked 550 and 550G owner accounts concern crawler dozers. Their throttle, lift-cylinder and warm-power complaints do not establish faults on the N14-powered 550LC excavator. The original account text remains in its named dozer reference.

General-purpose and mass-excavation fronts

Deere's 550LC schedule separates the general-purpose front from the shorter mass-excavation boom and arm. The latter accepts a heavier excavation bucket and changes the working envelope. It is not a reach extension.

The published digging forces also depend on which arm is fitted and whether power boost is active.

Transport dimensions require another distinction: the undercarriage has operating and transport positions. Its disassembled track-frame dimensions cannot stand in for the width of the complete excavator. Deere lists upperstructure, counterweight, boom and arm transport weights separately, so a haulier needs the actual shipment arrangement before choosing a trailer.

The N14-C installation uses an open-center pair of variable-displacement main pumps and a separate gear-type pilot pump. Main-pump delivery is specified per pump. Implement, travel and swing pressures differ; combining the travel setting with another circuit's flow does not describe a simultaneous working output.

A reduced-drift valve for boom lowering and arm-in is standard in this edition. A load-lowering control device is a separate option. The presence of reduced-drift hydraulics alone does not establish that the lifting option is installed.

Source: Deere DKAX550LC, front, transport, hydraulic and equipment schedules.

Pump feedback needs a measured check

The original technical-manual sample places the pump-angle sensors in different positions: the first pump's sensor is at its top center, while the second is at its bottom center. Each sensor converts swashplate position into a voltage signal for the pump-and-valve controller. A reported angle is feedback about pump displacement; it is not a direct measurement of implement force.

The adjustment procedure begins by checking service codes and repairing other malfunctioning components. It then uses diagnostic software to command pump displacement, monitor both pumps and verify the reading after the sensor screws are tightened. Turning a sensor until the excavator feels stronger omits those checks.

The public sample itself contains different displacement targets in its specification box and adjustment instruction. Those values should be reconciled against the matched manual revision before calibration. They are not interchangeable settings.

Use the full diagnostic procedure with the attachment safely supported; this excerpt does not justify changing pump calibration to conceal an unresolved hydraulic fault.

Source: Original Deere TM1807 sample, pump-angle sensor adjustment.

Earlier entries kept with corrected manufacturer conditions
Model and field	Earlier entry	Correct specification and scope	Source
550 LC Width To Outside Of Tracks	13.42 ft	13.42 ft (13 ft 5 in / 4.10 m), operating track position with 36 in (900 mm) shoes; not the width of the 24 in shoe configuration	Original schedule
550 LC Operating Weight	123,867 lb	123,867 lb (56,185 kg), 7.6 m boom, 3.5 m arm, stated 7,400 lb bucket and 24 in shoes in DKAX550LC; not the separate 2.9 m-arm dimensional example	Original schedule
550 LC Hydraulic Pump Flow Capacity	101 gpm	101 gpm per main pump; two variable-displacement pumps, each 382 L/min maximum in DKAX550LC	Original schedule
550 LC Swing Drive Fluid Capacity	2.1 gal	2.1 US gal (8 L) each swing drive, DKAX550LC	Original schedule

Entries in this reference
Listing-entry count
1

Short answer

John Deere 550LC: front options, transport and pump feedback: full-size excavator.

Selected configuration figures
Configuration	Documented field and quantity
550 LC	Net Power 361 hp Operating Weight 123,867 lb (56,185 kg), 7.6 m boom, 3.5 m arm, stated 7,400 lb bucket and 24 in shoes in DKAX550LC; not the separate 2.9 m-arm dimensional example [source]

550 LC specification matrix — Boom/Stick Option (Hex) 1
Specification	550 LC
Shipping Length Of Unit	42.58 ft
Shipping Height Of Unit	14.58 ft
Max Cutting Height	39.05 ft
Max Loading Height	26.28 ft
Max Reach Along Ground	40.23 ft
Max Vertical Wall Digging Depth	22.31 ft
Max Digging Depth	25.27 ft
Boom/Stick Option (Hex) 1	Arm Length 9 ft. 6 in. (2.9m) Boom 24 ft. 11 in. (7.6m)

Dimensions and weight
Specification	550 LC
Ground Clearance	2.67 ft
Height To Top Of Cab	11.08 ft
Width To Outside Of Tracks	13.42 ft (13 ft 5 in / 4.10 m), operating track position with 36 in (900 mm) shoes; not the width of the 24 in shoe configuration
Length Of Track On Ground	15.08 ft
Tail Swing Radius	12.5 ft
Removal Counterweight Clearance	4.75 ft

Undercarriage
Specification	550 LC
Track Gauge	10.5 ft
Shoe Size	24 in
Ground Pressure	14.5 psi
Max Travel Speed	2.9 mph
Drawbar Pull	83,800 lb
Number Of Track Rollers Per Side	9
Number Of Shoes Per Side	52
Number Of Carrier Rollers Per Side	3

Engine
Specification	550 LC
Engine Model	N14-C
Net Power	361 hp
Max Torque	1,240 lb-ft
Displacement	854 cu in
Aspiration	Turbocharged with cooler

Operational
Specification	550 LC
Operating Weight	123,867 lb (56,185 kg), 7.6 m boom, 3.5 m arm, stated 7,400 lb bucket and 24 in shoes in DKAX550LC; not the separate 2.9 m-arm dimensional example
Fuel Capacity	185 gal
Cooling System Fluid Capacity	17.5 gal
Hydraulic System Fluid Capacity	153 gal
Engine Oil Capacity	11.5 gal
Operating Voltage	24 V
Swing Drive Fluid Capacity	2.1 US gal (8 L) each swing drive, DKAX550LC
Alternator Supplied Amperage	75 amps
Hydraulic System Relief Valve Pressure	4,340 psi
Hydraulic Pump Flow Capacity	101 gpm per main pump; two variable-displacement pumps, each 382 L/min maximum in DKAX550LC

Swing Mechanism
Specification	550 LC
Swing Torque	141,020 lb-ft
Swing Speed	8 rpm

Buckets
Specification	550 LC
Reference Bucket Capacity	3.9 yd3
Minimum Bucket Capacity	1.7 yd3
Maximum Bucket Capacity	5.5 yd3

Ratios
Figure	550 LC
Engine horsepower per 1,000 lb of weight	2.9
Fuel tank per engine horsepower	0.51 gal
Hydraulic power from the listed pump flow and relief pressure	255.7 hp

Reference directory classification
Equipment group	full-size excavator

Where the 550 LC ranks in John Deere's list — Scope of the captured comparison
Brand	Equipment group	Compared entry	Sort order
John Deere	full-size excavator	550 LC	Descending quantity; 1 is largest

Figure	550 LC	Rank	Lowest in line	Highest in line
Engine power	361.0 hp	2 of 29	54.0 hp	532.0 hp
Listed weight	123,867 lb	2 of 33	13,548 lb	185,874 lb
Fuel capacity	185.0 gal	3 of 29	31.8 gal	296.0 gal
Horsepower per 1,000 lb	2.9 hp	26 of 29	2.9 hp	9.9 hp
Ground pressure	14.5 psi	1 of 23	3.5 psi	14.5 psi
Maximum digging depth	25.3 ft	3 of 25	12.4 ft	45.8 ft

The 550 LC beside its neighbours
Base version	990	550 LC	850D LC
Engine power	260 hp	361 hp	532 hp
Weight	88,300 lb	123,867 lb	185,874 lb
Fuel capacity	143 gal	185 gal	296 gal
Ground pressure	550 LC: 14.5 psi; 850D LC: 11.8 psi
Maximum digging depth	550 LC: 25.27 ft; 850D LC: 29.08 ft

550 LC: owner reports

Sources: 3 forum discussions about the John Deere 550 crawler dozers (550, 550G); heavyequipmentforums.com.

John Deere: Weakening when warm, cylinder gland and throttle spring.

550 LC: forum references — Forum-title search
Forum index	Equipment class queried	Names in the search	Matching titles
Heavy Equipment Forums	full-size excavator	John Deere and the 550 LC. That is too few titles to say what owners mostly ask about, so the most recent are listed instead	1

Anyone Have Experience With JD 550lc (Heavy Equipment Forums, 2007-05-05)

550 LC: dated market and recall observations — Dated listing search
Date	Listing index	Equipment class	Names queried	Result
2026-09-24	MachineryTrader (machinerytrader.com)	full-size excavator	550 LC	No matching offers in this snapshot

Dated CPSC search
Date	Database	Names queried	Result
2026-09-24	U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission	John Deere; 550 LC	No matching recall in the stated search

Sources for this page
Evidence class	Document, classification and recorded date
Reference site	Reference site: John Deere 550 LC — RitchieSpecs. Observed 2026-09-24.
Forum threads	Forum threads: Heavy Equipment Forums thread index for John Deere 550 LC — Heavy Equipment Forums. Observed 2026-09-24.
Forum threads	Forum threads: Forum threads read for the John Deere 550 crawler dozers (550, 550G) — Heavyequipmentforums. Observed 2026-09-24.
Federal agency data	Federal agency data: Recall database search for John Deere — U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Observed 2026-09-24.