Transmission gear replacement on a JM 354 Beware of carnage!

[Cinco]

Thought I'd post up some pics of my gear replacement carnage. This all started from a shifter fork breaking off. Tore up some gears, bearings. I was Thinking this was way easier than what it turned out to be. I am glad I sought professional help and did not attempt this alone. To get the bottom "driven" gears out, they have come out of the back of the transmission housing, thus the rear wheels have to come off and differentials. To get the top drive gears off, well the front of the tractor has to come off. You basically end up with a few major components still intact, but a complete dis-assembly of your tractor.

Warning! Pics not for the weak of heart or metallurgicly timid!

Ordered my parts today: Half dozen gaskets, 3rd gear, 2nd & 4th, 1st & revers, driven 1st gear, driven 2nd gear, bearings, shifter fork. Should be interesting to see if it goes back together.

 

[Red55]

WOW! Someone was busy today! My fear would be to remember how it goes back together

 

[Diamondpilot]

You are a brave man.

Chris

 

[Bob Rooks]

Can you imagine what a blown powershift transmission and torque converter looks like on a Cat 657 scraper? About $20,000.00 and two weeks (estimated).
Now you should feel better:laughing:

Good luck:thumbsup:

 

[jinmajim]

Went through a similar thing when I had a bearing failure on the upper shaft. Took it to a professional and I'm so glad I did. After many thousands of dollars it was all back together and has been operating just fine since. So, there Is life after open heart surgery!

 

[bjr]

I used to follow construction as a mechanic, so, I've turned a few wrench's. I agree with the others that you're a brave man. I'm a fellow JM354 owner. I can only hope I never have to see the internals of my tractor. Having said that. I feel you're still ahead with the machine as I'm sure the parts were reasonable at least. That same thing could've happened on one of the big name brands with the parts three times the price and they "would have to order them". Good Job though ,and, you'll be up and runnin' in no time and this will just be a vague memory as time goes on. bjr

 

[GuglioLS]

YIKES John

Sorry to see all that happen to your ride. Like you and bjr, I'm a fellow 354 owner and sure hope I never have to perform that daunting task. Looks like you got a really good start on it and parts are on the way. As said this will soon pass and you'll soon be back in the saddle again. Just in case your interested another fellow 354 owner documented repairing a 354 transmission on this forum: Chinese Tractor World

Larry

 

[quicksandfarmer]

If I had it all apart like that I would look long at hard for a way to change the gear ratios. I love my 354 but the thing I like least is the spacing of the gears, particularly in reverse. Low is too low and high is too high.

 

[Cinco]

Oh I am not attempting this alone, I have a REAL mechanic doing almost all of the real work. I am good for fetching parts and water and general "take this bolt out". I Started to work on it when it was a simple job, as soon as I determined just how much there was to do to pull this off, I called a professional. Even at that HE had no idea it was going to be this complicated. I also did not have a way to split the tractor and hold it up. Well, now that I know how small the pieces are when you are eventually done, I probably could have handled it with a couple wheel barrells! I also need to stay focused on work, and want this done in a reasonable time frame, so I got lots of help. If you can take the top shaft out the front, why not the bottom? I always say an engineer should have to change the oil on any car they design, I now say they should have to work on a tractor they design as well. It was like one thing led to another to another, and then there was nothing left but a pile of parts. Yep, I am sure I am still ahead on my "cheap" tractor, but the margin keeps getting closer all the time. I am wondering how many of these shifter forks have broken off, I seem to ave read of at least 2 others on here alone.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

I've also broken a shifter fork but I was able to replace it without any (known) damage to the gearbox. That was just a matter of loosening four bolts and taking the top cover off.