2320 hydro drive shaft just snapped off !!!

[JDdude]

I totally get it about the shaft having a sliding section for a engine that is rubber mounted and at different elevations..

this will never happen with a 2520 that has a cast bell housing attaching the engine and transmission.. I can deal with the shake rattle and roll of the solid engine-trans mounting configuration of the 2520..

 

[PCABE5]

Wow. This is going to be some repair based on how this shaft is hidden. Glad JD is going to fix it for you, the driveshaft alone is $590.

I will have to investigate mine as well. Felt a little slope in mine and I have only half the hours as the OP (340).

Mine is a 2006 and has the fixed shaft. New joints will cost $75 for both.

 

[PCABE5]

So, what's your experience in metallurgy? Do you work for a testing lab? Wouldn't you think a microscopic examination should be done to determine the actual failure mode?
That's what a testing lab would do.

BTW, I'm not a metallurgist. I'm in Quality Assurance and had to work with testing labs to determine materials failures. Even then, it's frequently an expert opinion specifying a probability that a material failure was due to certain events.

Roy, I am in Quality Assurance as well and deal with metallurgy usually weekly along with electronics and other things that will kill you. But any way having seen failures it is easy to look at something and draw a conclusion as to what might have happened, however doing root cause and failure analysis which can be lots of testing will usually yield a different cause.

I had a joint come apart on my mower deck drive shaft. Dealer thought the joint was bad. Regional said the casting on the shaft around the spider was weak and broke.

 

[PCABE5]

I ordered some new u-joints for my driveshaft today. All I can say is this is not going to be an easy rapair based on where this shaft is mounted and just a little access hole to drive the retaining pin out of the crank end.

The JD service manual gives no information on pulling this shaft and hopefully it can come out as there is not much opening in the frame rails.

The 2520 does have a much better design. But if the clutch disk ever broke on the drive shaft that would be a difficlut repair.

 

[Henri88]

I ordered some new u-joints for my driveshaft today. All I can say is this is not going to be an easy rapair based on where this shaft is mounted and just a little access hole to drive the retaining pin out of the crank end.

The JD service manual gives no information on pulling this shaft and hopefully it can come out as there is not much opening in the frame rails.

The 2520 does have a much better design. But if the clutch disk ever broke on the drive shaft that would be a difficlut repair.

Would be nice info. if you could take some pics. while doing the job.:licking:

 

[JDdude]

I ordered some new u-joints for my driveshaft today. All I can say is this is not going to be an easy rapair based on where this shaft is mounted and just a little access hole to drive the retaining pin out of the crank end.

The JD service manual gives no information on pulling this shaft and hopefully it can come out as there is not much opening in the frame rails.

The 2520 does have a much better design. But if the clutch disk ever broke on the drive shaft that would be a difficlut repair.

The 2520 has no u joints in the final drive..Should not need repair any time soon..Clutch is just a spring disc..

 

[deerehunter/operator]

Does anyone know if the u joint closest to the engine has a zerk? The joint at the trans on my 2320 has one but I cant tell if the other does too. If it does, I dont have a clue how you could get to it to grease it as it is pretty much hidden.
I also notice that all of my yokes have slight movement (play) in them. I called a buddy that is a JD mechanic and he said this is normal. The play is between the yoke and the splined shaft, not in the u joint itself. Just curious if anyone could answer these questions for me. not trying to hijack the thread. thanks

 

[t man]

Does anyone know if the u joint closest to the engine has a zerk? The joint at the trans on my 2320 has one but I cant tell if the other does too. If it does, I dont have a clue how you could get to it to grease it as it is pretty much hidden.
I also notice that all of my yokes have slight movement (play) in them. I called a buddy that is a JD mechanic and he said this is normal. The play is between the yoke and the splined shaft, not in the u joint itself. Just curious if anyone could answer these questions for me. not trying to hijack the thread. thanks

Check post #43 of this thread. I provided a link with info on greasing these drive shafts.

 

[Zebrafive]

I ordered some new u-joints for my driveshaft today. All I can say is this is not going to be an easy rapair based on where this shaft is mounted and just a little access hole to drive the retaining pin out of the crank end.

The JD service manual gives no information on pulling this shaft and hopefully it can come out as there is not much opening in the frame rails.

The 2520 does have a much better design. But if the clutch disk ever broke on the drive shaft that would be a difficlut repair.

When your new u-joints come in let us know if they have grease fittings

 

[deerehunter/operator]

I greased that front ujoint today. What a pain in the *****. Thanks for the tip on the access panel though, I wouldnt have been able to do it without knowing that secret that john deere didnt want anyone to know about.