JD 2440 Lower Rock Shaft Bushings (HEAD ACHE).

[farmmechanic315]

Good Morning to everyone. When all my apples are picked I lend my mechanical abillities to other farmers on their equipment. Neighbor Farmer called the other day and said his JD 2440 wouldnt lift the bucket without chattering and that the 3pt hitch arms were really slow to come up when the tractor reached operating temperature. So I took on the job and did the basics first (always start with the basics). Checked hydraulic oil looked really dirty / no record of last oil and filter change. Changed oil/filter and checked the screen, (screen was clean as a whisle). When under the tractor noticed the lower rockshaft seals were leaking a little bit, having delt with this type of problem before I fired the tractor up and removed fill cap and found oil spraying. So I removed the upper rockshaft cover and found a few band O-rings in the control valve and the piston Seals in the cyllinder in itself to be bad. Put all that back together, and thats where the fun began. I moved onward to the lower rockshaft seals, removed the rockshaft and found the shaft to be considerably worn so I ordered a new shaft and bushings. Now mind you I have never done this on a 2440 but have done a half dozen or so of these on 2240 2210 and 2020's. So in my mind not much looked different and i would have no problem tackling the job at hand. Well I have never in my 18 years of doing this not had one of these bushings come out and now I am reaching out to you wonderful people for some advice.

I have no GREY HAIR yet but I am thinking its on its way soon. Thanks For any help you may be able to Give Me .

 

[Tx Jim]

If I'm understanding you correctly you're having difficulty removing a bushing. Did you insert a blunt rod from opposite side and try to drive bushing out?? JD recommended only changing bushings if wear warranted the trouble IE not just because the seals were leaking. Repeated R&R of bushings can make bore in trans case too large.

 

[farmmechanic315]

If I'm understanding you correctly you're having difficulty removing a bushing. Did you insert a blunt rod from opposite side and try to drive bushing out?? JD recommended only changing bushings if wear warranted the trouble IE not just because the seals were leaking. Repeated R&R of bushings can make bore in trans case too large.

Yes Tx Jim Im trying to get the bushings out. Yes The Bushings and Shaft are worn Never Been Replaced tractor hours of 3255. I have TRIED multiple ways to get these out. I should of stated above that I was more looking to see if I was missing something (EX snap ring or something), that JD might have changed on a 2440 versus the 2240 2210 or 2020's that I have performed this same repair on in the past. Thank you for your quick reply.

 

[Tx Jim]

No snap ring holding bushing in trans case.

Even thought the bushings in your neighbors tractor may be worn I've seen JD utility tractors with many hours of 3pt use that still have the original L/D bushings. A lot of times the person that replaces the seals doesn't shim the 3pt draft arms snug enough and the side to side movement of the shaft is what shortens the life of the "new seals".

 

[farmmechanic315]

No snap ring holding bushing in trans case.

Even thought the bushings in your neighbors tractor may be worn I've seen JD utility tractors with many hours of 3pt use that still have the original L/D bushings. A lot of times the person that replaces the seals doesn't shim the 3pt draft arms snug enough and the side to side movement of the shaft is what shortens the life of the "new seals".

Well the headache is over. 2 hours of hammering and make a new tool that will help me in the future their out and the new ones are back in. TX Jim can't agree with you more have also seen this where people have called me and said i had new seal put in last winter and here I am 9 months later and they are leaking again. Anyone that is tackling this progect themselves needs to read this and better shim it right because they will be back in the same boat again doing the job again. Also I agree with you this only the third set of bushings I have ever replaced for being worn. I did put another set in because a individual did the job himself and put one in crucked how he got the shaft back in I have no idea but never the less thanks for you advise and technical help.

 

[Tx Jim]

I'm glad you got it repaired.Jim

 

[dugndeep]

I agree with both of you about the shims.My 2040 started leaking real bad last year after digging about 100 post holes.Got my new seals and o-rings in there yesterday and had to add 3 shims per side to eliminate any side to side movement.New seals also eliminated the leak down of the draft link arms so they stay up instead of lowering after shut down.Or at least I hope that's the reason they are still up.

 

[Tx Jim]

New seals also eliminated the leak down of the draft link arms so they stay up instead of lowering after shut down.Or at least I hope that's the reason they are still up.

New load control shaft seals have no direct relationship to rockshaft control valves. Did you install new L/D shaft bushings?

 

[Zebrafive]

Maybe he shimmed it tight enough to stay up

 

[dugndeep]

Maybe he shimmed it tight enough to stay up

Naw,I have the recommended 0.100 free end play.Three shims on each side was perfect.The technical manual recommends a 2.5mm(0.1)min. to max. 3.7mm(0.145) free end play.