2320 hydro drive shaft just snapped off !!!

[kuboman]

It is the main power shaft from the engine to the transmission. My guess is the u-joint has been failing for some time and it set up a vibration that fractured the input to the hydrostatic unit. The sound you heard just before failure was the whole mess coming apart.
I am sure it will be $$$$ expensive.

 

[bill1369]

Sounds like you guys have figured out what shaft broke. Sounds very sad / disappointing.....I wouldn't expect a machine this young to have such a large failure

Attached is a pic I found from JD2320 manual of underneath machine and I circled the area of the failure to give people an idea where it is.

 

[wdchyd]

It is the main power shaft from the engine to the transmission. My guess is the u-joint has been failing for some time and it set up a vibration that fractured the input to the hydrostatic unit. The sound you heard just before failure was the whole mess coming apart.
I am sure it will be $$$$ expensive.

:thumbsup:.......I had a front axle u-joint come apart and tangle up on a Ford Pickup 4wd frontend......it did funky things before it snapped also.......

The pic shows signs of failure to the u-joint and the stress would have put a side load on the shaft to break the shaft and housing together if it tangled....

 

[bill1369]

:thumbsup:.......I had a front axle u-joint come apart and tangle up on a Ford Pickup 4wd frontend......it did funky things before it snapped also.......

The pic shows signs of failure to the u-joint and the stress would have put a side load on the shaft to break the shaft and housing together if it tangled....

Scary thing is, when it first start making sounds I got underneath tractor and didn't see anything wrong with any of the U-Joints. Next minute it blows up. I don't think I could have avoided this with an "easy fix" to a failing U-Joint as when I inspected them they looked fine Must have been a hairline crack.

My tractor mechanic friend who has helped me work on my tractor in the past has always been worried about the "toy-size" parts the 2320 has

 

[wdchyd]

Scary thing is, when it first start making sounds I got underneath tractor and didn't see anything wrong with any of the U-Joints. Next minute it blows up. I don't think I could have avoided this with an "easy fix" to a failing U-Joint as when I inspected them they looked fine Must have been a hairline crack.

(

Doesn't this pic show the ear on the u-joint egged out from being worn out..??......looks like over some time......it would have been sloppy but connected.....

Maybe just the way I see the pic.....

 

[wdchyd]

Is this a fresh break or wear..??

Looked like wear to me.....

 

[wdchyd]

I have a neighbor with exactly the same tractor and I'm gonna help him with a seasonal oil/filter trans service......I'll be inspecting his driveshafts pretty close......

 

[kuboman]

Scary thing is, when it first start making sounds I got underneath tractor and didn't see anything wrong with any of the U-Joints. Next minute it blows up. I don't think I could have avoided this with an "easy fix" to a failing U-Joint as when I inspected them they looked fine Must have been a hairline crack.

My tractor mechanic friend who has helped me work on my tractor in the past has always been worried about the "toy-size" parts the 2320 has

Visual is not good enough for u-joints. You must grab them and push/pull/twist to check for movement. Sometimes that is not good enough because they can seize up and feel tight but still fail. Usually there is vibration when one is starting to fail.

 

[Rogator]

Does anyone know if this u joint is greaseable? If not should the manual not recommend replacing it after a number of hours.

 

[Glen Watkins]

Does anyone know if this u joint is greaseable? If not should the manual not recommend replacing it after a number of hours.

I have been thinking the same thing! Doesn't the u joint look awful dry?