Am I going to have to split my tractor to fix this?

[4570Man]

Why should the front drive shaft be removed? You'd have to pull it back apart to install it. The front axel drive shaft is longer and those splines engage before the other splined shaft. The front axel shaft wasn't any trouble to get lined up.

 

[Adiredneck]

Why should the front drive shaft be removed? You'd have to pull it back apart to install it. The front axel drive shaft is longer and those splines engage before the other splined shaft. The front axel shaft wasn't any trouble to get lined up.

Believe me, I was just in this same situaton 4 months ago. Here is my theory on what is happening.

The front driveshaft is normally in the center of the sheetmetal dust shroud. If you left this all intact before you split the machine, the outer driveshaft has dropped slightly in the shroud. When you try to join the two halves back together, the inner driveshaft is likely hitting the outside of the coupling and stopping you.

It will take you less than 15 minutes to remove the driveshaft shroud and outer driveshaft. The shroud comes off with two small screws and a couple of roll pins need to be punched out to get the driveshaft couplings out. Worst case scenario, I am wrong and you can take the opportunity to clean the parts and re-grease all of the splines.

 

[4570Man]

So I need to remove the external front drive shaft? There's also a front drive shaft inside the housing. That's the seal I'm changing.

 

[Adiredneck]

So I need to remove the external front drive shaft? There's also a front drive shaft inside the housing. That's the seal I'm changing.

Yes. It will make this much easier. It will take you longer to find the tools than to remove the driveshaft.

 

[MHarryE]

Adiredneck is right. Talked to the mechanic who reassembled my tractor today and he said the person to whom I referred must be trying to reassemble without having removed the front drive shaft. He said on mine it was easy to slide the halves together aligning the clutch splines, then install the front drive shaft one the halves are together.

 

[4570Man]

I got the half's back together. Hopefully I'll have a working tractor in a few days.

 

[Oldpath05]

I was hoping for a picture of your tractor apart, someday my L3400 will need the clutch replaced, hoping I don't have to remove the front drive shaft to do it. The dealer wants 3k for the job and at 900 hrs. Im not sure how long the clutch is suppose to last, it's acting up now.

 

[4570Man]

Here's the only picture I have of the front half.

 

[Adiredneck]

I got the half's back together. Hopefully I'll have a working tractor in a few days.

View attachment 483149

Awesome job! Think of the $$$$ you saved..

 

[4570Man]

Awesome job! Think of the $$$$ you saved..

Probably around 3 grand. Well worth the effort IMO.