JD2210 upper driveshaft service/grease

[megotatractor]

Jim; Well, all I can say in my experience is "congratulations!" on greasing the u-joints at all! I don't know if your 2210 is different from mine but from underneath I can't even see my rear u joint!! I expect to either cut a hole in the rear platform as someone else did or just suck it up and dismantle the platform every year. After what I went through to replace the u-joint spider bearings last year, HOLY SH**! Lot of work in a 95 degree heat wave!

As to the vibration... you should probably operate above 1700 rpm anyway. I have 735 hours on my 2210 now and , well, it's a diesel. I had some rather noticeable vibration in the wheel as the ujoints were failing but that occured at higher rpms and more pronounced under a load. All I can say is I notice the diesel vibrations are less severe when the motor is warmed up.

 

[megotatractor]

I read somewhere on TBN that a Kubota unjoint would work on the JD driveshaft. I took a pic of the part number --#

37410-13722. And sells on Amazon for $33. Just curious if anyone has used this unjoint on the JD 2305 ?

Why would you use a Kubota u-joint when you can get a JD ujoint "spider" for the same price???? Apparently some JD dealers had trouble looking up the spider bearings for the driveshaft in the past and were telling guys they could only replace the entire driveshaft at $600 a pop so someone found that Kubota bearings were similar.

My dealer had no trouble looking up the bearings , sorry I don't have the part number handy , I beieve the price was competetive with Kubota bearing but are OEM . I wrote extensively about my joys of changing those spiders just because JD engineers had their heads up their butts when they made it IMPOSSIBLE to regularly lube the driveshaft bearings.

 

[Wvanatti]

I read on another post that they weren't able to change them and had to replace the whole shaft. Guess I should have researched it before I posted. I dropped my shaft a few months ago but was so happy to get it down, I didn't look at it much other than the wonderful grease coming out.... Your right. There has to be a better way. I've tried moving the zerk with a screw driver to gain better access - ground fittings and purchased 3 different types of needle adapters. No rhyme or reason for this design.

 

[megotatractor]

They thought they could get rich selling complete driveshafts???? Baffling, no thought to maintenance .

 

[jim2210]

megotatractor: Thanks for the info. I forgot about the vibrations until I took off the loader yesterday & they were still there. Also still became smooth after the RPMs were revved up. The only time I run below 1700+ is when I get off for a minute & set the idle down. You're right about keeping it above 1700, as where it's usually at anyways. I have to change the hydraulic fluid the next chance I get, so I'll give the u-joints another shot. I'll try to get some pics.

 

[megotatractor]

UPDATE; Now have 50 hours on my new spider bearings and spent some time this morning trying to access the zerks, here's the story. Cannot see/access front spider at all. Left side access plug only shows some cables right in the way of getting at the spider. Solution; disassembled console/kick panel. Now I was able to tweek the zerk and lube it. Also while there on the left side I moved some of the cables blocking access. Future access; possible! via access plug. Bad/sad part; I pumped a lot of grease in and it all came out ONE of the spider bearings!!! so the rest? of them?? who knows?
Rear spider access; impossible! Found a small slot underneath the tractor to access the back of the spider... but the zerk is on the front!!! :scratchchin:
Solution; drilled with a 21/8" hole saw an access hole on the floor. Access now possible but will require modification to grease gun. Note to self; in the future when I overhaul this shaft, place the damned spider so that the zerk is more accessible!!! ullinghair: I should be able to find some sort of plug to cover the hole in the floor.

 

[Wvanatti]

Is that on the JD2210 ?

 

[megotatractor]

Is that on the JD2210 ?

it is

yes.

 

[ovrszd]

I should be able to find some sort of plug to cover the hole in the floor.

That's why I cut a rectangular hole to match the front one. Bought a plug from JD to cover it.

Sorry to hear you're having so much trouble.

 

[Wvanatti]

Thanks, I'm waiting for the first ( brave ) person to cut a hole in a 2305 and find that it's so incredibly easy to grease both joints- --- ah, if only ....