Drive shaft U-joint grease fittings on 2032R or 2025R?

[dannyk]

The owner's manual says to lubricate them every 50 hr, but shows a picture I can't identify on my tractor (2032R). Has anyone done this?

It looks like the front of the drive shaft is protected by a rubber boot with hose clamp, and the rear is covered by a plate with 4 bolts. The rubber protector won't slide on the shaft when the clamp is loosened. I guess I try removing the rear plate and see what I can find.

I fairly sure that the manual for my old 2520 did not say anything about lubricating drive shaft U-joints.

Help? (and thanks!)

Danny

 

[dannyk]

Cute little U-joint under that rear plate, but no grease fitting. Guess JD didn't have time to get the manual right for these tractors.

 

[KennyG]

I haven't looked at the new ones but the 2320 has grease fittings on the rear drive shaft but not on the front shaft which looks like you describe. The information in the 2320 manual refers to the rear shaft.

 

[dannyk]

Kenny,

Are you saying there are two drive shafts, or are you referring to the front and the rear of a single drive shaft?

By the way, I just checked the owners manual for the 2720 and there is nothing about lubricating the drive shaft (OMLVU19798_F9).

I also don't see any mention of drive shaft lubrication for the 2320 (OMLVU16740_E9).

But if you check the 2032R manual, there is the photo of the bottom of a tractor and instructions to lubricate the drive shaft (OMLVU25886)

One more question: Is the recommended Super Lube a silicone spray lubricant or something else?

Danny

 

[KennyG]

There are two drive shafts. One goes from the engine to the hydraulic pump. It is a high speed shaft and gets lubricated. The lower shaft that drives the front wheels is a low speed shaft and the u joints don't have grease fittings. The original 2320 manual didn't include the drive shaft lubrication requirements. An addendum was issued.

 

[dannyk]

Thanks very much for responding, Kenny, but I am still at a loss as to how to find this high speed shaft and the grease fittings. Is it accessed from the top side or from underneath the tractor? Is there a cover that must be removed?

The manual simply shows a picture that I can't identify or locate.

Many thanks - Danny

 

[KennyG]

I can only speak to the 2320 but I understand the newer ones are very similar. The rear U-joint on the engine shaft can be seen from underneath the tractor through some openings in the frame members. The front U-joint is right next to the engine under the floorboards and cowling. There are several threads on the difficulty of greasing this one, but it gets easier after you've done it once. The lubrication interval on the earlier tractors is every 200 hours, if I recall correctly.

 

[dannyk]

Thanks a ton, Kenny. Sounds like fun!

 

[dannyk]

Well, I take it back. After looking high and low for the elusive U-joint grease fittings on my 2032R and drawing a blank, I called the service department at the dealer and was told that the new ones are greaseless.

This could be very confusing to new owners because the manual clearly states to grease the drive shaft U-joints every 50 hours. I think mine was delivered last October or thereabouts, if that is of any help to anyone.

I should add that another individual did find fittings on a 2025R, and also that there are 4 zerks under the foot pedals, two each side, that are not mentioned in the manual in the lubrication section.

Danny

 

[jgayman]

I should add that another individual did find fittings on a 2025R, and also that there are 4 zerks under the foot pedals, two each side, that are not mentioned in the manual in the lubrication section.

Danny

Actually, on the 2032R there are (5) zerks under the floorboards. If memory serves me correctly, there are 3 under the left and 2 under the right. None of them are mentioned in the owners manual.

 

[dannyk]

Thanks, I had missed the innermost one under the brake pedals.

 

[dannyk]

Here are the online manuals that indicate drive shaft greasing for the new tractors:

Lubricating Machine Grease Fittings - OMLVU26876 - 2025R/2027R/2032R - September 2013
Lubricating Machine Grease Fittings - OMLVU28128 - 2025R/2032R - October 2013
Lubricating Machine Grease Fittings - OMLVU25889 - 2025R/2032R - March 2013
Lubricating Machine Grease Fittings - OMLVU25886 - 2025R/2032R - September 2013

Danny

 

[RalphVa]

The owner's manual says to lubricate them every 50 hr, but shows a picture I can't identify on my tractor (2032R). Has anyone done this?

It looks like the front of the drive shaft is protected by a rubber boot with hose clamp, and the rear is covered by a plate with 4 bolts. The rubber protector won't slide on the shaft when the clamp is loosened. I guess I try removing the rear plate and see what I can find.

I fairly sure that the manual for my old 2520 did not say anything about lubricating drive shaft U-joints.

Help? (and thanks!)

Danny

I've a 2025R, and my owners manual says to lubricate those 2 Ujoints every 50 hours, and it leaves out the one on the brake pedals for the 2025R. Only other tractor zerks are the front member rotation point and the two tie rod ends (why the **** didn't they seal those like is done on ALL the cars and trucks now?)

I'd skipped the Ujoint zerks the first 50 hours but decided to tackle them at 100 hours, especially since the front Ujoint disintegrated on my 4010, which is just a lower hp version of the 2025R.

The rear Ujoint has a zerk, but it's pointing at a closed part of the Ujoint. If I loosen it to rotate it to make it accessible, I'm quite sure that it'll then just leak grease around the base of the zerk and not get any into the Ujoint. The front one can be seen through a skinny alley between the steel chassis pieces. It appears to be zerkless. Could never see the one on my 4010.

So, I've bitched to the sales guy and asked him to get back to me on this topic.

Also, the engine always stops to where you cannot get to the zerk on the rear Ujoint. I managed to rotate it a bit with a wrench and saw the problem.

The front one on the 4010 went at 660 hours. The repair guys said they've never seen it happen before.

I made an attempt at removing the feet pan but then realized that the bottom part of the plastic middle panel has to come off somehow, but it involves the ignition switch and all. I gave up and put all the bolts back I'd removed in disgust.

Maybe I can trade it for a Kubota next time around, hopefully before the front one disintegrates on this machine.

Ralph

 

[RalphVa]

Anyone know how I can turn that zerk to where I can get grease into it? Do they make little washers to go underneath them so that I can take it off, put the washer on and then tighten it to a position just shy of where it is where it'll take grease?

Would a needle fitting work? It's now pointing at one of the solid parts of the Ujoint, not out to where you can get a normal grease gun tip onto it.

Ralph

 

[RalphVa]

Kenny,

Are you saying there are two drive shafts, or are you referring to the front and the rear of a single drive shaft?

By the way, I just checked the owners manual for the 2720 and there is nothing about lubricating the drive shaft (OMLVU19798_F9).

I also don't see any mention of drive shaft lubrication for the 2320 (OMLVU16740_E9).

But if you check the 2032R manual, there is the photo of the bottom of a tractor and instructions to lubricate the drive shaft (OMLVU25886)

One more question: Is the recommended Super Lube a silicone spray lubricant or something else?

Danny

The Super Lube is a silicone spray. Apparently, the manual is wrong on my 2025R. There's no zerk on the front U joint.

Ralph

 

[RalphVa]

I bought a needle extension for my grease gun. Haven't gotten around to getting under there again to try it. Will have to use my air compressor and rags to clean off the Ujoint good and then stick the needle onto the ball of the zerk and push it in. Hope it works. Otherwise, that Ujoint will eventually explode like the one did on my 4010; I guess. Just hope it doesn't do it while I'm way down along the creek on my neighbors' trails I've made there.

Ralph