2007 JD 2305 Driveshaft lubrication

[butchy]

At 300 hours my driveshaft failed, JD dealer and $1500 later it was repaired. Ive read its nearly impossible to lube both universal joints, and to do this you must pretty much disassemble tractor from the top down to get to the joints. Somehow the entire floor gets removed and reinstalled. This is NOT the front axle driveshaft but rather the shaft from engine to read trans axle unit. The tractor now has 422 hours and i really would like to save another $1500 repair bill. Cant I somehow just cut 2 holes in the floor somewhere to access the 2 joints?
Thanks much.

 

[beenthere]

Search TBN for ways to do this.. has been discussed in other threads.. Sorry to hear that you didn't get forewarned before the failure.

:welcome: to TBN

 

[ruffdog]

Start the video at about 5 min in to show you how to grease the hidden u-joint.

 

[butchy]

Thanks but I own a 2305, this is a 1025 on this video. I have two lube points, he has just one so I see. Hopefully mine has that little hole to stick in the needle grease tool.

 

[ruffdog]

I think the front u-joint access hole is similar.

 

[Wvanatti]

I have a 2010. 2305. You can drop the driveshaft from underneath. You have to move the snapping forward ( front end of drive shaft by flywheel) Drive out the two roll pins with a punch. Slide the whole shaft aft, lower the front , then pull the shaft off. Makes it simple to swivel the joints to get to the zerks. I did it every 50 hours till around 300 hours. Then I changed to the moog 410 joints that have the zerk on the end of the cap. No more removal.... but did take some adjustment to make them fit.
Any question, be glad to help. Bill.

 

[KennyG]

In the video he is greasing the front U-Joint on the 1025. There is also a rear U-joint by the transmission that is easier to access. However, I think your 2305 is like my 2320 and there is no access hole from the bottom for the front U-Joint. The only way to grease it is to remove the floor and lower cowling. There should be an access panel on the right side under the cowling or you may be able to get to the joint through the shaft tunnel from the top. In either case, a needle grease tip works best.

None of this is easy, but it just takes time. Some owners have cut an access hole in the side of the cowling and put a cover plate on it to simplify the access. I'm considering that on my 2320, as well as replacing the U-joints with MOOG joints that have the grease fitting on the end cap. If these are greased every 50 to100 hours, they last very well. My 2320 has 850 hours and the joints are in fine condition.

 

[KennyG]

Wvanatti, what adjustments were necessary to make the MOOG joints fit? I'm looking at putting them on my 2320. I thought they were a direct replacement.

 

[Wvanatti]

Kenny,
When I put the Moog u joints on, the caps wouldn’t go on far enough to get the C clips back on. I took a grinder an removed a 1/16th inch on all 4 post. Once I put the shaft back on, -50 hours later, the front zerk was sheared off. So, I took the shaft back down- put new zerk in. I could see where it hit the frame support while spinning. I took a dyno file and ground an V where it was hitting. 1/8th deep. Fixed it. I even grease both zerks on the drive shaft with the mower deck on. I do it now about every 20 hours because it takes 1 min to do. Easy peasy

 

[KennyG]

Thanks, I'll probably change mine out this spring.