Blown JD 955 front axle. Anyone source a used unit?

[Car Doc]

Looks like that should work I probably would have tried to fix it too especially since you had all the pieces apparently.

The place that I was thinking about used parts is Abilene machine in Abilene KS just in case. :thumbsup:

 

[RoyJackson]

Update: Some patience and a little 7018 rod.

Will it work? Time will tell. Even at 38, my Dad still amazes me.

Your dad is only 38????

Actually, nice welding on a casting but keep an eye out for a replacement axle. Your local Deere dealer (and a Yanmar dealer, if there's one around) might be able to cross reference the axle PN to see which other tractors it would fit (giving you more donor tractor possibilities).

 

[The Haymaker]

He's lost two gears in a year. I kept telling him there had to be another issue. He's replacing all the bearings and spacers but is not going to do anything more than smooth the gears up until he knows it is going to work.

I think part of the problem is that the bearings that support the final axle are a little loose in their housing. Very poor design as far as I'm concerned. We have access to an industrial level epoxy that may be the fix.

 

[The Haymaker]

Your dad is only 38????

Actually, nice welding on a casting but keep an eye out for a replacement axle. Your local Deere dealer (and a Yanmar dealer, if there's one around) might be able to cross reference the axle PN to see which other tractors it would fit (giving you more donor tractor possibilities).

I thought of that needing clarification. I am 38. He's... well... getting there.

So Yanmar is the mfg for this 1985 unit?

 

[RoyJackson]

So Yanmar is the mfg for this 1985 unit?

I think so...but maybe not. There should be a plate just above the rear PTO shield with the manufacture's name and the tractor's serial number

 

[kennyd]

Yanmar made the tractors, but I think Dana/Spicer made the axles for them?

 

[ken4831]

He's lost two gears in a year. I kept telling him there had to be another issue. He's replacing all the bearings and spacers but is not going to do anything more than smooth the gears up until he knows it is going to work.

I think part of the problem is that the bearings that support the final axle are a little loose in their housing. Very poor design as far as I'm concerned. We have access to an industrial level epoxy that may be the fix.

Had A Kubota with simular problem . A worker had left in 4 whl. drive while hauling material inside a large building the load with 4 whl drive caused the gears to snap and something has to move to allow it to happen. very expensive lesson.
What were you doing just before the failure. ?
ken

 

[RoyJackson]

Yanmar made the tractors, but I think Dana/Spicer made the axles for them?

I know Yanmar makes the engine, but I was pretty sure these were assembled in the US.
There was a pretty lengthy thread on the x55 series a while back (I had thought Yanmar built the whole tractor, but at least one or more 855 owners wrote they were Deere built). I reckon when The Haymaker looks at the ID plate, we'll all know (unless another 855 owner chimes in first).

 

[The Haymaker]

Had A Kubota with simular problem . A worker had left in 4 whl. drive while hauling material inside a large building the load with 4 whl drive caused the gears to snap and something has to move to allow it to happen. very expensive lesson.
What were you doing just before the failure. ?
ken

He was raking the lawn. No stress. The bearing just decided to fail at that time. As said, something else has been wrong for a while, but he couldn't find it.

 

[beenthere]

Good to see you get it welded back together for a test run.

As you said in your OP "Looks like a ball popped out of the bottom cup bearing and somehow made its way to the gear, which forced the bearing assembly outward.", we can hope that the bearings hold together so no more balls are dropping into the gears.