Broke Drive Shaft Universal?

[vabiker23518]

I can finally reply that I fixed the problem! Matt, a mechanic at Hart Auto (a TYM dealer in the Roanoke, VA area), advised that I might be able to open the universal "throat" with a hammer and cold chisel. Eager to try that before spending $450 to ship the tractor to the dealer, my son and I went up Saturday and gave it a try. Actually, a couple tries and then hit the lands/grooves with a file to get rid of a few burrs. And Success! Got the universal to finally slip over the HST. After tightening the screws down on the two universal joints onto the HST/Engine shafts, we were able to use the tractor again...thanks Matt for your help! Wayne

 

[Airedale]

Glad to hear your got everything installed and working, did the dealer or mechanic ever diagnose the problem as to why the failure happened in the first place?

Al

 

[vabiker23518]

No, and thats a little worrysome going forward. Hope its not a problem with the HST. He did say that the original Universal, that broke, was an upgrade from the first version. Guess I'll have to keep my fingers crossed!

 

[Airedale]

I agree that it would be nice to know that they diagnosed and found the reason the problem existed and happened in the first place so it would not happen again. In the John Deere forum they said it was due to lack of grease but never had greasing the universal listed as part of the service.


Al

 

[vabiker23518]

The TYM does not have a grease fitting...and I've seenthe universal in three parts!

 

[Bkjohns]

I recently visited my dealer (bought a brush cutter) and asked about any upgrades or problems that have come to light with the T273 line. He told me about the drive shaft troubles and said that TYM has made two changes. Your tractor probably had the first 'fix'. My dealer gave me the drive shaft as a warranty part for me to put on (listed as $185 if I had to buy it). Apparently you were lucky because he told me it usually strips out the transmission output shaft when it goes and that is about a $1300 repair that involves disassembling the tractor - 8 or 9 hours for the shop guys to do it plus parts. I would guess your new shaft is the second 'fix' and my dealer said so far that one has never failed so maybe this will be the last of the trouble with that. Hope so. Now all I have to do is put it on. As the dealer put it, somewhere between 250 and 600 hours the old shaft will fail, so it is something that needs to be addressed on all the 233/273 models that didn't come from the factory with the newest updated shaft. Mine was a 2006 model and still has the original design shaft (not good).
Just little info for you and anyone else with a 233/273 that reads this.
Good luck and glad you got it fixed.

 

[vabiker23518]

Thanks, BK, the your info....am very happy we didn't strip the xmission shaft! Good luck with your replacement...not a easy spot to work in!

 

[DJFireUSA]

Thanks, BK, the your info....am very happy we didn't strip the xmission shaft! Good luck with your replacement...not a easy spot to work in!

Well fooey - I too have a drive shaft/hst input shaft issue but mine DID strip the HST input shaft. Will start new thread.

 

[brooksto]

I recently visited my dealer (bought a brush cutter) and asked about any upgrades or problems that have come to light with the T273 line. He told me about the drive shaft troubles and said that TYM has made two changes. Your tractor probably had the first 'fix'. My dealer gave me the drive shaft as a warranty part for me to put on (listed as $185 if I had to buy it). Apparently you were lucky because he told me it usually strips out the transmission output shaft when it goes and that is about a $1300 repair that involves disassembling the tractor - 8 or 9 hours for the shop guys to do it plus parts. I would guess your new shaft is the second 'fix' and my dealer said so far that one has never failed so maybe this will be the last of the trouble with that. Hope so. Now all I have to do is put it on. As the dealer put it, somewhere between 250 and 600 hours the old shaft will fail, so it is something that needs to be addressed on all the 233/273 models that didn't come from the factory with the newest updated shaft. Mine was a 2006 model and still has the original design shaft (not good).
Just little info for you and anyone else with a 233/273 that reads this.
Good luck and glad you got it fixed.

Is there any visual difference between the old and new shaft? I have a 2010 TYM t233 and I would like to upgrade the shaft before I have a catastrophic failure like I have seen some members post about

 

[Bkjohns]

Is there any visual difference between the old and new shaft? I have a 2010 TYM t233 and I would like to upgrade the shaft before I have a catastrophic failure like I have seen some members post about

Hi, sorry for the long delay in getting back to your post.
The newest shaft (that I know of) has actual universal joints, just like a car. The original that came off of mine had a sleeve and ball bearing assembly that looked like a bad idea from the start. Don't know what the engineers where thinking with that one. The new one is working great so far and wasn't that tough to put on. I do have a hole and cover plate about 6 inches in diameter in the hump in the floor of the tractor that a TYM guy put in not long after I bought it in 2006. The newer ones might come with it. It sure made access easier. Good luck with your 2010.