Driveline and Guard Removal

[demote]

Well, I went to attach my just purchased last year brush hog and can't get the driveline to telescope nor can I figure out how to remove the driveline guard to get at it. Can some of you guys please give this greenhorn a little help? I would be most grateful!

 

[Bird]

Without a picture it's hard to say how to remove the guard; probably some little tabs at the base of the bell shaped portion on the end that you either press in, or push to one side. However, my first guess is just that it's set in one place long enough for a little corrosion to cause the driveline to stick, and I'd probably just pull it apart, even if that meant anchoring the implement to a tree and pulling on the end of the driveshaft with the tractor. Once you pull it apart, then clean and grease it a bit and no more problem. And of course, that's just my guess as to what the problem is without seeing it.

 

[BrettW]

Bird may be guessing but you know the TBN rule, " Don't argue with Bird"

 

[demote]

Thanks, I'll take a pic tomorrow and post. The brand name is Eurocardan and is made in Italy. The bell ends will turn slightly opening an access hole to the u-joint (probably for access to grease fitting) but I can't see anything through the hole otherwise. There is also a small black recessed tab but I can't tell what its purpose is.

 

[Bird]

Try to make it a close up of one of those tabs, and if I can't see how to take it off, I'll bet some of our other members will. I've had 4 different types myself, but suspect there are even more out there. Do you know whether the driveshaft is fully collapsed or not? You can always just pull it apart, as I mentioned, but if it isn't already fully collapsed, you might hold a block of wood over the end of the driveshaft and give it a sharp rap with a hammer; i.e., drive it together a little bit, because I suspect once you move it just a little, then it'll go ahead and slide back and forth.

 

[demote]

It was near fully collapsed but I was able to give it a rap and get it separated. I still can't seem to figure the shield out yet as to how to get it to release but somehow it is being held around the collar of the bell-end. I've made a picture and will attach. I believe the black tab is suppose to be allowing me access but no matter which position I turn it, no luck. What do you suggest I lubricate the shaft with in order to avoid this in the future? Also, are you suppose to lubricate under the shield?

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( What do you suggest I lubricate the shaft with in order to avoid this in the future? )</font>

I always used the same grease that I had in the grease gun for greasing the zerks on the tractor; just smear some on the inner shaft and slide it into the outer one.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I believe the black tab is suppose to be allowing me access )</font>

I'm not sure from that picture, but I think you're right; possibly push the black tab in while you pull that bell shaped housing forward.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( are you suppose to lubricate under the shield? )</font>

It'll probably last longer; i.e., wear slower, if you do. Again, I think you use a needle nosed grease gun and apply grease to that little nipple that looks a bit like a grease zerk in the picture.

 

[BillG_in_TX]

Here is a previous thread called Removing the PTO cover. It deals with the Eurocardan shaft, but the links don't seem to work for me this morning.

edit: I found the new Eurocardan web page in English, but don't see the instructions on cover removal.

 

[Bird]

Very good, Bill. The links don't work for me directly either, but you can go to the home page, then to the others, and as the prior poster said, you've got to do some drastic prying on those black taps in order to slip the bell housing off, and there should be 3 of those black tabs.

 

[jimg]

Yes, thats right. They seemed to have completely changed the site and the instructions are gone (at least not easy to find).

As a postscript to the link you posted: While the dealer did get the thing apart for me it wasnt until I got home that I realized he had broken a part....which I replaced and completed the job.

I got a eurocardan drive line w/ my recently purchased tiller which I had to trim prior to using it. Taking it apart was exactly like the one for my mower exc MUCH easier in that everything slipped apart neatly. Wished I had a camera to record the steps...its really not hard though. My snowblower has a Comer drive line which is far easier to take apart than the eurocardans.

BTW If you forward your address I can copy my set of instructions (assuming you have the same style driveline as I do).

 

[demote]

Thanks Guys, I finally managed to get the shield off. If you'll notice the window on both the top and side of the black tab, you have to get under it from the side window and lift it outward. You use the outside opening to push it back in for lock position. After unlocking, you spin the bell end around to match up with the white collar tabs. I still had to do considerable prying around the three white collar tabs in order to drop the bell end.
Thanks again for getting me started.