GX335 54" deck and 42" snowthrower

[avar]

Picked up a GX335 this past summer 2012, and it is great, the 54" deck cuts through everything I can throw at it from the our 5 acre lot and there was lot to throw at it when we first got it. Now it's time for the winter setup and I'm looking for some help in setting up the 42" single stage snowthrower.


Looking around it seems the hydraulic setup is not in any of the manuals, has anyone found documentations, I've ordered manuals but from what I'm reading there may not be any reference to the hydraulic lift kit. I've been searching for a few days on the web and can't find too many references to it.

http://www.tractordata.com/lawn-trac...tachments.html

 

[kensnelling]

Welcome from Oklahoma. Try posting in one of the JD sections. More folks will see it and you will probably get some help.

Ken

 

[murphy1244]

:welcome:

 

[Carl Bert]

Picked up a GX335 this past summer 2012, and it is great, the 54" deck cuts through everything I can throw at it from the our 5 acre lot and there was lot to throw at it when we first got it. Now it's time for the winter setup and I'm looking for some help in setting up the 42" single stage snowthrower.

Looking around it seems the hydraulic setup is not in any of the manuals, has anyone found documentations, I've ordered manuals but from what I'm reading there may not be any reference to the hydraulic lift kit. I've been searching for a few days on the web and can't find too many references to it.

http://www.tractordata.com/lawn-trac...tachments.html

To start off, does the GX335 have the hydraulic deck lift? If so the snow thrower is an easy setup. It hooks up in about 10 minutes tops. I had a GX345 with the snow thrower and loved it, wish I still had it. I don't remember if I had to install a front lift kit or not, but even if I did, it couldn't have been too big of a deal if I don't even remember it.

Here's my setup:

 

[Briana03]

Welcome to TBN

I moved your thread to the John Deere Lawn & Garden forum.

 

[fgross335_2210]

Some years ago I traded my 335 for a 355 and was surprised to find that there was no front rockshaft installed, which is needed for the snowblower or front blade. I'm 99% certain the GX tractors work the same way. There is a rear rockshaft that raises/lowers the mower deck. The front rockshaft is essentially the same thing and is mounted just under the engine and connects via a shaft to the rear rockshaft. Two draft links connect each end of the rockshaft to the frame of the snowblower and this what raises and lowers the snowblower.........

 

[avar]

Yes, it does have the hydraulic deck lift installed. I'm waiting for the bar that goes under the belly of the tractor, I believe that is where the end of the snowthrower connects up. I'm not sure what else they will pull off the old tractor where the snowthrower came from, I should have the rest of the parts in a day or two. Here are a couple of photos of the thrower and the underside of the tractor.
Thanks for replying,

 

[Carl Bert]

Some years ago I traded my 335 for a 355 and was surprised to find that there was no front rockshaft installed, which is needed for the snowblower or front blade. I'm 99% certain the GX tractors work the same way. There is a rear rockshaft that raises/lowers the mower deck. The front rockshaft is essentially the same thing and is mounted just under the engine and connects via a shaft to the rear rockshaft. Two draft links connect each end of the rockshaft to the frame of the snowblower and this what raises and lowers the snowblower.........

Yup, its all coming back to me now. I believe thats exactly how it works. And if I remember right it was a very easy install.

 

[Dutch445]

here's a pic of the lift kit, BM20781, there were prior numbers of the kit for older models, but basically they were
all similar....
it consists of a rockshaft, and the lift strap etc.. pretty simple.

 

[avar]

That kit looks a lot like what I saw on the old tractor where the snowthrower came from. Thank you very much.

Carl that is a pretty nice setup with the cab, when the wind starts blowing the snow around that looks like it would be very comfortable, was that something that JD sold?

Thank you again for all the replies,

 

[Carl Bert]

That kit looks a lot like what I saw on the old tracktor where the snowthrower came from. Thank you very much.

Carl that is a pretty nice setup with the cab, when the wind starts blowing the snow around that looks like it would be very comfortable, was that something that JD sold?

Thank you again for all the replies,

Not a John Deere, it's a 12 year old Curtis cab. You can't beat a cab when the wind is blowin!

 

[Dutch445]

Not a John Deere, it's a 12 year old Curtis cab. You can't beat a cab when the wind is blowin!

couldn't agree more! my X585 with blower and cab is an awesome snow removal machine. someday i may add a heater, but
i really don't need it, i'm not out there that long.

 

[avar]

Well, I got the remaining parts and put it together the best I can, the manual is going to take 4 -5 weeks so I couldn't wait. I haven't powered it up, it's too early in the morning but before I do I have to question if I put the rockshaft, lifter and yolks on correctly. The reason is that I had to loosen the yolks a fair bit before they would line up to connect to the rockshaft

 

[fgross335_2210]

I don't remember having to loosen anything up to install my kit but I wouldn't be too concerned. Just make sure the parts are oriented like the diagram that was posted earlier in this thread.

 

[Dutch445]

where did you get those yokes from? were they given to you from the original setup? or were they
new parts you had to buy after the fact?
if they were from the original setup, was the blower on the exact tractor model? or just a similar model
like a 345 instead of a GX?

 

[avar]

the yokes were on the frame of the snowthrower that was used on the same model GX335 that I got the rockshaft and lifter from. It was an older model, by a few years by the look of it. I started it up thinking the hydraulics were not all the way down and it does seem to work, it's lifting about 4" off the ground. The thing that confused me was that I loosend the yokes and lifted the blower about 2 inches so that I can pin the yokes to the rockershaft. There is no play in the yokes when the blower is on the ground so I imagine it's pulling the tractor's front end down a little. From what I can see there is nothing else holding the snowthrower up other than the 2 yokes hooked to the rockershaft and the two hooks that hook on at the end. There is a the stablizer bar on the snowthrower that I can't see where it connects to, any idea where that might go?

 

[fgross335_2210]

The trackbar should attach to a hole in the front weight bar, the part of the frame that is exposed when the center plastic bumper is removed.

Pretty sure the snowthrower on our 355 only raises 4-5 inches off the ground......

 

[avar]

Yes, I found the hole under the front bumber, I tried that initially but it didn't seem to fit till I lifted and lowered the blower, I imagine it was a little out of line. Looks like I'm almost ready for snow, I put the weights on the wheels and I have the chains left to do.

Thank you again everone for your help, it make all the difference.

Angelo

 

[Dutch445]

snow? what's that?

 

[Carl Bert]

the yokes were on the frame of the snowthrower that was used on the same model GX335 that I got the rockshaft and lifter from. It was an older model, by a few years by the look of it. I started it up thinking the hydraulics were not all the way down and it does seem to work, it's lifting about 4" off the ground. The thing that confused me was that I loosend the yokes and lifted the blower about 2 inches so that I can pin the yokes to the rockershaft. There is no play in the yokes when the blower is on the ground so I imagine it's pulling the tractor's front end down a little. From what I can see there is nothing else holding the snowthrower up other than the 2 yokes hooked to the rockershaft and the two hooks that hook on at the end. There is a the stablizer bar on the snowthrower that I can't see where it connects to, any idea where that might go?
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The stabilizer bar that you mentioned attaches just like fgross said, when the front center plastic bumper is removed, you will see the hole where it connects. One other thing I wanted to mention. You need to have the mower deck height adjustment set at zero, to get full lift on the blower. If I remember right, once I did that the blower lifted 6 to 8 inches off the ground. I say 6 to 8 because the blower did not lift level. One side was higher then the other. The stabilizer bar has 2 or 3 holes in it. Playing around with that helped level it some, but not 100%.