how to fix FX series 4wd front driveshaft

[jgendr]

Ok I'm starting a new thread because the other one was missleading. I did not have front end issues. It was the rear cv joint on the drive shaft the was popping.

You can tell if this is your problem if your in 4wd and it feels like there is a gear jumping in the front end. IF YOU FEEL THIS TAKE THE TRACTOR OUT OF 4WD IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!

Now how to fix with out no cost!!! I have to give credit where credit is due!! Thank You jhunt1x this is really his fix !!!


how to fix:

1). loosen the hose clamps the connect the shaft cover, you cant miss them their right in the middle of the tube that runs from the front axel to the transmission.

2). Slide the front tube back twards the tranny. It takes some effort and some gentle prying to get it off the O-ring that hold it in place.

3). remove the 12mm bolt the hold the rear shaft cover to the caseing. there was just one in my set up but according to some of the parts manual's I've seen there may be 2.

4). Slide the rear cover forward and compress the shaft cover all the way. The front slides inside the rear and the cover ends up about half it's length.

 

[jgendr]

5). the cv joint at the front axel is spring loaded, CAREFULLY slide it twards the rear of the tractor and disengage the shaft. There are 6 ball bearings in both of these couplers so cup your hand under them when you remove them from the front axel shaft.


6). Once the front is disengaged go to the rear coupleing and pry it forward. Again 6 ball bearings and don't loose a one!!!!!


7). Now look a at the shafts both on the front axel and the tranny. one of them will be bad! " look at the pics!

 

[jgendr]

8). If your is like mine and jhunt1x's your tranny shaft will be boogered up on the end.


9). if yours looks like the 2nd pic above remove the driveshaft and cover assmebly. With care you should be able to wiggle them free and remove them from the tractor. Mine has a koyker loader on it and I was able to remove them with out taking the loader off. jhunt1x removed his loader for more room.


10). clean all the parts good. get all the old grease and "SPOOGE" LOL jhunt1x's words Just giving you credit bro!!!!!

 

[jgendr]

Now for the fix


11). clean up the narled shaft so you can slip the coler and spacer off then take your 4" grinder and grind off the frist 1/4 - 3/16's of the bad shaft off. at least untill there's no more buggered shaft. See Pic

 

[jgendr]

12). when you fit the colar and spacer back on you will see only a little bit if the shaft sticks out. My colar and spacer was a one piece set up, but fron what jhunt1x described to me his was a 2 piece. either way you gonna have to remove a bit of the spacer. here's how I did it:

 

[jgendr]

ReAssembly


13). with the spacer cut down you should have plenty of clearance to reassemble see pic

14). use moly grease to hold the ball bearings in place and fit the rubber boots over the spacer and colar and reinstall every thing in reverse order that you took them apart. Very important add about 1/4" spacer between the washer and the spring up front to maintain factory pressure on the cv joints!!


to save wear and tear on the shaft according to jhunt1x's suggestion only use 4wd when you absolutly need to. this repair has has worked fine for him for over a year now and he says he ain't been gentle on the tractor. I'll give ya'll an update as time goes.


Admin or moderator can you Sticky this post for future reference for all?

 

[runningbird]

WOW! thanks for the great write up!

 

[jgendr]

WOW! thanks for the great write up!

your welcome any chance to help!!!

 

[jhunt1x]

Thanks for the great writeup of the repair. I talked to a heavy equipment mechanic when I was dealing with my shaft and told him what I was thinking of doing. He said it sounded like a good idea and it should be a reliable fix.

It has proven to be a solid repair. As I said, I have not been gentle with my tractor since the repair. I use the loader and 4wd to push large mounds of mulch, I dig dirt and rocks, pull logs and carry logs on my bucket-mounted forks. I only use 4wd when I get into a wheel spin situation but there are times that I have the bucket loaded so heavily that the back wheels are almost off the ground - and I have water ballast in the back wheels. This little tractor works hard.

It would be a good idea to periodically check the grease in these couplings and make sure they're not running dry. My rear coupling, the one that failed, was dry when I took it apart and I'm sure that contributed to its shortened life.

Now I can't remember if I dug an additional spacer out of the rear shaft assembly or if I shortened the collar. I do remember that I had to do something to get the coupler to go further back on the freshly ground shaft, but I've slept since then and I don't remember exactly what I did.

They say memory's the second thing to go when you get old. I've already forgotten what the first thing is.

 

[jgendr]

FYI:::


The front cv joint is greesed when you pump greese in the back fitting on the front axel and while i was under the tractor there is a greese fitting just below where your foot is on the right hand side. my shaft had a small whole drilled doun the middle and I think the fitting on the right hand side greases the back cv joint. so befor you put the driveline back together make sure you punck out the whole in the back shaft. it will fill with steel if you dont.


JG