JD 2440 Lower Rock Shaft Bushings (HEAD ACHE).

[farmmechanic315]

Good Morning to everyone. When all my apples are picked I lend my mechanical abillities to other farmers on their equipment. Neighbor Farmer called the other day and said his JD 2440 wouldnt lift the bucket without chattering and that the 3pt hitch arms were really slow to come up when the tractor reached operating temperature. So I took on the job and did the basics first (always start with the basics). Checked hydraulic oil looked really dirty / no record of last oil and filter change. Changed oil/filter and checked the screen, (screen was clean as a whisle). When under the tractor noticed the lower rockshaft seals were leaking a little bit, having delt with this type of problem before I fired the tractor up and removed fill cap and found oil spraying. So I removed the upper rockshaft cover and found a few band O-rings in the control valve and the piston Seals in the cyllinder in itself to be bad. Put all that back together, and thats where the fun began. I moved onward to the lower rockshaft seals, removed the rockshaft and found the shaft to be considerably worn so I ordered a new shaft and bushings. Now mind you I have never done this on a 2440 but have done a half dozen or so of these on 2240 2210 and 2020's. So in my mind not much looked different and i would have no problem tackling the job at hand. Well I have never in my 18 years of doing this not had one of these bushings come out and now I am reaching out to you wonderful people for some advice.

I have no GREY HAIR yet but I am thinking its on its way soon. Thanks For any help you may be able to Give Me .

 

[Tx Jim]

If I'm understanding you correctly you're having difficulty removing a bushing. Did you insert a blunt rod from opposite side and try to drive bushing out?? JD recommended only changing bushings if wear warranted the trouble IE not just because the seals were leaking. Repeated R&R of bushings can make bore in trans case too large.

 

[farmmechanic315]

If I'm understanding you correctly you're having difficulty removing a bushing. Did you insert a blunt rod from opposite side and try to drive bushing out?? JD recommended only changing bushings if wear warranted the trouble IE not just because the seals were leaking. Repeated R&R of bushings can make bore in trans case too large.

Yes Tx Jim Im trying to get the bushings out. Yes The Bushings and Shaft are worn Never Been Replaced tractor hours of 3255. I have TRIED multiple ways to get these out. I should of stated above that I was more looking to see if I was missing something (EX snap ring or something), that JD might have changed on a 2440 versus the 2240 2210 or 2020's that I have performed this same repair on in the past. Thank you for your quick reply.

 

[Tx Jim]

No snap ring holding bushing in trans case.

Even thought the bushings in your neighbors tractor may be worn I've seen JD utility tractors with many hours of 3pt use that still have the original L/D bushings. A lot of times the person that replaces the seals doesn't shim the 3pt draft arms snug enough and the side to side movement of the shaft is what shortens the life of the "new seals".

 

[farmmechanic315]

No snap ring holding bushing in trans case.

Even thought the bushings in your neighbors tractor may be worn I've seen JD utility tractors with many hours of 3pt use that still have the original L/D bushings. A lot of times the person that replaces the seals doesn't shim the 3pt draft arms snug enough and the side to side movement of the shaft is what shortens the life of the "new seals".

Well the headache is over. 2 hours of hammering and make a new tool that will help me in the future their out and the new ones are back in. TX Jim can't agree with you more have also seen this where people have called me and said i had new seal put in last winter and here I am 9 months later and they are leaking again. Anyone that is tackling this progect themselves needs to read this and better shim it right because they will be back in the same boat again doing the job again. Also I agree with you this only the third set of bushings I have ever replaced for being worn. I did put another set in because a individual did the job himself and put one in crucked how he got the shaft back in I have no idea but never the less thanks for you advise and technical help.

 

[Tx Jim]

I'm glad you got it repaired.Jim

 

[dugndeep]

I agree with both of you about the shims.My 2040 started leaking real bad last year after digging about 100 post holes.Got my new seals and o-rings in there yesterday and had to add 3 shims per side to eliminate any side to side movement.New seals also eliminated the leak down of the draft link arms so they stay up instead of lowering after shut down.Or at least I hope that's the reason they are still up.

 

[Tx Jim]

New seals also eliminated the leak down of the draft link arms so they stay up instead of lowering after shut down.Or at least I hope that's the reason they are still up.

New load control shaft seals have no direct relationship to rockshaft control valves. Did you install new L/D shaft bushings?

 

[Zebrafive]

Maybe he shimmed it tight enough to stay up

 

[dugndeep]

Maybe he shimmed it tight enough to stay up

Naw,I have the recommended 0.100 free end play.Three shims on each side was perfect.The technical manual recommends a 2.5mm(0.1)min. to max. 3.7mm(0.145) free end play.

 

[Tx Jim]

Maybe he shimmed it tight enough to stay up

Even if shimmed "too tight" this wouldn't affect the lowering of 3 pt because the draft arms have balls to swivel on unless balls are frozen which I doubt would happen.

 

[Zebrafive]

Even if shimmed "too tight" this wouldn't affect the lowering of 3 pt because the draft arms have balls to swivel on unless balls are frozen which I doubt would happen.

Good point! So why do they stay up now?

 

[Tx Jim]

Possibly the rate of drop screw got shut by operators heel while getting on/off.

 

[dugndeep]

Possibly the rate of drop screw got shut by operators heel while getting on/off.

I checked that too just to make sure the kids hadn't been messing with it and screwed it in tight but it was alright,well anyway the arms stay up now without no implement on them as to before they would lower.I'm just glad I got the seals in there and eliminated the leaking.So if your load control seals are leaking,not as bad of a repair as I thought it was going to be.

 

[shortyprinter]

Would like to know if you are still able to discuss the 2440 Lower bushings removal, as I have the same tractor and cannot figure out where the bushings start or stops and would love to see a picture of your tool....I easily removed the shaft but cannot see what I hit to bang out the bushings.....Hopefully you are still out there, Ian

 

[Tx Jim]

Are you sure your tractors bushings need replaced? Back when I was employed by a JD dealer JD service dept advised to only change bushings after it was determined the bushings were worn. Normally seals & maybe shaft replacement is all that's required to stop leak along with shimming out side motion of shaft. On the subject of changing bushings take a long bar and insert into trans case & drive bushing out from opposite side.

 

[shortyprinter]

thanks and yes my bushings do need replacement now.......I have tried the bar from opposite end and hammered fairly hard from opposite side....My question is that I see the bushing at the outer edge of the hole and then I see what appears to be another coupling possibly up against the bushing from the inside.......What do I hammer on, the coupling which then in turn hits at the bushing or just the bushing, because the bushing does not have much of an area to hit at with the pipe, and not getting it to release I dont know what is supposed to come out. I do have what appears to be a big washer up agasinst the outside casing that may be part of the bushing itself, yet the replacement parts diagram does not show this....( so its like a large washer on outside of casing machined in with the bushing as well like its a 1 piece thing???) Any ideas or pics? should I send u a pic? Might be easier if u have an e-mail I could use?

 

[dugndeep]

thanks and yes my bushings do need replacement now.......I have tried the bar from opposite end and hammered fairly hard from opposite side....My question is that I see the bushing at the outer edge of the hole and then I see what appears to be another coupling possibly up against the bushing from the inside.......What do I hammer on, the coupling which then in turn hits at the bushing or just the bushing, because the bushing does not have much of an area to hit at with the pipe, and not getting it to release I dont know what is supposed to come out. I do have what appears to be a big washer up agasinst the outside casing that may be part of the bushing itself, yet the replacement parts diagram does not show this....( so its like a large washer on outside of casing machined in with the bushing as well like its a 1 piece thing???) Any ideas or pics? should I send u a pic? Might be easier if u have an e-mail I could use?

Unless the bushing's are actually oblong looking I would not change them.Mine hasn't leaked since I installed the new seals,teflon and rubber o-ring,and then shimmed the shaft with shims to get rid of side to side movement.I've even used the post hole digger which is what started mine to leaking real bad since the new seals and still no leaks.:thumbsup:

 

[shortyprinter]

Yes they are oblong and hence I am repalcing shaft and bushings unfortunatly for me.......Still wondering about removal method and exactly what the big looking washer is that mates to the bushing?? And the coupling that appears to but against bushing from the interior side???

 

[dugndeep]

That's why I would not mess with them if they are not oblong looking the least bit.They are made with such tight tolerances and pressed in at the factory,hard to duplicate that enviroment outside in the shop or garage,I'm not trying to tell you what to do but for me that was last resort and am so glad I didn't have to try and get those press fit bushing out and maybe make the fit worse.