KY Gun Geek
Silver Member
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2012
- Messages
- 114
- Location
- Lexington, KY
- Tractor
- JD 5105, JD 5055D, 2 JD 5085M's, JD 5085E, JD 5093E, JD 5115M
Symptom:
When a decent sized pile of muck is in spreader and starts to contact beater, gear box starts making a serious racket - like some one is pounding it with a sledge, and it is about to come apart.
Took the gear box out and and found that some hillbilly (ya I can say that) had been into the box before and did a real nice job. The output shaft (#1 in the diagram) wobbled by about 1/4 inch. Took the box apart and found that the bearings on this shaft were not correct - the inner diameter was about 1/8 bigger than the shaft. So what was happening was that when the muck loaded the shaft, the shaft cocked and allowed the gear (5) to lose contact with the drive gear (12) this beat the teeth up pretty good and was the source of the banging. All teeth are there, and there are no major chips, and they are about $500 each new, so I'm giving new bearings a try and we'll go from there.
I've got a couple of observations that may or may not be a problem. Normally I buy tech manuals for this kinda thing, but there isn't one for these spreaders, so here's my questions:
1) Got a new JD bearing (4 in the drawing). There was a small spacer washer that is not shown on the diagram, and was not in the box when I took it apart (remember the Hillbilly). Pretty sure it goes between the bearing (4) and the gear (5) - there's actually some markings on the back of the gear that fit with the spacer. What this will do is change the engagement of the gear with the the drive gear (12). No spacer, there will be less engagement. Spacer in there will be more engagement. Do I put that spacer in or not? Is this a try & fit decision, or is there a more defined way to figure it out. Any way to tell if it is wrong before the box turns to wheaties?
2) The input shaft/gear/bearing is held together by a bolt (7). This actually sets a pre-load on the bearing. The tighter that bolt, the tighter the pinch on the bearing. Go tight enough and you can't turn the shaft. In a wheel axle (like a trailer) I go to a torque setting and back a little, or (if no torque spec available) go until the bearing starts to drag a bit, then back off so the cotter pin will go in the nut. Well, no such slotted nut and pin here. There is a lock washer on the bolt, so it must be tight enough to make it work, but too tight and the bearings pinch. Any advice on how tight this should be? Too tight and the bearing wears quickly, too loose and the bolt could back out. My inclination is that i go until a lubed bearing just starts to drag.
3) Lubrication. Both seals were a mess, and the gear box was full of the stickiest gray-green grease I've ever seen. I will replace the seals on both the input and output shaft. Should I go back with 80/90 gear oil? JD dealer (parts counter) rec'd something called multilube. Other option is to shoot it full of grease.
OK - TIA for your help, and lemme know if there's anything else to watch out for here (aside from the beaters)...
When a decent sized pile of muck is in spreader and starts to contact beater, gear box starts making a serious racket - like some one is pounding it with a sledge, and it is about to come apart.
Took the gear box out and and found that some hillbilly (ya I can say that) had been into the box before and did a real nice job. The output shaft (#1 in the diagram) wobbled by about 1/4 inch. Took the box apart and found that the bearings on this shaft were not correct - the inner diameter was about 1/8 bigger than the shaft. So what was happening was that when the muck loaded the shaft, the shaft cocked and allowed the gear (5) to lose contact with the drive gear (12) this beat the teeth up pretty good and was the source of the banging. All teeth are there, and there are no major chips, and they are about $500 each new, so I'm giving new bearings a try and we'll go from there.
I've got a couple of observations that may or may not be a problem. Normally I buy tech manuals for this kinda thing, but there isn't one for these spreaders, so here's my questions:
1) Got a new JD bearing (4 in the drawing). There was a small spacer washer that is not shown on the diagram, and was not in the box when I took it apart (remember the Hillbilly). Pretty sure it goes between the bearing (4) and the gear (5) - there's actually some markings on the back of the gear that fit with the spacer. What this will do is change the engagement of the gear with the the drive gear (12). No spacer, there will be less engagement. Spacer in there will be more engagement. Do I put that spacer in or not? Is this a try & fit decision, or is there a more defined way to figure it out. Any way to tell if it is wrong before the box turns to wheaties?
2) The input shaft/gear/bearing is held together by a bolt (7). This actually sets a pre-load on the bearing. The tighter that bolt, the tighter the pinch on the bearing. Go tight enough and you can't turn the shaft. In a wheel axle (like a trailer) I go to a torque setting and back a little, or (if no torque spec available) go until the bearing starts to drag a bit, then back off so the cotter pin will go in the nut. Well, no such slotted nut and pin here. There is a lock washer on the bolt, so it must be tight enough to make it work, but too tight and the bearings pinch. Any advice on how tight this should be? Too tight and the bearing wears quickly, too loose and the bolt could back out. My inclination is that i go until a lubed bearing just starts to drag.
3) Lubrication. Both seals were a mess, and the gear box was full of the stickiest gray-green grease I've ever seen. I will replace the seals on both the input and output shaft. Should I go back with 80/90 gear oil? JD dealer (parts counter) rec'd something called multilube. Other option is to shoot it full of grease.
OK - TIA for your help, and lemme know if there's anything else to watch out for here (aside from the beaters)...
