JD 4310 Rockshaft control stiff

[shyguy6]

I have a 4310 that the rockshaft control lever is really stiff, and I don't think it is lifting the arms up all the way. I had a ballast box on all winter, and after putting on my Rankin post hole digger, it drags on the ground. It looks like it needs to go up about 4 more inches. The lever is really stiff, and you almost have to use both hands to make it work. I took the rear wheels and fenders off and squirted everything I could find to lube. The control tube goes into a box that I don't want to take apart. Our John Deere dealer left the country, and it is about a 3 hour drive to the nearest one through Seattles worst traffic. Anyone have any Ideas? Thanks

 

[kennyd]

There is quite a few moving parts, as well as friction washers that could cause the stiffness. Luckily all these parts are external. There is very little that could be wrong inside...

 

[shyguy6]

Thanks for the diagram. Can you tell me what the adjustment is for in the diagram that includes #17,18 and 19? Will adjusting that make the rockshaft go higher? Are those friction washers #10 in the diagram? Is there a way to adjust the friction? Thanks

 

[dfkrug]

Let's hope it is the friction device. You need to take it apart and check
for corrosion. Also, you might try reassembling with the friction washer(s)
removed and try operating the 3-pt control. That will tell you if the the
friction device was the problem.

 

[shyguy6]

Well, I ended up having to take the whole thing apart. It was frozen up where it goes into the casting on the left side. There were two shafts that were frozen. It is quite a job. You have to remove the left rear wheel, fender, seat, seat support , and the plastic under the seat. Then you have to take the A-B-C gear selector off, and the housing cover that is held in by 7 bolts. That has about a cup of oil in it, so that goes everywhere. You start from the lever side removing everything you can. Then comes the hard part of trying to get the first shaft out without damaging it. There is a small keyway that you have to remove the key to as it won't go through the housing towards the left without removing it. Then you will find another shaft under the first one that is probably partially frozen up also. You have to have a 1/8" drift punch to remove a roll pin before you can get that shaft off. There are "O" rings on both shafts that should be replaced when reassembling it. I suggest cleaning the parts up, and putting it together as quick as you can so you remember how it goes together. Also, put anti-seize compound on everything that moves. It took my Son and I about 4 hours to do this. There is no gasket on the cover that holds the selector valve, so be sure and have some gasket compound on hand. I am guessing this would be a 5 to 600 dollar idea at a Dealer.

 

[beenthere]

Well, I ended up having to take the whole thing apart. It was frozen up where it goes into the casting on the left side. There were two shafts that were frozen. It is quite a job. You have to remove the left rear wheel, fender, seat, seat support , and the plastic under the seat. Then you have to take the A-B-C gear selector off, and the housing cover that is held in by 7 bolts. That has about a cup of oil in it, so that goes everywhere. You start from the lever side removing everything you can. Then comes the hard part of trying to get the first shaft out without damaging it. There is a small keyway that you have to remove the key to as it won't go through the housing towards the left without removing it. Then you will find another shaft under the first one that is probably partially frozen up also. You have to have a 1/8" drift punch to remove a roll pin before you can get that shaft off. There are "O" rings on both shafts that should be replaced when reassembling it. I suggest cleaning the parts up, and putting it together as quick as you can so you remember how it goes together. Also, put anti-seize compound on everything that moves. It took my Son and I about 4 hours to do this. There is no gasket on the cover that holds the selector valve, so be sure and have some gasket compound on hand. I am guessing this would be a 5 to 600 dollar idea at a Dealer.

Good on ya!
Makes the admission to TBN worth it...
Also, might make getting the CD service manual worth the few bucks, as there are more things that you might find needing some fine tuning.

 

[kebo]

All that and not one picture??? Shame on you!! Glad you got it fixed though.

 

[kennyd]

Glad to hear you got it fixed, is the machine stored outside?

 

[JB4310]

I had the opposite problem, my lever got so loose it would not hold and would move back to a lower position by itself.

It was a pain but I only had to remove seat and skirt I think, which is enough of a pain. One of the little nylon friction washers was split so we just made another one out of similar material, and it did the trick.

JB.

 

[shyguy6]

It hasn't been stored in the rain, but it has been rained on a lot. The barn is unheated, and everything is damp. In Washington, it has been a really wet winter, no snow, just rain, and it looks like the way everything sits under the seat it collects dirt and stuff that then get wet and holds the water in. I wash it with the high pressure washer a lot, I think that might be worse for it then not washing it. Water gets into it where it normally wouldn't. One time I pressure washed it, and I got on it to move it, and it wouldn't go forward or reverse. It is the kind where your forward and reverse are on the steering column. I couldn't figure out how to make it work, so I gave up, and after a couple of days went back out, and it worked. Thanks for your help, next time I'll put pictures on, I didn't think anyone had that problem but me.