KAMA 554 Front Drive Repair

[tommu56]

Rob

I wonder if they werent hardended correctly?
Then again I would rather replace the smaller gears when they wear out rather than the bigger ones.

tom

 

[psj12]

After looking at the picture of your tie rod end it appears to have been loose. There should be striaght edges to the tapered shaft above the threaded portion and it is worn along with the upper portion of the threads. I also noticed there was some deformation to the receiving hole in the steering assembly.

 

[3RRL]

After looking at the picture of your tie rod end it appears to have been loose. There should be striaght edges to the tapered shaft above the threaded portion and it is worn along with the upper portion of the threads. I also noticed there was some deformation to the receiving hole in the steering assembly.

Hi Parry,
You're probably right about it being loose. That is a sure way to have that tapered portion on the threaded shaft not seat into the tapered hole snugly. However, do you see the cotter pin in the shaft?



It aligns the castle nut and determines where the nut can be tightened to, if you want to use that cotter pin. The other thing is that the taper part on the shaft is shorter than the thickness of the casting hole. So if the shaft is not super tight in the hole, you're going to get that egg shape in the hole, and part of the threads will wear as it wiggles around in the hole.

Perhaps a cure to that would be NOT to use the cotter pin to keep the nut on, but rather a double nut lock. That way the shaft can be held in super tight against the taper without trying to line up the cotter pin hole with the castle nut. I'll bet if you check yours, and your are using the cotter pin, yours might be just like mine? Hopefully not, but it's possible.

 

[doxford jim]

Hi Parry,
You're probably right about it being loose. That is a sure way to have that tapered portion on the threaded shaft not seat into the tapered hole snugly. However, do you see the cotter pin in the shaft?



It aligns the castle nut and determines where the nut can be tightened to, if you want to use that cotter pin. The other thing is that the taper part on the shaft is shorter than the thickness of the casting hole. So if the shaft is not super tight in the hole, you're going to get that egg shape in the hole, and part of the threads will wear as it wiggles around in the hole.

Perhaps a cure to that would be NOT to use the cotter pin to keep the nut on, but rather a double nut lock. That way the shaft can be held in super tight against the taper without trying to line up the cotter pin hole with the castle nut. I'll bet if you check yours, and your are using the cotter pin, yours might be just like mine? Hopefully not, but it's possible.

Hi Rob,

You can keep that taper pin tight quite easily. I use washers as packing under the nut - just like you would do when shimming the gears, to take up the slack. If the nut is snugged up tight against the washers and the cotter pin goes through ok, then it should be fine. Of course, overtightening will cause other issues that are not needed.

Just thought I would mention the washers.

Jim

 

[Ranch_Hand_Supp]

Hi Rob,

You can keep that taper pin tight quite easily. I use washers as packing under the nut - just like you would do when shimming the gears, to take up the slack. If the nut is snugged up tight against the washers and the cotter pin goes through ok, then it should be fine. Of course, overtightening will cause other issues that are not needed.

Just thought I would mention the washers.

Jim

There should be a washer under the nut.

I have seen some Jinmas come in the shop where they were missing ....... not assembled correctly from the get go.


Ronald
Ranch Hand Supply

 

[3RRL]

Jim and Ronald, thanks for the replies.
There were no washers above the nut on either side.
That explains the problem then. I will be sure to add them upon re-assembly.

 

[Flyhiflylo]

Jim and Ronald, thanks for the replies.
There were no washers above the nut on either side.
That explains the problem then. I will be sure to add them upon re-assembly.

What are you going to do about the eggo part?

 

[Kernopelli]

Rob

I wonder if they werent hardended correctly?
Then again I would rather replace the smaller gears when they wear out rather than the bigger ones.

tom

This is not pointed (directly) at Kama, but I will intertwine a personal story. I purchased a Kazuma 150CC ATV for my son a few years ago. It ate a reverse gear rather quickly and was replaced under warranty. I replaced it and it snapped an axle off at the hub soon after that. Next was another reverse gear and replaced it myself. The third reverse gear that broke destroyed the entire gear cluster and trans case. I ended up removing the entire trans unit and machining a splined shaft coming of the rear CVT clutch and supported it with a pillow block bearing and attached the countershaft sprocket in that manner. It has worked great since. Before removing the trans entirely I considered having new gears cryogenicly hardened but the company I was going to have do it explained they see a lot of gear sets and other components manufactured in China come from customers like me these days. He said they could indeed harden the material but the bottom line was the quality of the original material was the real problem and while you could help it, you can't make it into something it isn't. Other components of this 4 wheeler have held up very well, but they seem to be "over built". I think China will eventually emerge as a great manufacturing nation similar to Japan, but until they can work though some things like materials deficiency's, buyers of their products may get a product that is very attractively priced but may have to trade that for a little aggravation. I'll guess those gears were "well" hardened but are inherently going to be a weak point. I think Rob has a real work horse with a great price and proper design but will occasionally have this sort of repair until the manufacturers have access to better overall materials for some applications. Another great post Rob!!

 

[3RRL]

I think Rob has a real work horse with a great price and proper design but will occasionally have this sort of repair until the manufacturers have access to better overall materials for some applications. Another great post Rob!!

Thanks Darryl,
You are very correct in what you wrote. I know that first hand because when we first started getting Chinese mold bases, they were literally made of melted down steel all mixed together. I'll never forget milling a pocket and tearing a chunk out because of an un-melted dowel pin in their steel.

Knowing that, I was still pretty confident that I could re-build almost any component on the tractor if it did fail...perhaps improve it? I've had a few things come up, but then you guys all know how I treat my beloved Kama. I'll bet if all I did was plow and mow with it, it would never break the components I've broken ... at least they would last a LOT longer anyway.

We'll see how Loretta's Jinma tractor holds out. She will be using it to plow her gardens, till and mow. She is getting a loader, but I doubt it will need to do what that big Kama has done. I really think an fel and heavy use of it has a lot to do with the longevity of these tractors.

 

[3RRL]

What are you going to do about the eggo part?

Good question Scott. Thanks for asking.
I wish I could do more at camp. But I've decided to file the casting flat and stick the tie rod end post back into that crummy hole for the time being. The real repair will need to be on that egg shaped hole, so there's not much I can do up there to it. The tie rod ends are cheap to replace. You got a couple spares for me along with Loretta's tractor, so once I move up to 3R, I will machine those castings properly and bush them up. Use the new ones or maybe even make my own tie rod ends?