Massey 230 front pto shaft removal?

[shaeff]

No problem! I'm almost 100% certain that it's a LH thread on that, so you may want to heat it right where the threads are on the adapter plate and backspin it. Put the tractor in gear, lock the brakes, chock the wheels. My machine is only something like 6:1 compression ratio, so even just trying to remove that shaft I was moving the whole tractor. I ended up using a strap wrench on the crank pulley to keep it from moving. A quick whack with a hammer on the strap wrench on my pump shaft (used two) loosened it right up.

 

[davedj1]

Well I drilled it and tapped it for a 3/8-16 bolt, put in a grade 8 bolt, put the heat to the other end and tried my impact gun, I guess the impact has more power than I thought so now I'm screwed!
I don't know what the chances of drilling the grade 8 bolt are enough to get an easy out in there, with my luck not good! LOL
I guess the next approach will be to remove the three bolts holding the adapter to the pulley and see where things go from there. Seems like a pretty screwed up deal if you ask me, I thought they should be simple and reliable?
I guess I have the option of removing loader arms, unbolting the front of the tractor and slide it forward enough to get a pipe wrench on the shaft and then hold the pulley adapter.
Stay tuned!

 

[davedj1]

Update: I just discovered a website (MF Hard to Find Parts) MF hard to find parts.

the three bolt hub that I have is a 3/4-10 LH thread sooooo, now I'm thinking unbolt the frame, slide the nose ahead about an inch and a half so I can get a pipe wrench on it and then hold the pulley/adapter and see if I can brake it loose. Wish me luck. I'm going to keep this thread updated as it may help others in the future and I hate finding threads to fix things only to find they never posted back whether or not they fixed it.

 

[shaeff]

Yep, LH thread is the deal, so when the motor is running it cannot loosen up!

I literally just finished this job on mine, but I had a cobbled together setup with extra long shaft thanks to the previous owner.

That three bolt flange (yours might be four bolt, hard to tell) is still available new from MF. I just got one. Mine came with new bushings already pressed in.

 

[davedj1]

shaeff that looks like what i need. It is indeed a 3 bolt. I tore it apart this afternoon and pulled the axle assembly forward a few inches. I cut the shaft off instead of pulling the axle off the studs. I figured it's all junk now anyway.
Problem is that whoever put it together welded the shaft onto the adapter hub! This would explain why I couldn't impact it loose. I wonder how they knew what length to make things not to mention it would have to go in from the inside so the axle assembly would be over a foot away from where it's supposed to be...weird.
The other thing is the sleeve or whatever you call it that holds the axle assembly together is worn bad, it looks as though the shaft was ground away where it broke so I may as well replace that too.

 

[davedj1]

Just wanted to add a couple more pictures

 

[shaeff]

Yikes! Someone really didn't want that sucker coming apart! Looks like a blessing in disguise that it failed, you likely wouldn't have noticed that the front pivot bushing needed to be replaced. Looks like you made great progress in little time, keep up the good work! And hopefully you can get your parts quickly and be back in business.

While you've got it this far apart, replace that fan belt! (otherwise, as luck would have it, it'll fail once you put everything back together!)

 

[redman135]

Hello davedj1, re front axle.With no grease the pivot bush tends to wear out, especially on loader work. Rock a wheel back and forth to check on how much slop is present in the pivot, to decide if you need to replace the pivot bush. SECONDLY remote mount the zerk out where it is easy to grease. Note, there are 2 zerks on the front axle pivot so remote mount both together. On the MF240 model this system is used and you may find the parts(240) bolt straight in as the model numbers are quite close.
Good Luck

 

[davedj1]

Thanks for the kind words and the words of wisdom.
I guess the axle bushing for being 40+ years old isn't a huge surprise, it's a wear item.
One of the dealerships parts guy I talked with said they call them mystery ferguson tractors..lol as there are so many serial number brakes and changes.
Redman, there is definitely a lot of play in the axle bushing in fact I had to wiggle the axle to get the shaft out with the help of some vice grips and a hammer. You can actually see where it's bent/kinked.
It's been a learning experience for sure not ever working on any farm equipment.

 

[redman135]

davej1 ,after you finish the project, when you look back you will be quite pleased with your self . This tractor is easy to work on as there are no electronics so it is a good "starter" in the repair field.