Tiller Tiller Hex Shaft Frozen in Gearbox - Can't Side Shift

[mld213]

Hi all, I have a Land Pride RTR 1558 Tiller. 3-point hitch (Cat-1) 60" reverse till.

I'm simply trying to side-shift the drive over in order to do offset tilling in an orchard. Should be simple enough: loosen everything up, slide it over, tighen everything up. (I even consulted the owner's manual to ensure there wasn't an extra secret step.)

Trouble is that the gearbox is *very* tight on the hex shaft. Lots of penetrent and persuasion from various sized tools have only been able to produce 1/4" of travel. I checked the parts manual and the hex shaft slides straight throgh a shaft with a hex bore inside the gearbox--no pins or clips. (I've not visually opened it up to check.)

Making things difficult is the location of the vertical metal shield (right side of photo). Makes it hard to hammer on the bracket. I'm avoiding hammering on the gearbox as I'd really rather not break it.

Any ideas on how to get it to slide over are appreciated. I've thought about rigging up some kind of blunt tool in an air-hammer but I keep thinking there has to be a smarter way. I guess I could remove the shaft from the bearing at the chain drive end and take the whole shaft-gearbox-bracket assembly off. Then I could stand it up and bang on the end of the shaft to persuade it throgh the gearbox. There just has to be a smarter (and hopefully easier) way

Thanks much,
Matt

 

[bigtiller]

Do I see a bolt in the front/left corner of the mounting bracket?
Will it slide the other way easily? If so, maybe momentum will get it "over the hump".

 

[sweettractors]

There could possibly be shaft torque twist or wear where shaft goes through the gear? Either would make sliding difficult. Ken Sweet

 

[mld213]

The bolt you see is a u-bracket (the other end hidden by that black plastic tube. There are u-brackets on both sides. They are both loose, per operators manual. I did have to go out there and check to ensure there wasn't another bolt somewhere--that would have been very embarrassing, but I've missed the obvious before!

I tried going the other way, and it goes about 1/4" that way as well (wiht a lot of pounding). I thought if I could free it up then it'd go easier, but no joy.

Thanks for the thoughts, will keep pondering it.

 

[mld213]

Yes, I was wondering if the shaft might have twisted every so slightly enough to cause it to bind. Its a 1-1/2 inch shaft, but it does take a lot of torque, and a few hard stops where I hit a rock and the slip clutch was frozen.

I was thinking that, if it was shaft twist, then it should slide the opposite direction pretty easily because the twist would be between the gearbox and the drive chain. However, I could be wrong about that. Thanks for the thoughts.

 

[bigdeano]

If you could drill and tap the short end of the shaft you could slip a pipe over the shaft and use a threaded rod to pull the shaft thru. Or you could take the gearbox off and use a press to work it back and forth. Be careful pounding or you'll wreck the gearbox, but I'm sure you know that.

 

[mld213]

The threaded rod is an interesting idea--thanks. You are correct about the pounding. It's on my mind, but a good reminder evenso. I've thought about taking it off and using a press, but I'm guessing that the shaft bearigs inside the gearbox are not thrust bearings, so I don't konw how much force I can use before I damage those bearings. Thanks for the thoughts.

 

[bigtiller]

The bolt you see is a u-bracket (the other end hidden by that black plastic tube. There are u-brackets on both sides. They are both loose, per operators manual. I did have to go out there and check to ensure there wasn't another bolt somewhere--that would have been very embarrassing, but I've missed the obvious before!

I tried going the other way, and it goes about 1/4" that way as well (wiht a lot of pounding). I thought if I could free it up then it'd go easier, but no joy.

Thanks for the thoughts, will keep pondering it.

Hi all, I have a Land Pride RTR 1558 Tiller. 3-point hitch (Cat-1) 60" reverse till.

View attachment 513125

The U-bolt in the pic looks tight...
I would take them both out, all the way out. Then you should be able to jockey the gearbox assembly all 6 directions. I have that exact tiller and I think the gear box assembly is binding on the tiller frame.

 

[boggen]

put it all back together. and run it for a few minutes in actual dirt. if it been seating since last year good chance just some rust built up. and hopefully running it for a few minutes in actual dirt working unit, would loosen it all up.

slip clutches if it has one, normally needs to be adjusted each year to make sure they are in working order and not "rusted up per say"

everything might also be in a bind. photo looks like unit is disconnected from tractor. hook it backup to tractor and lift it up via 3pt hitch. and then see if things will slide any. ((be careful, 3pt hitch could come down without warning))

might suggest a ratchet strap or 2 and hook into the bracing, and rest of strap wrapped around something. it might give you some constant pressure and light tapping with a hammer might move it all. when tapping with hammer just do not keep tapping in one or a couple spots. but treat gear box like a "tire" on a vehicle and tap clear around it in a circle. do the circle a few times. ((what i do for tires and pulleys that do not want to come off a shaft, this is not that much different))

 

[jabelding]

I would buy a shaft collar the double bolt kind clamp it to the shaft then use a porta power cylinder to force the gear box off the shaft then clean both and free up so that it will move easily.