Gear noise.

Clint S · Sep 9, 2012

I have a Farmtrac 555 DTC. Had a bolt come loose and came down fall into the 4x4 transfer case, punch a hole in it and ruin the gears. I got a new case and gears and replaced and now have a ratcheting gear noise. The case bolts in from the bottom and gear in the case meshes with a gear that is always spinning in the tractor. Remove the gear from the case and bolt case on no noise and tractor works fine and ran for 10 hours like this. Old case and new gear the noise is almost gone, but there. If I shim the case out with an 1/8 inch cork gasket the noise also goes away. Case was just siliconed on from factory and no gaskets or shims are shown on parts breakdown. I plan to get some 1/16 and 1/32 fiber gasket material and make a few gaskets and stack them until the noise goes away and check the gear mesh with some blue. Question is could the tolerances of the new box and gear be that far off needing shimming. My local tractor mechanic says it is not uncommon to have to shim set ups like this.

mikehaugen · Sep 9, 2012

is there anywhere else that you could shim and get the same results. I can't say without seeing it, but shimming the case will put something else out of line as well, no?

Clint S · Sep 9, 2012

No other place to shim. I do not think it would put anything else out of line except the the drive shaft and after today's measurement and gear check with blue the noise was gone with a 1/16 gasket, I will check with a 1/32 gasket later this week when I buy it. Seems like the drive shaft could take the 1/16 inch up without an issue.

Edit since the new case and new gear and new case and old gear do not change the noise I am guessing the case is most at fault not the gear. Tried measuring the case as best I could and it does seem about a 1/32 shorter Shimming the case would only put it back to where it belongs. This is all in theory though.