Broke the new Deere

[searcyfarms]

i dont know if you noticed it BUT there was a cap missing on the u joint at the transmission connection shaft, i guess that could have caused it i never found the cap on the ashpalt but it could be laying down in the grass on top of the mower deck OR might have gotten flung/broken when whatever else happened. I guess the driveshaft binding up from the missing cap could have caused the whining noise with the drivetrain under strain as the trannie/hydro is a lot more noisy in H under load than in L.

 

[CobyRupert]

Unless as I said in my "W.A.G.*" theory above, the shaft was bad from the factory, bad steel, metal fatigued somehow in manufacturing and the rotation simply spun it silly.

If it was something inside the transaxle, why would it continue to function seemingly normal afterwards? OK, maybe just part of the innards hurled itself into the great transaxle beyond, but will JD come to that conclusion?

I'd buy that for a nickel! Good a theory as any other.
I don't think it was anything inside the front axle or tranny.
It's probably a better theory than mine, it doesn't make sense that tractor would just pop into 4WD by itself, OP says he didn't have it in 4WD, and he saw no indication light that it did. OK.

It's entirely possible, but sort of amazing that a free-wheelin universal blows out. You'd think you would of heard it for weeks prior, or discovered it the last time 4WD was engaged. Maybe not. Maybe it was just waiting for the day when it experienced rpms it couldn't handle.

 

[Diggin It]

My WAG is not entirely out of left field. I remember pne of those accident investigation documentary TV shows out of Canada .. Ontario I think. Fatal accident involving a broken axle. Investigator almost seemed determined to find fault with either the driver, the trucking company or their maintenance facility. The more he dug, the less he found. All of the records were up to date, all scheduled tasks completed, parts replaced when due, etc. He seemed to be getting frustrated at not finding anything, until he noticed something in the cross section of the broken part. Then he had it x-rayed and a few other tests done. They finally found a flaw in the steel. Nothing that could have even been seen from the outside or in any normal tests or routine maintenance. Made a statement to the effect 'this was the closest thing to a true accident I have ever seen. There was nothing anyone could have been expected to do to prevent this from happening.'


Again, none of this may apply to the OP's troubles.

 

[ruffdog]

i dont know if you noticed it BUT there was a cap missing on the u joint at the transmission connection shaft, i guess that could have caused it i never found the cap on the ashpalt but it could be laying down in the grass on top of the mower deck OR might have gotten flung/broken when whatever else happened. I guess the driveshaft binding up from the missing cap could have caused the whining noise with the drivetrain under strain as the trannie/hydro is a lot more noisy in H under load than in L.

I have been thinking about that too. You also said that the splines near that u-joint were noticeably worn. What if that u-joint cap came out first (who knows when), the shaft being off kilter swinging around wore the splines, then at high speed on the road the joint fully let go, shaft beats up mower deck, shaft then binds and breaks off the axle shaft.

 

[searcyfarms]

yea im leaning that way - i have never had it going full speed before that day i just have mowed yard and drug around wood wagon this winter - so its possible it was installed improperly or the snap ring popped out and has been working the cap out for a while and that was the moment it went on me going down the hill.

i know you have to be careful putting those clips in u-joints ive pressed a few over the years and its easy for one not to get seated all the way

 

[Diggin It]

Progress?

 

[searcyfarms]

called the dealership this morning, they haven't gotten it in to look at it yet..........

 

[ovrszd]

My guess is internal transaxle failure. Front driveline was colateral damage.

 

[Molalla1]

My guess is internal transaxle failure. Front driveline was colateral damage.

Ya think . . . :laughing:

 

[Diggin It]

called the dealership this morning, they haven't gotten it in to look at it yet..........

Figured a day and a half or so would be time to at least do a preliminary look-see. Oh well, busy time of year I guess.

 

[sd455dan]

yea im leaning that way - i have never had it going full speed before that day i just have mowed yard and drug around wood wagon this winter - so its possible it was installed improperly or the snap ring popped out and has been working the cap out for a while and that was the moment it went on me going down the hill.

i know you have to be careful putting those clips in u-joints ive pressed a few over the years and its easy for one not to get seated all the way

^^^ I'm with you and ruffdog on this scenario being the root cause.

Interested to see what the dealership says.

Hopefully they will also replace the splined shaft in the rear axle -not just the driveline and pinion in the front axle.

 

[ovrszd]

Ya think . . . :laughing:

In post #4 you didn't have a clue. Now it suddenly came to ya??

 

[ovrszd]

^^^ I'm with you and ruffdog on this scenario being the root cause.

Interested to see what the dealership says.

Hopefully they will also replace the splined shaft in the rear axle -not just the driveline and pinion in the front axle.

I struggle to think the front axle has any problem other than the sheared shaft caused by a failure in the transaxle. But we'll see.

I've broke more than my share of drive axle assemblies. A failure severe enough to destroy the driveline wouldn't function normally to do the chores he did and go back home. But we'll see.

 

[Molalla1]

In post #4 you didn't have a clue. Now it suddenly came to ya??

Oh please ovrszd, wasn't a lot info prior to post #4

 

[ovrszd]

Oh please ovrszd, wasn't a lot info prior to post #4

Post #1 was very comprehensive. Nothing has been added except pics.

I'll go "all in". Transaxle output shaft to front axle locked up. Destroyed the front driveshaft and sheared the front axle pinion shaft in it's attempt to stop the machine traveling at high speed.

If the driveline could have held on it would certainly have thrown him over the steering wheel. Fortunately the front axle driveline wasn't up to the task at hand.

 

[ovrszd]

Oh, one more thing. This was very violent. A lot of abnormal sounds and mechanical functions. With a new machine I would have shut it down where it sat. Then thoroughly looked it over to determine what just happened. Call me paranoid.

 

[MHarryE]

No word yet? My bet is the rear u-joint worked forward, fell off, and since the shaft spins with the front wheels, it caught in the mower, stopped the front wheels until the input shaft snapped. Then you were home free except for missing FWD. that’s why your drive shaft looks like a pretzel. Should be no problem at the rear unless the splines on the shaft show wear. Replace the front pinion, driveshaft, repair mower drive, and away you go.

 

[searcyfarms]

No word yet? My bet is the rear u-joint worked forward, fell off, and since the shaft spins with the front wheels, it caught in the mower, stopped the front wheels until the input shaft snapped. Then you were home free except for missing FWD. that’s why your drive shaft looks like a pretzel. Should be no problem at the rear unless the splines on the shaft show wear. Replace the front pinion, driveshaft, repair mower drive, and away you go.

NEar as i can tell after crawling around it and pondering and replaying it all over and over in my mind i think that is what happened also.

and no i have not heard from them yet, if i dont hear from them on friday i will give them a call before they close and see what the score is, its an awful busy time of year around here with all the rains etc........sun has been out a lot in past week so people are mowing like gangbusters. They only have one small tractor/mower mechanic at the dealer and I will gladly wait on him, they seem to do good for me in the past. I try not to be an annoying ranter that seems to have gotten me far in my dealings. I know the last couple times I needed service this time of year it was always 2 to 3 weeks out - fair is fair, whoever is in front of me gets fixed first.

 

[Atchuuu]

NEar as i can tell after crawling around it and pondering and replaying it all over and over in my mind i think that is what happened also.

and no i have not heard from them yet, if i dont hear from them on friday i will give them a call before they close and see what the score is, its an awful busy time of year around here with all the rains etc........sun has been out a lot in past week so people are mowing like gangbusters. They only have one small tractor/mower mechanic at the dealer and I will gladly wait on him, they seem to do good for me in the past. I try not to be an annoying ranter that seems to have gotten me far in my dealings. I know the last couple times I needed service this time of year it was always 2 to 3 weeks out - fair is fair, whoever is in front of me gets fixed first.

Wow. I like your attitude. I have been known to be the "annoying ranter" at times. As I get older I am trying to be more patient.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Replace the front pinion, driveshaft, repair mower drive, and away you go.

You make it sound so easy...

IF you replace the front pinion, you also have to replace the ring gear, and replacing all of that is NOT easy.....been there done that.

SR