JD 2210 Mid-PTO Leaking

Ouch · Jul 16, 2012

Hydraulic fluid has dripped from my mid-PTO shaft and emptied the reservoir; well, at least no fluid is visible in the window, and the drips have stopped. Based on all my Internet research it appears my mid-PTO seal needs to be replaced. The million dollar question is can I replace the seal myself, or do I need my compact tractor trailered to the nearest dealer for the repair? Does anyone know how to replace the PTO seal? What tools are required, and how challenging is it?

BTW, the leaking started when I removed all of the grass that was tightly wound around the shaft. Apparently some of that grass was acting as a gasket as well as on-board for a free ride. Thanks in advance for your help. I need to get it fixed ASAP to cut down about 6 acres of dry grass that surrounds my house. Most importantly my wife really wants it cut! :ashamed:

Ouch · Jul 17, 2012

Just in case someone runs into this problem in the future, here is an update. With a flat head screw driver and needle nose pliers the seal comes out with a little poking, prodding, and pulling ... easy peasy! I pressed the new seal in with my fingers, and then seated it fully by pushing around the perimeter with a blunt flat head screw driver. It was a 10 minute job including draining the hydraulic fluid. I won't know if it solved my leak until I fill 'er back up; I still need to buy 3.4 gallons of J20D, or equivalent.

The seal cost me $4.10. The dealer was going to charge me $75 for the repairs and $135 to transport my compact tractor. All in all I save $210 by doing it myself ... assuming the problem is actually solved. I'll update the post after all is said and done. Cheers!

KENSFM · Jul 17, 2012

Any pictures of your repair? How did the old seal look? I am interested because I have a 2210.
Thanks, Ken

Ouch · Jul 17, 2012

Hi Ken, I didn't take pictures, but I attached a picture I found on the Internet. It looks exactly like the picture. The old seal looked fine; no obvious damage. But the design changed a bit. The new seal has more surface area that seats to the shaft, so there is more rubber contacting the shaft. I suspect this has been a chronic problem so John Deere updated the design.

Ouch · Jul 22, 2012

I added hydraulic fluid to my 2210 a couple days ago. I'm happy to report the leak is gone! So, in summary, the mid-PTO seal can be replaced very easily as a DIY project, and you can save a significant amount of money in the process. The moral to the story is, sometimes a little grass around the shaft is okay, just leave it there; because resolving a little cosmetic problem can sometimes lead to a critical functional problem. :irked: Happy tractoring to all! :thumbsup: