JD-3520 MFWD "driveshaft" faulty?

[Cocre]

I just got off my 3320. I tried to use it without the MFWD engaged. On flat land things are fine, I can use the FEL with no issue, but as soon as I point the nose of the tractor down a mild slope and try to back out of dirt pile with a loaded bucket all the rear R4s will do are spin. I engage the MFWD and out I come. Perhaps I could use the differential lock, and sometimes I have to do that too, but that sure takes the fun (and speed) out of moving dirt. I have 1000 pounds of ballast (a backhoe) on the rear. I think I'll just leave it in MFWD.

Tugboat, you say you have changed the front tires a couple of times on your tractor already at 900 hours. Is this due to wear? I have close to 400 hours on my tires and they look to me the same as when I bought it with 185 hours on it, and they looked brand new then. Something must be wearing them out way faster than normal.

 

[jd110]

First of all, I want to clarify things. Did the shaft fail the same way all three times? Second, Are you saying your tractor is less than three years old? If so, then you should still have a powertrain warranty up until three years or 2000 hours that should have covered this. Third, I think the gear ratio/tire sizes need to be physically checked. Your tires shouldn't be wearing out that quickly unless ratios are incorrect or you are running on paved surfaces in 4wd. Lastly, you could have some kind of alignment problem with the driveshaft, or the front axle could have too much "play" in it allowing it to slide from front to rear. If you raise up the front of the tractor, you shouldn't hae any play front to rear in the axle, and that splined coupling should slide easily on the shaft with no binding. Ask your dealer if he is familiar with solution 72552 which addresses these issues. Good Luck!

 

[tugboat-2]

Hi Cocre ! ...yes, re: the front tires,..at one point digging my lake (pond) I had to work in a wet clay soup a couple days. Somehow a stone got wedged between the tire and rim. I didn't notice till after dark coming back to the house, I lost the air and ran the tire off the rim. It was dark, I was beat and I guess it flopped around a couple times pretty well destroying the bead.

Would have shut 'er down and come back in daylight (not far) but a few kioti were circling me so skidded 'er home on the bucket. I had teased them by chasing them with the tractor earlier so I guess they were angry and I was unarmed at the time. Don't know what they'd have done if I just jumped out waving my arms and hollered and whooped at them. Last time I stopped the tractor and pulled a gun, they took off so fast I never got a shot away!! So who knows?

I fixed the tire but under load it refused to hold air and I had to carry my 12Volt Compressor, so put a tube in but the bead was so badly stretched the tube took a beating and became a pain in the hiney. Dropped it off late at night with a note. Friend has a tire shop on the farm. He was away, his son put the new tire on and after mowing next day, something didn't look quite right,...checked the size,..."wrong"!

Took it back and "naturally",..the kid insisted the difference was too small to worry about. Told him (nicely) to remove the tire as I was not paying for it! He got his dad on the cell,..who ordered the lad to put the proper tire on and make it snappy! Another time I snagged a front on a broken off stub of snow fence T bar and had to replace it. (At least I found that bar before my RFM!)

Aahh, but it surely does hurt to scrap a tire with lots of good tread left!!

But yes, I always insist on the proper tire size match with 4WD. Thanks for your interest,..best wishes.

CHEERS!
. . tug

 

[tugboat-2]

Hi JD110: a couple of clarifications first,..I'm on the 3rd shaft, meaning just 2 have broken. And the tires were not prematurely warn but were replaced as explained to Cocre above.

In respect to the warranty, I was recently told my warranty ran out Xmas of 2008 which is only 2 years from purchase but I'm working on that and my dealer said he'd talk to the Area Rep re: any possible assistance?

Actually I'm lucky to have the dealer I have, most especially for my Service Mgr who has done so much for me over the past couple years. I was hesitant to get into this with you guys as I'm reluctant to cause you worry,..but briefly:

I could write a book on the "serious" problems I've had with this beautiful tractor. They tell me I'm too hard on it,...and if this MFWD thing is any indication,...then perhaps I am? Although, my wife is certain I somehow got stuck with a "lemon",.....but I told her they don't come in green!!

When they first told me that,...I asked why then, would you sell me the tools you did and not "Caution" me to only use them extremely "gently"? When I told them what I was doing, they suggested the heavy duty bucket (the 73") and no one stopped me when I ordered the "tooth-bar" for it. No one warned me against buying the Heavy Box-Blade with Scarifiers and they knew I already had the big old heavy duty grader blade,....but never once has anyone advised me to "go easy",...don't dig solid dirt or hard clay with the toothbar nor did they caution me on the use of blade or box. They took my money and I'm grateful to them. They don't know I have a set of discs!!

Boy oh boy I hope I never snap a rear axle,..they'll blame me for buying 6" wheel spacers "from them",.. giving me an extra foot of width!! lol Crazy I know but it's like buying a Chinese Heavy Duty Torque Wrench, stamped on the handle says: Caution:for your protection do not pull more than 25 lbs!lol

I try to use care and common sense in all that I do and certainly try to NOT hurt or abuse my equipment,....especially since it has been one of my largest investments and I'm very proud to keep it looking and running as new. It gets serviced regularly, "I" am the "ONLY" operator, aside from the JD mechanics. (Same with my GMC truck which hasn't given me "any" trouble in years!! and it gets plenty of 4WD in the winter!)

OH yes JD110 before I forget: I can't really recall how the first shaft went other than it just seemed to stop working,...no click, no noise, not under load at the time, just heading back to the house up a slippery bank and couldn't get 4WD to engage. The second time was as described on the hill under heavy load,..click, click, slip and grab. I should have known by the physical size of the shaft that it was rather,..what,.. delicate? (seems a harsh word,..but, on the other hand,..it fits the circumstances?)

If I relate the problems I've had, you'd likely be inclined to agree that I'm too hard on it, yet some of them have nothing to do with "my" treatment.

JD110 I am grateful for your interest and No,..I am not familiar with what you suggest as: Solution 72552,...but I'll mention that to my dealer. THANK YOU.

CHEERS!
. . tug

 

[Scooby074]

You should be able to use your tractor, as a tractor!

Using the 4wd on soft ground shouldnt cause your problems. Maybe i could see some issues on pavement .

Id be pretty ticked if it was me.

Im sure you keep your machine well greased?Splines on driveshafts can wear prematurely if dirt gets in and contaminates the grease.

Im not familiar with your front end, but Would it be possible for a local driveshaft shop to build you a heavy duty shaft (one with splines not made out of peanut butter) and make it work with your tractor? Might be a more permanent solution if your out of warranty.

 

[jeffster]

I really hope your experience is a rare one. I use MFWD almost all the time as the R4s suck and I can't box blade or use my loader in the clay we have if there is any recent moisture at all. I just turned 100 hours on my 3520 and I bet 80 of them were using MFWD. This is the whole reason I bought this tractor as I need 4wd. I have some large dirt berms that I back up and scrape down the dirt and push it into a remote pile to load with the loader. I can't back up the hill or pull the dirt down without MFWD unless it is very dry out.

On a related note, I did just change my front axle hydraulic fluid and while I saw no shavings at all, the fluid itself was pretty dirty. I feel better having changed it, just for peace of mind.

 

[tugboat-2]

Scooby: ...thanks much for your suggestion. Some old tractors I've had in the past would no doubt benefit by that and the suggestion of the JD shop to simply "weld" the driveshaft to the pinion shaft,...would be good for many of the old junkers I've had,......BUT, BUT,...

Guys, this is my Baby,...my Rolls,...Xmas 2006 (when I took delivery) seems like last week to me!! Even after a hard, dirty days work,....washed and shined up with cab all vacuumed out and dash shined up,...sitting out on the fresh cut lawn down by the lake, . . . it just looks OH,..So Nice, and still so new to "me!!!!! ....remember, after years of junkers wired and chained together, broken welds and even a ripped and faded buggy-top,.. well......

"THIS" is my very first BRAND, SPANKIN, NEW,..right outta the Showroom, ... glistening Tractor with new-car smell in the gorgeous Cab, . and, . . well,... . .

I just prefer,...(at least for a while yet) keepin 'er as Original as possible!! But thanks for the suggestion Scooby, I appreciate your thoughts.

Jeffster: ....and yes of course, I appreciate your thoughts as well, but my turn to ask you a question here: Are your R-4's "loaded",...are you carrying rear ballast of adequate weight? I ask because you sound disgusted with your R-4's on clay?

I also run R-4's, loaded with Beet Juice (Cdn) and found a tremendous upgrade in traction even on wet and slimy clay. (No, not great on wet clay) but surpizingly good with added ballast behind,...(often just my heavy big old grader blade, often wrapped with a mess of heavy old tractor tire chains and the heavy tranny out of a WWII Bren-gun Carrier etc but with all I hear of no traction R-4"s,... I have no complaints,..really!! I hope this helps you a bit!!

Thanks again guys,..much appreciate "all" thoughts and comments,...we're not through with this yet!!

CHEERS!
. . tug

 

[johnesc]

Lost my 4wd and found Front drive shaft coupler and Pinion shaft both worn and slipping. Front drive shaft has to much movement and coupler engaged only half of pinion spline. Bad design, Deere want $750 for new ring and pinion parts.