420C PTO Issues

[JDCrawlerdog3]

I have a 420c with a Gearmatic 8A winch I use for logging. Towards the end of the winter I heard a noise that I thought was coming from the winch. I removed the winch and the adaptor plate, and didn't find any issues with the winch. Next check was the PTO/power shaft. The shaft "growls" when rotated, and the shaft has some end play, both in and out and up and down. Hard to see much past the differential.

I know that the PTO on 420/430 tractors was a weak link (brush hogs/tree stumps), but not sure the PTO assembly is the same used in the crawlers. I have not worked on a 420 crawler transmission before. Does the trans need need to be removed to access the PTO/power shaft assembly/bearings?

Anyone have history/experience/thoughts?

Thank you

Andrew

[gus]

Not sure where your damage is. The PTO is a simple bolt on part. My tractor had a flat plate there, removed it and bolted on the pto. I would suggest just removing it to see whether there's and transmission damage or it's totally in the PTO. Complete bearing failure??

[JDCrawlerdog3]

Gus,

Thanks. I think the problem is PTO power shaft assembly within the transmission. When using a winch on a crawler, the PTO attachment, like on your tractor, and the end plate that covers the differential are removed. An adaptor plate is bolted to the rear of the crawler, with a coupler that connects to the PTO shaft that is within the differential case. The winch is bolted to the adaptor. The PTO shaft turns a gear that is mounted in the adaptor plate, which in-turn drives a gear at the back of the winch.

Andrew

[gus]

Can you see that if you pull the top cover?

[Lavoy]

PTO shaft (not attachment) is a preload shaft, so if there is any play, the bearings are bad. Unfortunately, it's a complete tear down to fix, but running it like that is going to damage a lot of other stuff eventually.
Lavoy

[JDCrawlerdog3]

Lavoy,

Thought so. 2nd gear is howling too - teardown time.

Thanks.

Andrew