# John Deere 826D Drive Won't Engage



## jota21 (Dec 4, 2016)

Hello,
Sorry for the double post: I posted this on the John Deere forum a few days ago, but there doesn't seem to be much traffic on that board.
My dad's 826D is having similar symptoms. In this situation it looks like there is some sort of retainer clip that is missing, allowing the pinion shaft with the chain sprocket to slide off of the gears (allowing the grease fitting end of the shaft to slip back into the drive compartment, which makes the drive disengage). Either that, or maybe a roll-pin/cotter pin, but i dont see any obvious holes for one to be inserted. I can't find anything about this specific piece on any parts diagram, and a call to my local dealer was no help, so any help would be appreciated.

As a very unscientific test, i bent a piece of sturdy wire around the grease fitting, and the drive worked as it should, but i can't imagine that to be the proper solution.

Thanks in advance - Sorry the site wont allow me to post photos since this is my first post.


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

Off the top of my head is there a channel that a c-clip slides on to to keep the bar from sliding out?


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## jota21 (Dec 4, 2016)

kinda looks like it, but that might just be the nipple of the grease fitting. Also, the paint isn't worn away like you would expect if there was a retainer clip riding against it


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

Post a bunch of dummy post to get a pic up


-efisher-


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## jota21 (Dec 4, 2016)

good idea - i created a 'new member' thread with a bunch of nonsense. Hope to have the pics up tonight (can't access the host site from work)


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## jota21 (Dec 4, 2016)

i think i have enough posts... any help is appreciated...


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

Is the opposite end of shaft welded to frame, I can't tell from pics, also measure the frame side to side at top and where the shaft is, maybe the frame is bowed out and the shaft can't stay in place? 


-efisher-


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## jota21 (Dec 4, 2016)

the frame seems to be square from the factory. The shaft is captured by some sort of roll-pin on the outside of the housing on the non-gear side of the pinion shaft. I'm wondering if there is a 2nd hole for another pin just inside of the frame on the right side of the shaft? Nothing noticeable, though....


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

Can u get close ups of the non gear side of shaft and gear cluster from same side?


-efisher-


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## jota21 (Dec 4, 2016)

I can try next time i'm at my folks house, but i'm not sure when that will be.
The other end of the shaft goes through the housing and is captured by some a little roll pin. If i didn't know any better, i would expect there to be an identical pin, preventing movement in the other direction, either on the outside of the housing on the grease-fitting side, or immediately inside the housing on the non-grease-fitting-side. Just something to prevent that shaft from sliding. Can anybody think of an immediate objection to drilling a hole and inserting a pin inside of the housing, on the non-grease-fitting-side to achieve this? That way there'd be a pin on the inside and the outside of the housing, preventing that shaft from sliding laterally.


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## bad69cat (Nov 30, 2015)

I think that's what I would do if there isn't any obvious way to keep things in place....... just having a hard time thinking JD didn't take that into account? I don't see anything that stands out in the parts diagram:

John Deere - Parts Catalog

http://jdpc.deere.com/pimages/MP18/MP18017________UN05NOV97.gif


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

http://jdpc.deere.com/pimages/MP15/MP15901________UN06JUN96.gif
Looks like theres a bushing in the last gear that may have worn? Maybe that's what fills the hole in frame?


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

#44


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## jota21 (Dec 4, 2016)

that bushing is the only thing that we could point to, too, but it looks like it's still there, and i'm not sure how it would retain that shaft in the first place...


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## bad69cat (Nov 30, 2015)

Maybe that's a flaw in the design....... unusual for JD. I get a lot of older machines than this one and they don't seem to have similar troubles that I have seen....


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## DriverRider (Nov 20, 2016)

That is a jackshaft and from close inspection of pic there are no bushings or bearings which support it to the frame. So it is a jackshaft that does not turn, only the sprocket and gear turn on the shaft hence the grease fitting there.

From the parts diagram your gear and sprocket are inside out. If it were other way around it could not walk down the shaft.


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## jota21 (Dec 4, 2016)

hmmmm, driverrider - Regarding the gear and sprockets being inside out, i don't think that's the case. My dad is the original owner, and it's never been in a shop for service before (and he certainly hasn't monkey'd around with it).
Your idea that the shaft should not rotate is very interesting. So you think a lack of proper grease maintenance has caused the gear to seize to the shaft, and that this wouldn't be a problem if she shaft didn't rotate??? That makes a lot of sense, but even so, shouldn't there be something to prevent that shaft from sliding around just as a result of vibration?

Anyone have a similar model that could confirm for me if the shaft spins, or just the gears?

Thanks in advance!


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

I'm curious to see the other end of the shaft, from the pics u took, I looks like welds, but it's too unclear. A grease fitting tells me the gears should turn on the shaft. 


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## jota21 (Dec 4, 2016)

The other end of the shaft? Meaning part #40 in the link you sent earlier? That's just a pin to capture the shaft. It's not welded, which is the problem that the shaft can slide laterally.


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

Possible to shim that end with washers? 


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## jota21 (Dec 4, 2016)

not sure i follow...


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

Put washers on other end of shaft to force it farther into frame on grease fitting end


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## jota21 (Dec 4, 2016)

i still dont follow... what would hold the washers in place?


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

That's why I need a pic of other end, I don't know what hold the shaft to the frame


-efisher-


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## jota21 (Dec 4, 2016)

sorry for not having that pic - i'll try this weekend if i'm over there. The shaft just goes through the housing and is captured by a pin on the outside of the housing preventing it from moving in one direction. It almost seems as if there should be another pin immediately on the inside of the housing to prevent it from sliding in the other direction, but according to the parts diagram (and my brief inspection), there is no such thing.


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## DriverRider (Nov 20, 2016)

Some jackshafts are drilled and tapped on the ends for a washer and bolt outside of the frame that keeps the shaft centered. Tough to see from your picture where exactly that grease fitting is. They will sometimes fall out or can shear off

Also check for excessive play of gear and sprocket on shaft which would tell you something is very worn.


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## DriverRider (Nov 20, 2016)

jota21 said:


> Your idea that the shaft should not rotate is very interesting. So you think a lack of proper grease maintenance has caused the gear to seize to the shaft, and that this wouldn't be a problem if she shaft didn't rotate??? That makes a lot of sense, but even so, shouldn't there be something to prevent that shaft from sliding around just as a result of vibration


Cannot tell with certainty from the picture but if there are no bearings or bushings on the shaft where it goes through the frame then one could conclude it is supposed to be stationary.


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## jota21 (Dec 4, 2016)

great point - I'm willing to be you're correct. So let's assume that i can pump some grease into the fitting and free up the gear from the shaft, allowing the shaft to remain stationary, the question still remains - what to do to prevent the shaft from sliding out of the other side? I suspect drilling a hole through the shaft, and capturing the other side of it with a cotter pin will do the job, but i can't help but feel that there is a more proper way...


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## DriverRider (Nov 20, 2016)

As I cannot see what you are dealing with and not trusting a generic parts diagram my speculation would be there is something worn or missing and/or would be obvious visually upon inspection that needs replacing to do a proper repair.


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

You can make parts and service a lot easier knowing those are essentially Ariens 932 series blowers with very slight JD spec'd differences. Usually the biggest difference is JD numbers and parts prices.
JD typically charges for service manuals also. You can find the Ariens service manual here:
http://apache.ariens.com/manuals/00438200_ENG.pdf
Typical parts searches will be close to this model:
https://www.partstree.com/parts/arie...-000101-above/


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## jota21 (Dec 4, 2016)

Thanks! That diagram shows a 2nd pin, so hopefully there is a hole in the shaft that my dad just didn't notice!


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