# Rattly 826



## NETim (Jan 21, 2016)

Hi, I bought the thing new back in the late '80's. I have moved mountains of snow with it. It has served me well.

However, last night it rattled pretty good when I engaged the auger drive. I had the gear box rebuilt a few years back when I noticed the drive shaft had a lot of end play in it. 

It sounds pretty much like the same noise now. I don't know if the JD guy replaced the bushing/bearing on the back of the bucket at the time or not. 

Considering its age and value, I'm not sure I want to drop any more $$ into it. The JD parts guy told me the main drive shaft alone is over $250 today. 

Maybe it's time to retire the ol' girl with full honors.


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

Maybe its just the bearing at the back end. Try grabbing the auger pulley and seeing it its got lots of side slop or general wiggle room.


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## NETim (Jan 21, 2016)

I'll drop the bucket this weekend and give that a whirl. What bothers me is I can grab the auger blades and rotate them each way. The main drive shaft moves in and out of the gear box a good half inch as I do this. 

I'm thinking the gear teeth have a little wear on them.


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## classiccat (Mar 1, 2014)

NETim said:


> Maybe it's time to retire the ol' girl with full honors.


Welcome NETim!

Honor the ol' girl by keeping her going for another 30 years!


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## NETim (Jan 21, 2016)

classiccat said:


> Welcome NETim!
> 
> Honor the ol' girl by keeping her going for another 30 years!


I've thought about picking up a used gear box assembly but that's really rolling the dice. Could buy one worse than the one I've got!  JD prices for individual parts for a rebuild are astronomical. 

Got a Honda brochure today.


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

NETim said:


> I'll drop the bucket this weekend and give that a whirl. What bothers me is I can grab the auger blades and rotate them each way. The main drive shaft moves in and out of the gear box a good half inch as I do this.
> 
> I'm thinking the gear teeth have a little wear on them.


That doesn't sound good. If that main shaft moves 1/2' that REALLY points to something worn out in back. That half inch is going someplace. See if the auger pulley and the impeller are showing the same 1/2 deflection. If you have a manual, see if there are any thrust bearings back there with the main bearing. Might be a bearing or bushing worn in the gear case too to allow that much movement. The fact that rotating the auger moves the shaft but nothing slips or crunches might be a good sigh.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Usually there are some thrust washers in the gearbox. Either the washers or a bushing are worn out and allowing the impeller shaft to slide in and out. If you can get it apart fairly easily it shouldn't be too bad to fix. You could probably just get some generic parts.


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## NETim (Jan 21, 2016)

I separated the auger box from the engine chassis and checked things out. The pulley end of the auger shaft doesn't have much, if any, side to side play. The shaft has that infamous 1/2" or so of end to end play yet. I pulled the dust cap off of the gear box and pulled the bolt. The thrust washer and bushing appear to be in good shape, i.e., I don't believe they are contributing factors to the end play issue.

Is the drive pulley supposed to be butted up against the bearing block on that end? I don't see what is supposed to limit end play on that end of the shaft. 

My exploded parts list shows the bearing block and a bushing on the pulley end. I assume they are two separate pieces, i.e., the bushing isn't meant to be installed in the bearing block as it already has a bearing in it? There is a bearing AND a bushing on that end of the shaft?

TIA!


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

posted diagram


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## NETim (Jan 21, 2016)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> Should be this guy.


That's the schematic I'm working from. I have thrown caution to the wind and torn down the gear box completely. It appears to me anyway, that item #9, the bushing in the front of the gear box, is *THE* end play limiter in the system. 

I can see nothing else that would accomplish this task. 

I get the feeling that the bushing is supposed to be a press fit in the gear box housing. Mine comes out of the box rather easily. The body of the bushing has circular marks around the circumference that suggests it is spinning in the gear box. These marks are actually more like grooves cut into the body. They catch my thumbnail rather easily. 

Not a good sign IMHO. 

I have found the SKF # for the seals (gear box has leaked since the JD guy "rebuilt" it for me) but it looks like I'll have to get the big gasket and naturally, the bushing, from JD. Everything else looks good.


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