Hi All,
I’m new to garden tractors, a couple months ago I bought a 322 and it has a loud squeak from the front end. It’s coming from the the circle part on both sides of the tractor. On the side shown the nut has grooved the metal piece it is rubbing against. Is this piece to loose? What should I do with it to get the rubbing and squeaking to stop? I would think I need to tighten it but I don’t know it’s function.
Those bolts are an axle guide. Put grease or anti seize on the bolt ends and pads then turn the bolts out to meet the axle. They help keep the center pivot from NOT getting egg shaped.
Thank you! What about the groove that the left side was worn? Is that okay or should something be done? And when you say turn the bolts out to meet the axle you mean back them out to put pressure on the bolt head?
I believe there is/was a kit to replace the wear pads on the frame, but if you are handy with a welder it would be a pretty easy repair. It looks like the repair kit bolts on, which may be easier if you don't weld.
AM101198 kit.
The pieces also come up separately. The individul pad is ~$20
Now, sometimes the kit is NLA, but the individual parts are still available. This thing would be pretty east recreate, though if the kit is big $ (which it may be).
I should add I like PO's repair (That slot cut in the pad/strap, and then squeezed with a vise-grip or pounded with a hammer to make a bit of a feed ramp for the adjustment bolt).
The ramp idea is exactly the wrong approach!! As the axle pivots on uneven ground, the bolt head clearance is quite variable, and can even bind and stick when it reaches far up into the frame slot in that area.
The heads of the axle stop bolts should not be forced onto the mating surface, but should not have a large gap either. The clearance should be as constant as possible throughout the axle travel when pivoting. Here is an illustration from the manual:
There are replaceable wear plates in the axle channel on these tractor frames -- if you have deep groves in the existing ones they should be replaced or perhaps turned over. Use a dry lube if anything in this area, as grease will attract abrasive grime and speed the wear.
...note the scale of the axle wear plate hardware and the actual axle stop bolt are grossly exaggerated in the drawing...the mounting hardware is M8 and the axle bolt is M16 (twice the shank diameter...)
JMILLER -- looks like the axle bolt in your picture is free to turn (not locked down by the nut to the axle casting...) which would let it move out to touch, and that would squeak loudly for sure. Once adjusted with a new wear surface you should be rewarded with much quieter operation.
The ramp idea is exactly the wrong approach!! As the axle pivots on uneven ground, the bolt head clearance is quite variable, and can even bind and stick when it reaches far up into the frame slot in that area.
The heads of the axle stop bolts should not be forced onto the mating surface, but should not have a large gap either. The clearance should be as constant as possible throughout the axle travel when pivoting. Here is an illustration from the manual: View attachment 284424
There are replaceable wear plates in the axle channel on these tractor frames -- if you have deep groves in the existing ones they should be replaced or perhaps turned over. Use a dry lube if anything in this area, as grease will attract abrasive grime and speed the wear.
...note the scale of the axle wear plate hardware and the actual axle stop bolt are grossly exaggerated in the drawing...the mounting hardware is M8 and the axle bolt is M16 (twice the shank diameter...)
JMILLER -- looks like the axle bolt in your picture is free to turn (not locked down by the nut to the axle casting...) which would let it move out to touch, and that would squeak loudly for sure. Once adjusted with a new wear surface you should be rewarded with much quieter operation.
I tried to find that "kit" quite some time ago. It doesn't seem to be available any longer in kit form.
Kit consists of -
(2) M88755 straps
(4) 19M7163 screws
(4) 14M7273 nuts
These are still available as individual parts.
The parts are show in a separate drawing with the dashed outline of the frame front section... It is grouped with the front axle exploded parts view in the 322 parts catalog as seen here...
To eliminate the 'metal on metal' issue, you can also purchase oil filled plastic / nylon sheet, cut it to fit the angle bracket, and then set the bolts right up on it. No More Squeak.
That is a good suggestion Dale !! I would guess that a piece or UHMWPE like the material used for a plastic snow blade edge would be ideal for this use. It would not need any lube and would not attract any abrasive contamination...
Yes there is. I’ve got the parts to do it but the bolt is halfway rounded and won’t budge. I’m going to try a torch and then take the axle to my Deere dealer.
I've been thinking about this sleeve bushing in the axle pivot. What about machining out both ends to put in a couple sealed bearings?its probably only worth doing if the hole is walowed out.
The reason it is a bushing is that it only rotates less than 10 or 15 degrees in either direction, very slowly, and the loads are not that high. Sealed bearings would work, but are definitely not needed... The bushing and the bolt are the wear surfaces, and replacing them will make things new again.
If your bushing lasted three or four decades the first time...restoring it and then properly lubricating it will give you a lifetime of service.
Yeah probably over kill for something that doesn't spin
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