Had better days with the 2372

[sorner]

Yikes! Good thing that didn't get you in the bean bag.

[Terry C]

Sorry to see that happen Todd. Must have made quite a racket.

[J-Mech]

Jeezo-Pete, Todd!! Glad your OK!!

That's gonna take some time to fix....

So, a bolt came out? You sure that was the cause?


Oak, I agree with Lew, although the nylon locks should work. I prefer a crushed lock nut though.

[zippy1]

Yeah, it made some horrific racket, even this half deaf guy thought was loud. The kids were back at the house, and I was on the end of the driveway, some 360 ft. away, and they all heard it let go.
The tunnel has a bend in it. Can't even begin to imagine if that weren't there. It happened/let go so fast. Snubbed the tractor on the spot Johnny...
I wasn't cutting grass, was pulling my roller packing fresh ground we seeded down with grass, so wasn't WOT. Prolly, could have been worst.

This style (first picture) is what came loose, likely cause it was used a time or three. It's called a Two-way reversible lock nut. And the second picture is what I "always" use. Prevailing torque lock nut.
Thanks for the "glad you weren't hurt" wishes. I would add, never under any circumstances should anyone think about operating one of these machines, even for "just a second" without that tunnel cover on. I saw, and felt first hand, and it wouldn't be good.

[zippy1]

Originally Posted by J-Mech

Jeezo-Pete, Todd!! Glad your OK!!

That's gonna take some time to fix....

So, a bolt came out? You sure that was the cause?


Oak, I agree with Lew, although the nylon locks should work. I prefer a crushed lock nut though.

Yup, I'm sure Jon, cause on the way back down the driveway to pick up the pieces, I found the bolt and nut just before it let go. The bolt had a little gouge in the threads, and the nut looked fine.
Had to try, and I could thread the nut on a new bolt by hand. Not as easy as a non locker, but no wrench was required. No one to blame but myself.

[jaynjeep]

Dang Todd!! That sux! Glad you are OK for sure!!

The situation looks all to familiar though! We had the same thing happen to our 1450 about 10 years ago.. ours was due to worn motor mounts and old rotten rag joints.

It did the EXACT same thing though! Tore out the hydraulic lines, wrecked the hydro linkage and toasted the driveshaft!!

Like you said... took awhile to fix all that!

Glad you are ok though... wish I was closer.. I'd come help! I always seem to help others faster than I work on my own stuff!!

[Sam Mac]

WOW! Well when you go you go big.

[clay1811/44c]

Saw this last night on my smart phone. Had to look again on my computer before I responded. WOW . Thanks for posting. This is a lesson for all of us. I just wander what the order of failures was on that mishap? #1 Bolt came out of hydro side of the coupling. Then did the torque twist the coupling off the hydro or did the shaft twist out of the ball bushing in the coupling and knock the coupling off the shaft. Then the rest of beating makes no difference. As we repower our GT's and SGT's with bigger motors things will fail and that is one spot that creates a lot of carnage. So I'm thinking what can be done to help save things. Bolts and flex discs will fail.

[farmall fred]

Todd, I am really sorry to see your mishap. You might want to check out the input shaft bearings on the charge pump. The fellow that had my 1872 I used in my project had the same thing happen and it ruined the needle bearings in the pump housing. I recommend that you go with a CV driveshaft from a 2284. Just make sure that you get a coupler for the rear. Might have to have Jeff in PA make the engine adaptor since you are running the Vanguard. I have converted all of my repowered tractors to CV drive shafts. I tried running the Project 1872 with the new rag joint driveshaft that came with it when I bought it and it had a vibration at WOT. The CV driveshaft cured it. Good luck with your repairs. Glad you were not damaged in the incident.
Tom

[Oak]

CV's are way better but there is nothing wrong with the rag system. On my 982 with a complete new driveline and rags you can set a full beer on the tunnel with the engine wfo and hardly see any vibration. I perform this test many times while testing the machine so I think I'm in the clear. The way I look at this issue is that Todd had an unusual failure that we can all learn from. I think I'll check the nuts & bolts on my others now.