129 transmission is making loud grinding noises

[three4rd]

Originally Posted by sawdustdad

Sorry if this is obvious, but you did put oil in the engine, right? After the rebuild?

Coop is right, the hydro is pretty much bullet proof. You only pushed it a short distance, so not likely there is anything wrong with the hydro.

It sounds to me like your hydro is not in neutral while trying to start. It makes an awful squeal when you do this. Move the speed lever back and forth slowly while cranking the engine. At some point in the lever travel, you'll lose the squeal and the hydro will be in neutral. You may need to bypass the brake pedal safety switch. When the brake pedal is down, and the neutral is not properly adjusted, the tractor will try to move forward or backward while cranking, and will make a lot of noise.

I'm betting once you get it started, find neutral with the speed lever, the noise will go away.

Frank,

Yep...oil level is full, as is the hytran. I had notes to myself to make sure I didn't forget to do both. I'm encouraged - not to mention hopeful - by what you're saying. It does seem - as George suggested also - that it's almost like it's trying to start 'in gear'. Not sure what you mean though about 'bypassing the brake pedal safety switch' - done with some sort of wiring? Or are you saying to hold it in manually while also trying to start. Wait...I believe I'll need 3 hands

So...continue to crank away even if the noise continues as the shift lever is moved? I believe you're on the right track, since it fits with what I said earlier about there being less grinding / squealing noise if I only partially depress the brake pedal while trying to start. I think I've developed a phobia of any noise coming from this thing ever since the really loud bang when the rod broke...twas not a happy sound.

A "sheared roll pin" was also suggested to me on another Cub forum....possible?

[three4rd]

Frank...thought of something else here before I take your advice tomorrow morning. Assuming that I should put the cam bracket back where it was before I started all this and tighten the bolts, right? I had moved it up to the highest position as per the manual instructions, but then also experimented with it at different places with it tight enough not to move (but still not real tight.) Weird that it ran fine WITH the bracket adjusted all the way up though. Wheels were off the floor at that point. So it not being able to find neutral - if this is what's going on - somehow occurred immediately after the engine ran out of gas. Don't understand what could have changed in that short a time other than my probably moving the shift lever around prior to cranking it the next time, which is when the noise started.

Would what you're saying - that of it not finding neutral - coincide with my description of the trunnion linkage sort of being a bit jumpy while manually turning the engine?

[cooperino]

The brake pedal switch needs to be bypassed because you are going to attempt to crank engine without brake pedal down. The reason is when you push the brake pedal down the hydro lever moves to neutral however it would seem your neutral position is not really neutral. So the brake pedal needs to stay up while doing this. Therefore you need to bypass the brake pedal switch. Its under the tractor. Follow the brake pedal rod till you see it. Join the 2 wires from the connector together. A paperclip works fine for a temporary jumper.

[three4rd]

Originally Posted by cooperino

The brake pedal switch needs to be bypassed because you are going to attempt to crank engine without brake pedal down. The reason is when you push the brake pedal down the hydro lever moves to neutral however it would seem your neutral position is not really neutral. So the brake pedal needs to stay up while doing this. Therefore you need to bypass the brake pedal switch. Its under the tractor. Follow the brake pedal rod till you see it. Join the 2 wires from the connector together. A paperclip works fine for a temporary jumper.

I understand what you're saying and will look for it. I already found where the brake pedal pushes in a button - assuming that's it. Would a jumper with 2 male (spade) ends work? I happen to have one that I'm using to bypass a seat safety switch on another tractor. That one simply involves putting the jumper in the switch's (female) plug ends.

Assuming I get it running ok and N is once again 'found', what happens as soon as the switch is operative and the tractor still creeps forward? I'll still have to work with the cam bracket - the point I was at when the trouble started.

[cooperino]

Originally Posted by three4rd

Ummm...ok...I'll look for it. Assuming I get it running ok and N is once again 'found', what happens as soon as the switch is operative and the tractor still creeps forward? I'll still have to work with the cam bracket - the point I was at when the trouble started.

Ok. Just a sec here. When it did start. It only creeped forward right? So that tells me that you are not very far off neutral to begin with. Both my 129's creep once started even at low idle.

Once they are running i pull the lever back a little to stop the creeping but they start fine

[ironman]

As has already been suggested, take the friggen drive shaft out and get the engine running right first. That would have been the wise thing to do before putting everything back together. Also you will be able to turn the hydro's input shaft by hand with no driveshaft/engine interference and determine what you feel.

[three4rd]

Originally Posted by cooperino

Ok. Just a sec here. When it did start. It only creeped forward right? So that tells me that you are not very far off neutral to begin with. Both my 129's creep once started even at low idle.

Once they are running i pull the lever back a little to stop the creeping but they start fine

Yeah...only went forward. Then, when moving the shift just a hair further (towards reverse) the tractor stayed still. I don't remember if it tried to move WHILE cranking or not. I was on the seat that first time, but not after being that I had the rear jacked up.

[three4rd]

Originally Posted by ironman

As has already been suggested, take the friggen drive shaft out and get the engine running right first. That would have been the wise thing to do before putting everything back together. Also you will be able to turn the hydro's input shaft by hand with no driveshaft/engine interference and determine what you feel.

Ironman...hindsight is indeed 20/20! Never thought about starting the engine first. It seemed, though, like with where the engine gets placed relative to the bolt holes, there's very little clearance for that driveshaft to fit in place - so I wanted to get that in right away, move the engine back into position, then tightened up the 4 bolts. Probably bad judgement (again) based on inexperience. Was looking at the shaft again last night....without loosening and moving the engine, what is the best way to remove it? Hammering out the pin where it couples to the engine would appear to be not that easy. I had the shaft held in a vise when inserting the new pin (replaced it when I also ordered and replaced the fan) and really had to whack on it. If I loosen the shaft at the disc coupling...is there then room to take it out and simply pull the coupling out from the engine side without having to hammer out the pin?

[mickb72]

Hello, i'm betting on a sheared pin at the rear coupler. The one you have not removed. They shear inside but look intact from the outside. They will slip and catch and jerk and squeal when broke that way. You need to get that driveshaft out completely and start your motor and spin the hydro. I'm still betting on a broken pin Mike

[three4rd]

Mick...wait a sec....you're talking about the pin at the engine side coupler, right? That's the one I replaced...so it's new. I don't discount what you're saying, but - if the pin is sheared - why would the engine have run perfectly fine for at least 15 minutes the first time it started? So you're suggesting it broke after the 2nd time it would started (yesterday).

Is there a way to remove the shaft WITHOUT also loosening the pan bolts and moving the engine front? I don't see any spare room to get the shaft in or out otherwise.