# 4310 mid pto problem



## jd0716 (May 8, 2009)

Hi. I am new to the site.

I have a 4310 hydro with a 72 inch mid mount mower. While mowing a few nights ago, the unit started making a grinding noise and vibration, which I thought was the mower deck. As it turns out, it is actually the pto. I think it is the mid pto. It is not bad without the mower connected to the mid pto, but with the mower connected, the noise is horrible and the shat wont turn. I am able to turn the mower blade by hand if not connected to the pto and the mid pto by hand. Is there anything I can check on my own, before taking it to the dealer for repair.

I have a bad feeling this is going to be an expensive repair. It is out of warranty. Has anyone else dealt with a pto repair and is it as bad as I am thinking it's going to be?

Thanks,


----------



## MFreund (May 2, 2008)

*May not be toooo bad*

It sounds like the mid-pto gear lost a tooth. What caused it? who knows. Check the rear pto to see if it operates as it should. If it is ok I would pull off the cover for the mid pto and see what is wrong in there. If it is the mid pto actuator or the mid pto gears that won't be too terribly expensive. If it is the rear pto that will be expensive. Here is a exploded picture from deere.com that will give a general idea what is all under the mid-pto cover. It lists a different picture for pwr reverser and e-hydro. This is e-hydro picture. 

http://jdpc.deere.com/jdpc/servlet/com.deere.u90490.partscatalog.view.servlets.HomePageServlet_Alt


----------



## jd0716 (May 8, 2009)

MFreund, thanks for the reply. I do have the e-hydro. I appreciate the link. I ventured into it a little this evening and took off the mid pto housing. The teeth on part # YZ80777 (key 16) are messed up (like they ground off) and the gear that (key 16) meshes with are slightly messed up. I didn't take the back plate off to get a good view of the rear pto. I tried pricing the parts but can't seem to get it. I was trying to get an idea of price for the gears and new bearings (since it will be tore apart). 

Do you know if the tractor will have to be split to repair this or does it depend on what I find with the rear pto? I am probably not going to be able to tackle this job totally on my own if it needs to be split.

I am baffled as to what caused this problem. I know I didn't hit anything with the mid mower, other than small limestones in the driveway. The mid-mower turns freely by hand, so I don't think my mower caused it. I guess it bothers me not knowing what happened, because I don't know how to prevent it from happening again.

Thanks again.


----------



## MFreund (May 2, 2008)

The mid pto are installed at the dealer so I would believe the tractor will not have to be split. In order to get prices you will have to create a profile and log in to the account to see prices. I have used it to get prices but I let them look it up at the dealer to make sure I did not mess it up b-4 I pay for it.

My guess is the engagement soleniod did not get the gears completely engaged and that caused a tooth to chip and then it was a domino effect. I would also suggest talking to the service mgr and see if they have seen this b-4 and can suggest a better explanation.


----------



## jd0716 (May 8, 2009)

MFreund, I ended up working on this myself (with the help of a client who fixes agricultural equipment for a living) and it seems to be not as big of a job as I thought it would be. After getting the housing off for the mid-pto, what it appears to me is that the wrong bearing could possibly have been put in the unit where part # F40302 goes. I say this because the universal driveshaft is much smaller in diameter than the center of the bearing where the shaft fits in. So, essentially, that bearing does nothing and because the center of the bearing is so much bigger than the driveshaft, there is slop. I looked at the parts illustration, & I can't see any bushing that goes with that bearing and shaft.

I bought the unit new in 2002, but only have 405 hours on it. So if it is indeed the wrong bearing, then it came from the manufacturer like this. I know that my warranty has expired, but i truly believe that if it is the wrong bearing, JD should cover at least the parts for this. I don't know if this is wishful thinking on my part, but truly how I feel. I don't abuse the machine and I think if I put more hours on it with the mower during the warranty period, the problem would have occurred sooner. I don't blame the dealer, but don't know if I should talk to the dealer first or call Deere directly.

How worried do I need to be about shavings or pieces of metal that made it past the suction screen filter? I am a bit concerned because it looks like the filter gapped where the material overlaps at the end of the material. Hope this makes sense.

I really appreciate your help!


----------



## MFreund (May 2, 2008)

I think I would order the correct parts and then compare old and new. If indeed there is incorrect parts and because you are the original owner I would not be surprised if Deere would cover it. As you said it is a low hour machine. It is possible when the dealer originally installed it he did it wrong.

As for the shavings I would replace the hydro fliud, clean screens and replace filter as part of the repair.


----------



## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

I just did the 400 and 500 hour inspection/service on my 4410. I agree. Replace the fluid and replace ALL the filters to include the suction screen. DO NOT reuse it. I cleaned my suction screen and reused it on the 50 hour service and it was coming apart and was in need of replacement due to very fine metalic particles in the oil. These particals over time are normal but the screen material eventually become full of them. My 4410 eHydro functioned much smoother and better now that I replace the filters, suction screen and oil. 

I doubt much if any metalic particles got past the suction filter. If by chance they did, they were too small to did any damage.


----------



## jd0716 (May 8, 2009)

Thanks for the replies. I am going to go to the dealer tomorrow and have them look at the parts and bearing that I am questioning. If I am wrong & it is the correct bearing, then it serves absolutely no purpose because the end of the mid-pto shaft does not ride on the bearing at all and flops around their. And it rides entirely on the front bearing. I will let you know what the dealer says.


----------



## jd0716 (May 8, 2009)

*Update*

I had something come up in my schedule so I was unable to personally visit the dealer. However, a friend of mine who frequents this dealer took the housing over to have the service manager look at the bearing in question. The service manager agrees that it is not the correct bearing, and will be talking with Deere. However, the service manager did say he didn't know if Deere would take of the problem. He said it is tough to get them to do anything in these tough economic times unless it is under warranty. Keeping my fingers crossed at this point.


----------



## jd0716 (May 8, 2009)

*Update*

Well, much to my disappointment, John Deere is not going to do anything to help me out. Needles to say, I am disappointed, as the failure is clearly a result of their putting the wrong bearing in the mid-pto housing to begin with. I truly thought they would make it "right" and cover the parts, since it was their quality control error to begin with.


----------



## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

Ask the dealer for the name and phone number of the John Deere regional representative. Contact him or her and make your case. You may have to climb up the totem pole but it may be worth your while. 

Another tactic you can use is to call in to RFD TV during their John Deere show and complain about the crappy quality control and failure of John Deere to step up and do the right thing.  

Chances are you are hosed. Still worth a try though.


----------



## MFreund (May 2, 2008)

I would try the dealer who installed the wrong mid-pto or did not notice the problem when it was installed. It was installed at a dealer because they have no mid pto from the factory. Which is likely why Deere factory won't do anything. The Dealer missed this one.


----------

