The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Got the shaft out but am now looking at dis-assembly. I have a manual that says "Remove the circlip from the front of the bearing retainer and tap the retainer off towards the splined end of the extension shaft. Remove the oil seal from the retainer. Thats fine and dandy but there is no circlip or for that matter a groove that would carry it. So, is this a hammer off job or does it need to be pressed? I am not replacing the bearing as this tractor has had virtually no PTO use. There is no wear on any of the splines so I figure the bearing should be good. I just want to get it apart, get a new seal in there and get it back together. Any advice would be appreciated. Then I might even start on the next leak, axles!!

Russell.

Hi Relick,

I am working on the same job as you are.
When you remove the round plate (with 4 bolts) at the front of the PTO gearbox, you'll find a circlip.
I managed to get that one off and to remove that bearing. But there's another circlip and bearing behind the first one...
that's pretty difficult to remove.
I couldn't really get the seals (I believe there are 2 seals) out either, at first sight.
I have to replace all of them because of the damage of a broken bearing cage (see topic "Pascals gearbox rebuild").
The bearings aren't that expensive though: I think I paid 25 euro each.

Perhaps the parts book on the NH site will help you with an exploded view?
Choose Agriculture - Noth America - Parts & Service - Search for parts
Type "Major".

Good luck and please keep us posted.

G'day Pascal,
I had already read of your adventures with interest!! I think we are talking about different ends of the PTO. I have removed the shaft and bearing retainer from the rear of the tractor. Shaft about 2" diameter with a female spline that engages somewhere in the depths of the gearbox. The other end at the back of the tractor is the stub that sticks out that you connect your implement shaft to. Thats where my problem is. This is my first dis-assembly of anything on the Fordson having only got it a few weeks ago (first tractor) and just getting tools big enough has ben a drama , previously my mechanical adventures have been with nothing bigger than Landrovers so it is a learing curve. I definitely need an oxy set and that is on the way.
I will try to get a couple of pics of my problem for you. The book says to remove the circlip from the bearing retainer, but cant get to that because of the cog, so I have taken the circlip off that but of course cant get it to move off the shaft. I need a press so will take it to the professionals tomorrow I think. What a saga to stop a bloody oil leak, reckon I will soon become more tolerant of dripping oil.....
Regards Russell.
Will try and get the pics happening.

Here is some pictures if it helps. The circlip grove is in the housing and You have to get it off to change the seal.

Thanx, excellent pics, now to prove I am a total dummy, how the bloody hell did you get those pics up?? And how did you get that clip out with the gear still in place??
Regards Russell.

Think I got the pic thing sorted, heres a test,

YAY, that worked so here's some more.....


I just cant get to that circlip.......

Hi Relick
When I replaced the seal on my PTO shaft, I seem to remember taking the circlip off the gear(long shaft side) and getting the gear out of the way, to allow access to the circlip within the housing. I only tapped the end of the shaft on the concrete floor to remove the gear, and also for the housing.

Pascal
I'm also doing the seals in my PTO gearbox housing at the moment. I printed off that CAD drawing that was posted recently on here, and made the sleeve for it, only to find out that the shaft in mine was 55mm, not 45mm as in the drawing, therefore do not need the sleeve as the seal is way bigger than the spline. I wonder if my PTO gearbox is heavier duty being an Australian model?
I'm going through the tractor at the moment trying to eliminate oil leaks.

Atleast a tractor with oil leaks dose'nt have rusty bolts
Kiwi Kev

the drive gear on the arrow. It's only pressed on. You can get a lump hammer or something and hammer it off. You can get at the cir-clip then. That's what we did. The cir clip was a pain in the ass to get out since we had no proper tools, so a bunch of screw drivers had to do :p

relick wrote:

Thats a tidy looking major. A new set of front grills should do it. The panels all look good, and got most of the lights too. I like the extension to the RH mudguard. Judging by the size of the oil container, looks like there was'nt much oil in the rear transmission.
What are you going to use her for?
Kiwi Kev

Hi Kev,

The rear transmission was full, that container is just catching the oil that is coming through from the gearbox (a drip every few seconds). Seems I have a problem with that seal between the gearbox and the rear trans. The gear box on the other hand only had about 5 litres in it instead of 20. The extension on the guard used to mount the controls for a front bucket.
I bought the tractor a month ago from the original owners. It is as per standard except for the small light on that rh side guard, and I am not sure if there would have been a worklight on that guard as well.
I only have 5 acres so it will be doing a bit of slashing with the 6' slasher and not much else. I plan to slowly tidy her up, I wanted to start fresh with new oil so while I had the rear empty decided to do the rear seal, my first Fordson mechanical experience. Thank the lord for this forum lol.
I priced those panels in the front from the UK, they would cost me about $170 landed here, mite give it a miss for now as it's cosmetic and I want to be sure all is well elsewhere, although I have no reason to worry yet, she goes like a swiss watch!!
Russell.

relick wrote: And how did you get that clip out with the gear still in place??
Regards Russell.

I did not notice it as a problem to get it out.

The cad drawing is mine. I have made it while I never have done the job.
Would you fellows be so kind to update the drawing by paint or something so a proper 3D drawing can be made.

Grani wrote:I did not notice it as a problem to get it out.

Yep, you where right, I was just not trying hard enough, or holding my tongue the wrong way!! HOWEVER, I am finding getting it back in to be bloody difficult. I think I need an extra pair of hands but there are none around.........

Start the clip in one side and follow it around. You need at least a vise to hold the cage still so that it does not turn while installing the clip. Dandy Dave!

Hi relick there are two places the oil can leak from the gearbox to the backend the main gearbox output shaft seal and the internal pto seals in that box that it removable from the bottom of the gearbox

roadless J17 wrote:Hi relick there are two places the oil can leak from the gearbox to the backend the main gearbox output shaft seal and the internal pto seals in that box that it removable from the bottom of the gearbox

Thanks roadless, it's all back together (today), no more leaking PTO at the rear, new seal and a speedi sleeve to be sure! Can you tell me some more about that pto seal, I have set up a gate valve off the hydraulic output so I can pump oil back to the gearbox but would love to get it sorted (without splitting the tractor). I also have a problem with the right side rear, axle seal I guess dropping oil down onto the tyre. I'll get there eventually.......
Thanks all for your help, my first tractor experience was a bit daunting at first but lack of decent workshop and common tractor sense were to blame!!