John Deere 440 skidder rear yoke flops about

Frozendozer · May 19, 2019, 02:24:53 AM

my old john deere 440 rear your flops about on the shaft that drives the rear tires. I am assuming this is not normal. The only things holding the yoke to the shaft is a pin and cotter key, I'am adsuming this is normal. How hard is it to get a rrpmCement ?

tacks Y · May 19, 2019, 08:31:09 AM

Not good. Better change before it ruins the pinion shaft if it has not already. I will look the first of the week and see if I have one.

Frozendozer · May 19, 2019, 11:39:33 AM

I plan to go thru the old machine in the near future and sure could use any help from the folks here. I live in z small town in Canada's Yukon territory and I think I have one of the only 4 machines and a dealership is over 1500 miles away. Any and all help is greatly appreciated. ,

tacks Y · May 20, 2019, 08:09:08 AM

This is a good place for help. Look for used part shops, your machine is used so all parts do not need to be used. JD is pretty proud of their parts.

Frozendozer · May 20, 2019, 11:46:26 AM

I am going to need gauges for sure. none of the ones I have work . Kinda scary

Frickman · May 23, 2019, 07:21:43 PM

The stock John Deere gauges are probably worn out. I have rebuilt a number of 440 to 440B skidders and what I always did was go down to the local parts store and pick up old fashioned, manual/mechanical oil pressure and water temp. gauges. For the electrical system I would get a generic volt meter and ammeter. Those are the only gauges you need. You should be fueling the machine daily so you have no need for a fuel gauge. Just plumb and wire the new gauges in and mount them on the dash, JD left plenty of holes to choose from. As was mentioned above JD is proud of their parts, but you don't always have to pay their outrageous prices. One thing to remember is JD used a lot of parts out of their ag equipment. Many of your parts started out life on 3020 and 4020 farm tractors. The industrial side's parts manual says the seat cushion is no longer available. If you will sit on yellow instead of black you can pick one up at an ag dealer. Many, many transmission parts interchange between industrial and ag, they have different part numbers and different paint but they are the same thing. radiators are getting scarce, I have had them custom built.

I can't remember replacing the yoke in question, I probably have though.

Owning this machine will make you a better, more patient mechanic. Most of it is fairly easy to fix with normal tools. If you can find the parts.

About the seat cushion. I was restoring/rebuilding a 440B years ago. I wanted a new seat cushion and stopped at the JD industrial dealer. The dealer said"Nope, can't get it." The JD ag dealer was about five miles away. I drove over there and one hour later returned with a seat cushion, yellow, not black. The parts kid couldn't believe what he saw. The next year or so I spent a lot of time educating him.

Frozendozer · May 23, 2019, 11:24:18 PM

the closets dealer, Bout 800 miles away tells me that the yoke is available for about $700. I am now talking to a driveline company to see if they have something in their selection
I was shocked when I seen this price, however talking with a few wreckers they tell me the yoke is known to wear and he's sold everything including the ones half wore out.

I like living in the north, but times like this I wish I was in the south

tacks Y · May 24, 2019, 08:08:44 AM

Sorry I forgot to look. I will now.

tacks Y · May 24, 2019, 08:56:16 AM

Frozen, Sorry again. Not sure what you have? I have a 440A rear axle which I thought was the same. The yoke is held on with a nut and is tight. No pin. On the rear of the tranny the yoke is also held on with a nut and is tight. The tranny is from a 440 not an A model. So are you talking about the drive shaft? I will go look at the front axle I have it is a 440 not A. If it has a pinned on yoke I will get back to you. Any parts I have will be cheaper than you are finding and I will pay the FF to. So need to know what part you are talking about. Tom

mike_belben · May 24, 2019, 09:02:30 AM

A pin and cotter to hold a pinion yoke on is a new one to me. How would that set the preload on the pinion bearings? Is.there a chance this was some bandaid fab and not factory?

I think some pics would be a good idea.

Frozendozer · May 24, 2019, 01:07:26 PM

the yoke I am referring too is attached to a coupling shaft that goes thru thru a bulkhead between the center pivot and the rest differential . My manual refers to the Transmission to rear differential drive line. Upon discussion with others it is a 21 splines 1 3/8 . the universal has caps that are 1 3/8 and is 5 inches from end of cap to end of cap . I could use the pinch type of joint as well . I will try to upload some pictures

sidehill6 · May 24, 2019, 05:42:45 PM

frozen, my parts book for a 440b shows a short shaft that runs under the fuel tank thru a flanged bearing similar to a carrier bearing. book shows a yoke on the pinion shaft held in place by a nut, and you are correct there is a yoke on each end of that shaft held in place by a pin and a cotter pin

tacks Y · May 24, 2019, 08:50:13 PM

Kind of late to ask..... What model 440? You said 440 so that is what I thought. My C has a carrier support but did the 440 and A models?

Frozendozer · May 25, 2019, 01:13:56 AM

I am told it's a straight up 440

tacks Y · May 25, 2019, 07:42:49 AM

So where it is bad is the support not at the rear dif?

Frozendozer · May 25, 2019, 12:20:01 PM

it's bad at the point just past the support. I pulled the skid plate off and checked the drive line back from the support to the rear diff and all appears solid.

Frozendozer · May 25, 2019, 12:23:46 PM

I am learning lots about this machine, unfortunately , unlike house building were ever piece has a unique name , not every piece has a unique name attached to it. A parts person I talked to online tells me he searched "yoke and 14 part numbers show up.

sidehill6 · May 25, 2019, 01:33:58 PM

when you say its bad just after the bearing support do you mean the short shaft splines are still good that stick out in front of the support? if just that yoke that slips on that short shaft is bad that should be readily available from a salvage yard.

sidehill6 · May 25, 2019, 01:39:53 PM

if i'm on the same page as you try part#T29635

Frickman · May 25, 2019, 01:56:44 PM

There is a junk yard in Wolf Lake, IL I bought a few things from. Shaffer's, or some name like that. Google them, they may be able to help.

Frozendozer · May 25, 2019, 04:03:08 PM

the shaft looks ok, however the yoke fits loosely and wobbles about an inch either way

tacks Y · May 25, 2019, 06:47:15 PM

I have the yoke from a 440 it moves less than 1/8" so seems good. Would you like me to get a picture? If it will work just make an offer, you can pm me if you like. Tom

tacks Y · May 25, 2019, 06:57:52 PM

Frozen, The 1 3/8" x 21 spline is right. The caps are 5 1/4" dia and 2 3/4" across, measuring the yoke. Sorry it took so long to come up to speed on this part.