Spline Shaft Revisited (22-36)

I have learned quite a bit.
Problem, again, is to try to get a tighter fit between the spline shaft of the transmission and the transmission joint (hub) due to excessive wear.

Here is what I have learned:
1. Probably no problem to run the tractor AS IS and except the wear. I will be running it quite little, although I want to take it to a show once in a while, run it a little around my shop from time to time.

2. To fix it:
a. Welding, milling and re hardening. Concerns with welding: A. getting a hard enough welding rod. B. softening of the shaft due to heat incurred with welding. C. need or no need to re harden the shaft.

A local shop estimated it would cost about 600 dollars to do this. A little rich for my blood.

A neighbor offered to TIG weld one spline at a time and then I use my sweat equity to grind to fit. Then we do a spline opposite to that one, again I regrind.

Question: would this weld be hard enough to be adequate? (It would be normal TIG weld, if there is a normal hardness with TIG weld.)

Question: would this soften the shaft enough that I would have to reharden it?

Could I take the welded, ground rod to a shop to have them re harden it? I understand re hardening might entail heating to say 1500 and then quenching and then heating to say 750 and quenching to draw it.

I have had a neighbor 30 miles away offer to help also.

What would you all do with this?

Thanks,
Tom

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There is available Hard Surface wire for wire welders. I would assume there is also hard surface filler rod available also.

I would let your buddy tig it with hard surface filler rod and go from there.

Gary

well two options here. leave as is or bit the bullet and give the machine shop the job. your dealing with a precision fit here and to free hand it is just not the answer.you will end up getting frustrated welding and grinding and then let the shop have at it. #1 cheapest is leave as is. not going to hurt a thing as your the owner operator and know to go easy on the clutch when going from reverse to forward.#2 machine shop does it properly. #3 maybe you have more patience than me.

The welding and grinding does not seem right to me. The $600 machine shop would be much better. But, I have found that it is not economically feasible to make things perfect on my letter series tractors, even if good replacement parts are available, which you have not found for your 22-36. No one is ever going to take that tractor out and plow with it, unless it is at a small demo plow thing, etc. That tractor will run for years, probably decades that way, I would leave it alone, unless you feel better spending the $600, which is only a small percentage of what you will have in it, anyway.

Take a file and see how hard the steel is on the shaft. then take and have your buddy lay a weld on a piece of metal and check the hardness of the weld with a file,then you will have some idea. Myself I would just weld it up and be done with it. As much as you are going to use it it will last as long you will want it and then some and you won't have to put up with the clunking when you go from forward and reverse.
Bob

If the left shaft is the same as the right, I would use the left shaft on the right and right on left. This puts a new wear surface in the correct location. Then I would make shims as needed to fill the gaps on the reverse direction (backing up) surface. There is far less stress backing than pulling. A touch of wire weld to keep the shim from creeping out (on the end) would be insurance. Jim

from memory only and may be wrong. read some where in past that loctite makes a product for repairing damaged/worn keyways in shafts. if applicable to this use, i don't know, and will leave research to you. leroy

If you are worried about the clunk, assemble the parts with grease and then turn the hub so that it is driving the shaft in the correct rotation. Use some nails that will drive in tight along the splines and cut them off flush. The retaining washer will hold them in place. For light duty it will probably only last 15 to 30 years.

Hi. The nail trick works, Use horseshoe nails, they are taperd and drive in nice. I have seen them used on John Deere flywheels. worth a try. --------Harold

Just my 2 cents, but I don't see a down side to the nail trick, as long as there is a washer to keep them from slipping out. I'd do it.