The tines stopped turning on my 36" 1982 tiller

[Ride'm Cowboy 2]

Hi all.

  I was just out tilling my garden for the first time this year and the tines all stopped turning and now free-wheel. Has the chain broken in the power transfer case, and if so, how hard is it to replace it? Thanks for your help.

Ride'm Cowboy

[Racinbob 11,298]

Check the keyway on the pulley first. If you do have to go inside it's not difficult. There's really not a lot of parts in there.

[Racinbob 11,298]

By the way..........................

[Ride'm Cowboy 2]

Thanks Racinbob. The shaft of the pulley spins fine with the pulley, so I guess I'll have to take the transfer case apart.


Ride'M Cowboy  (Joe) 

[Racinbob 11,298]

You're welcome Joe. That does sound like surgery is in order. I'm pretty sure there isn't a key inside so it does sound like the chain. Good luck.

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,133]

This may match what you have
http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/files/file/2358-tiller-36in-1980-1982-07-36tl01-tiplpdf/

Garry

[doc724 925]

As I recall from pulling one apart last year, there is a small woodruff key (item 29 on the IPL) inside the transmission which holds a small gear to the shaft.  The good news is that when you split the transmission, face the input shaft down.  Once it is split, the input shaft will fall out by taking off a snap ring

[Ride'm Cowboy 2]

doc724

Thanks for your input. I realize now I stated the wrong year of the tiller, it is about 1991that I bought it, and is the  07-36TL04 model. Amazingly, the key is still IPL 29 in that drawing! Anyway, I took it off the tractor and turned it over, and when I manually turn the tines, the main pulley spins, but stops if I grab it, and the tines still turn, as if it is now a viscous coupling. So I think you are probably right, and also that it is probably not the chain. I hope to have time to open it up in the next few days, and will post what the problem actually is.

Thanks again,
Joe

[groundhog47 347]

. One of the guys on here did a really good pictorial on Tiller rebuild, here is link: http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/topic/20987-tiller-rebuild-pic-heavy/

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,133]

May as well have the correct parts list
http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/files/file/2207-tiller-36in-1990-1991-07-36tl04-tiplpdf/

Garry

[Ride'm Cowboy 2]

Thanks for the link and the parts diagram. Here is a picture I just took of the tiller. A bit dirty because I used it today, but otherwise in excellent condition, not considering the present problem. Its probably been used only 10-15 hours in the last 25 years and stored in the garage.

[Ride'm Cowboy 2]

Hi All,

  Well, I have the answer. I opened up the transfer case, and the small chain sprocket is loose on the shaft. It has no key, it just has a bead of welding on one side of the sprocket to hold it to the shaft, and the bead broke loose of the shaft. There was hardly any penetration of the bead into the shaft, so it was a pretty cold weld I guess. I am a retired electronics technician, not a mechanic, so I have a further question or two. Is it necessary to purchase a new gasket from Toro to put it back together with? Also, when I drained the oil ( for the first time in 25 years ) the oil had a metallic sparkle to it. Hopefully that was the original break-in metal from the gears? Here are a couple of pictures, one showing the case split, and the other showing the gear with the sprocket loose.

Thanks for your help,
Joe

[doc724 925]

You can use form-a gasket in lieu of the Toro gasket.  However, I found that if you tighten the case halves really tight when using form-a-gasket, the internals bind up.  When I tear down the one I have I will use a Toro gasket.  BTW-I bought the gasket for one of the newer tillers, mine is circa 1987 or so and the gasket for that is NLA, however, the newer tillers seem to have no difference in case half design compared to the older ones so I took a chance and bought one for a "2000's model"

[Pullstart 63,201]

possibly you could grind that weld back and tig it?  it would be the cleanest way to get a good penetration.  welcome to the forum from Michigan