JD 50 final drive gears?

PJH

Well-known Member
I'm getting ready to tear into the rear axle assembly, mainly to replace the axle seals, but also anything else I find wrong. Here's my question -

I was talking with the shop foreman at our local JD dealer, and he recommended swapping sides when I re-install the final drive gears. This goes against my thinking, but he works as a mechanic every day and I just happen to own some wrenches. The gears are quiet in this old tractor now. It looks to me like the original gear match would be worn in and swapping them around would set up a new possibly noisy wear-in period.

What would you guys do?

Thanks for any advice.
 
I wouldn't swap them. They are overkill in size for the HP of that tractor. Even if you plan to work it hard, I still would not swap them.
 
If it is quite now and if the bearings are not real loose once you get in there I'd put them back in the same spot. Now if you find out the axle bearings to be shot and the gears have a funny looking wear on them that would be cause to swap them.
 
Actually, I asked the JD shop foreman how to properly install the little paper ring that goes behind the o-ring on the powertrol lift cylinder, and he mentioned that I should swap the final drive gears while I had them exposed. I probably should have quizzed him some more on the subject, but he was on the clock and I hated to bother him on a second subject. I'm not a mechanic, and most of the folks here on the JD forum have been very helpful when I have a question about the proper way to do something.

I think I'm gonna put them back in as they came out. I can't see any unusual wear, and there isn't any unusual gear noise.

Thanks for the comments.
 

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