285 3 pt. leveling gearbox

[Don-Wi]

Any body know how to get the leveling gearbox apart for the 3 pt arms? I got the small shaft out and the bevel gear, but how does the lower link come out of the housing to get it apart?

Ours has been busted for a while, so we got one from the junk yard. Dad didn't notice an issue with it, so I took it back and grabbed another one, made sure the gearbox turned the shaft, but as soon as it was on the tractor with the arm hanging on it that one doesn't work either. I'm gonna take one or both apart now and see if I can fix one or both instead of going to the junk yard again.

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[Tony in Mass.]

Are you sure you just didn't crank it too tight? Usually they either snap or bow to the point the screw doesn't turn. If it worked at the junk yard, you couldn't have broken it yet- but if it isn't the right length for you hitch, you will shorten it to the point it binds, so try that first.

 

[Don-Wi]

I unscrewed it from the upper portion of the link it came with and screwed it in a few threads on our 285, then was gonna screw it the rest of the way with the crank. As soon as the weight of the arm was on it the gear wouldn't catch. Lift it up, then it catches and will turn the shaft. I'm positive it's not bound up. The shaft will pull out maybe 1/4-1/2 inch, which is enough to disengage the bevel gears.

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[ShadetreeRet]

I wouldn't go back to the boneyard, Yesterday's Tractor sells new gearboxes.

 

[Don-Wi]

If I can get the gearbox housing off the lower fork, being a machinist I know I can fix it. I just need to know how it's put together so I don't break something in the process. I looked at the AGCO parts website breakdown, but it's a fuzzy low quality drawing, which doesn't show me what I need to know. The manuals we have on the farm don't help either.

Donovan from Wisconsin