John Deere 4440 drawbar locking pin

[Gary Puckett]

Seems like I have been asking a lot of questions recently. I hope they are not too simple or boring like "Why won't my tractor start?" When I was replacing the load control shaft o-rings and seals (it has not leaked thanks to you), I removed the drawbar. After cleaning everything up, I am concerned about the hardware that holds the pin in place. It all looks like the factory parts on jdparts.com. There is a small plate with a cut-out which rotates to release the pin after loosening the bolt. The problem to me is that at any point, the plate on covers a small porting of the pin (about 1/8"). I read on this forum of instances where the pin came out and one ruined the PTO. Am I installing it wrong or have you considered this as a problem? I know one could make a larger plate. Thanks

 

[Tx Jim]

Sounds as if the washer with the cutout is correct. I've never read/heard of drawbar retaining pin coming out allowing drawbar to exit drawbar support when drawbar pin cutout washer was present.

If you don't plan on changing drawbar position very regularly then do as you stated & install a regular washer without a cut-out.

My JD 4255 with similar type drawbar retaining washer has nearly 12,000 hrs on speed/hr meter & drawbar has never accidently left tractor. My 4255 I purchased in Feb '93 has pulled rd baler on some very rough fields having baled over 125,000 rd bales & pulled plows tilling several 1000's of acres