743 u joint greasing?

[Mikefromcny]

Am new to forum but info here is great. Greasing this joint is crtical!! I bought a used 743 and hadn't found this forum and didn't knoww about greasing. Needless to say the joint let loose and bent the front input shaft on the hydro pump. Now in process of fixing this. My rcommendation is to pull the motor, which only takes about 2 hours and inspect joint. I have read that some guys have broke the housing on the pump when this lets go.

Anyway you can tell when its on its way out? Mine seems okay. As far as greasing, I put 36" of hose on my pistol grip grease gun. You really need a pistol grip or another kind of 1 handed grease gun. I put the cab up and and while lying on top of the pumps, chest up against the fuel/hydraulic tanks, reach your right arm with hose into the engine compartment. I think it was easiest having the fittings at 3 o clock. I marked my crank pulley at 12 o clock while doing this so its easier to find next time.

 

[jerry]

Anyway you can tell when its on its way out? Mine seems okay. As far as greasing, I put 36" of hose on my pistol grip grease gun. You really need a pistol grip or another kind of 1 handed grease gun. I put the cab up and and while lying on top of the pumps, chest up against the fuel/hydraulic tanks, reach your right arm with hose into the engine compartment. I think it was easiest having the fittings at 3 o clock. I marked my crank pulley at 12 o clock while doing this so its easier to find next time.

You can get your hand back onto the u-joint and have a helper gently rock the engine back and forth with a socket on the damper pulley. It should not have any hesitation or wiggle between the joints if there is any wear you will feel it.

 

[reaperman]

Anyway you can tell when its on its way out? Mine seems okay. As far as greasing, I put 36" of hose on my pistol grip grease gun. You really need a pistol grip or another kind of 1 handed grease gun. I put the cab up and and while lying on top of the pumps, chest up against the fuel/hydraulic tanks, reach your right arm with hose into the engine compartment. I think it was easiest having the fittings at 3 o clock. I marked my crank pulley at 12 o clock while doing this so its easier to find next time.

Before my 642 u-joint puked out, the two steering handles were shaking back and forth. Nothing drastic just a noticeable shake. At that time it didnt put 2&2 together and just wrote it off as machine age, I was wrong. It finally let loose about 1/3 mile from home while cutting wood deep in the woods. It sounded like a stick was stuck in the fan blade. I idled it home, and luckily it didnt take out the pump shaft or anything else but the u joint itself. Once it was repaired I couldnt believe how smooth the entire machine seemed to run. Meaning the joint was telling me it was time to grease her the entire time the handles were wobbling. Take note.

 

[wright const]

I think another member has used a double hose, so it was a total of about 1.5'? You really just need it long enough so you can reach the crease nipples and not keep pulling the hose off as you twist the grease gun to pump it full of grease. It's not easy to do, but can be done.

I told my wife i dropped a 100 bucks down there , I said while your arm is in there stick this on that grease fitting . Worked once, now she tells me were to stick the grease gun.

 

[Tazza]

I told my wife i dropped a 100 bucks down there , I said while your arm is in there stick this on that grease fitting . Worked once, now she tells me were to stick the grease gun.

Oh boy, that one cracked me up
I wouldn't even get my GF that close to the innards of my machine, if there was any talk of cash in there she would want me to get it myself.... Which i feel is a little harsh, but not un-expected.
Totally different story about driving it, she loves taking it for a spin.

 

[KarlB]

Oh boy, that one cracked me up
I wouldn't even get my GF that close to the innards of my machine, if there was any talk of cash in there she would want me to get it myself.... Which i feel is a little harsh, but not un-expected.
Totally different story about driving it, she loves taking it for a spin.

All photos from newy1234. Greatly appreciated. I do hope he doesn't mind I linked to them.

Is this what I'm looking/feeling for?


Using at least this much hose (need to find a coupling or two).


And it really looks like this? I mean, 3 fittings all in a row.


...karl

 

[Tazza]

All photos from newy1234. Greatly appreciated. I do hope he doesn't mind I linked to them.

Is this what I'm looking/feeling for?


Using at least this much hose (need to find a coupling or two).


And it really looks like this? I mean, 3 fittings all in a row.


...karl

That's what you are looking/feeling around for. If it has been worked on in the past, the grease nipples may not be in the same place.

 

[BobCat]

That's what you are looking/feeling around for. If it has been worked on in the past, the grease nipples may not be in the same place.

Just greased mine with the cab up laying on top of the hyd pumps going in from the left side. Used regular grease gun with no extension. Held tip onto grease zerk with one hand while pumping with the other. Spent more time finding and aligning them than it took to grease.

 

[hobbyfarm743B]

Just greased mine with the cab up laying on top of the hyd pumps going in from the left side. Used regular grease gun with no extension. Held tip onto grease zerk with one hand while pumping with the other. Spent more time finding and aligning them than it took to grease.

All photos from newy1234. Greatly appreciated. I do hope he doesn't mind I linked to them.

Is this what I'm looking/feeling for?


Using at least this much hose (need to find a coupling or two).


And it really looks like this? I mean, 3 fittings all in a row.


...karl

thank upu

 

[portsample]

Did the universal joint zircs on my 743B last week.
Here is the picture to prove it.

The Lock N Lube tip really helped. Digital camera was also useful to confirm that I'd gotten the tip onto the zirc I was trying for. Appreciate KarlB's decade old picture of the joint removed from the machine. That's all.