1980 John Deere Trailfire Resto for first time

[mark288]

Hey guys im new to this website...and im 14 i just bought a 1980 John Deere Trailfire 340. Paid 50$ for it....sat outside for 15 years. I cant get the rear aluminum shaft out of the suspension to grease it. Anybody got some tips or something? Also the siphon hose in the gas tank that gets the gas at the bottom of the tank out, rotted and broke off....any way to replace it? is that 1/4 inch fuel line? And one final question for now- i have a bent jackshaft or so i think. It is the one that is attached to the secondary clutch and the brake rotor.

I will try posting pics tomorrow.
Thanks guys

[Liquifire84]

Welcome aboard. The aluminum shafts can be a bear. Try not to gaul them up or you will end up drilling them out. A good press works well and lots of penitrating fluid. As for the tank. The gromet can be pulled out and replaced. You will want to get a new gommet and fuel pickup screen and some good tygon fuel line. I cant remember if it was 1/4 but sounds correct. As for you jack shaft you could have bad bearings. But who knows it could be thrashed. Cant tell with out looking at it. Good luck and have fun. There is lots of excellent help here. Your also going to want to get familiar with the JDParts.com site. You can look at the parts explosion there and some things can still be ordered there.

[johnnycyclone]

Mark, welcome to the site, you are definitely in the right spot for information. Here is the best way I have found to remove those tough shafts, with a couple of simple tools

1. Remove the upper arm with the frozen shaft from the skid.
2. Place in vise with the shaft in the vertical position.
3. Heat the shaft that you want removed. I usually use a small propane torch used for soldering pipes, because I don't own a full blown torch setup. If you have one of those be careful not to overheat the shaft and melt the aluminum.
4. As you heat the shaft spray some penetrating oil (WD40) on the end of the shaft. I usually heat and spray WD40 periodically until it runs out the bottom, but that may not be necessary.
5. Let the shaft cool down.
6. Stick it in the freezer overnight. You may want to get your parents permission before doing this. I usually have to ask my wife, which doesn't seem to mind too much.
7. The next day, remove it from the freezer, thread a bolt into the shaft you want to remove and hit it with a hammer. The bolt will protect the end of the shaft from becoming damaged. If it move then great keep hitting it with the hammer. You can then uses whatever is handy to keep driving it out.
8. If it doesn't move you may have to repeat the process.

I have had ones that literally fall out, and other that take a couple of time heating and freezing. Others have used other methods and maybe they will chime in here and let you know what has worked best for them. I do it my way, because I don't have all the correct tools to do it right.

How do you know your jackshaft is bent? You will probably have to remove it and roll it on a flat surface to find out if it is bent. If you can tell just by looking at it, then you may want to find out what caused it to bend. Let me know if you need one, I think I have one you can have, just let me know.

Terre

[mark288]

I am going to get the jackshaft off tonight. Thanks for the tips guys! One more question- How do i know if my crankshaft seals are bad? And- The motor is kind of hard to pull over not alot hard but are these motors high compression?

[JDT]

"sat outside for 15 years"

The seals are bad!!!

[Liquifire84]

I agree with JDT. Just replace them you wont go wrong doing it. It may be a tight motor still or its full of water and rust. Pull the plugs out and pull it over and peek in each opening. Could even have rodents living in there. Keep digging in and looking sounds like a fun project for you.

[mark288]

I had the sled running the day i bought it off of starting fluid...yes i know thats very bad...but the track engaged and everything. As for the jackshaft when i ran the sled the bearing was frozen so it wore the edging of the jackshaft...this ones been beat to crap to so i will replace it

[mark288]

Thats a picture of where i found my trailfire....everthing has been sitting for 15 years.
He wanted to much for the liquifire....


Under the hoood of my trailfire




Thats after i pressure washed it.


There it is currently

[mikehjd]

By the looks of the stripes on the hood that is an 1981. If it says 80 on the sticker that means its an 81. What ever year it says on the tag go up one year. Sleds were built the year before they were sold.

[JDRIDER]

Are u replacing the decals or gonna try and save them?
J rad

[Liquifried]

Another technique I have found useful in removing the shafts without damaging them is a slide hammer. Two man operation. You will need to weld on a nut to a pair of large vice grips. Take an 1 - 2" bolt and thread into the shaft. Lock vice grip over bolt and then thread the slide hammer onto the vice grip nut. Take the swing arm you want the shaft removed from and put in the vice. Start to heat the swing arm with a torch. Once it is hot, start using the slide hammer to pull the shaft out. This method saves the shaft by pulling vs pressing or hammering, which can cause the aluminum to mushroom. Once they start moving, you will get them out. More torch and PB blaster.

[mark288]

Havnt been online in a while...since the last time ive cut and rewelded a different piece for my shaft in the suspension. and just yesterday i painted my hood. I will post pictures in a while probably tonight. Thanks for the replies!