M5040,6040, 7040 steering joint

[Dave_eng]

For owners of M*040 and M*060 with cab.

There is one splined slip joint in the steering shaft that owners are not greasing and locally one has seized.

It is only visible with the hood open.

Dave

 

[SidecarFlip]

Both my M's are the same setup. Hard to get to with the M's but doable. Not much movement in it except from cab movement. I grease mine yearly, 2 pumps.

 

[Tx Jim]

Dave
Thanks for the "heads up". I didn't know that grease fitting was located there. With FEL installed I can imagine one needs to hire a "pet snake" to access the grease fitting.
Jim

 

[SidecarFlip]

Flex hose on a grease gun and a helper to actuate the gun trigger. A 2 person job. Very limited access but doable.

 

[lugbolt]

Yup.

Inconvenient to have to replace the stuff when it's shot too (due to lack of lubrication).

Similarly, the slip joints on a lot of the zero turn mowers. There are two. One between the motor and HST and one between the HST and mower deck. The short one (engine to hst), when that one gets stuck, it takes out the charge pump which takes out the rest of the transmission sometimes. IOW, expensive. Have done several-usually ZD221's but there are several hundred 221's out there in this area, mostly owned by the city and county (they mow the medians and parks with 'em).