7000 series differential question

[richp]

I have a 7016 I use just for plowing snow. I noticed only one tire is spinning and was wondering how to fix this. This style diff has always worked well for me and it's been years since I have had one apart.(can this style diff be locked? Most of my plowing is straight line)

[GLPointon]

It's a limited-slip diff so as far as I know it cant be locked but may need adjustment. The proceedure is in the owners manual.

I've never had to do one. If nobody gives you the specs here I can send you the manual if you PM me your e-mail address.

[TimJr]

The later style diffs are not "adjustable" like the old tractors with the set screw. However, the springs behind the pinions could be shimmed for more preload, which would make the limited slip "stiffer". If you have a lot of wear inside on the ends of the springs and gears, you could be down on preload. Or any broken springs could cause a lack of limited slip/posi. I have heard of people locking them up, but the only way I see it causes poor tooth coverage from one gear to the next. Some of the pullers out there might have some input on locking one up. Tim

[HubbardRA]

I prefer to shim the diff if I need better traction. I did my first shimmed diff 25 years ago when I was tractor pulling with a Simplicity. I started out with a lock diff, but it is very difficult to turn the tractor when on a surface with lots of traction. I came up with the shimming of the springs, which dramatically increases the traction buy still allows the tractor to turn on high traction surfaces such as asphalt.

To shim my diff I just used regular washers that I bought at a hardware store. If I remember correctly, I had to grind down part of the outer diameter so that the washer would fit inside the radius of the diff housing. One washer under each spring gave me enough friction to tighten the lug nuts with one wheel on the ground and one in the air.

If you want to lock the diff, that is very easy. There is a gear on the axle that goes to the left wheel. The gear teeth are off center since one side of the gear is used as a spacer between it and the gear on the right side hub. If you just flip this gear to put the spacer portion toward the left side instead of the right. This will move the gear teeth inward so that they intersect both the spider gears on the left side and the ones on the right side. In this configuration the spider gears cannot turn, so the diff is locked. The good thing is that it can easily be put back to the stock position, since no parts are modified.

[richp]

Thanks Rod, I had a 3112 many years ago that had that gear turned around to lock the rear. I might try it, if I can't steer it enough I will just shim it. I usually just use my walk behind snowblower but I broke my left leg hiking thanksgiving morning. I haven't been on here in years, glad I remembered my password.

[haykarenhardy]

I shimmed two differentials last winter and used metric washers (shims) from ace hardware, they fit without grinding.

Stan

[HubbardRA]

No grinding! Well, Stan, you know I always do things the hard way.

[Willy]

If you use the tractor for mowing I don't think I would

lock up the rear end, as you'll tear up your lawn.

I have all B series tractors, that have the two bolt on the

Right hand hub, so all I have to do is crank them down a little.