OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Restoring, Customising and Modifying Ride-On Mowers Greenfield Ride On - Busted Drive Shaft

I have a Greenfield Anniversary 12-32. The drive shaft has sheared and I am in the process of removing it but could do with some help explaining how to remove this without dismantling the whole of the back end. I have managed to get hold of a similar model for spares and am dismantling both and trying to learn from the one I have for spares to work on mine.

The main difficulty I am experiencing is removing the drive shaft complete with drive plates, etc., from the clutch.

If anyone has any ideas or has tackled this job themselves, I would really appreciate any help or advice.

Thanks

We have had several detailed threads on this. I suggest you look at these, as a starting point:
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=20076&page=1
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/u...amp;Main=6920&Number=34937#Post34937

I think your Greenfield is the early long-shaft type, which is prone to breaking the clutch shaft after very lengthy service. This is the type described by Deadly Dave in the former thread, above. Most Greenfields have the short-shaft design, with the battery relocated to sit beside it. This is the design shown in the latter thread, above. I haven't heard of a clutch shaft breaking on a short-shaft machine, if that makes you feel any better, though it probably won't.

Hi Grumpy,

The first thread is absolutely spot on. It describes exactly the same problem I have had with my mower and I expect that I will be able to swap these drive shafts over now. There is also a reference to a place where one can get Greenfield parts which could be extremely useful in the future, if not a little costly on carriage back to the UK!

Just for the record, I have found this mower to be an absolute delight, cuts through anything (albeit clearly at the expense of putting too much torque on the drive shaft) and exceptionally manoeuvrable with its unique forward/reverse pedal (again probably a bit much on the drive shaft).

And final comment - Deadly Dave's description of the lubricant spray he uses as "Possum Piss" absolutely cracked me up - brilliant!!

Many thanks Grumpy.

Thanks for reporting back, Chris. Our archives are much more useful to people with problems, if the previous cases reach clear conclusions.

The early, long-style drive shaft appears to break after long service, due to excessive overhang and stress concentrations. The ones that have been breaking are more than 20 years old, which is probably a more-or-less reasonable service life I suppose. The failures we have seen appear to have been due to bending moment caused by the long overhang, not torsional stress, so I do not think the forward/reverse pedal is a significant factor.

Greenfield's service department has been helpful to several Outdoorking members, including one in the UK:
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/u...amp;Main=7439&Number=39215#Post39215
However, as you say, freight cost is likely to be considerable.

The various Greenfield ride-on mowers made over the years since the late 1960s have been interesting machines and seem to do a good job, though they have peculiarities that you need to get used to. We have a fairly substantial archive on them - if you search our records for "Greenfield" you may find some of the threads to be worth reading.