#201

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Please subscribe to our channel here: kzbin.info Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Just search for "Purple Collar Life" Check out our older videos for more information about our John Deere 2210, tractors, chainsaws, firewood, RV camping, rural living, lawn care, and more!

[@FromSteelToWood]

Well done Chad! As you said, it's a great community we are in to share such useful information. That video will benefit other tractor owners. Not only JD owners, as I am sure this kind of fan setup is quite common. Thanks for taking the time to show us how to do it. I know making videos underneath a tractor is adding to the challenge! Lights, focus, angle, etc.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks! I'm hopeful that the video can help someone else out. You're absolutely right that filming under the tractor can be a challenge. :)

[@FromSteelToWood]

I've done 2 series of videos covering the overhaul of my small Bolens and my Case 430 for a total of 31 videos. Many of them in those conditions! Lol!

[@fitch8363]

The fan splitting approach works. Good job on that. I know a 2210 owner. He's right next door. His U-joints failed at about 50 hours more than you have, so be advised, your turn with that problem is coming soon. If the U-joints aren't greased, it will happen, it's just a matter of when. It is absolutely not necessary to split the tractor to remove the drive shaft. You do have to remove the floor pan, which your cab makes more difficult, but then disassembling the U-joints, which is simple to do, allows removal of the drive shaft without splitting the tractor. There are several U-tube videos showing that process. You can buy replacement U-joints from NAPA, part U410, which have the grease fitting in the bearing cap so you can make provision for greasing them by providing access holes with removable caps. In addition to being grazable, they are about half as expensive as the untreatable John Deere parts. There are videos showing that as well.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks for sharing! I definitely have never greased those u-joints on my machine. I know it’s a ticking time bomb at this point. I can’t believe that there was a design like this that didn’t allow for routine maintenance of a wear item.

[@driverjamescopeland]

Finally got around to mine again today. Tip: 10mm nut driver bit... much easier to line the bolt into the hole using your fingers without the extension. Once you get all 4 of them started, you can go back around and tighten with ratchet/extension. If you don't know, a nut driver looks like a socket, but has a hex shaft sticking out of the back to fit screwdriver/nut driver.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Excellent tips! The nut driver is a great idea.

[@driverjamescopeland]

@PurpleCollarLife - The only thing I've learned from this 2210, is that I still hate John Deere 😂

[@twinbrookacres]

Great video! I recently replaced the fan on my Massey Ferguson sub-compact tractor last year. It was a difficult job, but I had people tell me it is easier than the orange and green tractors. After watching your repair, I agree! I was able to remove my driveshaft. That is the difference, primarily. The most difficult parts on my repair were removing the driveshaft (rusted) and properly installing the new fan (little room to work). Thanks for sharing, Chad! - Rick

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks for watching, Rick. It was probably the most difficult DIY project I've done with my tractor. Installing the grapple, the 3rd function diverter, and the cab - all pretty easy compared to replacing this fan. But I'm glad I gave it a try myself instead of spending all that money!

[@warrenlange6106]

Thank you for such a game-changing video. Mine jfan ust broke. I might look to see if anybody has designed a printed part. Otherwise, I'm following your lead. Thank you again!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

You are welcome! Keep us posted. Thank you for leaving a comment. Every time someone clicks the like button, leaves a comment, and subscribes - it helps our little channel grow.

[@warrenlange6106]

@@PurpleCollarLife Your method worked great. I also modified the guard with expanded metal and now the fan is fully protected from sticks jamming in there. I used a grease needle and lubricated the main drive shaft in both places. Hopefully I will not have to replace that anytime soon. Thanks again.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

@@warrenlange6106 Awesome! I wish I had done the grease needle on the drive shaft.

[@TS-sx3rf]

What a good job. Lots of research is a good thing. I learn alot from your video's.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Glad you like them!

[@sartainja]

Great presentation. I have a 2305 and worry about this issue. Slept better after watching your video.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Glad it helped!

[@botabob]

Good job - good video explaining your thought process to make the repair. I was missing three fins off of my BX HST fan - I ran it that way for years - I decided to replace the fenders on the BX because they were literally falling apart ( crappy plastic fenders) - so I replaced the fan at the same time - it’s a job for the novice home owner. Part of the problem is not knowing what you need in advance of starting the project. And when you live out in the country, the store is not right around the corner. Good job

[@PurpleCollarLife]

You're absolutely right. I didn't have the flex extension, a wobble, or a universal. I looked at multiple stores and lucked into a 1/4-inch drive universal at an auto parts store (NAPA).

[@sassafrasvalley1939]

I did the same repair on my Kubota BX24.... then I bought the BXpanded Under Armor shield. It is vented and totally protects the underside. And, because mine connects to the mower lift arms, changing it is a 3 minute breeze... the bonus came when I found it would fit my new BX23s! I think they make them for JD’s too. But, haven’t looked. You did a great job of detailing the repair... and a great job of editing around all the muttered curses and grunts from all the ups and downs from getting on and off the creeper!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

That's awesome! I've looked at the BXpanded website, and it doesn't look like they make the under armor shield for my John Deere 2210. Bummer!

[@volvoben2]

@@PurpleCollarLife Bro-Tek makes a plate for the 2210. Only disadvantage is that it doesn't work with the mid mount mower I think, but that shouldn't matter much in your case.

[@sharpshooter012345]

Job well done & saved bunch of $

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks! Yes, I was thrilled that it worked out that I could do the project myself. We appreciate you watching and commenting.

[@FloridaDeere]

That is a super cool idea on cutting the fan and slipping it in. Even if it lasts only a year, you are way ahead of time and/or money on the "real" repairs. On the 1023E and 1025R, they now come with a oil cooler that is mounted to the radiator and cools the hydraulic oil. Only sub-compact with that feature I believe. So hopefully I'll never be in this boat, but if I am this is one of the best shortcuts I've ever seen. Great video.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

I've heard that the newer Deere sub-compact tractors have the oil cooler for the hydraulic oil. I think that's a great idea. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@k6outdoors]

What a pain in the rear. You'd think they would make that more serviceable so you wouldn't have to split the tractor for something so simple. Great video and now it can get back to work

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks! It was a difficult one. And it's amazing how many times you need your tractor when it's out of commission! All week long I kept having projects I wanted to do, but couldn't.

[@ram61469]

Very good video. Mine is making a card in the spokes sound when I back up. So if mine is broken I will definitely use your guideline video here. Well done sir!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks for watching and letting us know. Keep us updated. The method we show here certainly is the method I’d use again. So far, our fan is working great!

[@MJADoingStuff]

Glad to see you were able to fix it yourself feels good to save money☀️😁👍

[@PurpleCollarLife]

It certainly does. It got a little stressful at times when I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get the old fan cut, or get the new one bolted in - but I’m really happy I did it myself. Like I’ve said in a few other responses to comments - we probably would have had to do without the tractor for a little while as we saved up for the repair. I don’t have $1500-2000 sitting around in a “tractor repair fund”. :)

[@tractorrookie]

Awesome! Way to save money!!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Definitely! Thanks for watching!

[@joelongrid7625]

Nice work. Difficult situation to be contorted in but you made it work.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks, Joel! It wasn't easy - I certainly felt my age trying to work on my back in a confined space! :)

[@livingrural7980]

Excellent savings on this DIY repair.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Absolutely. Thanks!

[@2210tractor]

Hi Chad, I feel your pain! My 2210 developed a rattle that sounded like it was coming from the engine. It’s so compact in there that you really can’t see much. I debated taking to the dealer because of the cost so I offered my nephew and his son the job. They jumped on it like rabbits. Before I knew it they had split the tractor and found the u joints on the drive shaft were shot. After following the advice of several KZbinrs I went to NAPA and bought theirs. The guys couldn’t make it fit. It looks exactly the same as the JDs but they are just too big. So I ordered the whole drive shaft from JD at close to $500. Of course, the fan was broken as well so that got replaced as well. They did a really good job of cleaning everything up and putting it back together. I started it up and the rattle is still there. Now they’ve decided it must be the water pump so they’ve spent the last few days tearing all that apart and I ordered a water pump from Amazon and of course it’s not the right one. Now I guess I have to go back to JD and the get the parts from them. I’ve spent the last few weeks chasing all over trying to get parts like belts, u joints and mower deck parts but I always seem to go back to JD. My tractor was a repo so the salesman wasn’t sure what year it is but I’ve had it for 13-14 years. I don’t know what I would do without it. I’m 77 and that tractor is my muscle on my 5 acres. Sorry this is so long but just know that you are not alone. I don’t know about other makes but JD seems to make these machines unserviceable. I’ll be watching to see where your adventure takes you. I’ll let you know if we get my rattle fixed. Good luck!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Hello! Thank you for the information on your tractor. I’m afraid I probably will need to replace the driveshaft in mine before too long (hopefully not for another year or two). It’s great that you have your nephew and son who are capable of doing the work! I’d still be afraid to split my 2210. It just seems like it is beyond my skill set, or at least very intimidating! Such a bummer that the rattle is still there, but at least you know the driveshaft and fan are good now! :). I don’t know what I’d do without my JD2210 either. It’s a great machine. Can’t wait to hear your update on what you find with yours. Thanks for sharing! Looking forward to having you follow our adventures.

[@2210tractor]

Hi Chad, the guys finally got the 2210 up and running and the rattle seems to be fixed. After waiting for parts to come in by bits and pieces and returning some of them that were not ordered, they finished yesterday. I’ve lost track of how much I’ve spent on all this including what I paid for the labor. They put in the new water pump (almost $500) and so far nothing is leaking or rattling. We didn’t get a gasket with the pump so we made one out of cardboard. It feels so to good to have my tractor back in working order. I hope you get your issues solved soon. Best of luck!

[@derevenskayazhizn]

Хорошая работа 👍

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thank you, Victor! I wasn't sure if it was going to be a task I could complete by myself. I'm not a mechanic and only have basic mechanical aptitude. But I'm glad that I was able to get that new fan on and hopefully the tractor is back to 100%. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@photocontrol]

Great job replacing the fan yourself! That is a substantial savings avoiding deal repair cost on the labor! The fan shield could use an extension on it to help prevent future branch intrusion. Cheers!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks! I agree about the skid plate / shield. I would think it could still allow airflow in the sides if it had a little more protection up front, but I'm not an airflow engineer. :)

[@RCAFpolarexpress]

Good evening Sir, Very well done Job mon ami 😊👍 You just save yourself a great amount of money and you learn is the same times 👍😊🧐 Keep up your great works and have a nice week end 😊👍 CHeers 🍻

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks 👍

[@RCAFpolarexpress]

@@PurpleCollarLife 👌🍻😊

[@reesegary]

Nice fix Its amazing, what we can figure out, when we want to save a thousand or so dollars. Good work my friend 👍🇺🇸

[@PurpleCollarLife]

You got that right! Not only did we save a thousand or so dollars - we didn't really have a thousand or so dollars to spend on tractor repair at this time. So if it weren't able to be fixed by me, it may have had to sit for a while. Thanks for watching!

[@HomeWithTheBuffingtons]

Got to love engineers who do not think about maintenance or repairs. sometimes they have to but sheesh a zerk fitting that is not serviceable? Chad you did an amazing job. I wonder how many people use a lift for working on their tractors? I am NOT going to be comfortable working in confined spaces like that.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

It was a tight squeeze for sure. Having a lift would have been much better.

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? You know if you use your tractor like it was meant to be used, things will break!!! That's what they do. You handled this breakdown very well. Even with the first estimates of the high cost for repair, you stayed on track and came up with this method for a fix. I think it was a benefit too that all the blades broke off. That probably made it easier to cut the old blade off!!! Cutting your fan in 2 pieces looked to be a good solution too and probably won't affect the performance of the blade. I have one blade broken on the fan on my Massey Ferguson GC2300. I never bothered to deal with it as I thought missing one blade wouldn't affect the cooling a great deal and it didn't seem to cause any balance issues either. So having cut your fan in 2 probably won't cause balance issues for you either. Nice video and thanks for posting!!! Take care!!!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks for watching! I was pretty nervous about doing the repair myself. I always wonder about getting the project partially done, and then getting stuck. What happens if I get the bolts out, but can't cut the fan off the drive shaft? What if I can't get the new fan on? What if I get 1/2 of the fan on and can't get the second half on? I know that in the end, I could still just take it to the dealership 1/2 way done. But I'm so glad that I was able to figure this out. Lots of great help from the emails and comments from the KZbin viewers!

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

@@PurpleCollarLife Feel good about a job well done buddy!!!

[@MyClutteredGarage]

Nicely done, Chad. That looked pretty challenging with the limited space under there. The “purple” line was a nice touch 😄👍

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Hi Ed. Yes, that was my most difficult project on the John Deere so far. Installing the cab and the 3rd function diverter were more simple projects.

[@AkDadStuff]

Heyhey Chad I was wondering when this video was coming. I was gonna shoot you a message and ask but here it is. I am glad you got it fixed and I hope it holds up. Take care my friend

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks, Mike. Yes - I was about a week without my tractor while waiting on the part to arrive and having time to dig into the project. But it seems to be working great now!

[@samb4678]

Good thing it is fixed!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks, Sam. For about a week having it out of commission was a struggle. That's when you realize how much you use and need the tractor!

[@khtractors]

Great job! It’s definitely worth trying it this way!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

I’d recommend it to anyone in my situation. Although, the advantage to splitting the tractor would be the access to the drive shaft to replace those universals or at lease grease the fittings. Thanks for watching! Hopefully my cut-a-part fan holds up over the long haul.

[@RockhillfarmYT]

Nice choice on repair methods

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks, Brock! Does your larger Deere use a fan like this, or have a hydraulic oil radiator?

[@RockhillfarmYT]

@@PurpleCollarLife it has a radiator for the hydraulic fluid I punctured it and had to replace it.

[@ritterjon]

💥 Best description ever!! Pac-Man mouth it open. 😂😂😂 *Keep on tractoring!*

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks! I wish that method would have worked and I wouldn't have had to cut it completely. But the plastic wasn't flexible enough to open the PacMan mouth!

[@KingsOutdoorLife]

Nicely done. 👍Those type repairs are a real pain in the .......well everything. It will be interesting to see how long that can blade lasts after being split. 🤞

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks! I agree - the experiment actually starts now - to see how long that fan holds up after I cut through the body of it. I hope that with 4 supports and 2 bolts on each side of the cut, the structural integrity holds up for a long time.

[@RailfanS1]

Nice work. When I bought my used 2305 from the dealer last fall it came pre broken, so when I noticed I put it back on the trailer and took it back to them. They reluctantly fixed it at their cost, the service manager even tried to tell me that the fan was only there to keep debris from building up on the transmission… just the other day I ordered a mesh guard that goes in place of the factory shield from some guy on eBay, but unfortunately the ones he makes only fits the 2305s. I had no idea the 2210s were so different underneath, you really did have to work to get that in there.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks for letting me know your experience. I don't know if I'd trust that service manager any more! Just for debris. That's funny. I wonder if that's the same mesh guard I've been considering off of ebay. I only saw one, I think it was about $120 if I recall correctly.

[@Gareth96v1]

Do you have a link for that fan guard? My google fu isn't working... After seeing this I may bite the bullet and get a guard. Thanks

[@RailfanS1]

@@Gareth96v1 Hi John. The ebay seller i bought my guard from is named "enventive". He doesn't have anything listed currently, but as he makes items he list them so you'll just have to keep an eye on his account.

[@watershedoverlook]

Wow Chad...way to persevere! I'm a KZbin DIY University student as well! And the purple line...nice touch!

[@watershedoverlook]

Oops...didn't mean to plagiarize Ed!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks! I never even thought about the purple Sharpie, but it’s funny that you and Ed commented on it. That’s the one I keep in my tool box because for some reason, the purple marker ink lasts longer in the sunshine than black does. I use it to write the next oil change mileage on the little windshield reminder stickers that I put in my vehicles each time I change the oil.

[@PJ-si2po]

You shoed that there is more than a way to skin a cat. Goos job sir

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thank you! I was happy with the fact that I was able to do it myself and save a lot of money.

[@rockybrown7713]

Your best video yet Chad.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks, Rocky! I really appreciate that. I was never intending to need to do this repair and make the video, but I'm glad you liked the content. :)

[@MrCountrycuz]

Use a cable cutter to remove the bad fan. Or you can use a Rockwell oscillating cutter.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks!

[@prow6586]

Well done. Thanks for the vid and advise.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Glad it was helpful! We appreciate you watching.

[@M.Du4]

Good work Chad. Great job showing what is needed to complete and the step by step process. Now I'm wondering what cool attachment you will be buying with the savings from doing this yourself...

[@PurpleCollarLife]

You make an EXCELLENT point! I saved myself $1000-2000, I should get to spend that money on something else! Let me run that by the finance committee (Jennifer) and see how it goes. :)

[@M.Du4]

@@PurpleCollarLife I mean, it only makes sense to me. Best of luck!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

@@M.Du4 Unfortunately, the finance chairperson already read your comments and told me not to submit the request. :) She says we didn't have the money for the repair, and that's why it was a good thing I could do it myself. She makes a good point.

[@M.Du4]

@@PurpleCollarLife Ughh. Isn't that how it allways goes? Oh well, worth a try. Just keep making the great content! Love the channel.

[@bcampbe7]

Thanks for this video. I was under the tractor this weekend changing the oil and noticed my an blades were gone. Hopped on KZbin and found your video. Doing the swap now. How has the fan held up so far?

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Glad it helped! My fan has held up perfectly! I'm so happy I didn't pay more to hae it repaired, or try to split the tractor apart on my own. This cheap hack seems to work well. Thanks for watching and commenting! Keep us posted on your repair.

[@brandonchevy6772]

Good job and thank you for sharing! If I can add my 2¢ about a tool that would’ve shaved an hour, and be even more helpful in odd jobs then you could imagine, please do yourself a massive favor and buy a Dewalt brushless Oscillating tool. It’ll be under $100 and I PROMISE it would’ve made cutting that fan a 10-15 second job.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks, Brandon. I’m hoping I never need to do it again, but appreciate the tip. I have the Ridgid tool, but the area was too tight - couldn’t fit it in there. I wonder if the Dewalt tool is a little smaller? Cutting the old fan off was certainly the most time consuming part of the process.

[@Alan_Hans__]

Nice work on saving time and money on a shambolic design. I hope that you are going to add some more extensive guarding to prevent that happening again. The fan has now lost a lot of it's radial strength where you put the 2 cuts through and it wouldn't surprise me if the plastic fatigues and breaks relatively soon. I would have tried to only cut through 1 side fully and used the other side as a hinge which would have kept the fan at pretty close to full strength on that side and on the side you cut plate it with some plastic JB welded to the inside or something similar. IMHO car/tractor/truck designers should be made to work on what they design so that they can see the difficulties that people down the track face.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Hi Alan - I was hoping to cut through only one side, but the plastic just wasn't flexible enough to open over the drive shaft. I am looking for some type of additional protection for that area. Thanks for watching!

[@Gate28y]

Great ivideo!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks!

[@Wheelloader__]

Nice fix. 🚜

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks! I was pretty anxious about trying it- since the dealerships all said it's a very difficult repair.

[@peacefieldfarm_mn]

Nicely done, Chad. Thank you!! For taking the time to throughly explain your process. Have you been able to install some sort of guard so it doesn't happen again? I would have been so frustrated along the way but you calmly pushed through your frustration and got 'er done! Cheers!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks! It was a task for sure. I will certainly be extra careful now and watch for sticks when I'm working. I haven't found any good protection for it yet. There is a mesh guard available for the John Deere 2305 on eBay, but I've had another viewer say he tried it and it doesn't fit the 2210 models. I'm actually tempted to put the mid-mount mower back on just as belly protection! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@MrCountrycuz]

Just recently replaced a front seal on my right wheel .

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Was that a pretty straightforward repair?

[@OrangeismyNewGreen]

Great job Chad, those were tight quarters 😳, Purple Collar - purple marker 😉👍🏻, an M12 Oscillating Multi-Tool might have been useful also for cutting the fan out 🤷🏼‍♂️. BTW love your vintage signs 👍🏻, have a great weekend Chad 👍🏻

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks, it was a difficult task for sure. My neck and shoulders were stiff for a few days after trying to see and work in that tiny area. Some times I felt like a contortionist, trying to bend my elbows at backwards angles and fit my hand in tiny spaces. I didn't even think about the purple marker - it's the one I use to write the next oil change mileage on my little window stickers. Black actually fades off of those faster than purple. And thanks for noticing my antique signs! I enjoy my collection.

[@MrCountrycuz]

You can just cut it in two. The bolts are more that enough to secure it. I have a 2305 2008

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks! I wasn't sure if it would be strong enough if I cut it completely in half (or balanced). How different is the undercarriage of the 2305 compared to our 2210? I've heard the 2305 might be slightly easier to get to this transmission fan.

[@ArizonaKid]

Always a good video

[@PurpleCollarLife]

I appreciate that. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@BillyP55]

I think I missed it... did you get that zerk fitting greased? Nice job!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Hi! You didn’t miss it. Even with the fan off, I still couldn’t get the grease gun fitting up into the zerk. The angle of the universal in the driveshaft makes it impossible from anywhere underneath. I can’t see how anyone does it. I did see on some of the forums that some people cut a hole through the floor pan. I certainly hate to do that. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@ticklemeorange8328]

Nice $27.00 fix :)

[@PurpleCollarLife]

I was pretty impressed with myself. :)

[@davida.p.9911]

Too bad the fan isn't split from the factory. Or making the blades flexible so if they hit an obstruction, they won't break. But I guess common sense is above their pay grade...lol. Great work and great idea, Chad! 😎

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Hi, David. You’d think it would be for sure. I can’t believe they expect people to split the tractor or drop the transmission to replace this single part. It seems like there’s got to be a better way. Hopefully our video helps some other people with the 2210 or the 2305. Or even other brands (Kubota, etc.) with the same design.

[@MrCountrycuz]

You can rejoin it with superglue once installed

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Great tip!

[@gentile1947]

Have you changed the hydraulic fluid If so I know there is a spin on filter that’s part of the change but there is also a screen type that also needs to be removed and cleaned. Have you done this part of the hydraulic fluid change? If so can you explain where it is located and what’s involved to remove it from the tractor and if there is a gasket that needs to be replaced? Thank you!!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Hello, I've done the hydraulic fluid change once myself. The dealership did it the first few times. If I recall, the screen is under a triangle shaped housing/plate cover held by 3 bolts.

[@nodaklojack]

Have you tried a needle point grease fitting on a flexible gun hose?

[@PurpleCollarLife]

I have - I still can’t get into that fitting that is underneath the floor pan of the machine.

[@Gareth96v1]

I just got under my 2305 to lube the driveshaft and saw I have a few nicks in my fan.. Guess I need a better fan guard... BUT.. what worries me more is I noticed some play where the yoke goes on to the transmission spline. U-joints are fine.. Doing some googling it looks like that play just keeps getting worse till it causes bad vibrations and accelerates the wear on the the other bearings and rest of the system. So.. wondering what my options are for slowing/fixing the issue. Since the engine side is pinned to the engine spindle, I think short of getting a new driveshaft ($500+) the only thing I can come up with is maybe lengthening the transmission yoke by welding a 1/2" or so more on the end.. Which would require either moving the engine or transmission to get the driveshaft back on. Thoughts?

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Hi, John C! It's nice to hear from a fellow 2210 and 2305 owner. I believe there are lots of these great machines in operation every day. Bummer that you noticed some play on that transmission spline. I didn't shake mine around much to test for play - though I did twist it and check for loose U-joints. As you saw in the video, I took the path of least resistance in repairing my fan. And I'm not an experienced mechanic, so I'm not sure about the best way to repair. I do know that the dealerships I talked with seemed to prefer removing the rear of the machine to get into the driveshaft vs the engine side. Hope this helps. Keep us posted on what you do to repair. That repair may be in my future some day. Maybe make a video so I know how to do it. :)

[@larrykluckoutdoors8227]

I replace one on my JD riding mower. That also sucked

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks, Larry. It’s hard to believe that such a fragile part is so difficult to replace. I didn’t even complain about the $27 price on this small plastic fan, but the fact that the labor to install it correctly is so difficult really disappoints me. I’m really hoping that my split it and install it method works out and helps some other people who come across this video after having a similar problem.

[@michaelclinton7134]

Well done where there a will there a way to save money

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks, Michael. I just couldn't imagine paying upwards of $2K for replacing a $27 part. I'm glad I gave it a try myself and was able to make the repair. Now the question is - how will that fan hold up after being cut in half? I'm hopeful that it won't be an issue.

[@pvtser6334]

Hi....Is the fan still functional and ok?

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Still working great!

[@tommyfournier3138]

I can't find any forum posting of the printable fan you mentioned. Do you have any recollection of where you heard of this?

[@PurpleCollarLife]

I think I read about it on the TractorByNet forum, or maybe one of the John Deere forums. I did a quick search, and couldn't find the slice file or any 3D printing file for the fan. It seems like a great 3D printing option though - if you can find the file. Though, the molded part wasn't too expensive, and cutting through it wasn't too bad.

[@tommyfournier3138]

Thank you for responding, I really appreciate it!

[@dorito31561]

@@tommyfournier3138 Im looking too were you able to find it?

[@tommyfournier3138]

@@dorito31561 no, sorry. bought the real part and removed the shaft from the motor to the transmission.