Ask the Mechanic

Steve Thompson, Contributing Columnist

READER: Can you tell me or show me what a bad damper looks like? I'm like many others, I have never changed the damper on my JD 4230, and I feel that I probably need to do so.

STEVE: Most of the time, it is hard to tell whether the rubber in the damper is flexible since the movement is so small. However, many times, the damper will come completely separated and cause other damage. The vibration and noise from this failure are usually easily heard. I have a picture of a damper from a 4010 John Deere that has a broken crankshaft. Notice how the rubber is not shaped the same in the damper.

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-- Write Steve Thompson at Ask The Mechanic, 2204 Lakeshore Dr., Suite 415, Birmingham, AL 35209, or email mechanic@progressivefarmer.com.

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