Joskin siroko weak shaft?

[ADbeefboy]

I have recently purchased a joskin siroko 5010/11v rear discharge muck spreader. It's approx 5yo but has done nothing as all the paint was still on the inside.
Has anyone had a problem with the front shaft where the idler pulleys for the floor chains run. I bent this shaft last week and replaced it with a new one (updated, supplied by joskin) it lasted for one day, one of the threaded tensioning rods also broke into 3 prices.
I'm thinking about fitting a bigger shaft and boring out the pulleys, possibly fitting hydraulic tensioner with an accumulator to absorb any shock loads.
Anyone's experience or thoughts will be gratefully recieved.

 

[Mursal]

Something else wrong, 2 shafts in as many days ..................
Did you check the floor doing a full cycle?
Slip clutch ..........

 

[Tommy]

Had a joskin spreader on demo a work, was a disaster really. Same problems as you, but not sure what broke first. Adjuster had broken, bed chain had snapped and the front shaft was bent. When we pulled it apart it looked like the shaft had been warmed up and straightened before. No one would admit to anything being wrong from the dealer but they took it back without much fuss after we had shown them the shaft???

 

[ADbeefboy]

Have used the spreader for a fortnight, first shaft bent because the chain jumped on one side so floor bar bent the shaft. New shaft seems to be much stronger as was reinforced with box section. Machine was fully checked by fitter before use.
I know of another machine that has had the same problem.
New adjuster rode were fitted and one of these shattered, there is virtually no give on these. In theory there should be no weight on idler pulleys at the front.
Should add the shaft is only 40mm in diameter.
Floor was running true when second shaft bent.

 

[ADbeefboy]

Had a joskin spreader on demo a work, was a disaster really. Same problems as you, but not sure what broke first. Adjuster had broken, bed chain had snapped and the front shaft was bent. When we pulled it apart it looked like the shaft had been warmed up and straightened before. No one would admit to anything being wrong from the dealer but they took it back without much fuss after we had shown them the shaft???

Seems this shaft is a weak point, I bought the spreader, repossessed, but it has done virtually no work. Seems a good machine apart from this shaft. Think we can beef it up further and improve tensioning of floor chain.

 

[Mursal]

I see they have hydraulic tensioners available you might be able to get ideas from them, accumulator is a good idea.
Can you use a spring instead of just a nut on the manual adjusters, might help?

 

[ADbeefboy]

I see they have hydraulic tensioners available you might be able to get ideas from them, accumulator is a good idea.
Can you use a spring instead of just a nut on the manual adjusters, might help?

Got one days spreading left, think I'll get contractor to do it and put some thought into shaft and tensioner. I do like the hydraulic tensioner as both sides will be connected so equal pressure, gauge visible from tractor should make it fool proof!!! Still need to examine why this new shaft bent though!

 

[joe soapy]

Chains or slats have to be hanging up on something.
on the bunning the rear shaft gypsies do all the work, there is no load at all transferred to the front.
We run the chains quite slack, otherwise when laid up for a few weeks the rust on the chains will tighten them up unacceptably .tight
I would be searching everywhere the chains run back to see if there is something catching

 

[ADbeefboy]

Machine thoroughly checked, there's nothing underneath that chains or slats could catch on. The only time I can see weight being on the front is if floor is reversed. Operator swears he didn't reverse floor, he was previously told not to, it's the only way I can see load being put on front though. Shaft does look light for the job, should still stand floor being reversed!

 

[Monty]

I wouldn't tension the chains really tight if I were you. They should be run with some slack in to prevent rapid wear of the chain and stress in the front bushes/shaft/tensioners. I think the shafts on bunnings, k2 etc are 50mm but still struggle to see how you can bend one. It's a 2 chain machine right? The 4 chain spreaders should have a 3rd tensioner in the middle

 

[joe soapy]

Machine thoroughly checked, there's nothing underneath that chains or slats could catch on. The only time I can see weight being on the front is if floor is reversed. Operator swears he didn't reverse floor, he was previously told not to, it's the only way I can see load being put on front though. Shaft does look light for the job, should still stand floor being reversed!

Think you have the answer, not sure what can be done to prevent it happening again, short of fitting
a one way valve in the hyd pipe

 

[ADbeefboy]

I wouldn't tension the chains really tight if I were you. They should be run with some slack in to prevent rapid wear of the chain and stress in the front bushes/shaft/tensioners. I think the shafts on bunnings, k2 etc are 50mm but still struggle to see how you can bend one. It's a 2 chain machine right? The 4 chain spreaders should have a 3rd tensioner in the middle

Yes it's a 2 chain machine but the body will be narrower as the bunning. I'm seriously considering fitting hydraulic tensioning set up, simple to mark pressure gauge to pre set pressure, should be fool proof and keep both chains at exactly the same tension. Chains aren't over tightened, there is a wee bit slack underneath.

 

[bez]

Might be overkill but could you retrofit a Bunning shaft instead of the joskin original?

 

[Monty]

Maybe this is the solution. A compression spring in the tensioner so it has a bit of give in it. The front of these look very enclosed. I wonder if some muck/obstruction is getting sandwiched between the chassis and shaft causing it to bend??

 

[joe soapy]

Yes it's a 2 chain machine but the body will be narrower as the bunning. I'm seriously considering fitting hydraulic tensioning set up, simple to mark pressure gauge to pre set pressure, should be fool proof and keep both chains at exactly the same tension. Chains aren't over tightened, there is a wee bit slack underneath.

Dont see what you are trying to achieve.
are they flat link or anchor type chain?

 

[Grassman]

Machine thoroughly checked, there's nothing underneath that chains or slats could catch on. The only time I can see weight being on the front is if floor is reversed. Operator swears he didn't reverse floor, he was previously told not to, it's the only way I can see load being put on front though. Shaft does look light for the job, should still stand floor being reversed!

As @joe soapy says I would fit a one way valve if reversing the bed will cause damage.

 

[Mursal]

Do a few days on it yourself, see whats going on ..........................

 

[fieldfarmer]

plug your bed chain return oil into a free flow return not the spoolblock , no chance of the bed going the wrong way now.

 

[ADbeefboy]

I'm trying to modify the front of the spreader so the shaft doesn't bend. The floor drive has a free flow return, to reverse you have to swap hoses via qr fittings on the drive motor. The Spring damper seems to be the system joskin are fitting on new spreaders.
Chain is anchor type, overall the spreader seems well built apart from this shaft. Must be a weak point as heard of 3 that's done it.

 

[ADbeefboy]