L2550 Steering Shaft (u joint) Discontinued

sdb999

New member

Equipment
L2550
Aug 5, 2022
4
1
1
Southeast US
L2550 1987-ish. Steering relay shaft from steering wheel shaft to front steering box consists of shaft with u-joints welded on each end. It's toast...tractor is nothing more than a navigational hazard without it. Kubota claims NLA on this part 32420-16670 or 32420-16672. I need a source for salvage item in usable condition or source for u-joints and I can cut/weld. U-joints are same both ends, splined with split M8 clamp. Any ideas greatly appreciated.
 

PoTreeBoy

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L35 Ford 3930
Mar 24, 2020
2,344
1,179
113
WestTn/NoMs
Here's a link on measuring to determine what size you have NAPA. Then you can go shopping. Yours are probably metric, so dimensions may be different. You'll also need shaft sizes if you need yokes.
 

Edke6bnl

Active member

Equipment
B7800 Kubota, case 1840 Skidsteer Ford 3500
Mar 31, 2022
180
85
28
Agua Dulce, California
L2550 1987-ish. Steering relay shaft from steering wheel shaft to front steering box consists of shaft with u-joints welded on each end. It's toast...tractor is nothing more than a navigational hazard without it. Kubota claims NLA on this part 32420-16670 or 32420-16672. I need a source for salvage item in usable condition or source for u-joints and I can cut/weld. U-joints are same both ends, splined with split M8 clamp. Any ideas greatly appreciated.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/brg-014949 just one example
 

whitetiger

Moderator
Staff member

Equipment
Kubota tech..BX2370, RCK60, B7100HST, RTV900 w plow, Ford 1100 FWA
Nov 20, 2011
2,542
1,056
113
Kansas City, KS
L2550 1987-ish. Steering relay shaft from steering wheel shaft to front steering box consists of shaft with u-joints welded on each end. It's toast...tractor is nothing more than a navigational hazard without it. Kubota claims NLA on this part 32420-16670 or 32420-16672. I need a source for salvage item in usable condition or source for u-joints and I can cut/weld. U-joints are same both ends, splined with split M8 clamp. Any ideas greatly appreciated.
32420-16672 shows to be a good available part numberhttps://www.colemanequip.com/parts/details/KubotaParts/JOINT-3-SHAFT-AS/32420-16672/
 

sdb999

New member

Equipment
L2550
Aug 5, 2022
4
1
1
Southeast US
NLA from Kubota, yes Coleman (and others) will let you order and pay online.....only to have you call back 7-10 days later wondering when it's going to ship....THEN they explain it's discontinued forever and refund your purchase. Automotive suppliers might work, I'm searching now. The issue is they have to have a the specific spline configuration, these are not generic. Summit and others don't usually list spline size on their joints as they are usually smooth bore. Salvage yards look promising too. Still digging
 

Pau7220

Well-known member

Equipment
L3650 GST, Landpride TL250 FEL w/ Piranha, 6' King Kutter, GM1084R Finish
Aug 1, 2017
785
276
63
Scranton, PA
Kubota claims NLA on this part 32420-16670 or 32420-16672.
This is a very common steering set up before they went hydro, mine is the same style .
Does the one you’re looking for have 3 joints on it, or is it a double supersession?
Looks like you have your part numbers mixed up in the translation if that’s the case. Check again.
A673CE5E-4494-4E37-AA38-C570A33F44C2.png
 
Last edited:

19thSF

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
B2650, loader, MMM, pallet forks, tooth bar, rear blade, JD 318 w/plow, JD X350
Mar 1, 2020
398
120
43
Glendale, Rhode Island
L2550 1987-ish. Steering relay shaft from steering wheel shaft to front steering box consists of shaft with u-joints welded on each end. It's toast...tractor is nothing more than a navigational hazard without it. Kubota claims NLA on this part 32420-16670 or 32420-16672. I need a source for salvage item in usable condition or source for u-joints and I can cut/weld. U-joints are same both ends, splined with split M8 clamp. Any ideas greatly appreciated.
Hello SDB999,

These people claim to have a used one.

Good luck!

 

Pau7220

Well-known member

Equipment
L3650 GST, Landpride TL250 FEL w/ Piranha, 6' King Kutter, GM1084R Finish
Aug 1, 2017
785
276
63
Scranton, PA
there was a mid-production supercede
I hate when they do that. If the salvage doesn’t work out, the other listed shaft may be a candidate for a cut/weld.
You can also send a pm to 007kubotaguy to see if he has a salvage part.… click on the envelope in the upper right corner.
 

PoTreeBoy

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L35 Ford 3930
Mar 24, 2020
2,344
1,179
113
WestTn/NoMs
You might go to eparts.shop and call the guy. He has a shaft for the L3901 (I think) listed on eBay. He might at least sell you the u-joints.
Screenshot_20220806-114157-484.png
 
Last edited:

sdb999

New member

Equipment
L2550
Aug 5, 2022
4
1
1
Southeast US
Finally found a salvage yard shaft, it was bent and too long by 1/2 inch but was able to cut/weld the good u joint onto my shaft. All good now.

For future searchers:
  • L2550 variants do have slightly longer/short shafts...they may not be interchangeable
  • Spline is 36 at 16mm diameter
  • Connecting shaft is 16mm (5/8-ish)
  • The two u-joints are different. The forward u-joint is longer to allow assembly.
  • The u-joints are NOT in phase due to the steering shafts they connect not being parallel.
  • You will have to make provisions to match the phasing angle when rebuilding (I welded up a jig below) This set the overall length as well.
  • It can all be done without a lathe (although life would have been much easier).
  • I created a splice with 1" OD tubing through drilled at 5/8. Then finished to size with sanding cone.
Thanks for the help, S.
ps: browsing tractor salvage yards is gut wrenching with all the rollovers on display. Be careful, someone loves you.

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2.jpg
 
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