Attachments to final drives

[Frank Maddy]

When attaching components to the final drive, there is a small gap between them. Do I go ahead and tighten, pulling the final drives in or should I put in a small washer? Tightening would be stressing the drive assemblies and/or axles or they may have spread because nothing was attached.
Thanks

[tnestell]

I have seen this when mounting my Woods 59. Had about 1/4" space. At first I just tighten everything up, but for the last 12 or so years I have used a piece of flat stock to fill the gap. I don't know what is best.

[tmays]

What components are you using? I've had that problem with a drawbar, but that was because drawbar was bent. Check to make sure final is not coming loose. Some implements are made to have drawbar brackets mounted in combination with the implement. If you are going to mount the implement with a gap, then use something to fill that gap

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

Frank, as Thomas asked, what are you attaching? Some items such as the Woods mower mentioned above are not intended to directly attach to the finals, but clamp to the drawbar brackets, using a piece of flat stock on the outside of the bracket.

[ShakerPrairie]

I have seen this when mounting my Woods 59. Had about 1/4" space. At first I just tighten everything up, but for the last 12 or so years I have used a piece of flat stock to fill the gap. I don't know what is best.

I have the same situation with the mule drive of a new Woods 59. The mule drive is 5/16" too narrow. Coincidently 5/16" is the thickness of the flatbar brackets welded to each end of the mule drive cross tube, which makes me wonder if someone got mixed up on their math/measurements when they cut the tubing for the crossbar??? There was no way that I was going to tighten that up enough to try to pull everything together so I used a piece of 5/16" x 3" flatbar as a spacer.
2 different horseshoe drawbars and a swinging drawbar all fit between the final drives as they should so it isn't a problem with the Cub.

[tmays]

I've never used a 59 mower, but I did look at manual for Woods 59 C-2. It's states that drawbar brackets are to be installed on each end of mule drive. They get clamped to mule drive same as the 42 mower. That should take care of gap