Impressed with this tractor to date especially the FEL and hydraulic strength but i fear this has caused me to damage the front diff.
After 10hrs of play i was getting exited at the power of the little beast so i decided to really test her and dig out/push over a fruit tree that i thought was dead.
Turns out the root mass was a lot bigger than i expected so ive had to really work the ground to get it to budge.
Ive used too much up-pressure on the bucket as it was under the root-ball whilst pushing forward then to make things worse ive turned the wheel to try to get a bit more movement and 'zzzzzzzzzzzzzzrrrrrrrrrrr' something has given. Hard to describe the sound but it was like a whirring noise.
Anyway immediately stopped all throttle and movement and went 'oh s*!t'
With machine in same position placed back in gear and no drive to the front wheels at all.
Straightened wheels and pressure off bucket and drive back to wheels.
Tested it around some sharp corners, boggy sand etc and no real issues, drive is there but once again under similar front stress, angle, etc... the drive is lost at the front wheels, minus the abrupt grinding/whirring sound.
Just done the 50hr service and pulled off the front right hub to inspect as when the event occurred i thought the sound came from the right side.
No apparent damage to the bevel gears or the vertical bevel shaft, and interesting that the shaft isnt held by a circlip, it just sits in the case and can be pulled out with 2 fingers.
What i did find though was some fine metal fragments but nothing unexpected from a diff but did find some small linier shards which im concerned about.
My next move would be to work back along the drivetrain to see if i can see any damage.
Has anyone else experienced this in their machines?
My service manual recommends 80w90 gear oil but the oil i drained from the diff was 75w140.
I'll put my hand up and say it was reckless operating on my behalf and im still kicking myself for being so careless.
After 10hrs of play i was getting exited at the power of the little beast so i decided to really test her and dig out/push over a fruit tree that i thought was dead.
Turns out the root mass was a lot bigger than i expected so ive had to really work the ground to get it to budge.
Ive used too much up-pressure on the bucket as it was under the root-ball whilst pushing forward then to make things worse ive turned the wheel to try to get a bit more movement and 'zzzzzzzzzzzzzzrrrrrrrrrrr' something has given. Hard to describe the sound but it was like a whirring noise.
Anyway immediately stopped all throttle and movement and went 'oh s*!t'
With machine in same position placed back in gear and no drive to the front wheels at all.
Straightened wheels and pressure off bucket and drive back to wheels.
Tested it around some sharp corners, boggy sand etc and no real issues, drive is there but once again under similar front stress, angle, etc... the drive is lost at the front wheels, minus the abrupt grinding/whirring sound.
Just done the 50hr service and pulled off the front right hub to inspect as when the event occurred i thought the sound came from the right side.
No apparent damage to the bevel gears or the vertical bevel shaft, and interesting that the shaft isnt held by a circlip, it just sits in the case and can be pulled out with 2 fingers.
What i did find though was some fine metal fragments but nothing unexpected from a diff but did find some small linier shards which im concerned about.
My next move would be to work back along the drivetrain to see if i can see any damage.
Has anyone else experienced this in their machines?
My service manual recommends 80w90 gear oil but the oil i drained from the diff was 75w140.
I'll put my hand up and say it was reckless operating on my behalf and im still kicking myself for being so careless.