3320 Leaking Wheel Hub

   / 3320 Leaking Wheel Hub #1  

MikeyB

Silver Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2006
Messages
134
Location
Parker,CO
Tractor
JD 3320
I have a 3320 with a leaking front wheel hub. I moved snow in very cold CO temps a put it in the shed. Next day, a nice puddle of low vis fluid on the shop floor. I wiped it up and checked again today with no more leakage (axle still has plenty of fluid). I have noticed pressure and or suction in the axle when removing the fill/dipstick plug and I think this is the reason for the leak.

Has anyone found and/or converted their axle plug to a vented type? I would much rather try this before tearing apart the front axle.

Thanks for any info,
Mike
 
   / 3320 Leaking Wheel Hub #3  
i just posted a very similar event. Check my post on wheel seals below. My fluid was at a normal level too. I'm going to wait for spring and see what happens.
 
   / 3320 Leaking Wheel Hub #4  
I have never heard of so many having this issue before, but now it seems like it is almost every day that someone else does.

I had this happen recently as well on my 4115. It was never that much oil leaked out, but still not what I want. It has been colder than anything we have experienced for a long time here this winter, and tons of snow. I believe that having the front axle be in the snow a lot while plowing or blowing and with with the temps this cold for so long, it just contracted the metal just enough to allow the pressure that builds up in the axle housing to force the oil out past the seal. Now that it has been above 10 degrees at night, I haven't had anymore leaking when using it. I was going to have it picked up and a new seal put in and everything else checked in that final drive, but see no reason to rush to do so now. I'm glad that my dealer wasn't able to get me right in now. Probably saved me a lot of money in both repairs and lost revenue, at least for now anyway.
 
   / 3320 Leaking Wheel Hub
  • Thread Starter
#5  
My axle has leaked very little lately. I have the dipstick sitting loose on top of the axle when it is not in use. I got a Surplus Center catalog in the mail and found a few vented caps/plugs that might work but
I can't determine the correct size. Measuring with my calipers it appears to be 1/2" but I can't determine the thread. A 1/2" npt plug fits perfectly in the axle hole but the threads are incorrect. Unfortunately, they
only have vented plugs/caps in NPT in the catalog so my search may continues!

Does anyone know the correct size and thread of the axle hole in the 3320 front axle?

Thanks for any help,
Mike
 
   / 3320 Leaking Wheel Hub #6  
I can't help you there, but I just had new seals and gaskets installed in mine on the side that was leaking. All new fluid too. It never leaked very much (more like weeping), but I don't want any leaks, and I didn't want to let it get out of hand either. Now I don't have to worry when I get into the dirt work this summer.
 
   / 3320 Leaking Wheel Hub
  • Thread Starter
#7  
I can't help you there, but I just had new seals and gaskets installed in mine on the side that was leaking. All new fluid too. It never leaked very much (more like weeping), but I don't want any leaks, and I didn't want to let it get out of hand either. Now I don't have to worry when I get into the dirt work this summer.

If you don't mind, how much did that cost? I don't have a trailer capable of getting my machine to the dealer but I am a mechanical type. I have not researched the seals and gaskets yet. Wondering if a shade tree mechanic could do it himself.

Thanks,
Mike
 
   / 3320 Leaking Wheel Hub #8  
If you don't mind, how much did that cost? I don't have a trailer capable of getting my machine to the dealer but I am a mechanical type. I have not researched the seals and gaskets yet. Wondering if a shade tree mechanic could do it himself.

Thanks,
Mike

I think you could. I just didn't feel like taking it all apart in this friggin cold we keep having. I paid about $450 with P/U and delivery, and all seals, gaskets, fluids and labor. Plus they went around and torqued all lug nuts and ROPS hardware and a few other little odds and ends.

The best thing though, was that they picked it up on a Mon morn, and were done by Wed afternoon. I had it back Thur morning at first light.
 
   / 3320 Leaking Wheel Hub #9  
Hiya,

To find the thread pitch:

US UNC/UNF standard, measure the distance between two peaks in decimal form and divide 1 by that number, the result is the number of threads per inch. for example, 1/.077=12.987 or 13 threads per inch

For Metric, the distance between peaks in millimeters is the pitch. Ex: M13x1.75

Tom
 
 
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