What lube is in your L3X30 front axle?

[Theowegian]

Both front axle lip seals have failed on my L3130 at 500 hrs. I am wondering if the bearings have also failed and induced failure of the seals.

My dealer will do the warranty work next week and then I'll find out for sure if the bearings are shot, too...

But the dealer wants to put SUDT back in after seal replacement. Is it possible that the SUDT that I currently use, is the root cause of the problem and that it is too thin?

from my memory:
SUDT visc 100 deg C ~9.0 cSt
80W-90 gear wt oil vis 100 deg C ~150 cSt

Im wondering if I should have used a true gear lube like 80W-90 wt in the front axle?

Thoughts anyone?

 

[john_bud]

I put SUDT in mine at 50 hours, or 4 years ago. No issues to date.
If the bearings failed, the wheels would be flopping around and making a nasty growling sound. I would put SUDT back in, but gear oil is spec'ed as ok too.

jb

 

[_RaT_]

"Both front axle lip seals have failed on my L3130 at 500 hrs"


Your tractor has lips?

 

[SkyPup]

I've had SUDT in our L-3130 front axle since new and it has 875 hours on it now, no problems.

 

[_RaT_]

Using hydraulic fluid makes draining the oil so much quickier. I don't see any advantage to gear oil. My L3830 has 600 plus hours and no issues.

 

[Theowegian]

Here's a photo of what I am seeing on the front axle...looks like a leak to me....

 

[_RaT_]

Here's a photo of what I am seeing on the front axle...looks like a leak to me....

To me, that is not an issue.

 

[Theowegian]

RaT:
Ive never had a MFWD tractor before so maybe this is normal and Im just overreacting...I just assumed it was a leak. Does your front axle look anything like this?

 

[SkyPup]

Not sure, but that doesn't look like a leak to me, the inside of the wheel is totally clean, you'd think if there were a leak it would be all over the inside of the wheel too. Looks about normal to me.

How much fluid are you actually losing? Be sure to leave room for heat expansion in the front axle by NOT filling right up to the fill bolt.

 

[SkyPup]

Here's a photo of what I am seeing on the front axle...looks like a leak to me....

The best way to insure that those seals last a long time is everytime you get finished using the machine, take a hose and spray off the top of that joint with water and get all the dirt and sand off and away from those seals.

Allowing dirt and sand buildup on those seals is NOT a good idea.