Axle fluid leak?

[moojamboo]

I own a Ford 1710 with 690 hours. I acquired the tractor from my father-in-law who was the original owner of the tractor since 1986.

This morning i noticed what appears to be a fluid leak from the front left (as sitting in the tractor) axle.

The axle looks dry but as you can see in the pic from the connection down seems greasy and there is a small amount of fluid on the tarp the tractor is stored on.

The tractor used to be stored outside and is now being stored in a garage. The weather is changing here and warming up. Could the weather have an effect on this "leak". I recently noticed a leak on the loader hydraulic bucket cylinder, both sides, yesterday. Could all three of these be connected to the weather or is it all a unlucky coincidence?

I've only had the tractor for three weeks. Are these type of leaks normal or should i be concerned? If i should be concerned what could be causing this fluid leak at the axle connection?

Thanks in advance

Matt

 

[LarryD]

It looks like it didn't just start with a tempurature change, but I could be wrong.
The front axle on my 33D has no pressure relief valve and it has been said on the forum to be very careful about not over filling the front axle because of this, I'll bet yours doesn't have one either. Try removing the dipstick and listen for any air relief. Also check the level. My manual says do NOT screw the dipstick to check levels.

 

[moojamboo]

I got a service repair manual for my tractor but it doesn't show how to take apart the Bevel Gear box. I believe this is where the leak is coming from. I am trying to figure out what part i need to order to repair this leak. Does anyone know if it is an O-ring or if it is another type of seal that needs to be repaired? I saw a post similar to this a few years ago but the actual repair part wasn't posted. i heard that the fix was fairly simple but i don't believe it is in my repair manual.

Any help you have is appreciated.

Thanks,

Matt

 

[jinman]

Matt, there are basically only two seals on your dropbox and vertical driven shaft with the steering arm attached. One seal is between the steering tower and the other is between the wheel hub and the dropbox case. Both are shaft seals and require a special NH seal driving tool for installation. The first seal on the vertical steering shaft is to seal the differential and axle from the drop box. THe final seal is for the drop box only. From the looks of your photo, I'd say your leak is coming from the differential rather than the drop box seal.

Your drop box has a filler plug and drain plug. If you remove the wheel, those should be easily visible. If you remove the filler plug, the oil should be right at this hole. If it is above the hole and flows out, it means the differential is leaking oil through the vertical steering column around the driven shaft seal. This is not uncommon and in some model tractors the oil is allowed to freely pass between the axle and drop box; so much so that the drop box filler plug has been removed on those models.

I would suggest cleaning this area very well with a good degreaser and get it nice and dry. Then watch and observe how much fluid leaks out and under what conditions. You may find that it's really not a bad leak and you can live with it. If it is too great, I would suggest letting your NH dealer do the seal repair because they will have the right tools and know exactly what the correct procedure is to get a good seal and ensure long-term success. This last summer when my tractor was sitting out in 100+ temperature, I noticed a small leak around my left front drop box. That leak seems to have stopped completely this winter and was only enough to collect a bit of dirt/grime like yours in your photo. I rate it as no big deal if I can watch it and make sure the oil levels stay in the operating range. If you park in a clean garage, you may have a different opinion though.

EDIT: Oh yes, I forgot to say that the cover for dropbox (behind the wheel hub) has an integral o-ring seal. I don't believe it is replaceable. If it fails, you have to replace the whole cover or come up with a satisfactory repair procedure. I don't know if this happens much or not.

 

[Jbrink64]

It's probably the swivel seal leaking. The replacement seal is a new design, to keep grit out of it.

There's no oring on the hub cover, just sealant. But that doesn't have to be removed for the swivel seal.

 

[moojamboo]

I have looked up in the parts catalog and it seems like it is #15 the oil seal.

i contacted my local dealer and they seem to think i can replace the seal without having to replace any other parts or taking apart this piece too much. does anyone know if there are any specialty tools i would need to replace the seal?

 

[Jbrink64]

I have looked up in the parts catalog and it seems like it is #15 the oil seal.

i contacted my local dealer and they seem to think i can replace the seal without having to replace any other parts or taking apart this piece too much. does anyone know if there are any specialty tools i would need to replace the seal?

You'll need a press plate, a little bigger than the seal. Press the seal into the final drive housing until the plate bottoms out. Don't hammer it in, that will damage the cassette seal.

 

[moojamboo]

Where might i get a press plate? are they commonly sold or do i need to make one?

thank you for your help.

 

[Jbrink64]

Where might i get a press plate? are they commonly sold or do i need to make one?

thank you for your help.

A universal seal/bearing driver kit will do. A parts store or tool place should have them. Or any flat plate that's a little larger diameter than the seal will do.

 

[moojamboo]

is there a special tool required to take the old seal out?