Leak from Hole in front axle

[OkieG]

<font color=blue>Sounds like you made a good cheap fix.</font color=blue>

While it lasted! [img]/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[OkieG]

Brazing sounds like the cadillac way to go. I have a few brass rods...just never have used them. Now would be a good time to learn.

OkieG

[normde2001]

I cheated....Looking at the pic with a jewelers "optivisor" I could see shrapnel protruding outside the hole, meaning it had to be hit from inside.

[OkieG]

I have been real uncomfortable with the idea of heating the cast iron. With no experience I don't know how much it can take before warping. With my thinking cap on, I thought of another idea.

This afternoon, I tack-welded a sturdy piece of rebar to the bolt head. The rebar was like a wrench handle and lo and behold, the bolt loosened! I twisted the rebar off and finished removing the bolt with vice-grips.

Then, the fun began. I've spent this evening dismantling the spindle assembly. Pictured is what was in the bottom of the spindle case....the remains of a bearing! The outer race is intact. I believe the broken metal is the remains of the inner race. The spindle shaft and bottom bevel gear are both torn up where they touched the bearing.

[OkieG]

With the spindle disassembled it is easier for me to see the hole was caused by something going on inside the housing. The cast iron has been dished out quite a bit where the bearing was. This picture of the hole is taken from inside the spindle case.

The hole is small enough to braze up pretty good, I think. But, I wonder if that thinned cast iron might cause trouble down the road. I suppose I could try to fill the "dish" back in with braze material. Do you think that would strengthen the casting enough or should I spend the money for a new housing? I haven't checked pricing yet. That may help me make up my mind.

[bgott]

You could repair that housing but unless they want an arm and a leg for it I'd replace it. To braze it you would just heat it with a torch about a half inch around the hole until the brazing rod melts at the hole. You can always stop at an auto repair shop and bum a casting out of their scrap pile to practice on. The bearing cup (race) will probably not be an interference fit any more, you can fix that by using a center punch to raise the metal all around the circumference of the area the cup rides in. Grind out the obviously high damaged spots and then hit it three or four licks across the face with the center punch and move over a quarter inch or so and do it again all the way around the housing. A machine shop could cut out the damaged part and sleave it back to where it's supposed to be and braze it up. I'll take a WAG and say for around $40 to $80. It wouldn't hurt to ask since you have it off. I'm more concerned about the root cause. What caused this problem in the first place? From the picture it doesn't really have a lack of lubrication look. How many hours does the tractor have on it? How hard would it be to look at the other side? It might have just been a bad bearing or misinstallation when it was built.

[jrlichina]

Check into this product, it's called castaloy. I've heard very good things about it.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.alumaloy.net>http://www.alumaloy.net</A>

[rdbrumfield]

Maybe it was dished a small amount by the breakage, but it is made that way in the casting.
The main thing to check is the roundness of the seat of the outer and inner race to sit in. If somehow the outer race is oblonged, I would replace the spindle housing. If the seats are OK I wouldn't worry about it, just take care of the hole.

[Anonymous Poster]

My vote is on rdbrumfield's reply. As long ad the bearing seats are ok, just seal up the hole. I suspect the casting would not be cheap. You might want to check your other side bearing as well.

[herbenus]

I'm way out of my league here. But if it was me I'd probably replace the whole thing as an assembly. And I'm not sure what that means. But when I see teeth sheared off and hole in the housing, I get concerned about what's damaged or bent that I can't see - what's going to break next. I guess I've just been burned too may times trying to save some money, and wind up spending more when I'm finally done.

But like I said: I'm out of my league and that's why I'd take the easy way out, although more expensive. Just my two cents worth - which ain't helping to solve the problem I know.

Good luck and great pictures.