Oil & Fuel Oil Seal Left Front Axle Bevel Gear Case - L5450

[rbargeron]

.....I am concerned about one one aspect on how the assembly looks now......I would appreciate any comment(s)......

The gap does seem a bit wide. Look at Ken's #1 picture in the thread linked above. How does your top cap fit? Does the hub turn to the left and right freely? If the top cap is rubbing, there could be a shim or washer on the bottom that should be on the top?

 

[DonWheeler]

None.
No gap on the other side revealing any of the oil seal.

 

[Bigk56]

Don,
I will look at my tractor when I get home from work today but, I don't remember having that kinda gap. Here is a pic after my assembly.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...ing-operating/76753d1179051704-l4350mdt-9.jpg

When you torqued the big nut on top of the kingpin to pull everything together did you follow the book for correct torque specs. When I put mine together the nut ended up in exactly the same place as when I removed it. Same number of turns and indentation lined right up.
Ken

 

[DonWheeler]

Ken,

I replaced this seal through the bottom.
I never removed the large nut on the top of the shaft.
I removed the two large bolts that go through the top cap casting and let the front axle case drop down.
I then removed the large nut on the bottom of the shaft to get the old seal off and put the new seal on. (Reference my earlier pictures.)
Here's what I'm wondering:

When I reassembe every thing, put the wheel and tire back on, remove the jack that's holding the front axle up, and put the tractors weight on the front axle; I wonder if things inside the front axle case and bevel gear case will compress, or shift upward that 1/8 of an inch.

Any thoughts on that?

Thanks,
Don

 

[Bigk56]

Don,
I assume your tractor is kinda in the same position as my tractor in the pic in my previous post. If you grab the part the wheel bolts to and swivel the unit back and forth do you notice any slop or play? If you put a floor jack under the hub and gently lift up does anything happen? If you take the two bolts out of the top and remove the cap will the kingpin assembly/seal go up any farther then?

I would be leary of just putting the weight of the tractor on it first to see if the gap closes up. Something could be slightly misaligned causing you to break a tooth off one of the gears.

Ken

 

[DonWheeler]

It may be a couple of days before I am able to return to this oil seal dilemma.
I'll be attempting the suggestions mentioned.
Thanks for all the help, and I sure appreciate this forum.
Don in Maine

 

[rbargeron]

......... I wonder if things inside the front axle case and bevel gear case will compress, or shift upward that 1/8 of an inch.
Any thoughts on that?...

There should be very little vertical clearance in the axle stack. It it moves up that much with the weight on it, something isn't right.

Your post about taking it apart from the bottom gave me an idea - make sure that both parts 110 and 120 on the attached diagram are above the gear. If one was below the gear (or missing) it could cause the extra gap.

 

[DonWheeler]

Here's what I did over the weekend.

I had the 1/8 inch gap with the "B" side facing down, so I figured, what the heck, I'll flip the rascal over.
So I disassembled again from the bottom and then reassembled with the "B" side facing UP.
I still got an 1/8 inch gap.
About then, I'd had enough.
I took the tractor off the jack.
The weight of the tractor eliminated the 1/8 inch gap (where it was) and now created a 1/8 inch gap at the heavy duty cast cap with the two bolt holes in it. Please reference the attached picture.

The two items (110,120) you mentioned are present. They're little metal spacer/washer kind of gubbers.

I give up, and will run the tractor as is; unless any one else has some ideas.

It's as if the new oil seal is an 1/8 inch taller than the original, and that makes all the items/parts stacked on the vertical inner shaft an 1/8 inch taller than it used to be.

I give up, and will run the tractor as is; unless any one else has some ideas.

I appreciate the time and effort given by the forum members.
This is a great forum site.
Thanks,
Don in Maine

 

[rbargeron]

.......The weight of the tractor eliminated the 1/8 inch gap (where it was) and now created a 1/8 inch gap at the heavy duty cast cap with the two bolt holes in it........

Is there clearance in the holes? With the gap on top would the cap move down if the bolts were loosened?

 

[DonWheeler]

There is absolutely NO wiggle room related to the two bolt holes in the hefty cast cap.