I sprung a leak

[Tigger]

It started while I was pushing snow. I first noticed that my wheels kept wanting to crab steer. Then I noticed a faint yellow line in the snow. Yup, hydraulic oil. But, it wasn't coming from any hoses. It was coming from the front end of the belly pan. Is it easy to remove that pan to get at the problem or do you need to get the unit on the hoist. It's a 2007 Model 5600 with hiflow hydraulics. Only about 480 hours on the machine I think because the **** hour meter quit working this spring and they want $1300 to replace the dash module. BS I say.

Any idea what lines run through the middle of the frame or could it be one of my drives leaking oil?
Tigger

 

[radman1]

There are multiple hoses/lines that run through the middle. The hydraulic valves could also drip down to the bottom. Boom cylinder is also in there. Hopfully it is just a loose fitting. Sometimes just finding the source is the difficult part.

 

[Spudgunner]

At the front of the TC, beneath the boom there is an access plate held in place by three bolts, IIRC. It's easily removed and you can look for a wet boom cylinder. In my case, the lower hyd port on the boom cylinder had a problem and managed to leak fluid like what you described. My 2007 has experienced a number of hydraulic leaks up front...every one of which was caused by a loose connection.

 

[melgibson]

Hopefully, the leak isn't coming from the front drive/transaxle unit (if so, you're looking at big $).

I'd be interested in knowing if it is leaking from the pressure release valve on the front drive/transaxle. Attached is a picture of that valve from the rear drive/transaxle unit, so you can see what the part looks like.

 

[Tigger]

Hi All,
The first oil leak was a loose fitting on one of the steering lines. The second leak that happened 1.5 hours after I got it back was a main line between the two drive /transaxles. They claim it wore through because 8 of the 10 mount bolts on the front transaxle were missing! (they never did show me which ones) I have no idea how that would happen because I had only put about 250 hours on the machine and it wasn't heavy work, just pushing snow. Oh and I got the bill each time - over $550 for the first oil leak and over $650 for the second go round plus my own trailering and time costs to haul it back and forth from the dealer who is 1.5 hours away. Then when I got it home, I noticed that the signal lights and four way flashers weren't working anymore. I checked all the fuses and they appeared to be alright but I was tired of messing with it so I put it for sale on-line and sold it in three days.. Trouble is, it was working really well for those three days so I must have got all the bugs out of it. Hated to see it go but I didn't have time to use it anymore since I have another business that keeps me very busy on a daily basis.

So, Make sure you check your transaxle mount bolts and hope that your dealer set up the machine better than my dealer did. Obviously, they didn't check it out much before they sold it.
Tigger.

 

[HL649]

Hopefully, the leak isn't coming from the front drive/transaxle unit (if so, you're looking at big $).

I'd be interested in knowing if it is leaking from the pressure release valve on the front drive/transaxle. Attached is a picture of that valve from the rear drive/transaxle unit, so you can see what the part looks like.

My TC has recently sprung a leak through the pressure relief valve on the gear casing for the rear drive motor (just like you describe). I am thinking it is probably a leaking seal on the motor saft. What was the cause of yours?