JD 4300 4wd front axle seal leak...need spanner wrench size

[dfkrug]

DF, yep, that's it.......do you happen to know the diameter pipe you used? I can
weld up one pretty easy, but getting a measurement inside that hole is almost impossible.

Sorry I do not remember the diameter, but it was a standard size. I used a set of dividers, the kind
machinists use, to get the size of the nut. Seems a shame to drive 1.2 h and have to buy a special
tool.

 

[MotorSeven]

Naaahhh, I'm a "Justified" fan...always wanted to see Harlan, and we are borrowing the tool, but I am going to measure it so I can make one for future use. We will mail it back to them. I will post up the measurement here so the next guy does not have to scrounge around.

All help was greatly appreciated!

 

[dfkrug]

Naaahhh, I'm a "Justified" fan...always wanted to see Harlan...

Yeah, I hear that Boyd Crowder is getting out of the slammer.

Show us what the "proper" tool looks like.

 

[MotorSeven]

Hear ya go........

We picked up the tool Friday morning, pulled the spanner bolt out of the axle with it & by Friday afternoon I had made a tool & even painted it JD green. The JD tool is 3 1/8" in diameter & it's in the pictures next to the "M7 tool" & the nut:

The JD tool w/nut in the teeth:

The "M7" with the nut in the teeth:

 

[MotorSeven]

The "M7" tool is 2 7/8" in diameter(OD). I used old broken round spring steel hay rake fingers for the teeth, flattened 4 sides on the grinder then cut them about 1" long. Welding teeth on the edge of a pipe is a pain, and it's not too strong, so I cut 4 slots in the pipe about 1/2" deep and as wide as the teeth(free hand on a 12" cut-off wheel). I inserted the teeth, then welded them on both sides, then ground off the excess. The teeth are 1/4" long & 3/16's wide.

I then cut off an old no name 1/2" drive socket and welded it to the cross plate. Then it was off to the paint shop(front yard).

 

[rekees4300]

Thanks for sharing the info. :thumbsup: My 4300 hasn't leaked yet but if it starts this thread will be helpful.

 

[dfkrug]

The "M7" tool is 2 1/8" in diameter(OD). I used old broken round spring steel hay
rake fingers for the teeth, flattened 4 sides on the grinder then cut them about 1" long. Welding teeth on the
edge of a pipe is a pain, and it's not too strong, so I cut 4 slots in the pipe about 1/2" deep and as wide as the
teeth(free hand on a 12" cut-off wheel). I inserted the teeth, then welded them on both sides, then ground
off the excess. The teeth are 1/4" long & 3/16's wide.

Wow, you sure went beyond the call of duty.

I know that if I ever need this tool again, I will not be able to find it. So I will just make another.

REKEES: maybe you will luck out and have one of the other types of JD hubs. There were several
different hubs on these 4300s, and some do not have this kind of nut.

 

[rekees4300]

REKEES: maybe you will luck out and have one of the other types of JD hubs. There were several
different hubs on these 4300s, and some do not have this kind of nut.

DFKRUG: Okay thanks. JD, it seems, did alot of experimenting/tweaking in the early development of the 4300s. Got mine in 2002 and so far, knock on wood, there have been no major problems.

 

[yama]

I'm in the process of doing this repair. Made the spanner socket and have everything apart. The one problem I'm having is pressing the inner half of the seal onto the hub. The seal is so tight that I ended up damaging one. Used a press and a piece of 4" PVC pipe. Does someone have any suggestions? The seal I'm using is LVU25945 and my axle is marked S20BZ107-1.

 

[dfkrug]

The one problem I'm having is pressing the inner half of the seal onto the hub. The
seal is so tight that I ended up damaging one. Used a press and a piece of 4" PVC pipe.

You are talking about the steel seal backer that you can see in my photo in post #8, correct?

A PVC pipe may not be stiff enough. You may need to heat the seal backer first, then use a 4" steel
or aluminum pipe. Steel is better. Oil up the inner surface first.