M59 front drive shaft leak.

[rScotty]

rScotty-funny you should mention the front axle pivot adjustment.
Last fall I made that adjustment on my B3030 at the 400 hour service.
It took about two full turns to tighten it up on my pampered tractor.
Now I have a seep -hope I don't get shot down for using UDT.
UDT is/was original fluid for this unit.
Did not notice any difference going over bumps.
Thanks for reading!

D
I've tightened mine down 3 times so far. Surprised that you didn't see any change over bumps with that much play. Do you have a loader on it? On mine, tightening the front pivot completely eliminated a sort of clunk-clunk I was hearing and feeling through the steering on bumps. But tightening things up doesn't eliminate it forever; the slop comes back every few hundred hours....or maybe I'm just more particular now because I know I can get rid of it so easily. First time I adjusted it took a couple of turns. After that, only a flat or two

I didn't mean to say that I thought UDT - or any other oil - actually causes a leak. I just think the axle input shaft seal is in a real dirty location - which means the seal is going to wear sooner and as it does then the thinner UDT type hydraulic oils will splash up to hit and maybe seep past a slightly worn seal. I wouldn't think that thick and viscous 80/90 wt. gear oil would do that as much....at least that's my guess. But if the axle pivot allows enough fore/aft movement I'd also imagine that would tend to pump a few drops of oil past the seal regardless of the type of oil. At least that's my theory. As near as I can tell from talking to other mechanical types, so far there's about as much evidence supporting that theory as against it so it sure isn't proven true. As a theory it's still at the stage of sounding more like religion or politics than like science. But at least the theory is good old dumb mechanics rather than politics or religion, so eventually we will know. Time will tell us.

BTW, my M59 came from the dealer with New Holland Multi-G 134 in the hydraulics, tranny, and the front axle because that is what my dealer used when he did the first service on all Kubotas. A year or two later I drained out a few quarts ofthe Multi-G from the front axle (to remove condensation and particles)... and replaced those quarts with 75-90wt gear oil. So far everything works fine, but that could be dumb luck or since our M59 was one of the first ones I like to think it was screwed together right.

BTW, I think your B3030 and the M5200 are both going to be classics. Not as sure about the M59....it maybe should be a classic based on innovation, usefulness, and reliability - but the other thing a classic needs is enough numbers for broad popular support and they just haven't sold many M59s. In that respect it's kinda like the Boomer 8N I'm afraid. But dang! What a pretty tractor that Boomer is even if it didn't sell many! No, I don't have one. In fact, have only seen the Boomer 8n once, and that was years ago at the MF/NH dealer.
Liked it though....
Enjoy, rScotty

 

[mike69440]

rScotty-funny you should mention the front axle pivot adjustment.
Last fall I made that adjustment on my B3030 at the 400 hour service.
It took about two full turns to tighten it up on my pampered tractor.
Now I have a seep -hope I don't get shot down for using UDT.
UDT is/was original fluid for this unit.
Did not notice any difference going over bumps.
Thanks for reading!

So I decide to Check the pivot on my 2000 Hr L39.

I do not recall if I ever tighened it up. I was not really loose, 2-3 flats to snug it up. that good i grease a lot.

But i did notice a bad tie rod end.

#TD030-13700. ASSY ROD, TIE. $148.73 WTF, Kubota is taking pricing lessons from Komatsu?

PS anybody interested in:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...44-upsized-hydraulic-clyinders-loaders-2.html

 

[number two]

rScotty & mike-thanks for your feedback!

I do have a loader and have a 60" box blade on for rear ballast for any loader work.
When I made the adjustment,as soon as I backed off the adjusting screw one hex a drizzle of UDT ran out.

Kind of surprised me as I thought I was doing a good thing for the tractor.
I even used an inch-pound torque wrench for tightening torque value.

Once again,thanks for reading!

Good Luck!

 

[rScotty]

When I made the adjustment,as soon as I backed off the adjusting screw one hex a drizzle of UDT ran out.
Good Luck!

What?? Yikes!! Near as I can tell, there shouldn't be any way for UDT to get into that pivot. Hmm....is there a zerk for that front pivot on the B3030? If so, I suppose someone could have shot oil into that zerk fitting thinking they were doing it a favor. And if that happened there is a wee bit of space where a couple of spoonfulls of oil could hide. But seeing oil drizzle out would be about the last thing I'd expect twhen making that adjustment.
I've got an idea, though....
rScotty

 

[Hersheyfarm]

I tightened my front end as well. Neither bolt or locknut was very tight.

Anyways, I absolutely have either a driveshaft leak or a main shaft leak on the tranny. It drips only after use, mainly out of the weep drain. Any Ideals how to tell which it is? I have a cable camera I may send up the weep drain if it will fit. Either way it looks like tranny and motor need to come apart to fix so until it gets really bad I will just add fluid.

 

[Ken]

So I decide to Check the pivot on my 2000 Hr L39.

I do not recall if I ever tighened it up. I was not really loose, 2-3 flats to snug it up. that good i grease a lot.

But i did notice a bad tie rod end.

#TD030-13700. ASSY ROD, TIE. $148.73 WTF, Kubota is taking pricing lessons from Komatsu?

PS anybody interested in:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...44-upsized-hydraulic-clyinders-loaders-2.html

I am working on a L3600 and your comment on tie rod made me wonder. Just purchased a TA040 13740 RH tie rod for $198.33 +in bound freight of $15.32. This is the right side with the adjustment screws.
Now there is considerable difference in pricing .

The owner of this tractor never tightened the front bolt and so the front housing TA040-12003 at $727.70
also the 32751-13600 Holder assy $175.87 the assy containing the "Bolt" at HTA01-13500 $ 125.30 Then the oil seals in Hub TC230-13040 AF12 $62.39 each.
And another seal in hub AD02 $25.48 ea. whole bunch of "O" rings Bushings and replacement of broken bolts came to total $1672.39
So there should be reminder in Bold RED to make sure this bolt is properly checked.
Also not mentioning the Labor cost.
There is a "O" ring seal in each Assy so this is method to keep lubrication from housing when flexing to moving losing oil.

Also there is mention of Kubota going back to older type seal for front of propeller shaft into the front gear shaft could the poster of this give numbers of old and new seals?

The case casting is L200 so must be used for several types/ sizes of tractors.

ken

 

[number two]

Thanks for the reply rScotty!
The B series does not have the grease fittings for the pivot like the larger tractors.

Apparently the front axle sump provides the lubrication for the pivot?
I've seen here that BX owners have the same issue.
I have stared at the parts list and there appear to be o-ring seals at each side of the axle.

It's weird that making this normal adjustment created a leak.
Kind of bummed me out really!

I'm OCD enough that I may have to repair this after I semi-retire,should that actually happen.

Once again,thanks for reading.

 

[rScotty]

Thanks for the reply rScotty!
The B series does not have the grease fittings for the pivot like the larger tractors.

Apparently the front axle sump provides the lubrication for the pivot?
I've seen here that BX owners have the same issue.
I have stared at the parts list and there appear to be o-ring seals at each side of the axle.

It's weird that making this normal adjustment created a leak.
Kind of bummed me out really!

I'm OCD enough that I may have to repair this after I semi-retire,should that actually happen.

Once again,thanks for reading.

Yeah, I took a look at the parts blowup on Messicks. But still can't force myself to believe that Kubota would lube that axle pivot from the oil in the axle. For one thing, the pivot bushing angular velocities are all wrong for oil to be the preferred lube; it needs grease there. However, if they did make that mistake, then it should be easy enough to plug up the source of the oil and then drill the bushing holder for a proper zerk.
luck with it. I'd do the same as you - just check and add oil until I had the time and inclination to look at it in detail. Might go to a more viscous lube, though.
rScotty

 

[number two]

Thanks again rScotty for your thoughtful reply and research!

I agree to address the issue at some point in time.
Since I'm 70 hours into the fluid hours of service life,I'll stay the course as it's not really leaking much,just an aggravation.

I had some leftover UDT to use up otherwise I may have went with gear oil.
Maybe some other B owners will take a run at adjusting their pivots and give us their feedback?

Once again,thanks for your time!

 

[Adiredneck]

What?? Yikes!! Near as I can tell, there shouldn't be any way for UDT to get into that pivot. Hmm....is there a zerk for that front pivot on the B3030? If so, I suppose someone could have shot oil into that zerk fitting thinking they were doing it a favor. And if that happened there is a wee bit of space where a couple of spoonfulls of oil could hide. But seeing oil drizzle out would be about the last thing I'd expect twhen making that adjustment.
I've got an idea, though....
rScotty

Hersheyfarm:

I have the exact symptom on my L5240. I get a couple of drips out of the clutch drain after shutting down the machine, but my driveshaft cover also has several drips and when I pulled it off to split the tractor, there was oil trapped in the cover. I do however add UDT to the front Axle. I check and top it off once a month or so.

The transmission SUDT never goes down. Others have suggested that I replace the output shaft seal while I had my machine apart, but only having 50hrs on the machine since it was done by the dealer I bought it from, I am hesitant to mess with the seals. With the fluid loss in the front axle, It is highly likely that the pinion seal is bad in the front axle. Whenever I check my front axle, a hiss of air comes out as I turn the plug out. I know it is under pressure. Maybe fabricating a vent for the fill plug is in order.