Hydro pump bearing failure...what's next?

[Rangerbait]

Greetings,

I have a 2008 Cub Cadet Tank 54 and recently experienced a catastrophic bearing failure in the Hydro Gear BDP-12 pump. I immediately shut the mower off, and removed the pump. I opened it to discover that the bearing race had disintegrated and there was metal throughout the pump, with a hole in the housing, and scoring on several internal components. I have a new pump on order, but need to know what else I need to do to ensure any metal is flushed from the rest of the system. There is a common reservoir and filter, two pumps, and two drive motors. Thanks in advance!

 

[wdchyd]

At the minimum you'll need to pull off the corresponding hyd motor that is plumbed to the failed pump...... open, rinse/clean, inspect, reseal, lubricate, reassemble, flush hoses and reservoir

 

[Rangerbait]

At the minimum you'll need to pull off the corresponding hyd motor that is plumbed to the failed pump...... open, rinse/clean, inspect, reseal, lubricate, reassemble, flush hoses and reservoir

Was kinda thinking that was the case...since both pumps and both motors share a common reservoir/filter, reckon that means the whole system is contaminated?

I've seen a few sites that say diesel is a good rinsing agent...is that what's typically used?

 

[sd455dan]

Was kinda thinking that was the case...since both pumps and both motors share a common reservoir/filter, reckon that means the whole system is contaminated?

I've seen a few sites that say diesel is a good rinsing agent...is that what's typically used?

That's what is commonly used to flush out casting sand from some of the chinese tractors, not sure on a hydrostatic drive , although many of the chinese tractors have common sumps so the diesel is in fact circulated thru the hydraulic pumps.

 

[Rangerbait]

Wow, not a terribly active forum, is this?

I called around to several shops today, and got everything from "the bigger shops can just hook it up to a flushing machine, and you'll be good to go" to "you have to replace both pumps, both hydro drive motors, all hoses, and the reservoir". That puts the repair at almost $6k in parts alone, which obviously is a non-starter.

I really have no idea what to do...replace the $1,200 pump and pay a hydraulics shop $500-1k to take everything apart to clean it, only to potentially have it fail again and be right back where I am, only poorer...or just cut my losses and move on to something else. Bummer.

 

[xring100]

Do the pumps have the filter on the suction side of the pumps? If so it should filter out debris on the other pump and motor to prevent contamination. Actually no mater where the filter is it should prevent contamination of the other side. I dont know what to tell you about the side with the wheel motor and pump failure. It probably ingested the contaminants.
Does your hydro filter have a magnet in it? My tractor filters do?

 

[wdchyd]

I prefer kerosene if no solvent tank (mineral spirits/petroleum naptha).......but diesel will work

an issue I have found with some mowers is the pressures are high and reservoirs are too small, they tend to overheat the hyd oil too easily, which leads to premature catastrophic pump/motor failure

 

[Rangerbait]

Do the pumps have the filter on the suction side of the pumps? If so it should filter out debris on the other pump and motor to prevent contamination. Actually no mater where the filter is it should prevent contamination of the other side. I dont know what to tell you about the side with the wheel motor and pump failure. It probably ingested the contaminants.
Does your hydro filter have a magnet in it? My tractor filters do?

The filter is on the suction side of the reservoir, and caked with metallic silt. I have not investigated any of the downstream components yet, but it seems likely that the drive motor associated with the failed pump would also be contaminated.

 

[xring100]

I agree "It probably ingested the contaminants." I just dont know what to tell you about cleaning it out

 

[Rangerbait]

So...if I go the route of disassembling the other pump, and both of the drive motors, cleaning everything, replacing all of the seals, replacing the hoses, filter, and flushing out the reservoir, I'm looking at $1,700-ish in parts, and another component might fail due to damage incurred during this incident.