3550 pst front axle seal.

[teddybaham]

so ive been diligently going through this used tractor i bought with 600 hrs. ive replaced all fluids and filters, worn parts in shift linkage, suction screen, small repai to SSQA, battery replace, few cosmetic paint or broken plastic repairs ect. im down to the last few things on my list, AC filters, rear remote lever needs adjusting, and painting the rims. well i completed one front rim yesterday and re installed today. then i pulled the 1st lug bolt on the other side only to find oil on the tip. GRRR. removed the rest with same result and pulled wheel. moderate amount of oil stuck inside rim but had not dripped onto rubber yet and on hub. its either a really slow leak or just started. my best guess is its coming from the axle seal behind the flange. bearing feels good. leak appears to be slow, some of the gear oil had dried to a grease consistency. it just went out of warranty in May(of course). my dealer who's top notch and great said it would be a few hundred dollars to repair. i called Mahindra cooperate to ask about warranty since this was repaired previously under warranty. they gave me hope a regional rep might approve it so ill get my dealer to ask, all he can say is no. crossed my mind to just run it till after deer season since its slow, and fluid levels are within limits. anyone attempted this repair before or is it worth the few hundred to let dealer repair?

 

[Harry in Ky]

Is it worth a few hundred dollars? Only you can decide that. Anyone attempted this repair? Probably a few thousand people. Its not an uncommon occurrence at all. there are two seals in each final drive on most of these 4WD front axles (most of which are fairly similar in design) One on the axle flange and one where the spindle pivots when you steer. How they come apart may vary from one tractor to another but the basics are the same. In your case the Mahindra part number is 006504570D1. Mahindra lists it at $81. That seal is by far the easier of the two to replace. Remove the wheel, drain the oil, and remove the row of bolts. The axle flange assembly will come out as a unit, and can be disassembled from the other side. It's not brain surgery.

Is it a "must do" project? Again, your choice. With the wheel off can you feel any lateral movement in the axle flange? If not, then the bearings and such are probably not a problem, and it's only a matter of some fluid loss and related mess.

 

[teddybaham]

harry thanks for the reply, i did look at the parts breakdown today and saw the 2 seals you were talking about. as you stated i assumed it came apart as you described. prolly, not a must do because the fluid levels are fine, but we know leaks only get worse not better. but the older i get i find the things i take risks on usually bite me in the rear lol. a seal is cheaper than a front axle. i think a few hundred at the dealer might be worth it, i prefer diy but in this case if its more than a seal the potential to have to reassemble load on trailer and cart to dealer and potentially waste 0f $200 worth of seals.... has the potential to cost me more. bearings seemed ok

 

[teddybaham]

Took about 4 hrs, actually pretty easy job!

 

[svendawg]

Sure wish you would of done a video on this. I need to this on my 4550 and I can't find any video or good detailed instructions on how to do this. I have the service manual but it's not very helpful. Does anybody know if there is a video out there on the seal replacement on a Mahindra front axle.

 

[Harry in Ky]

It's hard to imagine what life must have been like working on things before videos.

 

[teddybaham]

i thought about making a video, hopefully there won't be a next time.

 

[yanmars]

4 hours of dealer repair here would be over $400 on the labor. Most everything around here is over $100 per hour now.

 

[teddybaham]

well gonna be a next time, my original repair is fine, but i damaged the hub i may be replacing it. video on what happened below.