4300 Tractor - front axle seal leak

[AzChopp3r]

Hi folks, sorry to revive such an old thread but I have a leaky seal on my 4300 I posted about it here :http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/parts-repairs/310404-jd-4300-mfwd-seal.html without any response so far probably because it is in the wrong area. I am in the process or researching this before I dive into it. I am fairly mechanically inclined and own all the proper tools, press, etc. just like to know what I am getting myself into before hand.



This is the MFWD that I have (S20BZ 107) and I have a leaky knuckle seal (#10)

Questions are:

Am I able to remove the 4 bolts and pull the entire knuckle/hub assy. off and place it on a bench? And in doing so would I need to reset the endplay again?

From what I can see, replacing this seal does NOT require pressing anything apart but replacing the hub shaft seal (#22) DOES.

So basically I plan to remove the 8 bolts holding #24 and remove. Remove cap #20 and split rings #19, #3. Remove spindle. Remove nut #14 and separate the two housings to get to the seal.

As for the wheel shaft seal, I need to press out the shaft #21 from the bearing and separating 21 from 24 to get to the seal.

What have I missed or where am I wrong? Anything else I need, sealant, etc.?

Thanks.

 

[defed]

i changed mine a cpl yrs ago, guess what, it's leaking again.

i don't remember exactly what i had to take apart, but i do remember having to borrow the special socket from the dealer to remove nut #14. i think everything was removed thru the bottom (cap #20), and maybe nut #14 holds the hub (#29) to the knuckle (#9). the nut is up in there a few inches, so the 'spanner socket' was deep. i think i left #9 on the tractor and just had the hub #29 off to get the seal in. when i get a chance, i'll check in the service manual since i have to refresh my memory for when i do mine anyway.

 

[AzChopp3r]

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it.

Looking at the schematic, it actually shows a total of 3 seals. #10, 22,33. Unbelievable what they want for these seals. Total for each side is $121.76. So $243.52 for the rubber seals for the front end of my tractor. Not including shipping. Wonder if NAPA can cross reference these.

 

[defed]

i probably still have the receipt for when i did mine. i think all i used was the seal at the knuckle (10) and the cap (20).

if you have the original style caps, try not to wreck them. my originals have a steel lip that hits the housing when you push them in. the ones i bought don't, just a rubber seal. while the steel lip doesn't offer much resistance to getting pushed up into the housing, the rubber seal offers none, and is a horrible design in my opinion.

i once was moving dirt w/ a box blade. i had made a pile, which i then straddled (90 degrees from the direction the pile was made) to grade it. apparently when the front end went over the edges of the pile, and sunk in, the dirt pushed the cap in, tilting it, and all my oil leaked out. i didn't even know it happened until i parked it and saw the puddle. probably drove an hr in 4wd w/ little front end oil.

 

[wrede]

I have not had a problem with the knuckle seal, that is, the vertical shaft that runs between the differential drive shafts and the wheel hub. I did have leaky wheel hub seals. There are two designs, and the serial number on the casting next to the dipstick determines whether the axle shaft is held on with a highly torqued nut, or snap rings. Mine is a 2001 model. When the first leak occurred, and I looked at the manual, I assumed that the snap ring on my unit would just pop off and I could pull off the bearings and gear. Forget it. It was quite a press load to get it apart. I had a 20 ton cylinder at the limit, and it wouldn't budge. I then gave it a rap with a big hammer. Bang! The old seal was a face seal running against the wheel hub surface, which left a slight groove. The new seal is a different design, no explanation from J Deere, with a two piece assembly where the inner and outer portions are a light press fit in the housing. The seal is between the mating two halves of the seal, not to the wheel spindle surface. I was nervous about putting the new design in place without instructions, but it has held up well, and I soon had to do the other side. I have about 300 hours on the new seals, and they're dry. If you need the repair manual, I have an e-file copy and could send it to you. Incidentally, the seals are very expensive, but also very special. I suggest you do an internet search to see if you can find them cheaper, but make sure you get the new design, as it seems an improvement.

 

[AzChopp3r]

Would need a manufacturer and part number to see if the seal is made exclusively for JD or it can be cross referenced. Im thinking I had better get my wallet ready....

 

[wrede]

I'd suggest checking online sources. I purchased my wheel hub seals at the local Deere dealer, and remember they were expensive. Again, the replacements I got are different than the original, in that the rotating oil seal is between the two seal halves, not against the hub or housing, as in the original.