4410 leaking front axle

Macdaddy · May 14, 2005

Hi,
Just got a used 4410 a month ago. Love it. Unfortunately today I noticed oil on the left side of the front drive axle. Clues:
from the drivers seat the lower knuckle (the part that turns) looked wet;
the outside of the left front wheel is oily.
The on-line JD parts catalog shows two seals: a $6 seal,and a $44 seal. Any educated guess on which one it is? Should I change both anyway? How hard is the job?
thanks,
Mac

beenthere · May 14, 2005

Welcome to the forum.
The manual on the CD for the 4000 series would be helpful for you to have, and give you some 'home' help with the repair. I find mine quite useful, and it covers the xx10 series.

However, I'd first check with the Deere dealer to see if there may be a warranty issue that might be covered.

chickenman · May 14, 2005

ive had the same problem with my 4310

and replaced bothe seals one i did myself>

sense ive realized it may not have been nessary.

take the wheel off and clean all the way around the seal use a peice of heavy twine and pull it around the seal area

sometimes sand or other forign objects can lodge in the seal and open it up

clean it real good and watch the oil level for a while, it may flush out.

if not post again and ill give you some pointers from my experience

Macdaddy · May 18, 2005

Thanks for the helpful suggestions.
I've bought a CD off ebay.
Haven't tried the string trick but it sounds interesting.
So what's the correct oil to refill the axle with? The JD manual says to use John Deere HY-GARD J20D or J20C oil or equivalent. What's an equivalent? 85/90 gear lube?
thanks,
Mac

JerryT · May 20, 2005

No!!! The front axle takes hydraulic fluid. Hygard is Hydraulic fluid.

Cactus · May 20, 2005

( No!!! The front axle takes hydraulic fluid. Hygard is Hydraulic fluid. )

The front axle on my JD 4400 takes a gear oil. The hydro is completely separate from the front axles.

Macdaddy · May 20, 2005

( No!!! The front axle takes hydraulic fluid. Hygard is Hydraulic fluid. )

It's a strange world this tractor place where gears and bearings are lubricated with hydraulic fluid and not gear lubricant.

I went to AZ and found it lurking in the corner, the big bucket full of water like viscosity fluid. Tractor fluid it said. I wondered if it met the JD spec's.......it did......then I realized the bucket was green with yellow letters...

No wonder the stuff leaks out. it's like water. what happens with gear lube?

RedHawkRidge · May 20, 2005

My 4700 leaked oil from the left MFWD, and the dealer fixed it. I dislike the oil because it is expensive, and is nearly invisible on the dip stick. It is JD's Low Viscosity Hygard (JD24D). The manual says you can use the older and thicker JD24C Hygard, and can mix the two types. My dealer claims one reason JD went to the thin hydraulic oil for its front drive is for convenience -- using the same oil in the hydraulic/HST transmission system. Sounded like hogwash to me. At $9/gal or $44/5-gal pail, I'd rather use a conventional oil like 80W90 and tolerate the "inconvenience".
The farm supply store stocks an equivalent to 24C at $13/2.5gal, but nothing comparable to 24D. Next, JD will probably help their bottom line by changing the interval from every 200 hrs for swapping out the 8.8 gals in the hyd/trans to every 25.
jim

keeney · May 21, 2005

I changed the seals on my JD 4100 front axle myself after it was leaking.

It was an easy job until I got confused about the order of assembly on a thrust washer and it _almost_ fit back together, but I could tell something was wrong. Took it apart and back together three or four times.

As long as you keep the oil topped-off and don't mind the drips, its not a super-urgent thing to fix.

Strange that they wouldn't just use gear lube in the front axle. My 4100 spec'd 80/90 gear lube. Maybe the lower viscosity oil makes less drag on the front when 4wd is not engaged? Less turf damage?

- Rick