4x4 Kubota front axle/hub design - poor?

[jonyyuma]

Jay, would you be so kind as to add a Large arrow to the seal in question?I see it is quite a complex arrangement for the 4wheel drive. Thx. Jy.

I just found this - might be some help:

JayC

 

[Jay4200]

Jay, would you be so kind as to add a Large arrow to the seal in question?I see it is quite a complex arrangement for the 4wheel drive. Thx. Jy.

Its the one marked "A".

JayC

 

[slowzuki]

For at least some Kubotas there is an updated "A" seal. Its expensive and I couldn't source it outside Kubota. Lasts longer though.

 

[rbargeron]

The diagram JayC posted is from this thread. It's from the axle layout drawing like KennyV posted above. I had put letters A, B, C, D on and described the four seals a little and later on there's a post with the step by step for the seal job.

Further down there's a discussion about the axle design in general - that addresses JayC's first question about "front axle/hub design - poor?" I think the trouble goes back to when Kubota departed from the hub design that was supported at the top and bottom (double shear support).

Oil leaking out is a mess but leaking seals also let dirt and water in - so they should get fixed. Also, I've tried heavier weight oil and it still comes out, just slower. Grease might not leak out but there are a lot of moving parts in there and grease won't necessarily flow to all of them. Take care, Dick B

 

[Jay4200]

The diagram JayC posted is from this thread. It's from the axle layout drawing like KennyV posted above. I had put letters A, B, C, D on and described the four seals a little and later on there's a post with the step by step for the seal job.

Uh oh... I smell a copyright infringement lawsuit. Dang.

Hey rbargeron - can you give me any specifics for what to get in snap ring pliers? Straight, bent - what size ends, or whatever else I would want to use to pick a set?

thanks much - JayC

 

[slowzuki]

Any automotive store has HD snap ring pliers with interchangeable tips. I didn't have a set and I live well outside town so I ground the tips of a cheap pair of needle nose plier and slipped some handle extensions on to reach up inside the axle. I had to use my light bent nose pliers for one of the rings and they were barely adequate (had to cross the handles and try repeatedly to get enough travel at the tips to get it off)

The hardest part of the whole thing is the snap rings and cleaning. I had a dissintegrated ball retainer from one of the bearings spread throughout the knuckle.

 

[RoadHogg]

Any automotive store has HD snap ring pliers with interchangeable tips. I didn't have a set and I live well outside town so I ground the tips of a cheap pair of needle nose plier and slipped some handle extensions on to reach up inside the axle. I had to use my light bent nose pliers for one of the rings and they were barely adequate (had to cross the handles and try repeatedly to get enough travel at the tips to get it off)

The hardest part of the whole thing is the snap rings and cleaning. I had a dissintegrated ball retainer from one of the bearings spread throughout the knuckle.

Although not as convenient, if you buy snap ring pliers that do not have interchangeable tips, they are far stronger and easier to use. You will end up buying a pair for each size, configuration and location of each snap ring you need to access. I highly recommend not using the interchangeable type.

 

[jonyyuma]

Thanks guys for the in depth descriptions of parts and needed tools. I did refer to the older listing or posting which even had engineering of the front axle explained. I am so glad I found this group of Kubota orangetractor owners and operators...Jy.

Although not as convenient, if you buy snap ring pliers that do not have interchangeable tips, they are far stronger and easier to use. You will end up buying a pair for each size, configuration and location of each snap ring you need to access. I highly recommend not using the interchangeable type.

 

[slowzuki]

30$ set vs 120$ for 2 pairs for a one time job. I love fixed tip snap ring pliers, but I don't own a large set myself. Someday...

Although not as convenient, if you buy snap ring pliers that do not have interchangeable tips, they are far stronger and easier to use. You will end up buying a pair for each size, configuration and location of each snap ring you need to access. I highly recommend not using the interchangeable type.

 

[RoadHogg]

30$ set vs 120$ for 2 pairs for a one time job. I love fixed tip snap ring pliers, but I don't own a large set myself. Someday...

I hear ya, they aren't cheap. I've fought with the universal kind too much in my time though. The "real" kind are just such a joy to use. You can justify cost of tools by taking it out of the labour you'd pay your mechanic. :thumbsup:

 

[slowzuki]

Ha, you think I'd pay a mechanic!? Unfortunately I've ended up justifying 1000$ of dollars of tools that way. Some I love, some just sit.

I hear ya, they aren't cheap. I've fought with the universal kind too much in my time though. The "real" kind are just such a joy to use. You can justify cost of tools by taking it out of the labour you'd pay your mechanic. :thumbsup:

 

[RoadHogg]

Ha, you think I'd pay a mechanic!? Unfortunately I've ended up justifying 1000$ of dollars of tools that way. Some I love, some just sit.

That's just my point. :thumbsup: Why pay a mechanic for a job that you can do yourself with a small investment of your time and perhaps a tool or two? Besides, a job well done will give you a huge level of personal satisfaction.

Yes, some tools you buy you won't use very often but usually those are the tools that when needed, nothing will work as a substitute. Only $1000? You can't buy much of a mechanic's time for $1000. You're just not trying!

 

[Jay4200]

Yes, some tools you buy you won't use very often but usually those are the tools that when needed, nothing will work as a substitute. Only $1000? You can't buy much of a mechanic's time for $1000. You're just not trying!

I learned that lesson 20 years ago when I hired a contractor to repair rot around my front door. Pull door out - cut out and replace rot - put door back in - job was $350. He didn't show the first day, so I fired him. I bought a Milwaukee Super Sawzall to do the demo, and bought a new door. Did the job in half a day for the same $350, and got a new door and STILL have the same sawzall that I use almost every weekend. The rest is history...built my own house, fix all my own crap, yadda-yadda. Doesn't leave a lot of spare time though, so vacations usually involve changing roofs, landscaping, etc...(keeps the weight down, if nothing else).

Just the other night, my kitchen stove crapped out. I broke out my voltmeter and, after 10 minutes or so, tracked down the problem as a failed circuit breaker in my main panel. I swapped out the breaker, and dinner was cooking 5 minutes later for a total repair cost of $3 (actually zero, since I had a spare breaker laying around). The normal 'call the guy' type would've first bought a new stove, then after that didn't work and they figured out that there was a power problem, called an electrician. Would've taken a week of microwaving and cost roughly $800 to get that $3 breaker replaced. Not that I'm totally immune - I had a well pump failure at a rental property I own this summer and just didn't feel like driving over there, so I "called the well guy". I figured it was a dead pump, but it turned out to be the same failed breaker problem - cost me $300 for the well guys to jump the breaker. Ouch.

I figure I can buy a lot of really nice snap-ring pliers for the $500 I'll not be giving the tractor shop to change that stupid seal.

JayC

 

[slowzuki]

The thousand is plural. Many, many, many times plural. Unfortunately I know they are only worth a fraction of what I paid if I needed to unload them in a hurry!

That's just my point. :thumbsup: Why pay a mechanic for a job that you can do yourself with a small investment of your time and perhaps a tool or two? Besides, a job well done will give you a huge level of personal satisfaction.

Yes, some tools you buy you won't use very often but usually those are the tools that when needed, nothing will work as a substitute. Only $1000? You can't buy much of a mechanic's time for $1000. You're just not trying!

 

[slowzuki]

I do all my own work too, but my list has grown to hundreds of items long.

 

[RoadHogg]

The thousand is plural. Many, many, many times plural. Unfortunately I know they are only worth a fraction of what I paid if I needed to unload them in a hurry!

Ah. My mistake. I don't think I've ever regretted buying a tool, maybe only that I wish I'd bought a better quality tool but never the buying of the tool itself. If things go poorly for me financially, I can use my tools to pay the bills so I can't see ever having to unload them in a hurry. YMMV.

 

[RoadHogg]

I do all my own work too, but my list has grown to hundreds of items long.

That's the pitfall that gets me all too often. Knowing when to call on someone else to do the work. I'm getting better at it...baby steps.