Broken bolts on front axle

[dirtymartini]

Just got my 4047 back after losing it in a divorce. I had a thread going on the trailers and transportation section.

Upon getting it home I wanted to give it a good grease and inspection. When I got to the right front I found this, three out of the five bolts holding the front drive to the axle were broken. Has anyone separated the drive unit from the axle? Is there just a splined drive shaft running through or is there more to it. I thought if I separated the drive I could get at the broken end instead of laying underneath and trying to drill, then easy out.
Any advice would be appreciated. Here's some pics.

 

[zzvyb6]

One of the more interesting ways to deal with this I have seen was a guy welded a new (smaller) bolt section to the broken off internal sections. The heat released the rust & corrosion and an impact wrench pulled out the broken pieces. No need to disassemble. The other option is with 'easy-outs' punched into a carefully drilled centered hole in the broken studs. But you still need to release the rust. Shock heat works the best.

 

[airbiscuit]

Any guess on how that happened

 

[ultrarunner]

Not having easy access to a welder I have had success with liberal use of penetrating oils followed up with a left hand drill bit.

As the left handed bit bites it applies force in the same direction needed to back out the bolt.

 

[Asteral]

Just got my 4047 back after losing it in a divorce. I had a thread going on the trailers and transportation section.

Upon getting it home I wanted to give it a good grease and inspection. When I got to the right front I found this, three out of the five bolts holding the front drive to the axle were broken. Has anyone separated the drive unit from the axle? Is there just a splined drive shaft running through or is there more to it. I thought if I separated the drive I could get at the broken end instead of laying underneath and trying to drill, then easy out.
Any advice would be appreciated. Here's some pics.


HERE IS A BREAKDOWN DIAGRAM OF THAT FORNT AXLE AND HOW IT COMES APART HOPE THIS HELPS.

 

[GS650GL]

I have seen broken axle bolts like this a few times, usually caused by the bolts loosening over time. Just fixed the same issue on a MT235HE. Luckily the bolts were not rusted in, thats why they came loose and caused the problem. Only the heads broke off so when the housings separated, I could spin the part that stuck out with a small thin channel lock pliers and unscrew them. I only had to drill one that broke off flush with the housing. Came out easily with an extractor. If you do need to remove the end axle housing, yes it has a splined shaft inside that slides out. Now when I service the tractor, I always check these axle bolts as well as loader frame bolts and wheel nuts to make sure they are tight. I know a few people that had these axle bolts break and there was even one bolt missing that came loose and fell out, and nobody noticed it until the others broke off. Low strength Loc-tite is a good thing.

 

[CalG]

I would pull the part after removing the wheel assembly. You are going to want to know is the bearing and shaft have suffered.
Less than 15 minutes to break it down, It will save way more time than that dickin' around.

 

[dirtymartini]

I have seen broken axle bolts like this a few times, usually caused by the bolts loosening over time. Just fixed the same issue on a MT235HE. Luckily the bolts were not rusted in, thats why they came loose and caused the problem. Only the heads broke off so when the housings separated, I could spin the part that stuck out with a small thin channel lock pliers and unscrew them. I only had to drill one that broke off flush with the housing. Came out easily with an extractor. If you do need to remove the end axle housing, yes it has a splined shaft inside that slides out. Now when I service the tractor, I always check these axle bolts as well as loader frame bolts and wheel nuts to make sure they are tight. I know a few people that had these axle bolts break and there was even one bolt missing that came loose and fell out, and nobody noticed it until the others broke off. Low strength Loc-tite is a good thing.

Thanks for the reply. I think I'm in the same boat, it looks like only one bolt broke below the surface. I'm going to give it a shot. I had a similar problem a few years ago with the loader frame bolts. I will definitely blue loctite them when it goes back together.
I usually keep a lookout for these things when I grease the machine but a friend had the tractor for a couple years and I don't think it got much maintenance love lol.

 

[dirtymartini]

I would pull the part after removing the wheel assembly. You are going to want to know is the bearing and shaft have suffered.
Less than 15 minutes to break it down, It will save way more time than that dickin' around.

Thanks, I'm going to give a try on Sunday...it's supposed to be close to 100 degrees today.

 

[5030]

After the fact but I hope you washed the crud from around the assembly before you took it apart. That sandy crud will destroy anything inside the assembly if it gets in there..

 

[dirtymartini]

After the fact but I hope you washed the crud from around the assembly before you took it apart. That sandy crud will destroy anything inside the assembly if it gets in there..

Not too late, I haven't taken it apart yet but you are correct, this sand sticks to everything that has a little oil or grease on it. I'm going to spread out a tarp underneath and hope the dust devils stay away.

 

[Gord Baker]

Any guess on how that happened

It appears that she is still P'od with you and that you have been putting too much weight on the Front End. Get a Pro to extract the broken studs and replace all of them.

 

[dirtymartini]

It appears that she is still P'od with you and that you have been putting too much weight on the Front End. Get a Pro to extract the broken studs and replace all of them.

I started working on it yesterday. I removed 2 out of the three broken bolts easily. The third I had to drill and try an easy out. Even with heat I couldn't budge it. I'm going the HeliCoil route on that one.

 

[Gord Baker]

If it isn't too late, heat it up a bit and try some penetrating oil Do this a couple times. You can also put a washer and nut on top and weld it although that is what you should do first. Like I said, Pro Job. Good luck.
Give it a good straight on smack with a hammer. Helicoil is tricky last resort thing.

 

[5030]

I use with great success, the Howie machine method of removing broken off studs and bolts. My easy out's and spline drive extractors now stay in the tool box...

I place washer over the proud end of the broken fastener and MIG weld the washer to the broken part and then I MIG weld a suitable hex nut to the already welded on flat washer and use the hex nut to remove the broken bolt / stud. The heating of the fastener when welding on the washer plus the nut helps loosening the broken off fastener and it works (comes out) like a charm.

My extractors stay put away now, even the spline drive extractors are no match for the weld on method and if the fastener is broken off a bit below the surface, I just build it up with MIG weld and then add the washer and nut.

Of course you need a MIG welder and a steady hand to achieve the desired result.

 

[dirtymartini]

If it isn't too late, heat it up a bit and try some penetrating oil Do this a couple times. You can also put a washer and nut on top and weld it although that is what you should do first. Like I said, Pro Job. Good luck.
Give it a good straight on smack with a hammer. Helicoil is tricky last resort thing.

I tried all that first besides welding the washer and nut. I repeatedly soaked them in PB Blaster a couple days before I started in on it. The bolt had broken well inside the flange....

 

[kmesr9]

Thanks for the reply. I think I'm in the same boat, it looks like only one bolt broke below the surface. I'm going to give it a shot. I had a similar problem a few years ago with the loader frame bolts. I will definitely blue loctite them when it goes back together.
I usually keep a lookout for these things when I grease the machine but a friend had the tractor for a couple years and I don't think it got much maintenance love lol.

What people don’t realize is most of the time drilling for the ez out typically produces enough heat to free up the bolt shank without taking a torch to it lol. Good luck!

 

[dirtymartini]

What people don’t realize is most of the time drilling for the ez out typically produces enough heat to free up the bolt shank without taking a torch to it lol. Good luck!

I wish lol. This one was really stuck. I had good purchase on the ez out and really had some torque on it. If I put much more on it I'm afraid the easy out would break.....and I definitely did not want that!

 

[kmesr9]

I wish lol. This one was really stuck. I had good purchase on the ez out and really had some torque on it. If I put much more on it I'm afraid the easy out would break.....and I definitely did not want that!

Then it was really stuck lol! That is when I’d break out the torch. Since you have a hole in the shank now the heat will get to the threads better. Also sometimes when working on stuck bolts I’ve found it’s good to stop once in a while, go away and get a sandwich then come back to it. Sometimes giving it time it would free up from the previous work.

 

[CalG]

this thread reminds me, I need to replace my lost set of LEFT HAND drill bits! At least an envelope of #10 or #11. ;-)