BX front axle still leaking

kubby · Sep 17, 2005

My BX1500 front axle started leaking oil at the left king pin steering joint at around 240 hrs. After venting the axle and two seal replacements (on warranty), it still seeps some on the left side. The right side is perfectly dry. Obviously the seal is not the problem and the dealer is missing the real cause. Anyone else had problems getting this common BX leak fixed, or found something besides the seal to be at fault?

Thanks,
Bill

kubby · Sep 17, 2005

Ah, I just saw where a previous reply on this topic noted a hairline casting crack. Sorry I did not see that message before posting the above, but I'd still like to know of any other cases of leaks that turned out to be something other than the seal.

My leak has always come from the same spot, the very outer edge of the steering joint, so it might have a casting problem. It seems like a seal leak would show seepage from the entire circumference of the seal.

jim_wilson · Sep 17, 2005

I was the one who had the hairline crack. My BX23 started leaking out of the right side somewhere in the 250 hour range. It was leaking pretty good too - it would leave decent size puddles on the ground if you parked it in one place for a couple of hours. I took it to the dealer to get the 300 hour service done and to get the leak fixed and the dealer replaced the seal on that kingpin housing because he thought the seal was leaking too. After he replaced the seal the axle still leaked so they looked a little closer - they had to wipe the paint off of the axle housing but then they saw the crack. Not sure how old your tractor is but I just got mine last summer in early June so even with 315 hours on it I the whole thing was still covered under warranty.

I asked the shop supervisor if the crack could have been due to something that I did and he said unless I was driving the tractor off two story buildings that was unlikely. He claimed the Kubota dealer database had no reports of this happening before and he had not seen it either. In my opinion I bet this is the sort of thing that would get missed pretty easily by a dealer - they might replace the seal once and then when it leaked again just throw up their hands and say I don't know. There have been other people here on TBN who reported leaking BX front axles and said the leak stopped when they put in the recommended weight gear oil instead of the UDT. This might also cause the leaks to stop because the gear oil is higher viscosity than the UDT. If it was me I would take a closer look and try cleaning the housing up very carefully and see if the leak seems to be coming out of the seal or if it appears to come right out of the housing itself.

KennyV · Sep 17, 2005

Bill
You might try this.
Permatex green penetrating thread locker, or Loctite 209. (same compound) This is a high strength, low viscosity compound that can be used to lock previously assembled fasteners. It can also be used to seal minor porosity in castings and welds since it will wick into the voids. KennyV.

kubby · Sep 18, 2005

( I was the one who had the hairline crack. . . . If it was me I would take a closer look and try cleaning the housing up very carefully and see if the leak seems to be coming out of the seal or if it appears to come right out of the housing itself. )

 Thanks for your input Jim! I found the problem - there are now at least two BX tractors with cracked front axle castings. Thanks to your post, I checked with a magnifying glass and found an obvious crack in my outer axle housing, complete with oil oozing from it. I'll take this picture and your post along to the dealer next week.
-Bill

jim_wilson · Sep 18, 2005

I am glad you found the problem /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif . I really did feel these cracks might be something that would get missed by the typical dealer. I think it is important that this get to Kubota's attention because 1) if there are enough of these incidents they will come out with a service bulletin so dealers will be aware of it, and 2) Hopefully in the future the axle housings will get either redesigned or more carefully inspected during manufacture to prevent problems like this in the first place.

Let me know how the whole thing turns out. Mine has has been dry now since I got it back from the dealer so I don't have puddles of hydraulic fluid here and there anymore.

kubby · Sep 18, 2005

I will let you know the outcome, but it may be a few weeks before I can do without the tractor long enough to take it in. Darned thing is just too useful around the orchard.

Just wondering, was yours cracked in the same place as mine (see photo attachment to my previous message)? If so, I'll mention that to the dealer. I plan on printing out your message and taking it to them with my photos.
Thanks,
Bill

ericbx1500 · Sep 18, 2005

today I was doing some fel work(shaving)some grass for a garden and had the tractor in 4wd. I am about ten minutes into it when I started getting a wiff of udt fluid in the air /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif So I got off the tractor to find out were it was coming from. I found the problem. The dipstick in the front axle was loose and a tiny bit of fluid leaked out. That stuff sure has an oder you can recognize /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

ericbx1500 · Sep 19, 2005

Wonder if there was a casting problem during a certain time frame? I believe the bx1500 has a different housing then the bx23. But I’m sure they are formed in the same plant. Maybe a bad batch of iron or forming process during a certain time. I wonder if Jim Wilson’s and kubby were built around the same time?