BX22 Front Axle

ehenry · Oct 9, 2015

All, I'm in the process, as time allows, of rejuvenating the BX22 that was left to me a couple years ago. Yesterday afternoon I changed the front axle oil over to 80/90 weight grease and tightened the axle pivot castle nut. The castle nut was quite loose. The capacity of the front axle is listed as 5 quarts. I couldn't get it to hold an entire gallon.

I know all the old oil drained out since I left the drain plugs out for over an hour and its certainly not cold down here. Still in the 90's. Drove the tractor around the yard some in an effort to get any "air" trapped to work its way up and out but it still shows a tick over full on the little dip stick.

tjkubota93 · Oct 11, 2015

Did you take the air vent plugs out of the knuckle ends to let the air out so it will fill up all the way?

ehenry · Oct 12, 2015

After I changed the oil and got about 3/4 of a gallon in the axle my neighbor called and needed some help with a gravel pile he had delivered. After using the BX for about an hour and a half I brought it home and checked the front axle oil. It wasn't touching the stick and I was able to get the other 1/4 gallon of oil in and this brought the level up to a tick over the full mark on both sides. Havent had a need to use the tractor since then.

yes, Tj, both the dipstick was out as well as the plug on the other wheel. Couldn't have put the oil in otherwise.

I do have another front axle question that wasn't in the owners manual that I could find......when checking the front axle oil on a BX22 is it checked with the dipstick screwed in or not? I know on some equipment like my Honda generator and my Milbank standby genset the engine oil is checked by not screwing the dipstick back in.

AStanton · Oct 13, 2015

My guess would be to screw it all the way in. That is how it is on my BX-25, although the stick snaps in--not threaded. You can always under fill it a little.

davesl708 · Oct 13, 2015

I have always screwed mine in. My Op manual does not specify. However the threads are long enough that the difference in the level would be the difference between full and low. So by screwing it in I am at the high mark compared to the low mark if I just dip it in and the low mark is off the stick if I just dip it in.

mshumack · Oct 14, 2015

The general "rule of thumb" I was taught/told was that if the dipstick is "push in" (like a car dipstick) you check the fluid level by fully seating the dip stick. If it is screw in (like a small lawn mower) you just put dipstick in far enough to touch threads but don't screw it in.

However the best way to know on a specific piece of equipment is to drain it then refill with correct amount of oil, then see how you need to insert stick to get oil level to full mark. Then you'll know the correct way for the next check.

ehenry · Oct 15, 2015

Mshumack, your "rule of thumb" is like mine......I guess I've got to just keep checking until I get the front axle to hold the 5 quarts the book says it does....LOL