Does Everyone Have a Front Axle Leak?

[JimmyDee]

GoodMorning All,
Part of my morning coffee sesson is reading the various post pertaining to John Deere. I have seen several post on leaking axles and I was curious if it is the nature of the beast and I should expect mine to start leaking at some point? Does anyone have a front axle that has not leaked.
I purchased a 4520 last year and so far the only leak I had was battery acid, (85 hours).
Hope everyone has a great day!
Jim

 

[JD755]

No axle leaks after seventeen years with my 755. The only leak anywhere ever, other than the typical battery problems, was from my water pump last year.

 

[caliber1]

Five years with my 3120 and no leaks.

 

[Kubota 2350]

I have a 4310 with almost 600 hours and no leaks yet.

 

[RoyJackson]

It sures seems like a lot of leaking axles this month!

If you read TBN regularly, you will note that if someone posts about a problem, others soon follow. Saw the same thing a few years back when a 790 owner broke the gears in his front axle...had two or three others posting the same thing shortly after.
Maybe that first post motivates others to share their incident reports...

 

[RickB]

My post on the topic suggests that some leaks are related to the spring warmup in temperatures the and related expansion of oil & air in unvented axles. A measurable quantity of springtime front axle leaks stop completely or almost completely as the temps stabilize.

That said, front hub seals and steering swivel seals are pretty much wear items; one can usually expect to replace them sooner or later. Not at all limited to Deere CUT's, I replace several NH axle seals every year at customer's locations using tools normally carried on the truck.

 

[defed]

some days mine leaks alot (knuckle seal), yesterday, it was bone dry - and i don't think it has leaked down past that level yet! i plan on changing both (hub and knuckle) soon tho.

 

[RoyJackson]

My post on the topic suggests that some leaks are related to the spring warmup in temperatures the and related expansion of oil & air in unvented axles. A measurable quantity of springtime front axle leaks stop completely or almost completely as the temps stabilize.

That said, front hub seals and steering swivel seals are pretty much wear items; one can usually expect to replace them sooner or later. Not at all limited to Deere CUT's, I replace several NH axle seals every year at customer's locations using tools normally carried on the truck.

That bolded text is what I'm thinking too, but I think most, if not all, Deere front axles are vented. The vents could be plugged, or some of the leaks may just be the vent doing as designed...venting hot fluid.
None of us are on site to determine exactly what the problem is. But newer, low hour tractors shouldn't be leaking due to worn seals. Too early in their life...

 

[RickB]

That bolded text is what I'm thinking too, but I think most, if not all, Deere front axles are vented. The vents could be plugged, or some of the leaks may just be the vent doing as designed...venting hot fluid.
None of us are on site to determine exactly what the problem is. But newer, low hour tractors shouldn't be leaking due to worn seals. Too early in their life...

I think you will find that very few CUT front axles are vented.

 

[defed]

i don't disagree that possibly changes in temp can cause the pressure to build up and push fluid out, but mine was sitting idle for days and suddenly started to leak - no hot fluid. my feeling is that the seal was already damaged or had some weak area, and when the outside temp rose suddenly, internal pressure increased and forced the fluid out of that weak spot. now that the seal was breached, it seeps more often than not, but so far never as much as that 1st day.

it seems that the seals should be able to withstand some internal pressure...it's not like mine had massive amounts of pressure built up from just sitting in the warm air.

the fill cap does not appear to be vented, and i don't know where else it would be.