Failed front hub bearing seal

sd455dan · May 3, 2023

Well after 30 years of use guess it was inevitable.

The Rhino 554 front axle needs attention

Seal seems to have failed on the left outer bearing hub.

It is a hybrid design, because the outer main hub shaft bearing can be greased from center of the wheel hub.
The rest of the axle pivots can also be greased but also contain hydraulic oil.

Was moving 3 large pieces of a leaner tree I dropped and was carrying using the grapple.

Noticed Grease and fluid mixed drooling around the wheel. O joy

Lifted the front end using the FEL and everything is smooth and no bearing play or roughness so hope a seal replacement will take care of the drooling.

May as well change the front axle oil as well. been a few years since I changed it as well using universal tractor fluid for oil.

post pics soon.
Well still need the tractor Had a widow maker right over the driveway entrance to tall to get close to ,

thought about cutting the butt
but it might have slid back towards the ladder.
Finally hooked on the lower end and pulled towards the road where it did drop the butt then cross cut it about 5 feet up and pulled again after resetting the chain then drug the main piece to the burn pile

sd455dan · Jun 11, 2023

Would have got at this sooner but broke the swing chain pin PO installed much smaller than spec pin on 550 Ford and had to repair it first.

Got the wheel off and tried for about 30 minutes with a good sized hammer and punch and the hub is still stuck. may be time for the BFH
It is also dowel pinned

They sure used enough bolts.

sd455dan · Jun 12, 2023

Tore into it today. Bearings look good as do ring and pinion. Hub was full of oil.
After getting the flanged outer shaft out it does appear the outer seal is just no longer lip sealing well enough no tears I could see or feel. Still need to pull the inner circlip and remove the outer bearing then get the seal and its number.
I don't have any 3 1/2 inch sockets so a punch and hammer had to do.
This old 55HP tractor may be chinese but they built the front axle heavy for its HP
Outer ring gear is over 12 1/2 inches in diameter ( that is over an inch larger than a Dana 80 rear axle ring gear) and outer axle is positively retained by the big nut and then staked in place. No worries about a circlip failure allowing loss of axle shaft retention.

sd455dan · Jun 13, 2023

Finally got the circlip out and then bearing and finally outer seal.

Seal is 75mm x 100mm x 12 mm

Seals ordered (1 spare) and will reassemble when they arrive.

Not a bad job to do, just heavy parts and the arms aren't as strong as they used to be. Bearings are still smooth and tight so they are just going back in - If it ain't broke...

Going to weld together a ~3 1/2 inch socket ( has to be long enough) and also weld on an old 1/2 inch drive socket so I can hit the nut with either a torque wrench or impact.

sd455dan · Jun 19, 2023

Seals arrived ordered 2 one on back order but only need one per side.

Screwed up by not looking closer on disassembly.

The outer hub assembly did have threaded holes with what I thought were alignment dowels.
Instead of beating on it and prying to separate the hub... a couple correct sized bolts would have allowed pressing the hub off.

Doh.... There are days I should avoid handling tools

Oh well new seal installed hub reinstalled and the hub also had the large captured O ring for a seal.

I added some black RTV around the circumference as well.

Tomorrow I will fill the axle back up.

Also took some dents out of the wheel and cleaned the oil and sludge off. Years ago logging with it I managed to jamb a piece of wood in between the wheel and tire and it has bugged me ever since so unseated the bead and removed that as well.

Should be Good to Go in the morning.

ps here is that leaner widow maker mentioned above that was a pain to remove.
The point it partially broke at was about 12 feet up