Ford 1210 4x4 not working. Picture of problem update!

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Hi TBN, I'm hoping you can help me find a starting point to fixing the 4x4 on my Ford 1210. I moved 15 inches of snow off of my 450' driveway with FEL and box blade on Saturday night. No issues using 4x4 at all. Next day did some light clean up and 4x4 stopped working. Lifted the front wheel off the ground and spun it, the other side turns the opposite way slowly and I can feel where it catches up and locks with the same rotation as the opposing wheel. Does not feel mechanically attached when I start spinning it. Sadly no oil in the axle. I added some and it almost immediatly started dripping at the lower drain plug in the front diff. My plan is to remove the whole front axle and hub assembly, but I dont know where to start after that. Do you think my problem is at the wheels or the front drive shaft? Do you think it is bearings broken, or $$$$$ extinct parts broken?

I've had this tractor for 20 years. Bummed about the careless lack of lube on my part, but I'd like to fix it. I honestly dont know how the MFWD works or what part gets unbolted first when i get the axle assembly off. Any help is appreciated as always. Thanks! Pat

 

[JasperFrank]

Interesting, I thought the 1210s were 2WD only. I have a 4WD hydrostactic 1220, and a recent repair bill that was very near 4K, but that issue lost all power to all the wheels. I have a shop manual, that includes these, see if i can get you some scans, "For educational use." These also came with two transmissions. One geared and the other hydrostatic. You said 4WD, but not if it was geared or hydro. The parts to the front wheel hubs are available and cheap, as are the geared transmission parts. Any parts dealing with the hydrostaic transmission are not easy to find. As in near impossible to find. Ford working with Shibaura only made these for a few years. The big expensive part, on the front hubs are the outer driving rings. Can you live with a small 2WD tractor? I ask that that in a serious way. I could not use 2WD, for what I'm doing. So it made sense to spend the money, on a tractor that parts have become rare to get, to get that 4WD working again. Your situation and use may be different.

 

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I took the front axle off the Ford 1210 today and but it on the bench. Chewed metal bits fell out of the front when I put it down so I knew I was in for it. When I split the two halves apart my 4x4 problem fell right out just as you see it in the picture. The bolts that held the bevel gear to housing all sheared off, and there's barely anything left of the metal washers they went through. In truth everything else looks really good without much wear at all. I think I can easy-out the rest of the bolts in the gear and replace the bolts and washers. What I dont understand fully is why this happened, and what to do to avoid immediately getting into the same situation. Should I add shims or try to rebalance shims from one side to the other when I reassemble? Any advice on getting the sheared bolts out other than easy-outs? This is the mating half of the axle. The wear is visible where the metal was tumbling around but you can also see the axle to the wheel looks in good shape. Everything else looks like this

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!

 

[LouNY]

Is that the differential or the axle drop box?
I would be worried about all the bearings?

 

[dirttoys]

View attachment 732396
I took the front axle off the Ford 1210 today and but it on the bench. Chewed metal bits fell out of the front when I put it down so I knew I was in for it. When I split the two halves apart my 4x4 problem fell right out just as you see it in the picture. The bolts that held the bevel gear to housing all sheared off, and there's barely anything left of the metal washers they went through. In truth everything else looks really good without much wear at all. I think I can easy-out the rest of the bolts in the gear and replace the bolts and washers. What I dont understand fully is why this happened, and what to do to avoid immediately getting into the same situation. Should I add shims or try to rebalance shims from one side to the other when I reassemble? Any advice on getting the sheared bolts out other than easy-outs? This is the mating half of the axle. The wear is visible where the metal was tumbling around but you can also see the axle to the wheel looks in good shape. Everything else looks like this

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!

if you have a welder, weld a pipe or nut to the bolt, and back it out.

best,

ed

 

[pclose]

got everything ready to battle the sheared bolts and i was able to just walk all 6 out with a jewelers screwdriver in about a minute. That never happens to me. Thanks for the welder idea. I'll definitely try that some day!

 

[dirttoys]

got everything ready to battle the sheared bolts and i was able to just walk all 6 out with a jewelers screwdriver in about a minute. That never happens to me. Thanks for the welder idea. I'll definitely try that some day!

That happens when there is no corrosion and the tension is gone, just never to me

Congrats,

ed

 

[sandman2234]

Ouch!!
I broke the front axle on my 1100 and they don't make that part. I had to buy the "updated" part at a lot more money!
Good luck!
David from jax

 

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I never like when threads dead-end, unresolved, so here's an update: I tore down the whole front axle and cleaned all the parts. Overall the parts were in really nice shape given a whole bunch of sheared bolts and metal bits were grinding away in there for however long. There was wear to the cast diff housing and gear carrier but the ring gear, pinion gear, axles and wheel gear parts were good! There were 3 chips in the ring gear and bearings and shims were toast. I got replacement gear bolts and lock washers, along with o-rings, seals, bearings and shims, from Messick's. Total stuff price ~$300. The chips on the ring gear teeth looked less problematic when I saw the $1000+ price on a new replacement gear. I cleaned the original gear and used it. I checked the preload and backlash per service manual which magically was online with preview pages of only what I needed to see. I was not scientific with these measurements, but did the best I could. I put it back together. I sealed the non o-ring sealed joints with a minimal mount of gear oil permatex. I lifted the tractor to get all 4 wheels off the ground, spun front wheels, seemed good, so started and 4x4 tested. Worked! Lowered it and took it for a test drive. Working good. I am using 4x4 minimally because I'm a chicken but I got it stuck in 2wd a few times and it felt very strong in 4x4 getting unstuck. I think its a win. Here is the link to the manual for front axle work on the Ford 1210. Thanks TBN! Thanks Messicks! Thanks 1980s Shibaura Tractor company, you made a fine machine!!!!

Ford 1210 Tractor Service Repair ManualFord 1210 Tractor Service Repair Manual

 

[sandman2234]

I never like when threads dead-end, unresolved, so here's an update: I tore down the whole front axle and cleaned all the parts. Overall the parts were in really nice shape given a whole bunch of sheared bolts and metal bits were grinding away in there for however long. There was wear to the cast diff housing and gear carrier but the ring gear, pinion gear, axles and wheel gear parts were good! There were 3 chips in the ring gear and bearings and shims were toast. I got replacement gear bolts and lock washers, along with o-rings, seals, bearings and shims, from Messick's. Total stuff price ~$300. The chips on the ring gear teeth looked less problematic when I saw the $1000+ price on a new replacement gear. I cleaned the original gear and used it. I checked the preload and backlash per service manual which magically was online with preview pages of only what I needed to see. I was not scientific with these measurements, but did the best I could. I put it back together. I sealed the non o-ring sealed joints with a minimal mount of gear oil permatex. I lifted the tractor to get all 4 wheels off the ground, spun front wheels, seemed good, so started and 4x4 tested. Worked! Lowered it and took it for a test drive. Working good. I am using 4x4 minimally because I'm a chicken but I got it stuck in 2wd a few times and it felt very strong in 4x4 getting unstuck. I think its a win. Here is the link to the manual for front axle work on the Ford 1210. Thanks TBN! Thanks Messicks! Thanks 1980s Shibaura Tractor company, you made a fine machine!!!!

Ford 1210 Tractor Service Repair ManualFord 1210 Tractor Service Repair Manual

I appreciate the link to the manual!!
David from jax