Found the weakest link on Boomer Axles

[DVerbarg]

After hundreds of FEL loads at full weight capacity over bumpy ground the grade in the front yard is beginning to look nice. Dug in some french drains over Memorial Day weekend. Did some mowing this morning and decided to smooth out the back fill over the french drains. Was just about finished when the left front wheel fell off /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif/w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif At the time I was just back dragging the FEL across the yard while turning the wheel. This is not supposed to happen. I bought the NH loader in order to avoid this problem or over loading the front axle. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

My guess is that the axle was weakened doing all the heavy FEL lifting a few weeks ago (still is a defect and should not have happened) but am not sure why it broke now. Of course I expect NH to fix it under warranty (its a little less then two years old).

Attached are pics of the front axle.

 

[DVerbarg]

Here's a couple pics of the inside of the wheel hub.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

DVerbarg, Thanks for posting the pics. I just got that sick feeling in my stomach. I use my 45D for mostly moving dirt. I'm working on well over a 100 truck loads of fill, and a little over 300hrs. I think, I"ll pull my front wheels off and have a look.
Have you looked at the other axle?

I understand where your coming from about the axles being designed to work the loader. I wonder if there is any difference in the supersteer axles over the regular steer axle? Isn't the 17la loader a little longer than the 16?

 

[DVerbarg]

Yes, the 17LA loader is a little longer then the 16LA.

I too have just over 300 hrs on the meter. No, I haven't looked at the other wheel, yet.

The unit does not get "baby" treatment. We bought it to use it, and by golly it gets used. Of course it gets all the specified maintenance but its not fine china!

Your question: "<font color=blue> I wonder if there is any difference in the supersteer axles over the regular steer axle?</font color=blue>" is a good one. Hope someone else might know.

 

[paccorti]

Dave,

I'm dumbfounded! I never would have guessed this could happen. On the plus side it is probably not too hard to repair. Not sure how you'll get it on a truck though... Best of luck, let us know what happens.

Peter

 

[jinman]

Dave, in my opinion, no amount of loading your FEL should have caused this problem. Your axle must have been defective./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif/w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif This problem might occur if you leave the tractor in 4WD and do a lot of work on pavement, but even then, you should see tire scuffing rather than a snapped axle. Keep us informed of what your dealer says about the repair.

 

[DVerbarg]

<font color=blue>This problem might occur if you leave the tractor in 4WD and do a lot of work on pavement, but even then, you should see tire scuffing rather than a snapped axle.</font color=blue>

I agree! I also think the casting must have been weakened/defective. Since I have supersteer I usually leave the unit in automatic 4WD (sensitrak) and am 99.9% of the time working in dirt or gravel.

 

[DVerbarg]

Peter,

The more I think about it the madder I get /w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif! Don't have a shop manual for the tractor but it appears that a repair will require some time but should be much simpler then a transmission problem.

Hope to convince a dealer to come do the work onsite. I think it would be possible, yet extremely difficult, to get the unit a trailer by using the FEL bucket to hold the front end up. Don't know if the bucket would slide or if it would require a slow "walking" using the bucket curl. /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

 

[DVerbarg]

Just talked to the dealer closest to me and they were very apologetic about my problem. (The original dealer we purchased the unit from has since closed) The lady in service said that it is definitely covered by the warranty and they will either pick it up or do the work onsite. They are checking their schedule to see what they can "bump" to get my unit back in service ASAP! /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif Starting to feel better. Maybe I'll go ahead and get the rear remotes installed now also...

 

[hazmat]

Buy, borrow, or rent (uhaul etc) a furniture dolly. Put the dolly under the FEL, now you've got a new front wheel. Turning will be a pain, the individual brakes may come in handy.

Another option if you are on solid ground is a floor jack under the axle. Keep the FEL low to the ground for WHEN the jack slips, you land on the bucket, not the axle.

Option 3, let the dealer deal with loading it up if he can't field fix it.

Good luck & I hope you're back in the saddle soon.