Front axle Grease fittings no vents wont take grease

Jeepdude2010 · May 5, 2020

I have a 2011 new to me TYM T233 tractor. I bought it used with 99 hours on it. For a piece of mind I have changed all the fluids in the tractor. Greased all the zerk fittings on loader and tractor except 2. I have downloaded the service manual and operators manual. It states to grease the front zerk fitting, when I looked under the front axle support it has a zerk fitting with no ball. Straight shank with ball check. I have never seen this ever. I assumed it was a cheap zerk fitting that the ball had been shaved off by accident. I replaced it with a 10mm normal zerk fitting. Proceeded to pump grease in. It took 1 or 2 pumps before it got extremely tight and I stopped. I had the front axle off ground and went to tilt axle up and down to get the grease moving. Front axle is not pivoting at all at this point.

I stood on the wheel to get it to pivot and nothing.

I put a block under one wheel and lowered the tractor front wheel down. Causing the axle to pivot, It did not. It kept straight and had frame flex. I immediately raised it back up and proceeded to remove the grease fitting, as I back the new zerk fitting off grease poured out from pressure.

I see that Kubota tractors and Kioti Tractors have grease vents on the front axle support but there is none on mine. Checked the back support as well and found the same straight shank grease fitting. No grease vents at all. No dealer close to where I live. I posted a pictures of the grease fitting (factory) 1st Photo is rear support opposite side of grease fitting. 2nd Photo is front axle support opposite side of grease fitting. 3rd Photo is front axle Grease fitting side. 4th Photo is Rear support Grease fitting side. sorry for the photos being out of order.

Jeepdude2010 · May 5, 2020

Here is the zerk fitting. Same as the rear with no ball end, but with check ball.

CalG · May 6, 2020

Try backing off that thrust adjusting bolt.

The problem isn't with the grease fitting, the axle pivot bearing is seized, and you need to sort that out.

Do replace the fitting....

Jeepdude2010 · May 6, 2020

CalG said:
Try backing off that thrust adjusting bolt.

The problem isn't with the grease fitting, the axle pivot bearing is seized, and you need to sort that out.

Do replace the fitting....

:thumbsup: I will take a look at the thrust adjusting bolt when I get home from work. When I had removed the grease fitting front axle pivoted fine. Only when I gave it a couple pumps of grease did the front axle pivot seize till pressure was released. I'm still confused on why the front support has no breather for the air to go when putting grease in. From the parts break down it has a o ring, just don't want to blow out any o-ring. After looking at the grease fitting and realizing that it does not have a ball for a grease gun to catch. Could this be designed to prevent a grease gun from locking on and over filling with grease which would cause a lot of pressure which would act like tightening the thrust adjusting bolt to tight? The fitting takes grease but you have to hold it on and only takes so much before it forces the grease gun off. Both front support and back support has the same grease fitting without a ball for grease gun to hold on to.

Bud Soda · May 7, 2020

Make sure new grease fitting is not too long. I wouldn't think the grease would lock it up like that. Maybe spry some db blaster in there before putting the fitting back in.

CalG · May 7, 2020

Jeepdude2010 said:
:thumbsup: I will take a look at the thrust adjusting bolt when I get home from work. When I had removed the grease fitting front axle pivoted fine. Only when I gave it a couple pumps of grease did the front axle pivot seize till pressure was released. I'm still confused on why the front support has no breather for the air to go when putting grease in. From the parts break down it has a o ring, just don't want to blow out any o-ring. After looking at the grease fitting and realizing that it does not have a ball for a grease gun to catch. Could this be designed to prevent a grease gun from locking on and over filling with grease which would cause a lot of pressure which would act like tightening the thrust adjusting bolt to tight? The fitting takes grease but you have to hold it on and only takes so much before it forces the grease gun off. Both front support and back support has the same grease fitting without a ball for grease gun to hold on to.View attachment 654223

The fresh grease should push around bushings 9 and 18, and not pass o-rings 11, 12, and 18?

Get that axle shaking by slackening the adjuster. then put the grease to it. There should be little or no pressure built up in that pivot bearing area. but the o-rings may hold the grease in.

Take the weight off the axle to aid grease flow. Replace the existing fittings with good alemite fittings on the bearing housing just to hold the grease gun nipple and get a good fill, don't over do it, a single pump that get's through is enough.

Jeepdude2010 · May 7, 2020

CalG said:
The fresh grease should push around bushings 9 and 18, and not pass o-rings 11, 12, and 18?

Get that axle shaking by slackening the adjuster. then put the grease to it. There should be little or no pressure built up in that pivot bearing area. but the o-rings may hold the grease in.

Take the weight off the axle to aid grease flow. Replace the existing fittings with good alemite fittings on the bearing housing just to hold the grease gun nipple and get a good fill, don't over do it, a single pump that get's through is enough.

So I Fiddled with it yesterday. Raised tractor up with front wheels off the ground. Checked to see how stiff the pivot of the axle is. It was ok. Enough resistance to keep one side down but easily lift up and go other way. No front to back motion. I made sure the grease fittings where not to long to interfere. I backed of the thrust bolt adjustment several turns and to pivot axle trying to get it to move some grease around. With the Thrust bolt backed out say 1/2 " with grease fitting out. reinstalled grease fitting and pumped 1 time. then moved axle up and down. Then I would pump 1 time again and move axle up and down. I retightened the thrust bolt back to the same threads as before that was exposed and axle seemed seized again. Like to much pressure in front pivot block. so I unscrewed the grease fitting some and let some grease ooze back out till I was able to move axle up and down with one hand. I checked to see if I had any front and back movement, None. So I don't know when I backed out that thrust bolt and pumped grease did that just push against the spacer #17 back (towards the front of tractor) and when I retightened it that the spacer pushed against extra grease which seized the pivot of the axle? I looked at the service manual to see how your suppose to adjust that front thrust bolt. I'm sorry for this long thread. I really do appreciate the help from you guys! I called 2 dealers and asked them what is normal on servicing the pivot housing. One dealer was honest and said they are new to the market. One dealer said that when they grease new TYM tractor front pivot they just pump 1 or 2 pumps. So im kinda lost here. Do I back off the thrust bolt #19 and give it acouple good pumps and tighten it down till the front axle pivots freely with little effort and no front to back movement? Again im sorry to ask these type of questions. Thank you guys again for any help!

Jeepdude2010 · May 7, 2020

Bud Soda said:
Make sure new grease fitting is not too long. I wouldn't think the grease would lock it up like that. Maybe spry some db blaster in there before putting the fitting back in.

I did check that, that's a easy mistake that can happen. When I first installed one, I immediately pulled it out and checked to make sure it wasn't to long. Might have to give it a blast with some db blaster with the zerk fitting off.

CalG · May 7, 2020

Jeepdude2010 said:
I did check that, that's a easy mistake that can happen. When I first installed one, I immediately pulled it out and checked to make sure it wasn't to long. Might have to give it a blast with some db blaster with the zerk fitting off.

For the thrust adjuster bolt.

Back off the jamb nut a turn or two.

Back off the adjusting bolt.

Rock the axle and try to develop some slop . This might not be possible

Give the greaser a squirt from the hand pump. (sounds like you already have done so, that's just to make sure grease is going in)

Remove the grease fitting

Wrench the adjusting bolt in hard. Call it 15 pound feet of torque.
Rocking the axle should be very difficult.

Back the adjusting bolt out until it is "just touching" . Call it in finger tight plus a quarter turn.

The axle should rock easily, but not loose.

Back the bolt with one wrench while running the jamb nut down tight.

Check the adjusting bolt again after an hour or two of operation.

Not much can happen if the adjustment is a bit on the loose side. All sorts of bad stuff can happen if it is over tight.

Give the tractor a couple hundred operating hours, it will loosen up ;-)

Keep the pivot greased!

Jeepdude2010 · May 8, 2020

CalG said:
For the thrust adjuster bolt.

Back off the jamb nut a turn or two.

Back off the adjusting bolt.

Rock the axle and try to develop some slop . This might not be possible

Give the greaser a squirt from the hand pump. (sounds like you already have done so, that's just to make sure grease is going in)

Remove the grease fitting

Wrench the adjusting bolt in hard. Call it 15 pound feet of torque.
Rocking the axle should be very difficult.

Back the adjusting bolt out until it is "just touching" . Call it in finger tight plus a quarter turn.

The axle should rock easily, but not loose.

Back the bolt with one wrench while running the jamb nut down tight.

Check the adjusting bolt again after an hour or two of operation.

Not much can happen if the adjustment is a bit on the loose side. All sorts of bad stuff can happen if it is over tight.

Give the tractor a couple hundred operating hours, it will loosen up ;-)

Keep the pivot greased!