How to Tell if Front Axle Bearing is Bad?

[rScotty]

What you have described looks like an early warning of a seal and/or bearing failure. If just a seal, then using it won't hurt anything if the oil is topped off. If the bearing is involved then you are taking a gamble on more damage - but that is why you jack it up and wrestle with it.....to judge the bearing wear.

What kind of front axle oil are you using? If you are lucky and it is only the beginning of seal wear then changing away from trans/hydraulic fluid in the front axle toward 80w-90 gear oil will give you extra time of use - sometimes lots of time.. Just keep it topped off to protect the bearing. It isn't uncommon for seals to fail.

The problem with the advice I'm giving here is that half the time the seal is going bad because the Outer wheel bearing is already falling apart. Especially if doing a lot of heavy 4wd work.
In that case, the leak means "stop using it now". So be sure of what you feel when you jack it up and feel for play and roughness. If it were mine I'd jack it up and re-check the axle daily.
Luck,
rScotty

 

[ultrarunner]

In school my old Plymouth power steering pump was leaking at the seal… needed to add every month and no time to tear into it.

I tried power steering sealer and 20 years later never added a drop of fluid… it expanded the seal enough to stop the leak…

 

[Complete Turf Care]

I've changed front axle bearings on my Kubota L5740 four times and once on my L6060. The first time, the front wheel just locked up and would not roll. Of course there was lots of oil when this happened, but I had not noticed a leak before. Once, the whole wheel fell off. The other times, I noticed oil leaking and stopped using the tractor immediately and changed the seals and bearings.

Let us know what you decide to do.