Kubota magic trick

Sherrell · Sep 11, 2004

I have a Kubota L3400 4WD. I tried to grease the axle pivot brackets today. The rear bracket kept taking grease but none ever came out anywhere around the bracket. I used a full tube of grease and part of another before I gave up. Where did the grease go? The bracket itself is not large enough to contain this amount of grease.

familyman · Sep 11, 2004

Hey, Sherrell!
I'm a little confused about what you are calling a "rear axle pivot bracket". My L2800 has a front axle pivot point that has a grease fitting and the manual shows clearly how to lube it, but to my knowledge there is no rear axle pivot point. If you tell me where this grease fitting is located maybe you and I can figure out what's wrong and why it's taking so much grease. Send me a PM if you like.

Charley

Sherrell · Sep 12, 2004

Thanks to familyman for the reply. I failed to make myself clear. The front axle has a bracket on the front side and another on the back side of the front axle. On the front, you have to remove a plug to vent the bracket and when grease comes out of the vent hole, you know that mission is accomplished. The bracket on the back side of the front axle has no vent. I thought that when I pumped grease into it that grease would come out of it somewhere like all others I have ever seen. Can't figure where it is going.

familyman · Sep 12, 2004

O.K., Sherrell, I'm with you now! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
That is a pillow block or bearing support for the shaft that powers the front axle. Unlike the front axle support, it has no breather hole for grease to escape from and when I greased mine the pump fetched up hard after 4 or 5 pumps. Yours keeps on taking grease (are you sure it's got grease?) and now I'd like to know why. I'll call my dealer tomorrow and ask. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Sherrell · Sep 12, 2004

Familyman: Yes, I am certain that it was taking grease. I opened a new tube and it was full. It took the whole tube and part of another one before I stopped. Note: when I greased it when it was delivered, that particular fitting would not take grease at all. I decided to drive it about 20 hours and try it again. Now it eats all the grease you can pump. Thanks.

slowrev · Sep 13, 2004

Checked your oil lever in the frontend ? It might be overfilled by about a grease cartridge worth. If so change it, the thick stuff might not lube planetary gears and such properly.

Just a thought.

familyman · Sep 13, 2004

Slowrev, I am at a loss. What's an oil lever? I have several greasy handles, but I doubt that's what you mean. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

familyman · Sep 13, 2004

Ok, I get it -- you meant the oil level in the front axle. The part Sherrell is referring to is behind the front axle, where the driveshaft enters the axle housing, and you're suggesting that the grease is getting past the seal and entering the front axle. I bet that's it, Sherrell!
I don't think it will hurt the front end at all, but your dealer should be made aware of the problem so it can be corrected under warranty. Now I'll be keeping an eye on mine! /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Sherrell · Sep 13, 2004

I stopped and talked to Kubota serviceman today and asked hinm where the grease is going. Serviceman says the grease is going into the driveshaft tube because that is the only place it could possibly go. He doesn't know why it did this but says it will not damage anything. He says I should not worry about it, just limit grease to this fitting to two or three pumps in the future. Sounds to me like a seal was left out allowing grease to back up into the driveshaft tube. Thanks to all who replied- case closed.

shoppintractors · Sep 13, 2004

My Ford 1220 would do that. After a while, the grease fills up the drive shaft tube and would start oozing out. Don't ask me how I know..... /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif If you over grease the spindles on the mower deck it shows up all over the place. Don't ask me how I know that either... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Don