L3130 blew something in front end

[SteveA]

Bought my L3130 brand new 15 years ago and it has been flawless up until today. Was out moving some brush piles around in FWD when suddenly I hear some grinding and a pop from the LF wheel and oil came running out of the hub.
Any ideas what blew? Depending on what it is I will decide whether or not to tackle repairs my self or call the Kubota dealer to come and get it.
Thanks for any input.

 

[BeezFun]

I've fixed a number of different front axles, it's pretty straight forward because everything is in the open. You might need to press a bearing, but any shop can do that for you if you don't have a press. It couldn't be the axle snapping or the wheel would fall off. Hard to guess what it is until you pull the case apart.

 

[Tinhack]

I'd say if oil was running out, you broke a case. A picture or two would help.

 

[4570Man]

The bad news is it’s probably expensive no matter what. But without pictures we can’t determine anything.

 

[SteveA]

Thanks for the replies. I just ordered a shop manual and will dig into it soon. Will post some pics when I can get at it. Thanks again.

 

[Cycledude]

Pictures could be very helpful, how many hours on the tractor ?

 

[MHarryE]

Generally it’s a failed wheel bearing. I had several on my Grand L’s. You will find numerous threads. It is possible the failed bearing parts got trapped somewhere that punched a hole. Common thing on these is finding oil running down the wheel and the wheel slanting. Last one I repaired cost less than $100 parts and took a little over an hour to repair. As long as the gear teeth aren’t damaged, no need for re-shimming.

 

[SteveA]

Pictures could be very helpful, how many hours on the tractor ?

I am in Rhode Island weathering out a noreaster at our beach house. When I get back to my place in CT. I will start disassembling. The machine recently turned over 1000 hours. Believe it or not it still has the original battery.

 

[SteveA]

Generally it’s a failed wheel bearing. I had several on my Grand L’s. You will find numerous threads. It is possible the failed bearing parts got trapped somewhere that punched a hole. Common thing on these is finding oil running down the wheel and the wheel slanting. Last one I repaired cost less than $100 parts and took a little over an hour to repair. As long as the gear teeth aren’t damaged, no need for re-shimming.

I spent some time looking at some youtube vids. I am hoping it is just a bearing. When I heard the grinding and saw the oil, I was close to my outbuilding where it is parked. I gently moved it inside hoping to minimize any damage.

 

[MHarryE]

I spent some time looking at some youtube vids. I am hoping it is just a bearing. When I heard the grinding and saw the oil, I was close to my outbuilding where it is parked. I gently moved it inside hoping to minimize any damage.

When my first one failed, I had just finished plowing snow and parked my tractor in the garage. As I got off I noticed the left front had something other than the white snow it’s normally packed with. Went back in the tractor, used the loader to lift the front, went in front and rocked the wheel. Lots of slop. So I don’t recall anything out of normal except for seeing the oil dirtying up the snow. If it hadn’t been for that, I might have run until I did real damage.