Leaky front axle

[Cuttingrass]

Like your vent. Venting the axle is a good point. My 80s era M5030 front axle was leaking some. Especially after bush hogging or transporting trees/brush. Hillside farm you stay in 4wd. Didn’t have a dipstick, only fill and fluid level plugs. Made vent tubing filter/plug for the fill port. No more leaks for 20 years till I sold it.

Newer tractors have plastic dipstick plug. Not sure how or if they vent. Do the newer tractors front axles have a vent?

My 2021 Bobcat CUT has a vented front axle. Plastic threaded plug with steel dip stick.

 

[number two]

What about removing the tire,then remove the 8 bolts that hold the axle flange housing.
Take the assembly to the dealer for a bench job?
Good Luck!

 

[5030]

Just for general info. I tried some seals off from Ebay that were about a third of the kubota price. Worked ok for a couple of months, then started leaking.

Like the cheap Chinese water pumps. Look good but aren't worth beans. Like i's been said, the bad taste hangs around long after the cheap price wears off. I only use genuine Kubota seals and filters and always have.

Far as venting a front axle. there is plenty of free air space in the axle to allow for fluid expansion so long as the axle isn't overfilled. I have 6000 hours plus on one of my M9's and the front axle has never weeped a bit. Ain't mo vent that I'm aware of either.

 

[47sawdust]

My 1985 L3750 4wd leaked at the front axle seals.At the dealers suggestion I drained the 80/90 and filled with corn head grease.Heavier viscosity ,no more leaks. Simple fix no side affects.

 

[arto98607]

If it ever leaked again just pump it full of axle grease - that ought to fix it for good!

 

[rScotty]

If it ever leaked again just pump it full of axle grease - that ought to fix it for good!

Sure enough.
Maybe that's what they should have in the first place.
Then no more leaks. Stupid engineers.
Transmissions, too. Same parts in there.

 

[5030]

Corn head grease is a much better alternative actually.

 

[5030]

In reality when there is a dead air space above the lubricant in the front axle so as the fluid warms it can expand. If correctly engineered, no vent needed.

 

[whitetiger]

All the above plus you need to have a look-see at the king pin and king pin bushings, especially if you do a lot of loader work. Easy to replace as well. drive them out with a suitable sized drift and drive the new ones in.

For some reason (I suspect manufacturing cost), Kubota likes to use ball bearings in the outboards instead of Tapered rollers which do0a lot better job of bearing the weight imposed by a front end loader, because tapered rollers distribute the weight a lot better and have a wider contact point than ball bearings.

If you king pin bushings get worn, that will cause the radial seal to leak as well. Just replaced the left side on my 6000 hour M9. Easy to tell too. Loft the front end, taske the wheel off and grasp the outer flange and try to move it vertically. If it moves at all it can be the bushings, or the king pin or both. Good time to check the front axle pivot too for excessive slop. It needs to move free in an arc with no lateral movement. Owners tend to forget about greasing the pivot and checking the pre load. Your owners manual details how to set it using the front bolt and jam nut.

There are no kingpins or bushings, more FAKE INFO.

 

[5030]

So tell us oh hallowed one, what keeps the upper and lower knuckle aligned? Last time I checked it was a kingpin and upper and lower bushings but then maybe you know better. I know, faith keeps them in place right?