Max 28XL front axle or wheel squeal

[dannyboy413]

So a have a hydrostatic Max 28 w/ a loader on it. I recently bought a pair of bucket forks, and began hauling small(5-7') log lengths. I dont have any rear ballast, so I had the machine loaded a few times where my rear tires would bounce a hair off the ground. A couple weeks ago, i started getting a loud, sharp squeal on uneven surfaces, sharp turnings, and sometimes just a loaded bucket. I used it the other day with the forks again, and now Its squealing bad from the front wheel(s) or axles, but not all the time. I lifted the front tires off the ground, and they spin and turn without any squeal, and the axle pivots without a noise. I pulled the tires off to make sure nothing was stuck in between the rim and the hub. Greased all the fittings again, and Im still getting the squeal. It seems like the squeal coincides with the wheel rotation. It doesnt appear that speed makes a difference, and 2wd vs 4wd doesnt make a difference either. The machines only has 56 hours on it..but could I have overloaded the front wheel bearings, or is it possibly something else? Thanks for any input/help you can give me, as I am a rookie tractor owner.

 

[linuxman51]

have you checked the oil in the front axle housings (for lack of a better term)? If it's squealing it may be too late, but I dunno that the load itself would cause that... I rigged up a way to pick up several crossties (4-5) at once and that led to a couple almost interesting scenarios, but it never missed a beat. 2 wheeled it with a load of clay in the bucket (and no backhoe on the back to help balance), that had a pretty high pucker factor.