Multiple hydraulic problems JD 4300 HST

[roquefortnight]

Well to late now...But if you had wrote this before I would have told you that the suction screen was blocked for sure!

Is the material removed definitely metal? Could it be friction material (like from a clutch)?


I am not sure what he was referring to either by the term "servo"

It's definitely metal. Seems to be a magnetic rust-resistant steel.

 

[RoyJackson]

It's definitely metal. Seems to be a magnetic rust-resistant steel.

It sounds like a stainless steel. Not all are non-magnetic. I can't think of any reason to use a stainless steel inside an engine or hydraulic system though.
I am happy the "fix" was relatively easy for you though.

 

[Long0]

I also have a leak in one of my front spindle assemblies (I think that's what it's called). Don't know what's involved in that either: any suggestions?

Front axle assemblies are not that bad to do. Make sure you have a press as there is a piece you have to press back together during re-assembly. I have done both sides now (first one is leaking again) on my 4300. Blue RTV has worked the best for me in-place of the expensive silcone JD recommends.
This is the part your talking about?

 

[dfkrug]

Two other pieces of metal came out of the main transmission drain when I opened it, similar to the others I had saved. The pickup screen was cruddy, but not with big chunks of anything. Looked more like lint to me (maybe metal "lint"). I washed it in kerosene and scrubbed it with a toothbrush and blew it with compressed air, but I couldn't get it as clean as I would have liked. If that part isn't too expensive I might get another to have on hand as well. The guy at the dealership didn't know what the metal pieces could be from, but said perhaps they were fragments of a servo that was failing.

Suction resistance was clearly your problem. My screen was so covered
with metallic debris that it was hard to remove. It is most likely clutch
and brake debris. I cleaned my suction filter in solvents, then a soap
solution to help clean off the very fine particles. A new filter was more
expensive than I could justify at the time. Post some pix of the misc
parts you find, and maybe they can be identified. There are no "servos"
inside the 4300 gearcase.

As for the MFWD axle seals, the hub is easy and the kingpin is tough, IMO.
If you don't want to wade through all 427 posts of my 4300 rebuild thread,
the axle parts start at post #120:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/parts-repairs/146974-john-deere-4300-complete-rebuild-3.html

 

[roquefortnight]

I finally got a couple pictures, but I don't see how to upload them to TBN. The "insert image" tab asks me for a url, put the pic is in my camera.

Sorry for the newbie confusion.

 

[kennyd]

Under the text box when you reply is a "Manage Attachments" button. You also may to need to resize your pictures if they are to big.

 

[roquefortnight]

Under the text box when you reply is a "Manage Attachments" button. You also may to need to resize your pictures if they are to big.

Thanks again, kennyd! I was using the "quick reply" option which doesn't seem to have that menu.

Sorry these pics are a little blurry. As I wrote before, these fragments are magnetic, but show no signs of corrosion. Only a couple of the larger pieces are from my last transmission fluid change; I found most of them two or three years ago when I drained the fluid after I broke the steering cylinder.

So far the tractor, loader, 3ph is working fine, though I've only gone short distances so can't say for certain whether the wandering steering problem is gone.

 

[beenthere]

Those are some serious parts roquefortnight. Hope they are just history and not something ongoing now.

As to the wandering steering problem, it will always wander a bit. When it is too much, may be the key to a more serious problem.

 

[Egon]

Those look like pieces off of a seal or outer bearing shell???

 

[wheels910]

Yep, Egon is on the right track. That is bearing material. Brake or clutch fragments would be more fibrous. There's no way to tell what bearing you have going out for sure with out exploratory searching though. Could be pto related, transmission, or anything else in the shared hydraulic flow. Better keep checking your screen every few hundred hours. Keep your ears open for any abnormal growling or grinding that could help you narrow down where the failure is occuring. Next time you drain fluid to check your sump screen, might want to pull the rear cover off the pto and check out the bearings there. They are the most easily accessible.

Good luck!!