OK-What do you think I broke??

[TedLaRue]

... With the front tires nearly flat, the rolling diameter of those front tires were pretty small, ...

No doubt the road is closer to the axle, but the same length of rubber has to contact the road for each revolution, so I don't think the front tires would have to turn faster than normal. Nevertheless I agree that it would have been better to use 2WD once he got moving.

========

Could it be something as simple as a problem with the shaft from the transmission to the front differential? My JD tractor has a couple of slip joints in that shaft driven by ball bearings in grooves (sort of like a CV joint on a car). Be optimistic and check the shaft before tearing into the differential.

Ken, are the front wheels still getting power when you have it 4WD? You could do a quick check by raising the front end up with your loader (keep the lip up off the ground so it won't dig in) and seeing if the front wheels turn when you're in 4WD. If you want to check the front wheels under a load, you could jack up one rear tire and put blocks under the axle, the put it in 4WD and carefully try to drive off the blocks.

 

[ray66v]

Be optimistic and check the shaft before tearing into the differential.

Checking the shaft is not a bad idea, I would not expect it to clunk like that, beyond putting it in 4wd and or the initial application of power, if it was bad.

Draining the oil on the front diff. into a pan, and looking at it out in the sun, is all it should take to know if gears are involved. Kind of like prospecting, except your hoping to not find any gold.

The service manual is not real expensive, if your at all inclined to do your own service, get one before you need it.

 

[amkfken]

Finally- a update on the clunk problem.
Also finally got the service manual--Cheap???-$111.93

I was correct, got the Ring and Pinion, now the question arises-
This had to be an ongoing problem as the last 3/4 mile did not do it, just finished it off.

I have shelled out a few rear ends, 4 wheeling, they always break teeth or bearings, NOT WEAR THE TEETH OFF THE PINION!

Bearings are fine, axle assembly has never leaked a drop, not cracked or bent, looks like brand new internals.

About 30-31 months on the tractor of course it is out of warranty, currently 400 hrs on it, however 75-100 hrs were on the 3pt wood chipper (tractor not moving)/

I am of the opinion that the gears were not correctly hardend or wrong steel used-too soft of material.
OR
Per the manual--No adjustment of ring and pinion are possible, everything is set by factory machining!

By the way-why is the lubricant specified for the front end with many gears hydraulic fluid ,not sae 80-90 gear lube normally found in other differentials????

How about if I use 80-90 in the rebuilt front end?? Opinions please.


Not a very good picture attatched, will visit dealer Monday for return to factory reccomendations

 

[Matt_Jr]

Sorry about your luck there dude. Haven't seen that one before. Usually I like to tell posters "nice picture" but man... that looks pretty bad.

I think in my Kubota's manual it says I can use either hydraulic fluid or gear oil. Good luck with getting that one set up again.

 

[Eagleview]

I'm afraid those gears were never designed to cope with the extreme torque applied to them by driving with the tyres under inflated in 4X4 . As driving with the tyres half flat is exactly the same as fitting smaller diametre front tyres and doing the same thing . The front wheels are trying to turn faster than normal to try and cover the same amount of ground per revolution . And as they are coupled directly too the rear wheels via the driveline , they cannot . Because they had so much downforce on them , the traction would have been too much too overcome so the rear tyres would have needed to skip a little to unload the "wind up" in the driveline . And as you say the front end uses hydraulic fluid which would not have been able to keep up with the extreme pressures .

 

[ray66v]

finally got the service manual--Cheap???-$111.93

I don't know what to tell you, But, I can assure you, I did not pay that kind of money. If I recall, it cost me around $25 for #4283003m1.

I don't think the 80/90 gear lube is going to make a difference.

Is there a tooth, or 2 broke off, or are they just tore up? If they are not severed, this may be the result of something else getting ground up.

The one time I tore a ring and pinion up, I was pulling a mil board plow with my Bolens, and the nut on one of the axles loosened. This allowed the gears to slightly separate. A moot point, if there is indeed, no adjustment on these.

 

[amkfken]

NO teeth broken off or even chipped, just worn off down to sharp points (on the pinion), about 1/3 gone on the ring gear.

Back to dealer for his opinion, I know they are not under warranty but will send back to Mr Massey and Mr Ferguson at my expense just to get their reaction, who knows, maybe I will luck out with some kind of reimbursment??--- Or Not!

 

[ray66v]

If you don't have any broken teeth, Its possible that the real problem is elsewhere. I have not seen teeth chewed up, unless something broke off and got ground up in them.

 

[WilliamBos]

Exactly. Did you have a bearing let go, and get chewed up??

 

[amkfken]

There is absoloutly NO bearing damage, every component in the front end looks as new, just outstandingly worn ring and pinion.

I do not intend replacing any other parts in the front end assembly except for new O rings, there is not any bearing damage or other gear damage.

I will also add 1 quart of sae 80/90 oil to the front end hydraulic fluid lube at re-assembly, will also pop the pinion housing out at about the next 100hrs, easy to do without removing the complete front axle.

Will report on dealer comments and Mr Massey and Mr Ferguson's comments when they look at returned parts.