Breathable fill caps

[JTKub]

After some usage on my TYM T224 yesterday, I checked the front axle and trans/hydraulic fluid. I've seen some talk online about front axles not being able to relieve pressure and being the suspect cause of axle seal leakage. After examining the front axle and trans cap on my TYM, these caps can both easily breathe in and out. Straight up through the inside center and in/out the little rectangular notches to the outside of the black gasket seal. Those notches are somewhat protected under the outside flange of the caps to keep rainwater, etc out. Maybe they're all this way and I missed the memo? The only issue I could see is if you buried the front axle under water, you could get water in there. If you were up to the hydraulic cap, you got bigger problems to worry about. Pictured below is the standard style trans/hydraulic cap my T224 has. The front axle is the same design, but has a dipstick snapped into that oval in the center. FWIW, I still can't determine where my hydraulic fluid level is. I can't tell if the bullseye is over full or empty.

 

[jjeff]

Thanks for the input I have the same one on my rk 21. One of my few gripes of that tiny tractor is the sight glass for hydro fluid on mine it's on the back axle near the pto shaft, imo a terrible location.

 

[JTKub]

Thanks for the input I have the same one on my rk 21. One of my few gripes of that tiny tractor is the sight glass for hydro fluid on mine it's on the back axle near the pto shaft, imo a terrible location.

I'm with you there. Not a great spot. Can you tell the level on yours? I'm guessing by the slight amber color to the bullseye on my T224, mine is filled to above the sight glass. I'm tempted to add dye to it, or drain some to see.

 

[jjeff]

I'm with you there. Not a great spot. Can you tell the level on yours? I'm guessing by the slight amber color to the bullseye on my T224, mine is filled to above the sight glass. I'm tempted to add dye to it, or drain some to see.

I think I mentioned it in my tiny tractor thread I added oil based uv dye looking for a leak that was coming out of the fill cap (which is also somewhat Breathable, similar to the front axle caps you mentioned) the rk I bought it from overfilled the hydraulic hydrostatic fluid by about a gallon so when it heated up and expanded it had to go somewhere. Anyways added uv dye bought a uv light and checked all fittings including mid and rear pto seals only place it was coming from was the cap. I added enough uv dye now when I put the uv light to the sight glass it's just above the red dot before start-up and use. So when it's cold. It's a pia telling where the fluid level is on a new tractor with new fluid and a sight glass. I definitely prefer dipsticks.