BX2200 Hydro Leak at Wheel Hub

[Tom_H]

Thanks to schrand and Volfandt who helped me diagnose why my 3ph wasn't lifting: a coupling on the FEL wasn't completely connected.

Anyway, I had been trying to figure it out prior to their suggestions and had discovered the tranny fluid level was low. I kept checking the dipstick as I added more, but still managed to overfill it. After I got everything running again, I did some minor FEL work and discovered the left rear tire covered with UDT. I found that it was leaking at a fairly substantial flow from the bottom of the tranny where the axle exits the tranny. I could hear air gurgling in to replace the draining fluid. I grabbed the jack and elec. impact wrench and pulled the wheel. The plastic ring that fits the space between the axle and the larger hole at the terminus of the tranny had backed out around 3/8 of an inch. I pushed it with my fingers and it went right back in place. I then ran the tractor for about an hour doing FEL and PHD work with no more apparent problems.

Did overfilling the tranny cause a pressure buildup that blew this ring out? Isn't it correct that the fill hole leads only to a non-pressurized reservoir from which tranny fluid is drawn into the pressurized loop as needed? There was no problem here while I was trying to get the 3ph working. Even after I filled the reservoir and was working the FEL, there was no problem. After I got the couplings secure and started working is when the ring blew out. Do I need to replace this ring? Do I have other things I need to look into.? All advice and responses are appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[art]

I'd check the vent on the top of the rear end!

 

[ibnxe]

I'd say definitely check the vent for the transmission. From your description, what came out was the axle seal. There would need to be a pressure build up inside the transmission case for this to occur.
The seal is usually a pressed in item, or at least tapped in with a hammer, so if you can easily push it back in by hand, I would see about replacing it with a new one.

 

[jnjpream]

If you are able to push the oil seal in with just your fingers, there is a problem. Oil seals should be a tight fit such that you typically need to tap them in with a small mallet.

You should look closely around the casting of the transmission case and make sure there are not any cracks etc.

Not sure there would be enough pressure in the transmission to blow out the entire seal, metal ring and all, even if the vent was plugged. Usually that would just take out the rubber seal portion.

But in either case, there is something wrong with either the seal or the casting that you should take care of right away to avoid serious damage.

 

[Tom_H]

It was only the rubber seal, no metal ring that I noticed. Would that be something that should be highly obvious, or could it be easily missed?

I stopped by the dealer yesterday and talked with a mechanic. He also said I should look around the trannie for cracks in the casing or axle. He also stated that if it came out once, it probably would again. The seal is just a few bucks. Estimated labor time to disassemble entire trannie and replace this one seal: 14 hours.

jnjpream, what part of CO are you in? Back in the 70s and 80s I did a lot of backpacking in Uncompaghre.

 

[art]

When you remove the wheel and tire to inspect the axle housing put a couple of small prick marks with a punch on the flange to try and hold it better!

The whole axle will need to be removed to replace that seal.

 

[jnjpream]

Hi Tom,

I don't know what that particular seal looks like so I can't say for sure if it is easy to miss. Some seals have just a metal ring (cross section would look like a shallow "[") on the outside. It is the metal that fits tightly into the casting. And some seals have a flange on the outside so you can't punch it into the casting too far when installing it. Then obviously, there is the rubber part that actually rides on the axle to create the seal.

Sometimes the metal ring is covered in a thin layer of really hard rubber to help create a better sealing surface at the casting (I've only ever changed one seal on a Kubota and it was this way, not sure if ALL kubota seals are like this). This could fool you into thinking the whole thing was made of hard rubber or plastic. But if it was just the rubber from the center that rides on the axle, it would be pretty flexible because that rubber needs to be pretty soft to form to the axle.

Jeff

I'm in Berthoud which is in between Boulder and Ft Collins. I've never been hiking Uncompaghre (don't know where it is to be honest). I did a lot of hiking in Estes Park/RMNP and some in Ft Collins near Horse Tooth Res. That was all pre-kids. Never did a 14'er either, and so out of shape and broken now that I never will.. I regret not attempting one earlier in life.

 

[Tom_H]

Still no signs of further problems, so I have my fingers crossed.

Jeff,

Uncompaghre National Forest and Uncompaghre Wilderness Area are a bit SW of Montrose in the San Juan range. I was an instructor and an instructor trainer for Christian High Adventure, an outfit similar to National Outdoor Leadership School and Outward Bound. We did walkup climbs of Uncompaghre Peak and technical climbs of Wetterhorn Peak, both 14ers.

That is some pretty country where you live. I hear what you're saying about pre-kids and post-kids. I am in my mid-50s now. After I retire, a former instructor friend of mine and I hope to retrace one of our old routs, including a walkup climb (with full packs on) of Silver Mountain, which is 13.7k'. Maybe we are insane; I guess we will find out. Another former instructor friend of mine now lives in CO Springs. He used to be director of a camp near there called Ponderosa Conference Center.