CK20s front diff problem

[Kefergus]

Hi there, new here. Just bought a 2013 CK20s with 220 hours on it as my first tractor for my 1.5 acre lot. Tractor appeared in really good shape, I tested it it to the best of my ability and admittedly got blinded by the low hours.

Got home and noticed the front wheels were not turning in some slick stuff when in 4wd. Check linkage, all good, took the front drive shaft cover off, in 2wd the shaft spins (too easily) and in 4wd it is locked so all good. removed the front driveshaft from the front diff pinion shaft. The pinion shaft has tons of play, is leaking (the cover tube had oil in it) and spins easily by hand. Front wheels spin freely independently of each other.

My guess is either the pinion is broken or rounded off to the point it isno longer touching the ring gear.

I do believe the seller honestly did not know about this and he is working with me to get it fixed (and offered to take it back no questions full refund)

So my question is, am I correct in my diagnosis that the diff is trashed? Also the driveshaft appears installed backwards compared to the service manual and parts fiche drawings, could this have caused this??

My plan is to remove the front axle and take it to the local kioti dealer to have the diff fixed. I do not have a trailer and setting backlash is out of my scope. I priced the ring and pinion at about $300 plus install assume there will be some bearings seals and hopefully that is all, if I can get back out the door for under $1000 I would be able to sleep at night.

Any help or comments is/are appreciated!!

 

[RollTideRam]

I can't offer any help, but do you have a friend with a trailer? May be easier for a dealer to diagnose if you can take the tractor in.

 

[Kefergus]

I amfairly confident in my diagnosis and if anything I would like to take it apart and verify things like the axle shafts are not snapped. I Figure taking the stripped axle in will knock a couple hours labour off and I just like working on things.

I may attempt the r&p myself as I need to learn how to do gears one of these days and a low speed tractor is probably a good starting point.

 

[ritcheyvs]

Try lifting both front wheels (like with loader) and then try to rotate each front wheel by hand while FWD is engaged. The other front wheel should rotate in the opposite direction if the front gear train is OK. There are bevel gears and shafts (to allow steering) on each side between the horizontal axle and the wheel. From reading other reports here, failure of these gears at the front wheels is more common than font differential failure.

 

[Kefergus]

The wheels spin freely, if I spin one the other does nothing. If I ground one wheel the other will spin freely. 4wd, 2wd, still same result.

At an absolutely minimum the bearing and oil seal at the pinion (or bevel shaft I think kioti calls it) are shot as it is leaking and there is at least 1/2 inch of play in the pinion shaft. Spinning the pinion by hand it feels as if is broken or not contacting the ring gear at all, it is just too easy to spin.


I am going to strip it down tomorrow and will update! From the service manual these things look really easy to work on.

 

[ritcheyvs]

Sounds like something is bad broke in the axle. I can't think of any other checks or short cuts. Please let us know what you find.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Sounds like ring and pinion to me!

SR

 

[Kefergus]

Got the axle out and partially stripped down. Indeed the pinion is completely smoked as well as the ring gear, along with the pinion bearing and seal. Both axles are intact, lets keep our fingers cross the carrier and other parts are ok, it's at the shop now.

I'm really wondering if the driveshaft being installed backwards is the culprit. There's pin that is supposed to go through the front coupler that I would suspect is "sacrificial" and is intended to break on hard front end impact (drop bucket in reverse etc). I've found other threads where this pin was sheared or missing inexplicably and 4wd was inop (if only I was so lucky..). My driveshaft with no front disposable pin to take the impact probably ate the pinion bearing instead, which took out the ring and pinion and so on.. Will provide pics one they parts are out!

 

[Robin Veerman]

I wonder if the front axle oil was ever changed out to a gear lube? They usually come from the factory with Hydraulic oil in them, to be changed out at 50 hrs, preferably with a gear lube. Keep us posted, especially on the orientation of the driveshaft. Dutchy

 

[jabelding]

Sounds like PO was doing a lot of pulling things (stumps logs) backwards with the tractor. Pulling things in reverse with all the load on the front axle will smoke it really quick, front axle is not made to be able to take all the torque the tractor will produce.