Buying Advice front axle advice

[mark777]

arthr31,

We had a YM1610 last year where the FWD just stopped working. Thankfully this doesn't happen very often, but the axle was packed with sand-silt-mud and after the tear down we discovered every beveled gear, wheel bearings and machined hard surfaces were worn beyond repair. Nothing was broken (chipped or cracked gears) Just worn to the point where no gears meshed from years of polishing away the metal. The wheel bearings sounded like a baby rattle when cleaned with solvent. Very expensive repair.

So, as many have already suggested, it's a good idea to get the crud out of your front end. Even change it as often as your engine oil for a while.

Sorry I missed your other post...I have seen fiber, nylon and soft metal washers on the filler plugs on some, but not all front axles.

Dick, wasn't that stuff called Krozoil?? Orange can? Penetrates to 1/1,000,000th of an inch. Used it often in the '80s but it is very difficult to find now. It was, hands down, the best I'd ever used.

Mark

 

[pruntyc]

Mark, I went out and looked on the can, I like it so well I bought a gallon of it. It is Kroil, the only place I know to get it is from the web. I paid $35.50 for it with shipping, from Nashville. It is made by Kano Laboratories, in Nashville, TN. They had, or maybe still have a deal, they call a smart deal, where you order a gallon which is normally $23.90, they also send you a 10oz can of aerokroil which is normally $8.50, and shipping is normally 12.00, all for $ 35.50. I think that is for new customers, to get new business. So if you want the deal of course you have to ask for it to get it.

 

[arthr31]

Thanks, Mark. I found the washers once the bolt came off. I have rubber washers which are seated in a channel under the bolt head. Nice design.


I'm following the recommendations of trying to "flush" the axle out. I'll probably moderately use the tractor now until snow and then only for snow removal. I'd like to change the axle oil again before snow, but at the least right after snow season ends.

The goo which slid out of the bevel housings looked really like red sludge. And, there's definitely some sand like content to it.. I found similar goo in my fuel filler bowl yesterday while I cleaned that too. Even though the tractor was sold to me as having had all new fluids and filters, I seriously doubt that some of this work was done-- I've only put 50hrs on the meter and 13 months on the tractor!!!

Anyway, thanks again all for the input here. -Art