Oil & Fuel Greasing front axle pivots

[Bobcat CT445]

hoping someone can give me some advise on this. I have a 2010 CT445 that I bought recently and I was greasing the machine yesterday for the first time since I purchased it. There is grease fittings on the front axle pivots that I greased and my question is. Are there seals at the top and bottom of these pivots that I need to be concerned about blowing out if I over grease them or should they be greased until the grease comes out of the top and bottom. At present time there is no grease coming out of the top and bottom and there is a little rust starting at those points. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[ruffdog]

I assume you are talking about pivots out by the wheels, not the main axle pivot where it connects to the frame? Most times it is beneficial to grease all those axle pivots with the weight is off of them. That way the grease can go where the weight bearing surfaces are. Take a jack and lift the frame slightly or use the loader. Being that this is the first greasing, this would be well worth the extra work. Many times the manufacturer does not grease the pivots, they expect the owner to do this immediately after they buy it. Hopefully, your dealer took the time to do it when it was new.

 

[winston1]

This is what you have.

 

[Bobcat CT445]

The outside front axle pivots are what I'm referring too, the pivots just inside the wheels that rotate when the wheels are turned. my book calls them front axle pivots. so I guess my question is, should I see grease at the upper and lower pivot points, or are there seals at those points that I need to be concerned about blowing out if they are over greased.

 

[Bobcat CT445]

Also, this is a 2010 model so it is not the first grease job but there is not any grease around the pivot points.

 

[winston1]

My bad, so you have #24 grease fitting here. I will guess because the bearing being greased there is above the fluid level. Would look to me the excess grease will go on down into the into the axle case. I would doubt you are going to blow a seal as there is a vent at the upper side in the middle of your axle housing. Note #22,23,24. in 2nd drawing.

 

[Bobcat CT445]

Winston 1, thanks for the diagrams they help me understand the inner workings. yes #24 is the fitting that I'm talking about. So it does appear that #13 and #17 on the first drawing are seals which would make sense since there is 80w90 in the inner and outer axle housings and the seals would prevent any mixing of the grease and oil correct? the vent would be strictly for the actual axle housing, correct?

 

[winston1]

No, that is not how I see it. #17 is an upper seal above the bearing and grease fitting, #13 is the knuckle seal which seals at the pivot point. It is my belief the excess grease would eventually make it's was down into the lower housing. I may be wrong, just what I see.

 

[Bobcat CT445]

So I guess the short answer would be don't get crazy with the grease. thanks for your time and info on this matter I appreciate it.