Had to rebuild the right side outboard on my 2002 M9 yesterday...

[5030]

First rebuild in all the years I've owned it. Had the seals and 'O' rings on the shelf as it has been leaking for a while but the outboards hold quite a bit of 85-140 and I kept an eye on the level so all was good. Was a job removing the outer right side outboard (it's a heavy, over 100 pound casting and it contains the stub axle as well as the planetary gearset).

The outboard has threaded holes to insert a 10 mm machine bolt to assist in removing it but I just whacked the casting with a brass hammer and it came right off.

Been peeing on the rim for a while now and making a mess so I rebuilt it.

I can see why Kubota's cost more, the internals are beautifully machined and hardened and as old as the tractor is (2002) and over 4500 hours running hay, everything inside was pristine, no bearing issues at all. Had to remove the axle stub (it's FWA) as well as all the snap rings and circlips and pull the bevel gear (with a gear puller) as well as the stub axle and then replace the outboard seal and internal 'O' ring and replace the outboard on the hub casting and seal the mating face with 3 Bond anerobic sealant and replace the 28 machine bolts that secure the outer to the knuckle assembly and of course refill the outboard with 85-149 gear oil, I only use 85-140 gear oil in my front drive not SUDT. 85-140 provides greater shock load capability than SUDT. When I had it apart I also checked the knuckle free play and it was fine. Last year I had my dealer replace the insert bearings on the left side knuckle as they were sloppy and while not leaking fluid, I felt it was only a matter of time before the radial seal would start leaking and I had it in the shop for an overhead adjustment anyway so I had Dennis do that as well. Not really bad (far as replacing worn parts on a 2002 tractor that has lived a hard life farming hay).

Was an full day job and I needed a helper to remove and replace the outer as it's quite heavy. Radial capscrews torque to 37 foot pounds and the wheel lug nuts torque to 175 foot pounds. The outer has a set of locating dowels to aid removal and reassembly as well and it's beautifully machined o the inside, Kubota really takes pride in their machining and everything inside was case hardened as well. I should be good to go for as long as I need the tractor now. I also checked the front axle vent and hose for obstructions. The vent hose is located in the center section up front and hidden away and the vent hose is clipped to the inside frame rail, kind of out of sight unless you have the front axle jacked up and you still have to remove the lower perforated plate that covers the space between the front center differential section and the engine itself to access the hose. It was fine.
I also adjusted the axle center pivot per the shop manual which I have a copy of and greased it. It's invaluable for determining torque settings and parts assembly order and both tractors being the same other than one is a cab model and one is an open station, share the same shop manual.

All day job but handled now. Glad I bought the seals and 'O' rings ahead of time (bought them last fall in anticipation of doing it). I bet the cost of those parts has probably doubled with inflation by now. Couple gallons of 85-140 and it's good to go once again. I figured I'd drain the entire axle and right outboard and replace all the gear oil in one shot and the center pivot requires you to tighten the center bolt down snug and back it off 1/4 turn and tighten the locking nut up. All spelled out in the shop manual of course. Have to order another 5 gallon pail of 85-140 gear oil as I used up what I had. I use Shell 85-140 GL5 gear oil but I buy it in 5 gallon pails from my jobber.

Glad that is handled.

 

[Smokeydog]

Good job and saved money too. Shop time has inflated too.

My old M5030 and B20 had three compartments for oil for the front end. Axle and both hubs. Newer M59 and B26 are one. The axle housings have a vent and good you were checking that it was clear. Wonder how the hubs vented with the 3 compartment type? I think hubs are almost full with single compartment type. Maybe I’m missing something obvious?

 

[5030]

Candidly, I don't know how the outboards are vented, I need to ask Dennis about that. the main vent is in the center section on the top of the front diff housing. I never knew where it was until Dennis told me and it don't show in the shop manual parts explosion either. On mine, the outboards are not completely full of gear oil, the full plug is at least 6" below the top of the housing so there is an air space between the gear oil and the top of the outboard casting but I'll ask Dennis at the dealership as he knows all when it comes to Kubota's as that is all he works on except Case combines. My outboards or the center section never gets hot when I'm using it (I feel the castings once in a while). My dealership shop rate is very reasonable considering what the usual rate is today and working there part time, I get the 'employee discount' on shop rate as well. Their usual rate is 100 bucks an hour but I get the discounted rate of 80 bucks an hour and I'm sure when I help Dennis and screw stuff up, they'd like to charge me more. I do get to use his tools however, Dennis' trusts me, even loans me the specialized tools to bring home if I need them. Dennis had 2 copies of the Kubota WSM for the M9's and M85 and gave me one copy. That saved me a couple hundred bucks as the Kubota WSM's aren't cheap. Got one for the F20 diesel mower I bought this spring used as well.

I'll ask Dennis and post it once I find out. Has to be vented somehow or at least I would imagine it needs to be.

The outer seal was completely trashed when I took it apart. The metal inner seal race was completely separated from the seal itself and I had to take a chisel to it to force it to expand enough to pry it off. needless to say I 'bathed' everything in gear oil before putting it back together and greased the huge 'O' ring with grease as well. the 'O' ring provides a secondary seal between the outer assembly and the inner half of the case plus I put 3 Bond on the mating faces so it's sealed up. Was gonna use Detroit Diesel red anerobic sealant but Dennis told me to use 3 Bond so I did. The DD anerobic sealant is excellent stuff, way better than RTV but you cannot buy it. it's a dealer item only provided to the mechanics. Having retired from there (Freightliner / Western Star) delaership I can get it. Too bad you cannot buy it. Beats RTV hands down in all respects and you can use it instead of teflon tape on plumbing fittings as well.

What Detroit Diesel engines are glued together with...lol

 

[Smokeydog]

Maybe with the air space and low operating temperatures expected didn’t need vented. On the M5030 hubs each had drain plug, oil level/fill plug and you could remove top cap with grease fitting for the knuckle, with a 6mm bolt thread into a round poly spacer to pull out and pour oil into the hub till overflow out oil level hole. So maybe not a gas tight system.

 

[5030]

I once owned a 5030, hence my screen mane I never changed. I don't remember how I changed the front drive oil but I know I did because when I took delivery of it from the dealer (not the dealer I deal with now), the front drive was devoid of any oil at all. Dry as a dead leaf and when I checked it at 50 hours it had destroyed the bearings inside and the dealer (I don't go there anymore and will remain nameless unless someone wants to know they can PM me) had to replace the entire front axle assembly. I mean it ate up everything inside as well as the castings. Other than that, it was a nice unit but not enough grunt to run the equipment I was getting into running hay, especially a round bailer. so it went down the road and I bought my first M9 in 2002, new and have acquired another one along the way. Plenty of grunt for my needs, especially when up on the turbo. No lack of power for my needs and both use very little expensive diesel as well.

The one I bought in 2002, I had to wait for Kubota to build it, took 4 months to get as it was the last one built and I got all the toolroom parts on it. Every part except the engine and drivetrain is marked with department ID and paint marker on the backside and it came with options I did not order and did not get paid for either like the full Arctic cold weather package, special ducted air cleaner and block heater as well as a 2 speed PTO plus creep gears and 4 sets of remotes with flow control. The one I bought some years back I bought with the very rare down exhaust instead of the vertical stack and it even came with a matching Kubota orange blanking plug in the hood. It only has a pair of remotes, single speed PTO and no creep gears and no cab, it's an open station. Same engine and driveline however and same no dry clutch hydraulic shuttle power reverser. Motors are identical so same oil, same filters, same maintenance schedule, just more hours on the meter than the first one I bought. It's pushing almost 5500 hours whereas the cab unit is at 4500 hours. Actually, the outboard was it's first foray into big repairs. Like I said, I had my sealer do the left drive bushings when they adjusted the overhead but this was my first at the farm repair I did myself and I needed assistance as the outboard, complete with axle and planetary is very heavy and the workmanship inside is beautiful to look at as well, having never taken one apart before. I can see why they cost a bit more to purchase and hold their value like they do. It's built like a Swiss watch and I have one of them as well, a Rolex Submariner to be exact. They aren't cheap either and hold their value or appreciate too. My wife almost killed me when I spent 9500 bucks on a watch. I had to convince her it was an investment and it is actually. That was a few years ago and she's still miffed about it. Worth about 12 now.

 

[5030]

Going to have to order up another 5 gallon pail of gear oil, just about out now. I really don't like the smell of it and presently, it's on my clothes and hands but I washed it off for dinner at least. Stuff stinks. Never used UDT or SUDT in the front axle other than new but I change it at 50 hours anyway and every other year along with the antifreeze and the 15 gallons of transmission fluid as well.