JD2305 Rear axle seal replacement

   / JD2305 Rear axle seal replacement #1  

DanMc77

Gold Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2015
Messages
395
Tractor
JD 4600, JD 2210, JD 332
My son in law recently picked up a nice JD2305 with 600 hours. Going over it, he found that the left rear wheel axle seal is leaking.

Anybody here that has gone through changing that seal?
 
   / JD2305 Rear axle seal replacement #2  
Yes, in order to get that seal out you have to remove the side axle housing assembly to get to a c-clip on the inside and pull the axle out of the housing. Unfortunately because there's a large frame plate in the way, you have to disconnect the transaxle and slide it backwards on a floor jack to get those axle housing assemblies off.

It's not very technically challenging but it is time consuming to get everything off and the transaxle disconnected.

Bits of advice:
While you're in there be sure to grease the engine to transmission drive shaft very well (lots of threads about this), clean out the hydrostatic suction screen and replace the rubber suction elbow (hardens & makes suction air leak pulling air into hydrostat) and give the axle housing sealant RTV a good 24 hours to cure before you pour fluid in it to avoid having additional leaks and doing the job twice
 
   / JD2305 Rear axle seal replacement
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Yes, in order to get that seal out you have to remove the side axle housing assembly to get to a c-clip on the inside and pull the axle out of the housing. Unfortunately because there's a large frame plate in the way, you have to disconnect the transaxle and slide it backwards on a floor jack to get those axle housing assemblies off.

It's not very technically challenging but it is time consuming to get everything off and the transaxle disconnected.

Bits of advice:
While you're in there be sure to grease the engine to transmission drive shaft very well (lots of threads about this), clean out the hydrostatic suction screen and replace the rubber suction elbow (hardens & makes suction air leak pulling air into hydrostat) and give the axle housing sealant RTV a good 24 hours to cure before you pour fluid in it to avoid having additional leaks and doing the job twice
MT: Thanks for the feedback. I like "not very technically chalenging". That implies that theres just a lot of stuff that has to come off in a certain order. If we do this, ill take a bunch of pics and try to document the process. JD quoted 16.5 hours for this. My expectation is that they quote the max time for an imbecile to do it.
 
   / JD2305 Rear axle seal replacement #4  
MT: Thanks for the feedback. I like "not very technically chalenging". That implies that theres just a lot of stuff that has to come off in a certain order. If we do this, ill take a bunch of pics and try to document the process. JD quoted 16.5 hours for this. My expectation is that they quote the max time for an imbecile to do it.
Yes rops/seat/fenders/controls/hydraulic pipes/etc. The most difficult part of the process is getting the hydrostat input driveshaft and front axle output driveshaft lined up back together on install if you only have one set of hands. I got it done by myself after some irritation and choice words, but I think it would be much easier with a helper.
 
   / JD2305 Rear axle seal replacement #5  
My expectation is that they quote the max time for an imbecile to do it.

Regardless of who does it, still nuts and bolts and connections will take someone's time/labor to get it done. A non-imbecile or not, as I see it. We all know how time consuming it is, and how important it is to remember the correct order for it all to go back together. Look forward to your documentation of the process. It will be priceless.
 
   / JD2305 Rear axle seal replacement
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Update on this issue: Son in law looked closely at the seals and saw that rust had snuck between the overmolded rubber and the steel seal frame and the fluid was leaking from the side of the seal, not the interface with the axle. He drained the rear end to stop the leaking, and degrease it. He used Permatex Form-a-Gasket to plug the leak. Since then there has been no leaking. We will see how long this holds......... Maybe he dodged a bullet. It's weird, because the machine does have some rust down below, but it's not severe.
 
   / JD2305 Rear axle seal replacement #7  
Update on this issue: Son in law looked closely at the seals and saw that rust had snuck between the overmolded rubber and the steel seal frame and the fluid was leaking from the side of the seal, not the interface with the axle. He drained the rear end to stop the leaking, and degrease it. He used Permatex Form-a-Gasket to plug the leak. Since then there has been no leaking. We will see how long this holds......... Maybe he dodged a bullet. It's weird, because the machine does have some rust down below, but it's not severe.
The previous owner of the tractor that I swapped these out on also tried rtv sealant which turned out to be a Band-Aid but didn't completely fix the leak. It appeared that the tractor had been driven over some barbed wire that rat-nested around the axle. I hope you have better luck with the sealant
 
   / JD2305 Rear axle seal replacement #8  
MT: Thanks for the feedback. I like "not very technically chalenging". That implies that theres just a lot of stuff that has to come off in a certain order. If we do this, ill take a bunch of pics and try to document the process. JD quoted 16.5 hours for this. My expectation is that they quote the max time for an imbecile to do it.
I asked a friend who is a JD person. He said on a good day 16-17 hours and that was if it did not have a loader and backhoe frames.

He advised if it arrived with the loader and backhoe, along with the middle mount mower attached add another hour for removal and reinstall.
 
 
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