Knuckle Seal and more ym2000bd

[driceman]

So I decided to go after some leaks I have on my front end 4wd on my 2000bd. The Lucas Hub Oil sealer helped for a while but the problem has progressed to an intolerable point for me. When I cleaned it up to find the leak a long while back, I had it narrowed to the knuckle seals. I searched pretty intensely for tips but didn't really find anything specific to a 2000d. My biggest initial fear was that I was going to drop the lower section and a heaping rain of bits was going to pour out. I worked up the courage and was pleasantly surprised that the vertical shaft slid right out from the lower housing with the only loose part was the spacer #51 on the internal exploded drawing. Seemed simple enough so I already ordered the seals from Hoye. Anyway, I got the one side dropped but I'm thinking on closer inspection that the "hub housing face" is leaking also. Where the big 6 bolts hold it to the housing. So I was wondering if anyone knows how to separate that face from the housing? Does the hub/axle have to be pulled first? And if so, how? I've got a puller if needed but I need to know what to pull and whether or not there are any clips and such to remove before hand. I don't see anything obvious other than the 6 big bolts. Any help is very appreciated.

 

[winston1]

Take the six bolts out and it will come right out, gear and all. Are you sure the axle seal is not leaking. Would be unusual for that gasket to leak unless bolts were loose.

 

[clemsonfor]

There are many posts on that knuckle. Probably not on a 2000bd but I think k a few 187s maybe a 1500? It's all basically the same design. These are simple tractors and yanmar did not reinvent the wheel with each one.

 

[driceman]

Thanks for the insight Winston. I gave it a quick try yesterday after removing the 6 bolts but it didn't want to come off with some light tapping although it does appear to have some sort of gasket sealant that is in the seam that may be holding it. I'll get a bit more aggressive with my tapping now that I know nothing else should be holding it. As far as the wheel seals, it doesn't seem to be leaking from there but I am considering replacing them out of paranoia. The Hoye diagram seems to show 2 seals in there and an o-ring. being #5,6,7 . That #6 seems pretty pricey. Will it be necessary to replace both #5 and #6 during replacement if the condition of #6 seems good? Also, are there any tricks to replacing them? I assume so far that it may just be the snap rings to take off in order to pull the axle and get to the seals? I'm trying to take pics as I go along so that I can post them when I finish so anyone else in the future will have a good 2000d reference.

 

[clemsonfor]

I have a VN recon, not sure the history of yours, but whatever they sealed all the gaskets and joints up with on this tractor is mostly good stuff if they prepped the surface. Its more like a glue. You basically rip the gasket paper off leaving sealant residue and paper on each surface. It takes some force to break the seal that they make. So I have to pry or beat pretty hard with a dead blow to break the seal that their gaskets have.

 

[winston1]

The condition of #6 the seal collar would determine if it needs replacing. There will be a couple of dowel pins holding the cover aligned. Need to come straight off with it. Sharpened screwdriver or similar might help you wedge it off.

 

[clemsonfor]

I replace the seal collar on most of the stuff I have worked on. I am all the way in there at that point I may as well do it. I would hate to do it all and not spend the $10 or 15 on the collar (price of the ones on things I have worked on so far) and have a leak again.

When I did wheel seals both sides needed new collars. When I did the brake shaft seal the collar on that one was fine but again I replaced it because I had bought the part at that point and its just not worth my time to not install it in there to have all new parts. I kept the old one so that I have a spare if I ever need it but it will last 20 more years I am sure. I am just a hoarder (according to my wife) and keep things that I think I would need.

 

[driceman]

Thanks for the help so far. Those #6 collars are $36 each at Hoye . The seals #5 are $11 each (which seems resonable). Unless yall know of a cheaper place to get those collars, it signifigantly raises the cost of this repair. Thats the main reason I'm asking about it. Already got $80 in knuckle seals that should arrive today. Either way, I'm about to put some serious persuasion on the cover and see what I find.

 

[clemsonfor]

Ok yea I would tear it down first and look. You can tell. There smooth if there fine. Bad they will either be seriously pitted, or have a score line in them. If there smooth I would just lightly sand them with like 800 grit paper or emory cloth and put them back in or do nothing if they look new or perfect.

 

[driceman]

So I'll give yall the best news first. My knuckle seals showed up today. I'll do a comparison pic when I go to install them (big difference in wear). Better news is I got the cover off (using the Force as they say in StarWars). So I'm gonna post in increments now since I lack the knowledge to post multiple pics in one post and comment on each. So #1 I got the "chunk cover" as I will call it "the split". As you can see the orange colored goop they used was like super glue but I had some sort of leakage there from the other pic ( hard to see but its dry around the axle seal but wet around the seam I was describing earlier