Knuckle Seal and more ym2000bd

[driceman]

The next thing was cleaning the gasket surface on the "chunk" side. Now I'm glad I bought the $10 Harbor Freight angle grinder with the $8 set of surfacing pads pic#1. The next pic is of after 2 min using said tool on the "chunk"....nice and clean. The last pic is of an area on that surface that looks like perhaps a casting or machining flaw in the surface that may or may not have been the cause of the leak.

 

[driceman]

On the other half, I got the big gear staring me in the face pic#1. Then I decide to take the lock nut off using an itty bitty flathead screwdriver and a few taps of the hammer I got the 2 tabs that were folded over to "lock" straightened enough to get the nut off by hand. (worried a bit about torque specs a little at this point but eh its just a tractor right?)pic#2. Then I took a pic of the big gear once I slid it off the axle and laid it face down being pic #3 here. I assume the bearing on it is pressed since I couldn't move it off the gear. It moves freely and smooth so I'm not gonna mess with it.

 

[driceman]

Now I'm down to looking into the hub again pic#1. Saw a collar looking thing and decided to tug on it. It slid right off and I think that is #8 on the diagram. That looks good pic #2. Finally for tonight, I'm staring at the infamous snap ring for the wheel bearing just beyond #8 and.... I have just realized I have the worst snap ring pliers known to mankind (harbor freight strikes again). So I'm at a standstill till I get some decent snap ring pliers. And so we plod onwards.

 

[California]

...The last pic is of an area on that surface that looks like perhaps a casting or machining flaw in the surface that may or may not have been the cause of the leak.
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That gouge by the hammer handle? Maybe that's where the VN 'rebuild' tech jammed in a chisel or something to take it apart. (Then he may have installed 'just good enough' used seals to make the tractor salable.)

 

[clemsonfor]

I think all snap ring pliars suck. I have some snap on and Mac or mat Co and they suck too.

I have just used silicone on most all my mating surfaces.

If that seal cola is as smooth as it looks I wouldn't replace it. If it's grooved I would. I haven't looked at the diagram but if there is an original behind that collar make sure your replace it though.

 

[driceman]

I'm hoping it won't be a huge deal with a new gasket and a lot of black Permatex. It held for 3 years while I owned it so its gotta last for a few minutes. Also, I did notice about 3 of those bolts had virtually no torque on them as well. ****, in hindsight I may could have torqued them all back up and have been fine. But now I'm in deep. Might as well do the wheel seal. IF I CAN FIND A DECENT SET OF SNAP RING PLIERS IN THIS TOWN!. Sorry don't mean to yell but I hate getting stopped by bad tools. Waiting on parts I can live with.

 

[clemsonfor]

I get what your saying and I don't take it your yelling at any of us.

I would tear it down as well. I bet torqing it would do no good other than slow it. The oil already had a path through a broken gasket. Just a thin layer of RTAV on each surface and follow the directions should be all you need, no gasket is needed. And do the seal, the collar appears to be fine IF you say that surface is smooth.

 

[driceman]

Oh definitely not yelling at you guys. However I do have some choice words for whoever designed Harbor Freight's snap ring pliers. Anyway, I don't think I'm going to find a decent pair today due to some Easter obligations. BTW Happy Easter to you all. I might swing by Northern Tool just so see if they have anything better but thats about all today. However, I was thinking why I would really need to remove the snap ring since I'm not concerned with replacing that bearing in there. Looking at the photo Hoye has of part #4 (the stub axle), it seems that the axle should slide out at this point and I would be able to just replace the seal and O-ring on the wheel side then reassemble. I've tried to hit it out some with a piece of scrap wood to protect the threads but it doesn't want to go. If the bearing is pressed on the axle I don't see how I could even get a puller in a position to do any work. Any thoughts?

 

[kenmac]

If it's any help. The last and current pr I bought came from sears. Craftsman brand. They work pretty good

 

[driceman]

So here is the update. I found a set of Sears craftsman snap ring pliers for $25 pic 1. Home Depot had a set of Chan-L-Lok brand for $6 more and they looked like they came out of the same factory. Anyway, as I stated earlier, I had my doubts as to whether I even needed to remove the snap rings to get to the seal. Turns out, I didn't. The snap rings only need to be removed if you are replacing the bearing. At the time I was still unsure of this, I went ahead and removed the first one that I could get to, pic 2. It took several attempts and the pliers I bought were almost too fat at the hinge to get down into the hub. I actually had to flip the largest tips around to get a more secure grip on the holes on the ring. Many attempts later, I finally got it out by holding my mouth just right. At that point, there was nothing to grab the bearing out so I placed a piece of scrap wood on top of my vise and started banging the whole assembly axle end down, wheel side facing up in order to either get the bearing to drop out or the axle to drive out of the hub. A few beatings later, the axle came sliding out. With the axle out, the seal was ready for plucking pic 3 (I got a little ahead of myself with pics, it is already out). It only took a cheap flathead screwdriver and a hammer to drive into the edge of the seal and then pryed it out pretty easy. pic 4 is the seal.