L series front seals

[slan]

Well my baby turned over 600 hours last week and I noticed both front axel seals are starting to leak. Talked to my dealer and I guess it is normal for them to start to seep with any amount of loader work and mine has done its fair share. They suggested that I replace the bearings as when they get a bit of wear it tends to let the shaft tilt a small amount which takes out the new seals faster.
I love this tractor but I think I will switch to gear oil for a while until the leak gets bad enough to do the seals and bearings.
I figure I can get another two years out of it.

Anyone else have the same thing and/or going gear oil a good move?
Thanks....

 

[Verticaltrx]

600hrs is nothing, even with lots of loader work I wouldn't expect to have seal problems. What kind of oil have you been running in the front axle?

 

[slan]

Came with gear oil and changed to super udt at 50 hrs as directed by dealer. Always had box blade and loaded rears when using loader as well.

 

[crazyal]

Do you run your tractor in places where the seals are in mud or water at all? I've heard people say to keep the seal area clean as mud can wear them out. I would only replace the bearings if they look like they are going bad.

 

[teg]

Is it me or does 600 hours seem low to have this problem? What year model is this?

 

[bilrus61]

The right hub on my Kubota L4200 started seeping oil at about 550 hours. I had used it to cross a creek to get gravel on the other side. A few times it went "deep" and got water around the hub while I was crossing with a load of gravel. The hub that was downstream getting the grit kicked up by the upstream tire was the one that leaked. I used it for a couple years that way. I would put a pan under it and it would have like a cup of oil in a month or two in the summer and in the winter wouldn't leak that I could measure. Just a hassle mostly. The newer L series have a re-designed hub on the front axle and I sure hope it lasts longer than my L4200 did and I'm not going to be getting it wet in the creek you can bet on that! Going gear oil is a good move I think.

 

[ColdRider]

Sounds like my Harley stealer, "They all do that."

 

[art]

Try the gear oil! You have had a steady seep for a while and some times you can wash the junk out or put it in further! We've found grass as well as dirt can create this problem.

 

[TripleR]

I have 1200 hours on my 2003 L5030 with no leaks.

 

[bilrus61]

I have 1200 miles on my 2003 L5030 with no leaks.

1200 miles?

 

[TripleR]

1200 miles?

Yeah, see I drive one mile per hour, so...

Actually 1200 hours; senior moment for lack of a better excuse; will change it; thanks for catching it.

 

[rbargeron]

............. does 600 hours seem low to have this problem?.........

Some leak sooner, some later, but most leak eventually.

The earlier models with bearings at the top of the kingpin didn't leak. But they were more expensive to make and the financial hamsters put an end to doing things that way.

Old ways are best - not because they're old, but because they're tried and true.

L5450

L345

 

[Texas Fella]

Make sure that you have ballast on the rear of the tractor. A good rule of thumb in water in the rear tires plus the same amount a weight on the 3 point as you have in the bucket. Without the proper ballast, when doing loader work, the load shifts the tractor weight to the front axle. This puts way too much stress on the hubs and causes leaks (and other damage).

 

[MHarryE]

Think about your dealer's comment that they start to seep due to loader work. What about using a loader would cause seals to leak? It shouldn't be packing mud against the seal that would cause wear. It would be putting higher load on the bearings that will reduce life, and load reduces life by an exponent, not squared, not cubed, but actually to the 10/3 power for a tapered roller bearing. So bucket load drasticly reduces bearing life but I assume the designers take that into consideration when they design tractors like ours that almost always have a FEL. I say that as I look out my window at my neighbor's tractor he was using to load bales when one of the front wheels fell off - bearing failure that went way beyond leaking seals (it is a 2 wheel drive tractor). We used one of our tractors to finish loading his bales and also lift and block his tractor until he gets parts. Would be wise to check to see if your problem is more than just weeping seals some time when you aren't in a rush rather than end up like our neighbor with a broken leg on his tractor just when he needs it most.

 

[PapaPerk]

Some leak sooner, some later, but most leak eventually.

The earlier models with bearings at the top of the kingpin didn't leak. But they were more expensive to make and the financial hamsters put an end to doing things that way.

Old ways are best - not because they're old, but because they're tried and true.

L5450

L345

For sure a much better design!!!! :thumbsup:

 

[Kubota 2007]

My L4200 leaked with 322hrs, tractor is used for snow removal with Kubota Plow. I replaced both seals,and the cause of the leaks were dirt in the seal area. Kubota used a wear ring that must be removed when replacing seals. I checked the bearings and there was no wear and preload indicators looked as new, I'm sure the cause of my leaks was dirt, I used to pressure wash that area, not anymore. Replacement seal is a new design, hasn't leaked yet and has been going for six years now, not even a drip.

 

[slan]

Make sure that you have ballast on the rear of the tractor. A good rule of thumb in water in the rear tires plus the same amount a weight on the 3 point as you have in the bucket. Without the proper ballast, when doing loader work, the load shifts the tractor weight to the front axle. This puts way too much stress on the hubs and causes leaks (and other damage).

Thanks Texas Fella, I have loaded rears and always have my box blade and weight on the back.
From some of the reading here I might have done them in this winter driving / getting stuck in some really deep snow and crust?

I think I will move to gear oil as it is time to change it again anyway.

Thanks all..

 

[lawn_king]

If you do loader work without a rear counterweight, it takes its toll. I learned this the hard way with my 1st kubota (2000 B7500)

 

[Redbug]

One thing I have wondered about...the front axles are sealed, (at least on my L3830). There is not a vent tube coming from the axle. It seems that could also contribute to a seal leaking. The axle warms up with use and the air inside expands...or contracts when it cools off. Couldn't that make the seals leak? On my truck, the axles are vented...

 

[Gordon Gould]

One thing I have wondered about...the front axles are sealed, (at least on my L3830). There is not a vent tube coming from the axle. It seems that could also contribute to a seal leaking. The axle warms up with use and the air inside expands...or contracts when it cools off. Couldn't that make the seals leak? On my truck, the axles are vented...

My L3010 has an axle vent tube. It runs up into the engine cowling. Reason I know: It is all rotted and needs replacing.