M8540 leaking front axle shaft seal question

[xring100]

Hello Ive got about 700 hours on my tractor now i noticed today when i was checking the tire pressures that i has some oil on the inside of the wheel its definitely comming from the axle shaft seal not the upper seal. My question is that the shop manual shows a 2 piece seal. It appears that kubota has a new part number but it is now a 1 piece. Anyone else run into this? i see this part is common on the bigger tractors. I'm guessing i will have to split the old part off the shaft but not sure. PN 170 is the only item listed for a seal all the physical pictures only show 1 piece

 

[Billrog]

can't help you with the seal but lift the front wheel off the ground with the loader grab the wheel and feel for any play in the bearing often a bearing going is the cause of the seal failing.

 

[xring100]

Yeah i ordered the inner and outer bearing with the seal just i case from messicks. I pickup 4000 plus lb logs all the time. Parts should ship tommorow. I checked them last year but haven't rescently. Might as well replace the bearings two of those were about the same price as the seal itself.

 

[ovrszd]

Dave, may be that the seal has been updated since the WSM was printed? Mine is April 2008. Shows the same pic as yours.

I wouldn't worry about it much. When the parts get here and you get it apart I think it'll all make sense.

Post some pics of the teardown with narrative if you can.

Will be very handy information for future readers.

Thanks.

 

[xring100]

Will do the parts showed up today the the seal is still two pieces, the flange that sits on the shaft itself is small in diameter and doesn't stick out in the pictures i may try to tackle this tommorow i should charge up my go pro and take a time lapse movie every 5 or 10 seconds. I probably won't narrate anything. My speech is understandable but terrible on the count have less than half a tongue left. I'll take pictures at a minimum.

 

[xring100]

I was able to do most of the tear down today. It appears to be just a seal failure all the bearings are fine. My snap ring pliers were not big enough to remove the internal snap ring that retains the bearing. Ive ordered one online since we are stuck in the house due to covid-19. The external snap-ring that retains the planetary gears must be replaced as the manual states mine is only slightly bent, but i won that battle. I'll assemble it another day and wash everything down with brake clean then lube up the necessary parts

 

[xring100]

Well i quickly fabricated a seal installation tool for both halves. The one for the axle shaft was just used to initially seat the collar on shaft i then drove it down with a plastic mallet

I've had to order an external lock ring plier to install the planetary gear set and lock the shaft in place. My neighbors snapon lock ring pliers are too big to fit in the small gap between the shaft and the bore of the planetary gear holder I'm going to have to grind a set down.

 

[ovrszd]

Nice work Dave!!!!

Thank you very much for taking the pics and offering the narrative!!! Someone will find this very useful.

Nice job on fabricating tools. I fight things like that for a couple hours before I give in and build a tool.

 

[xring100]

Thanks finally got my proto lock ring pliers and ground them down to fit. I had to take that tab off. To get the parts fully seated so i could seat the lockring i had to use the Medium sized BFH 5lbs mini sledge and a block of wood on the hub.

I ran out of gear oil i forgot i used a about 8 quarts when i did the axle seals and a wheel bearing on my international

 

[snowman4evr]

Hey xring. Thanks for the write up!! I just picked up a 2011 9540 with the same issue. I dont suppose you want to sell a copy of that shop/parts book?