venting front axle bx1860

kenbx1860 · Apr 25, 2015

front axle differential seal leaking. already had one changed under wawrranty. Off warrenty now with 400 hrs on tractor. When talked to mechanic he said they sometimes leak because the axle filler plug is sealed so tight that it builds up pressure and blows past seal. It is sealed so tight because the tractor is used in places where axle goes under water so this needs to be sealed. Has anyone put a air vent in the filler plug as most of us dont need it to go under water. I am thinking of threading the plug and venting with a proper oil vent would this be a prob.

bxray · Apr 25, 2015

As long as there is some way to block dirt like a small screen or filter.
Does the oil vent have this?
And you avoid driving in lakes.

Ray

kenbx1860 · Apr 25, 2015

yes the vent would have a screen and a foam to stop dirt. I would tap the plastic to a tread maybe 3/8 and spin in vent. When ever i take the plug out it always seems like under pressure. I will check princess auto or maybe an air compressor might have a small vent i could use. I am going to order a new axle plug to try it on i think, and keep an original part. Has anyone done this on these axles.

Tooljunkie · Apr 26, 2015

Axle vent-drill and tap for a hose barb fitting. Attatch and run hose upwards toward air filter and tie wrap to air filter housing. A small engine gas filter will help with dust intrusion.

The bota used at my past job was in the water submerged front axle at least 6 times/ year.

bxray · Apr 27, 2015

I just popped my cap and heard pressure or vacuum release.
So post some pictures when you are done.
As I will be doing something similar.

Ray

Orange Turbo · Apr 29, 2015

What tooljunkie said,
check some vent set-ups on the rear ends of some 3/4 and 1-ton trucks, most are vented. They use a rubber tube with some type of plastic end, that's run up to the frame area.

Tooljunkie · May 6, 2015

Orange Turbo said:
What tooljunkie said,
check some vent set-ups on the rear ends of some 3/4 and 1-ton trucks, most are vented. They use a rubber tube with some type of plastic end, that's run up to the frame area.

As i mentioned, near air filter. Some vehicle manufacturers vent at same height as air cleaner, i guess if it goes that deep its done anyway. Vent caps can difficult to get, a good gm parts guy may be able to locate. Those serm to be the most common ones on a hose.

kenbx1860 · May 8, 2015

i have been looking for a vent and there are small ones available thru our local NAPA car parts store but the styles i think would allow water in if the tractor was left out in the rain. I know the vent line up to the air filter would work but i dont think i would like the look of that and the line flexing with the axle might rub and the line would have a good chance getting caught on branches or something. My tractor axle never goes under water as im sure many others do not also. What i have found may work for me is a electric motor oiler filler. This is small and has a spring cap. It needs to have a threaded pipe soldered to it and a small foam filter put under the cap for dust. I still have to make sure the tractor filler plug can be drilled thru, but as of yet it looks like the best option.

coachgeo · May 8, 2015

Think for the ATV market you can get axle vents that are an accordian balloon you might say. they expand as heat rises then retract as they cool. Completely sealed. Believe some hardcore Jeepers do the same now too.

ok.. did a little searching. Apparently this has grown now and is getting more common. And only a 7$ solution to boot

http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/inde...self-rubber-differential-breather-bellow.html

Tooljunkie · May 8, 2015

I dont think it matters what you do, an ill- mannered branch is determined to remove your protective measure. A simple downward facing elbow would keep water out.
Some careful routing will get a hose up and out of the way, periodic checks are necessary regarless what is there.

kenbx1860 · May 9, 2015

Tooljunkie said:
As i mentioned, near air filter. Some vehicle manufacturers vent at same height as air cleaner, i guess if it goes that deep its done anyway. Vent caps can difficult to get, a good gm parts guy may be able to locate. Those serm to be the most common ones on a hose.

they are hard to find. have found oiler from and electric motor is small has a spring loaded cap. needs a threaded hollow pipe soilder to it and a foam filter but i think will work. still in design stage.

coachgeo · May 9, 2015

Tooljunkie said:
Axle vent-drill and tap for a hose barb fitting. Attatch and run hose upwards toward air filter and tie wrap to air filter housing. A small engine gas filter will help with dust intrusion.

The bota used at my past job was in the water submerged front axle at least 6 times/ year.

Go to YOU PULL IT and get the axle hose and vent off a Jeep TJ front axle. YJ may have same too as well as the wagons

kenbx1860 · Nov 19, 2016

have not found time to make a vent for the axle. for all of this summer I kept pulling the vent cap off and replacing it again when I was using the tractor in the heat. this being a pain in itself the seal stopped leaking so have not changed it. as long a this keeps the seal from leaking I will pull the vent a replace it when using the tractor. im sure this does not take as long as changing the seal.

Lil Foot · Nov 19, 2016

I vented my B7100 front axle by drilling & tapping the differential & outer gearcase fill plugs, then used wee little hose barbs & 1/8" ID hose.

kenbx1860 · Nov 20, 2016

something like that should work on the bx1860 lil foot, I will look and see if there is some where on the tractor for this idea

CountryBumkin · Nov 21, 2016

I don't see why this is necessary.

These BX tractors should have enough "air space" in the front axle to allow for oil expansion due to heat. And we don't drive them at high speeds for long distances , so the oil really shouldn't be getting very hot and expanding much (like a pickup truck's differential oil would heat up after hours of highway driving).

I think, if you are losing oil at the axle seal, the axle is over filled - or the seal is just too old and lost its elasticity.

Wbk · Nov 21, 2016

I'm not sure what type of filler cap you have if it's the plastic one like Tooljunkie says, it's not hard to do just find a barb fitting (I got one at a Ski Doo dealer it's for the primer on the older sleds and I used plastic primer line for my vent hose) If it's the screw in like on a BX2230 Kubota sells one.

kenbx1860 · Nov 21, 2016

you would think that what Country bumkin is saying would be correct but in this case it seams not. when I talked to the service guy at the dealership when mine was seeping and he is the one that told me the pressure builds up and causes failure of seals. the front is sealed so well because these tractors are used in places where the axles goes under water. when I pull the plastic filler/dipstick in hot weather after using it for about 10 minuets there is quite a poping noise as the pressure is released. so as I said before I now do this ever time to relieve pressure and have not had the problem. I need to find time to vent it. not sure what everyone else is doing or even if there are having this issue.

Wbk · Nov 21, 2016

If you have a retail parts supplier that sells Fairview fittings they should be able to help you. Be sure not to drill in the middle of the cap, you want the hole beside the measuring stick screw in the barbed fitting install the hose and hopefully no more seal problem. We have 3 BX's since installing the vents we haven't replaced one seal, before we usually did at least one a year.

kenbx1860 · Mar 10, 2021

Wbk said:
If you have a retail parts supplier that sells Fairview fittings they should be able to help you. Be sure not to drill in the middle of the cap, you want the hole beside the measuring stick screw in the barbed fitting install the hose and hopefully no more seal problem. We have 3 BX's since installing the vents we haven't replaced one seal, before we usually did at least one a year.

Well finally installed a small vent in filler cap. I hope this will work. It is a oil filler from an old electric motor. I drilled through the filler cap and then enlarged the top of hole to accept the shaft and cap that is 1/4” . It is not to high out of the cap but will allow air to escape the front axle. Will see how it works in the summer. Maybe I will be changing it out to some of the other ideas from this forum. Time will tell.

kenbx1860 said:
you would think that what Country bumkin is saying would be correct but in this case it seams not. when I talked to the service guy at the dealership when mine was seeping and he is the one that told me the pressure builds up and causes failure of seals. the front is sealed so well because these tractors are used in places where the axles goes under water. when I pull the plastic filler/dipstick in hot weather after using it for about 10 minuets there is quite a poping noise as the pressure is released. so as I said before I now do this ever time to relieve pressure and have not had the problem. I need to find time to vent it. not sure what everyone else is doing or even if there are having this issue.

so was able to put the vent I wanted to try into the filler plug on the front axle of my bx1860. It is a oil filler from an old electric motor. I driller completely through the filler cap on an angle to allow an air passage vent then drilled the cap to 1/4” to push the vent into cap. Has a foam inside the tube in case of any dust. Will see this summer how it works. Should allow a free movement of air to keep the pressure down.

venting front axle bx1860

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