4x4 driveline roughness

[Fredmeyer]

hi,

I have noted what feels like some minor drive line roughness recently when my bx1860 is in 4 wheel drive. Tractor has only 210 hours. I do not feel the same roughness when I take it out of 4 wheel drive. I am only using the 4 wheel drive on loose dirt and wet grass.

I noticed there are no zerks on the front drive line so I dont think I can grease it up. Is there anything else I should check?

thanks

 

[Grouse Feathers]

Not sure what you mean by roughness. When you are in 4wd the front and rear axles are locked together through the drivetrain. When you turn while in 4wd a wheel, front or rear will have to slip. The slip is required because the front axle travels farther than the rear axle. There is also a slight wheel slip while traveling in a straight line as the axle ratio and tire sizes on a Kubota 4wd tractor are set so the front wheels pull sightly harder. The slipping in a straight line is probably not noticeable unless you would be on pavement.

 

[JackJ]

I can "feel" when I'm in 4wd on my BX1870 when I'm on pavement, and have forgotten to take it out of 4wd, but don't normally notice it when on dirt or gravel.

Have you checked your front axle oil? That's the only lubrication for anything up front. I don't recall what the service interval is off hand, but if you haven't yet changed it you might try that, especially if you spend a lot of time in 4wd. Mine came with transmission oil, but the manual says you can also use 90w gear oil which, being more viscous, might make a difference.

 

[Fredmeyer]

Hi,

I checked the oil in the front axle and it came shooting out of the filler plug. Is this normal or is the breather clogged?

Thanks

 

[maclean]

Check the front wheel drive shaft too...I assume it's pretty much like the BX25. We lost the plastic hood over the universal joint just behind the front axle...and then the universal joint froze up...no zerks, so we replaced it. Have lost a lot of the pins, too.

Also...if you have a front hydraulic kit installed...someone could have routed the hoses in places that rub...especially if they used cable ties that have since broken loose.

-Mac

 

[JackJ]

Hi,

I checked the oil in the front axle and it came shooting out of the filler plug. Is this normal or is the breather clogged?

Thanks

There are experts on this site, and I'm not one of them, but I don't believe that the BXs have a breather on the front axle. I've noticed air pressure building up such that when I pull the filler plug, it comes out with a bit of a pop.

Normally there should be some air space in there. If the oil came out, I'm guessing it was either grossly overfilled, or somehow water managed to get in.

One other thing to check in addition to the hoses mentioned above--I remember someone reporting that one of the bolts holding the loader mount to the frame was put in backwards, such that the bolt end was rubbing the front drive shaft, though I believe only when the front axle was tilted on uneven ground. But check to see if a groove has been ground into that fwd shaft near a loader mount bolt.

 

[Fredmeyer]

Is the filler plug the yellow plug or a bolt at the top of the axle knuckle? I pulled the bolt at the top of the knuckle and got the fluid exploding out. Was this a bad thing to do?

what is the yellow plug?

thanks

 

[trapperdrew]

The yellow one on mine is where the dipstick is, and where I add the fluid.

 

[Fredmeyer]

yep, the yellow plug was the dip stick. Its really hard to get it out (not sure why).