B26 Broken Gear Teeth in Right Rear Differential Housing
- Thread starter jallen4888
- Start date
Pau7220
Well-known member
Equipment
L3650 GST, Landpride TL250 FEL w/ Piranha, 6' King Kutter, GM1084R Finish
I’d be looking very closely at the case and axle housing for hairline cracks that holds the bearings in place which holds those 2 shafts parallel. If those gears are actually pushing themselves away from each other and loading the tips of the gear, that would also do it.
I find it to be really strange that nobody has ever complained of breaking the left side. Don't you think that's odd? I've read everything I can google about this issue, and no "left" side issues come up.
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Edited: We've looked for cracks, or excessive play in the gears. It's beyond me.
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Is the pinion and bull gear the same part number for the right side and the left side? If they're interchangeable then it makes it tough to blame on a bad batch of components.
If they are different then that's my first suspect.
My first posting. Am using a 2021 Kubota B26 TLB with 460 hours. All routine service and maintenance performed using Kubota products.
I experienced the same issues described above during routine use. Routine use for me is moving gravel and sand, digging trenches and using pallet forks to move materials.
On a routine day I experienced a clunk from right rear side. Tractor was then loaded onto the trailer and not used.
The dealership found shredded metal exactly like the posted photographs. A quarter sandwich bag of metal fragments was also collected.
Kubota and the dealership treated me well. Yes, it took a few months and it is a giant economic hit and pain in the ass to pay on equipment I couldn't use.
I have no need to use a differential. Four wheel drive yes. Have not experienced any shock loading. Yet, I experienced this same issue.
All of the parts, bearings and other pieces were replaced with new materials. Kubota initially held a position that I somehow had to have been using the differential locked, whether I realized it or not.
Thank you to our mechanic, who after warranty work was declined took it upon himself to contest Kubota denial of warranty coverage.
I always used Kubota products. That helps A LOT! I kept routine maintenance records as well. Also, the mechanic knew exactly where I use my machine and fully grasps no need for differential use exists for me ever.
So he photographed the differential lock that still had new paint on it without scratches or heel marks. He showed them how well we kept the machine greased (I e got grease smears all over my machine). And despite all routine service being done myself (I am 120 miles from any service) he showed how all work was done with Kubota products.
Kubota listened to him and covered the full repairs.
However, when I got home and unloaded the tractor I noticed it felt differently. When I turn right or left the rear wheels tend to push the front wheels so that turning is not smooth. A small lime of gravel builds up on the far edge so that if I turn right a line of pushed up gravel exists on the left side of the tire tracts and if I turn left it leaves a ridge on the right side.
This remains the same in two wheel or four wheel drive. It has never happened to me before. In an extreme situation it seems like it could roll a tire off the rim.
I do not know how to trouble shoot this issue. It has to be related to the complicated repair work that was performed.
Does this group have suggestions? I really hate to drive this back up for adjustments I could do myself. It's the weekend and I cannot reach the mechanic.
Could front tire toe affect this? Has the differential somehow locked even without me using it?
So, I've parked the tractor and written this note to the group. I've had it back in my possession now for less than 23 hours. Straight ahead driving is fine but that is unreasonable. I am not using it.
On a larger note, would people in this group keep a tractor with this history? I am barely not upside down on the note. I use it 10 to 20 hours a week. The B26 TLB suits me, but of course I would love a larger machine, like the L47 TLB. But mostly, I just want a working machine without the nonstop risk of it dieing and leaving me with something I cannot use while paying off a note to Kubota.
Thanks for your time. When it is solved I will post the solution.
I experienced the same issues described above during routine use. Routine use for me is moving gravel and sand, digging trenches and using pallet forks to move materials.
On a routine day I experienced a clunk from right rear side. Tractor was then loaded onto the trailer and not used.
The dealership found shredded metal exactly like the posted photographs. A quarter sandwich bag of metal fragments was also collected.
Kubota and the dealership treated me well. Yes, it took a few months and it is a giant economic hit and pain in the ass to pay on equipment I couldn't use.
I have no need to use a differential. Four wheel drive yes. Have not experienced any shock loading. Yet, I experienced this same issue.
All of the parts, bearings and other pieces were replaced with new materials. Kubota initially held a position that I somehow had to have been using the differential locked, whether I realized it or not.
Thank you to our mechanic, who after warranty work was declined took it upon himself to contest Kubota denial of warranty coverage.
I always used Kubota products. That helps A LOT! I kept routine maintenance records as well. Also, the mechanic knew exactly where I use my machine and fully grasps no need for differential use exists for me ever.
So he photographed the differential lock that still had new paint on it without scratches or heel marks. He showed them how well we kept the machine greased (I e got grease smears all over my machine). And despite all routine service being done myself (I am 120 miles from any service) he showed how all work was done with Kubota products.
Kubota listened to him and covered the full repairs.
However, when I got home and unloaded the tractor I noticed it felt differently. When I turn right or left the rear wheels tend to push the front wheels so that turning is not smooth. A small lime of gravel builds up on the far edge so that if I turn right a line of pushed up gravel exists on the left side of the tire tracts and if I turn left it leaves a ridge on the right side.
This remains the same in two wheel or four wheel drive. It has never happened to me before. In an extreme situation it seems like it could roll a tire off the rim.
I do not know how to trouble shoot this issue. It has to be related to the complicated repair work that was performed.
Does this group have suggestions? I really hate to drive this back up for adjustments I could do myself. It's the weekend and I cannot reach the mechanic.
Could front tire toe affect this? Has the differential somehow locked even without me using it?
So, I've parked the tractor and written this note to the group. I've had it back in my possession now for less than 23 hours. Straight ahead driving is fine but that is unreasonable. I am not using it.
On a larger note, would people in this group keep a tractor with this history? I am barely not upside down on the note. I use it 10 to 20 hours a week. The B26 TLB suits me, but of course I would love a larger machine, like the L47 TLB. But mostly, I just want a working machine without the nonstop risk of it dieing and leaving me with something I cannot use while paying off a note to Kubota.
Thanks for your time. When it is solved I will post the solution.
Using your backhoe stabilizers get the rear axle off the ground. Then spin one rear tire by hand and see if the differential is free. Feel for binding through a few revolutions.
Will do. It'll have to be in the morning. I will make sure and give follow up.
Hate to pile on but this is exactly the same issue I'm having. Right side diff/brake gear pin is shredded.
In the WSM, it does show that the two sides are not symmetric, with the right side pin being longer than the left. Dunno if that's actually the issue but whatever.
Mine seems to have broken because oil was just pouring out of the loose drainage bolt at the bottom of the axle housing. It got too hot, looks like the metal in the casing crazed a bit, and there's a hairline crack along the bottom where the bearing for the bigger gear sits.
I get that replacing the differential case is what I /should/ do, but that's $700 that I don't have right now. My plan was to JBWeld (or whatever doesn't dissolve in utf) the crack to at least keep the oil from leaking. How terrible an idea is this? Probably better to just leave it and accept that it will need another repair? I just worry about how little time this repair (replacing $200 pinion) is going to buy.
In the WSM, it does show that the two sides are not symmetric, with the right side pin being longer than the left. Dunno if that's actually the issue but whatever.
Mine seems to have broken because oil was just pouring out of the loose drainage bolt at the bottom of the axle housing. It got too hot, looks like the metal in the casing crazed a bit, and there's a hairline crack along the bottom where the bearing for the bigger gear sits.
I get that replacing the differential case is what I /should/ do, but that's $700 that I don't have right now. My plan was to JBWeld (or whatever doesn't dissolve in utf) the crack to at least keep the oil from leaking. How terrible an idea is this? Probably better to just leave it and accept that it will need another repair? I just worry about how little time this repair (replacing $200 pinion) is going to buy.
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Those of you with a B26 that have had issues with the rear axle case, have any of you done the work yourself? I have a B26 and while it doesn't have this problem the rear axle seals are both leaking and I would like to fix them myself. Just getting to those seals requires removing the backhoe and loader and subframe and it's all rather tricky. (Probably most concerning is removing the subframe) Just looking for someone that has done that job before and can at least comment on oh how difficult it is to actually get to/remove the rear axle housings. Thanks
Well, I can live with people using my screwdriver as a chisel. Using a chisel as a screwdriver, however......