MX5400 front axle missing bolt, or ...?

[Borgf15]

I'm guessing I'm not the first to bring this up, but search didn't return any results. I've noticed on the front of both sides of my front axles, there is a threaded hole (starting to rust on the inside). I'm hoping these are mounting locations kubota used for painting and not a missing bolt for something important.

Assuming they are painting mounts, my plan is to clean with rust inhibitor and slap some grease in there. Anyone have a better solution?

 

[Russell King]

You can also find plastic plugs to posh into the hole and keep it clean instead of or in addition to your grease idea. They are like a tube end cover that fit the hole size.

I guess the plastic fasteners for car parts could be used also or just a bolt?

 

[GeoHorn]

If you fill it with grease and tighten a bolt into it you might crack the housing. It’d take a lot...but it can happen. If it really bothers you, put the correct bolt (likely metric) in there which has been painted with anti-seize and forget about it.
Chances are it’s intended for an attachment of some sort, or perhaps that axle is also used in some other model where that hole as a purpose. Just a guess.

 

[Borgf15]

If you fill it with grease and tighten a bolt into it you might crack the housing. It’d take a lot...but it can happen.

Yeah, true. I'm not planning on doing anything until I know what the hole is for. Hopefully someone will chime in with that tidbit of knowledge...

 

[forky]

Don't know what the threaded hole is for, but must be normal....my tractor has the same and I eyeballed that too, not gonna worry about it, other than it would be nice what the purpose actually is.

 

[Borgf15]

Yes, would be nice, but beyond that I'm not a fan of the rust. It probably won't make a difference and rust out during the life of the tractor, but still...

 

[GeoHorn]

The Titanic is still sitting in salt-water and ain’t disappeared-yet....

I’d not worry about it other than to keep it from filling-up with mud.

 

[whitetiger]

Yeah, true. I'm not planning on doing anything until I know what the hole is for. Hopefully someone will chime in with that tidbit of knowledge...

The same housing is used on both the RH & LH side of the tractor. The hole is for the steering stop bolt and as the housing is used on both sides it is drilled for the stop bolt on both sides.
Clean out the hole, coat a couple of bolts with anti-seize or similar, and screw them into the holes.

 

[kubotafreak]

Mine looked the same way. Dabbed some Kubota dark gray with a qtip in the hole, and better than new.

 

[Borgf15]

The same housing is used on both the RH & LH side of the tractor. The hole is for the steering stop bolt and as the housing is used on both sides it is drilled for the stop bolt on both sides.
Clean out the hole, coat a couple of bolts with anti-seize or similar, and screw them into the holes.

Thanks for the info. Pardon my ignorance, but why is the bolt not in there? If we don't need it, why take the time to drill out the hole n the first place?

 

[whitetiger]

Thanks for the info. Pardon my ignorance, but why is the bolt not in there? If we don't need it, why take the time to drill out the hole n the first place?

When the part is manufactured, they drill all of them so they can be used for the RH side or the LH side. If you look at the backside of the housing, it has your steering stop bolt in it.

 

[Bark]

I found some plastic threaded plumbing plugs for the holes on top off my mower gear box. Dont know what the bolt holes are for but it would irritate me to see water just sitting in the rusty holes.

 

[Borgf15]

When the part is manufactured, they drill all of them so they can be used for the RH side or the LH side. If you look at the backside of the housing, it has your steering stop bolt in it.

Got it, now I'm with ya. Sometimes it takes me a while...

 

[lugbolt]

if you go to the dealer ask them for some leftover rubber plugs that they take out when they put loaders on. They generally throw them away. I can't speak for if they're the correct size, though (don't remember).

 

[Borgf15]

if you go to the dealer ask them for some leftover rubber plugs that they take out when they put loaders on. They generally throw them away. I can't speak for if they're the correct size, though (don't remember).

Good idea, thanks