Disabled In Woods - How To Free Wheel Front Wheels

[PuraVida]

Yeah, I've definitely done it now, still learning the manual and did not think to look at the chassis page for the bracket. Just tapping the drive shaft cover back was enough to pull the rear axle bracket back, have I done damage to this assembly? It tapped right back in.

If I'm following you correctly, I should remove bolts 150 in the diagram and roll the whole axle forward off of the prop shaft coupler?

Are the two axle housings connected in anyway or have any interaction with the input shaft, it not clear to me in the WSM? I just want to eliminate any further surprises.

To reassemble I should loosen part 140 and then loosen part 120? Assuming this is why I cant get the bolts to line back up currently? Once bolted back up set preload through part 120. Assuming this is for the bearing tension. What does this bolt screw into?

If I could get the 4 bolts back in without any further disassembly, I would just cut 55 gallon plastic drums off at each end and put them on the front tires like skis and try to get it on the trailer that way so I could address all these problems in the shop without the sand and spring turkeys looking at me 75yds away.

If I am successful at this in the woods, should any of the housings be gone through or replaced once in my shop? Thanks again for your help, its been spot on!

 

[PuraVida]

Also, trying to get use to the WSM, is the Differential Adjusting screw set to 7.2-21.7 Ft-Lbs what you are referring to on re-setting pre-load? Seems like a wide range?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

If you got the rear housing back in place then put the bolts back in and get it to a better location to work on it.

You probably didn't hurt any of the seals if it when back in place.

If it's in place, yet you still can't put the bolts in, if you loosen the nut and bolt on the front you can side the axle pivot forward just a little.

And yes the front adjustment is a variable due to different castings being different sizes.

Basically you want it tight enough to cut out slop but not too tight to inhibit the front axle from being able to pivot freely.

 

[rbargeron]

..... I am now afraid to try and move the tractor with the four bolts out?....

If you can get even 1 of the four rear bracket bolts 150 back in, the axle will be held in place well enough to slowly drive the tractor back to your shop using the method posted in #18 above.

Jack up one front wheel and put a block in between the axle and frame on the low side to hold it tilted up. Raise your 3-point cutter so it acts as a counterweight. With the front axle blocked up the tractor should drive along ok in 2wd with one front tire off the ground turning backward.

 

[PuraVida]

Do either of you know what allen wrench size the front axle mount adjustment bolt is? I'm going back up to the woods this weekend to try and get the tractor home and I want to take the proper tool with me. From the manual and a few pics I have, it appears to be an allen or torqx? Size?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I just took a dive under my l3450 and it has a bolt head not a allen, so I can't help with size, bet it's about 8 to 10 mm allen and you need a wrench to loosen the lock nut first.

 

[rbargeron]

It might help put bolts in the rear bracket if you loosen (not remove) the two bolts holding the front bracket - so there's some wiggle room...

 

[PuraVida]

That's my first plan of attack, just hate I had tunnel vision and did not see what the rear bracket actually was before I unbolted it. Oh well, live and learn. Thanks for the replies guys.

 

[PuraVida]

Well, she's out of the woods. We had no choice yesterday. I thought I would show you guys a couple interesting pictures. I've been down with a bulging disc for two weeks and could not get back up to get the tractor out. Friday evening we were informed a forest fire was encroaching on our property. As we got closer yesterday we realized the fire was right on us. By the time we left, the feeder I had just filled up 2 hrs before was likely on fire. I got the axle bolted back on by loosening the front mount as well while jacked up. For anyone with a similar problem, the barrels worked great as skis to get on the trailer. We could not get traction on the wood deck of the trailer so we had to unhook from the truck and use the truck to pull the tractor up the incline.

I wanted to ask if I should start a new thread for the repairs? The rear tires seem to function fine, there was no clicking under the seat yesterday but the fronts are still locked up. Should I just drill the roll pins out of the drive coupler?

Here's some pics, by the time we left, you could hear the fire cracking behind us.

 

[old and tired]

....I wanted to ask if I should start a new thread for the repairs?...

I would continue with posting to this thread...

 

[sheepfarmer]

Holy cow, talk about working under pressure, glad you are safe and tractor is out.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Don't drill the roll pins, it won't work, drive them out with a punch.

If you can't get it to line up to drive them out with the front end jacked up, you can drop the front axle and move it forward to remove the coupling.

The roll pin does not go through the shaft it simply keeps the coupling from sliding either direction because the roll pin is between the 2 shafts.

 

[rbargeron]

It may need to drain the oil and take off the bottom gearbox to troubleshoot the lockup - if so, the rear coupling should slip off, freeing the front one.

What a relief the machine was out before the fire got it - yeow. You'll remember that smoke view a long time ! BTW, that is a sweet looking tractor.

Good doing ! Dick B

 

[PuraVida]

Hey guys, I finally got enough time to get the tractor off the trailer and in the garage. Much easier coming of than going on

So I am trying to plan my work. Before the wheels locked up I noticed some grinding when going into gear. Gear to gear with clutch depressed is fine but after releasing the clutch there is a was a medium grind going back into gear. I adjusted the pedal freeplay yesterday and it is much better but still a slight grind. Will an adjustment to Clearance between Pressure 2 and adjusting bolt and greasing fix the rest or do I need to plan a split while I'm in fixing the 4WD?

 

[PuraVida]

I'm still looking for a reply on the post above, but in the meantime I have some additional information relating to the 4wd issue.

I noticed yesterday that the grinding noise from the 4wd case only occurs when I engage the 4wd. Wheels stay locked up regardless of 4wd position. Just wanted to see if this helps point to the potential problem.

 

[D2Cat]

North Idaho Wolfman mentioned removing roll pins by driving them out with a punch. Just a word of caution. Find a punch that is just slightly smaller than the OD of the pin. If you use a punch that get down into the roll pin you end up expanding it and making it impossible to remove, just making it tighter. Sometimes holding an old bolt the right dia. with a vice grips make it all easier.

Also makes them easier to remove if you apply a spritz of something like PB Blaster prior to removal.

 

[PuraVida]

Before the wheels locked up I noticed some grinding when going into gear. Gear to gear with clutch depressed is fine but after releasing the clutch there is a was a medium grind going back into gear. I adjusted the pedal freeplay yesterday and it is much better but still a slight grind. Will an adjustment to Clearance between Pressure 2 and adjusting bolt and greasing fix the rest or do I need to plan a split while I'm in fixing the 4WD?

I understand the roll pin concept, I am asking for some help on the gear grind issue before I start on the 4wd issue?

 

[rbargeron]

...... I noticed some grinding when going into gear. Gear to gear with clutch depressed is fine but after releasing the clutch there is a was a medium grind going back into gear. I adjusted the pedal freeplay yesterday and it is much better but still a slight grind. Will an adjustment to Clearance between Pressure 2 and adjusting bolt and greasing fix the rest or do I need to plan a split while I'm in fixing the 4WD?

This doesn't appear to make sense - rewording it might help get a suggestion?

Pressing the clutch pedal down allows the spinning gears in the trans to come to a stop. Releasing the pedal makes everything spin again. If adjusting helped, adjust it further. (1" free play)

 

[PuraVida]

Freeplay has been set to 15/16 of an inch. This helped. The service manual references another adjustment inside the clutch access door on the side of the transmission housing. "adjustment to Clearance between Pressure 2 and adjusting bolt and greasing"

My questions is, will this adjustment help the last little bit of gear grinding I have when coming out of neutral and going back into a gear or am I looking at a split and clutch replacement?

 

[Jwolf]

Freeplay has been set to 15/16 of an inch. This helped. The service manual references another adjustment inside the clutch access door on the side of the transmission housing. "adjustment to Clearance between Pressure 2 and adjusting bolt and greasing"

My questions is, will this adjustment help the last little bit of gear grinding I have when coming out of neutral and going back into a gear or am I looking at a split and clutch replacement?

Did you ever figure out what was wrong with the front end? Think mine just broke today