B7100 front end play?

Morgan44

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Jul 7, 2013
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Walton KY USA
I just purchase a b7100 hst 4x4 and have a front end question. I'm new to this so bear with me here. The entire front end seems to be held onto the frame by a front and rear pin of some sort. There is some play play in those pins when I move the steering wheel back and forth. Also after my first mowing tonight there seems to be some grease or other fluid coming from those areas (im assuming because it got nice and warm for the first time). I'm not sure if this is normal or do I need to do something to tighten up those to connections at those pins? I hope this makes sense to someone, I'm not sure of the right terms for these parts yet. Thanks for the help!!
 

Russell King

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you can go to the Kubota website and find a parts diagram Kubota.com, then parts, then illustrated parts list, then accept their legal talk, then type in a B7100 in the search. You may get several choices but look at the 4WD version that you have. Probably a section on the front axle and look there for what attaches the axle to the tractor.

In general, there is a large pin that attaches the front axle to the rest of the tractor so it can pivot up and down (side to side). It may just need to have the nut tightened up to get it back into the proper position (but I doubt it will only be that).

There will be a grease fitting in that area to grease that pin joint so grease will be evident there after use. If there is some looseness in that I assume your pin or the holes that the pin goes through are worn down and need repair. Pin replacement "looks" easy if you have a method like a floor jack and jack stands to support the tractor's weight off the pin. I have not done it personally but I imagine someone will chime in on that.

Good luck.
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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There is 4 O rings that act as seals in the bushings.
The pin is oiled by splash from the differential.
Front end.jpg
 

Morgan44

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Wolfman, that was an awesome reply and very helpful. I tried kubotas site for drawings like that but they won't work with a Mac, believe it or not. Where did you get that drawing? Now if I can find the procedure to replace that stuff, any ideas on that?
 

kubotasam

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Wolfman, that was an awesome reply and very helpful. I tried kubotas site for drawings like that but they won't work with a Mac, believe it or not. Where did you get that drawing? Now if I can find the procedure to replace that stuff, any ideas on that?
The Kubota parts website does work with a Mac computer. Try it again. The drawing that Wolfman got is a screen shot from the Kubota parts diagrams on their site.
I have never replaced the oil seals on the pivit pins so I can't give first hand info. I would be happy to look in my workshop manual if you want me to.
Is your tractor a gear drive or HST transmission? The front axels are different between the two types of transmissions.
 

Apogee

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Morgan,

I too am a Mac user and it works fine for me using Firefox.

Steve
 

Morgan44

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Walton KY USA
Yea I just tried again and no go. I don't have Firefox, what is that exactly? Sam it's a hst and that would be great if you could look that up. I've been trying to find it on the kubota books site, but I'm not having any luck. I just looked again and I'm scared now, it's right against the pile pan. I'm hoping this isn't a major ordeal to remove. Thanks for the help.
 

Morgan44

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Walton KY USA
Also part of my problem. I use an iPad. We have a Mac lap top, but the wife uses it for work mostly. I need to try to find a hard copy of a shop or tear down manual. That oil pan sitting right there is freaking me out.
 

jcansler

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Feb 6, 2011
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I had the same tractor, a B7100 HST 4x4 that developed a lot of play in the pin that holds the front axle on after about 2000 hours. There was a little gear oil leaking around the pin area but it was more of a job to repair than I wanted to tackle at the time so I removed the cotter key in the pin and tightened the nut until it ran out of threads on the pin and there remained a good bit of play so I removed the nut and added a thick washer, then put the nut back on and re-tightened the nut to remove the play. This removed the play in the steering and it stopped the oil leak as far as I could tell. I used the tractor for another 3 years until I sold it and bought a larger one, but during that time I didn't have any oil leakage from the pin area. I know this was not the proper way to repair this but as I said I didn't have the time to take the tractor out of service to repair this. I changed the gear oil at the time I tightened the pin and kept a check on it until I sold it and the gear oil stayed stayed at the correct level and did not discolor or get water in it over this time period. So it is a quick patch that may fix your problem until you are ready to tackle the repair correctly...I hope this helps...

Joe
 

lsmurphy

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The pivot pin/bolt and bushing are worn, changing the O-rings will do nothing.

Price the bushings and pins.........realize it's about 4 hours of work............then just live with it. :)
 

Morgan44

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Jul 7, 2013
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Walton KY USA
I stopped and checked with dealer today, and got to talk to a guy who seemed to know a lot about my tractor and kubota in general. He said to if the play is front to back, not side to side then just simply remove the retainer pin and snug the nut up in the front and it will probably solve it. He thinks it would have to be side to side to be the bushings and o rings. I snugged her tonight and we will see what happens the next time out. Thanks for the help guys, i will post back with results.
 

jcansler

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That is what I suggested you do earlier. It will not hurt anything to try it and it may resolve your issue for a long time. I know it did on my B7100, except as I stated the pin did not contain enough threads to take out the slack without adding a thick washer. That meant there was a lot of wear and yet once I tightened up the pin the slack in the steering was gone and so was the gear oil seepage. So I guess the movement back and forth when steering allowed the oil that was keeping the pin lubricated to seep out due to the back and forth movement...Good Luck with your repair...

Joe
 

Morgan44

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Jul 7, 2013
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Walton KY USA
I knew you had and was going to be taking your advice regardless of what the dealer man said. Mine was actually loose enough I could almost tighten it with my fingers. I actually did use my fingers around the bare socket for a short time. I anugged it, but didn't make it very tight. We will see what happens.
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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Does, or did it have the hitch pin in the nut?
If the hitch pin was in it and it's that loose I would be worried that the pin is stretched out.
Also check the washer and nut for excessive wear.
 

jcansler

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What happened with mine was over the years I used my B7100 hard and the pin was probably stretched but also the front axle supports that the pin goes through were actually bowed out from the back and forth movement of going forward to reverse quickly also causing some wear in the pin supports I'm sure because when I pulled the hitch pin and tightened the nut all the way and reinstalled the hitch pin it would not capture the pin nut so I had to add a thick washer to allow the hitch pin to go through and capture the nut. I probably had over 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch of play when I started which meant there was a lot of wear as I stated earlier. After I tightened up the nut to take out ALL the play my steering was back tight as it should be and there was no more gear oil leakage for over 3 years. You will probably need to tighten the nut back to the specs called for in the manual to (which is no visibly play, check the manual for the exact spec, it's in there IIRC) have the best chance of stopping the oil seepage. Also by tightening the nut to spec it will help to prevent more wear because the more play there is the back and forth movement will affect pin, bushing, and seal wear. Good Luck with your repair...

Joe