b7200 front 4x4 axle against oil pan

[primerk5]

I finished my engine rebuild and re-installed the engine.(runs great again) I noticed that the input shaft of the front axle is resting on the oil pan. Is there any kind of fix for this?

I haven't got to look at it in depth yet, Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this and how they dealt with it, I'm hoping the axle housing isn't that wore.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

The cover is hitting the oil pan or the actual shaft or axle housing, if that's the case you need to replace the pivot bushings on the front axle, before you use it again!

 

[primerk5]

The cover is hitting the oil pan or the actual shaft or axle housing, if that's the case you need to replace the pivot bushings on the front axle, before you use it again!

I think its just the cover, I'll go home and verify. I just didn't think it should be against the pan.

Thanks

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

The cover can rest against the pan, it doesn't cause any problems.

 

[Donystoy]

I just checked the shaft tube on mine and it is just 1/16" away from hitting the pan. I am certainly going to check my pivot bushings before I use it again. I would think that this is a major wear point as all the weight of the front end including the loader is on these two bushings. There certainly is a certain amount of movement to this tube especially if the bushings are worn. Mine has a gob of weld at the top which is just waiting to wear a hole in the pan and by-by engine.
My shop manual shows each bushing to have an "O" ring on either side of it and mine shows slight caking of dirt on the housing so I must have a slight leak also indicating wear.

 

[primerk5]

So are the bushings hard to remove? Or do they just slide in and out. I will probably replace mine.

 

[lsmurphy]

If you've got that much slop, I'll bet there is more than a couple of bushings worn.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

The tolerance is very tight on the propeller shaft shield to the oil pan, Mine is actually bolted to the pan and has about 1/8" clearance or so.

Jack up the front of the tractor and block it so that both front wheels are just slightly off the ground.
Lift one tire up till the other tire just touches the ground, there should be no more movement after the tire touches the ground.

Try to move the axle in any direction you should have no or only a very slight movement, Besides the teeter totter of the axle on the center pivot pin.

Turn the steering wheel from side to side there should not be a front to back shift of the axle in relation to the frame.