Cracked HST Housing - Removing tires

[tbarbour16]

I noticed some hydraulic fluid dripping from my tractor today and while investigating the source, I noticed a small crack in the HST housing. So I removed the ROPS and realized that the small crack was not so small.. Long story short, I need to replace the HST housing and would prefer to do it myself, since the housing itself is $600 (cant imagine how much labor would cost).
Does anyone have a good way of removing ballast filled tires without removing the fluid? It doesn't look like the housing will be too difficult to replace but don't want to have to deal with pumping the Rim Guard out. Not looking to have a debate about tire ballast, just want to know if anyone has had success temporarily removing the tire/rim and how.. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Crash277]

When I worked in heavy equipment this is how we got wheels off machines however they can be expense, you may be able to rent one. Search for a “tire dolly”

cheaper and not as stable option. but should work

 

[D2Cat]

Find a neighbor with a tractor/loader and put a chain around the wheel, or hire a local tire co. with a service truck to remove them. If you try to remove them without some mechanical help do be careful because one slip of the foot and your lack of balance can cause a lot of grief.

 

[tbarbour16]

Thanks @Crash277 - I was considering using an engine hoist but the dolly might be a more stable option.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

what sized tires ? I've 'rolled and danced' 14.9-26 calcium filled ones for a decade. helps it there's 2 of you but usually no one's here but me. Jack tractor up,leave 1" gap under tire,r put 1x10 under it(3/4" board) remove bolts,wiggle/drop tire onto board( only 1/4" drop+-, roll/wiggle tire to 'storage' location.
now forklift tires are another matter,as they come WITH rim, bullgear,brakes,etc. Those I made a 'craddle' like the drywall/brick delivery trucks have. use chain hoist/trolley on overhead beam.EASy to remove AND reinstall.
How you do it depends on ground( I'm hoping concrete ?) and available tools......
In any event, be sure to support tractor with SOLID WOODEN blocking NOT 'cinder blocks' !!

 

[je1279]

Do you happen to know what caused the crack in question?

 

[ruger1980]

My estimate would be that someone ran into something with the ROPS with considerable force.
That or someone tried pulling out a stuck tractor by connecting to the ROPS.

 

[xrocketengineer]

Thanks @Crash277 - I was considering using an engine hoist but the dolly might be a more stable option.

Another possible option would be a pallet jack but you need at least one helper to keep the tire standing straight. It worked with the Space Shuttle main landing gear tires, at least for a while.

 

[Outnumbered]

what sized tires ? I've 'rolled and danced' 14.9-26 calcium filled ones for a decade. helps it there's 2 of you but usually no one's here but me. Jack tractor up,leave 1" gap under tire,r put 1x10 under it(3/4" board) remove bolts,wiggle/drop tire onto board( only 1/4" drop+-, roll/wiggle tire to 'storage' location.
now forklift tires are another matter,as they come WITH rim, bullgear,brakes,etc. Those I made a 'craddle' like the drywall/brick delivery trucks have. use chain hoist/trolley on overhead beam.EASy to remove AND reinstall.
How you do it depends on ground( I'm hoping concrete ?) and available tools......
In any event, be sure to support tractor with SOLID WOODEN blocking NOT 'cinder blocks' !!

I have to agree that if you are careful and think your steps through you can safely handle the tires. I have unfortunately been in a rough predicament with my mother-in-laws old Ford 2600 which has calcuim cloride loaded tires that are much larger than my Kubota L3901 tires. One split unexpectedly in one of the back fields....dry rot. I hauled my trailer and tools down to it with my truck. Placed some 2x12 lumber under it jacked it up with a floor jack. Loosened the lug nuts and steadyed it very carefully rolling it 5 feet to my trailer and dropped it on the back of the trailer. Used a cum-along to wench it over the axle of the trailer and took it to the shop. New tire loaded with fresh antifreeze and did the reverse to put it back on the tractor. I was back in business in about 5 hours with absolutely no help and I am pushing 6 decades around the earth. Just be safe and if you can get a friend to help you will be all the better off!

 

[lugbolt]

This discussion reminds me of why I don't miss working on tractors.

I used to have to split them too often. M series with cast wheels and filled tires can easily exceed 1000 lbs each. If a tech didn't check for water, he was in for a BIG (and heavy) surprise. In 2011 I did just that and an M9540 tire came off and crushed me under it. I was the only one in the shop since the other 2 techs were wasting time standing outside smoking cigarettes. I hollered but nobody could hear because they were too busy enjoying their nicotine. About 30 min later one of them walked through, I hollered again and he got some help to get the tire off of me. Luckily all it amounted to was a broken rib a few cuts and lots and lots of bruising. Real lucky. THAT dealer was not set up to work on bigger stuff (obviously). So when a customer called & said I have a clutch problem with a Mwhatever tractor, I had to tell them no, and turn away a few thousand dollars. Ridiculous but in a way I'm glad.

L's B's, and BX's no problem.

The tractor in the pic appears to be a B series. Thats not the HST housing that's the gear housing, which is much cheaper and a little easier to replace. You will have to watch for any shims on the side bearings for the ring gear assembly but the rest ain't all that bad. Just support it well.

 

[je1279]

If the tractor is a B3350, I believe the part number for the differential gear case is 6A700-11175 and it goes for around $525.00.

 

[rancher1524]

The same thing happened to my B3350SU. Mine I noticed it during the 400 hour maintenance. The dealer put the wrong bolts in the housing. The dealer replaced the housing using the proper bolts this time and have not had a problem since. Dealer paid all the costs.

 

[xrocketengineer]

The same thing happened to my B3350SU. Mine I noticed it during the 400 hour maintenance. The dealer put the wrong bolts in the housing. The dealer replaced the housing using the proper bolts this time and have not had a problem since. Dealer paid all the costs.

Bolts too long and bottoming out in the holes?

 

[rancher1524]

Bolts too long and bottoming out in the holes?

No, the bolts were shipping bolts. They were supose to be replaces by longer bolts when the ROPs was installed. The top bolts pulled out putting pressure on the lower bolts breaking the casting. Never broke enough of the casting to leak.

 

[lugbolt]

that's what they get for piss poor setup instructions. Kubota should have ate that not the dealer (and they might have).

Jinglish, japanenglish, whatever you call it, has no place here and the terminology they use costs them millions per year. I have personally expressed my opinions on that matter for a number of years but it looks like nothing's changed.

 

[Henro]

that's what they get for piss poor setup instructions. Kubota should have ate that not the dealer (and they might have).

Jinglish, japanenglish, whatever you call it, has no place here and the terminology they use costs them millions per year. I have personally expressed my opinions on that matter for a number of years but it looks like nothing's changed.

I don't dispute this at all.

BUT I wonder if the same thing occurs in the opposite direction, when USA suppliers produce documentation to accompany their products that are sold in foreign countries?

Probably not, as we likely just figure that if they do not understand our language, tough beans. And do not provide translations at all...so it comes down to what is better, something that could use improvement, or nothing at all?

Total speculation on my part!

Just a thought...

 

[GeoHorn]

This is what concerns me about rich folk that buy an obsolete military airplane that some national-government could no longer afford to maintain... then bring it home and try to maintain and fly it, sometimes using Cyrillic technical manuals which had been translated into Czechlish then into Engwish using obsolete fasteners and incompatible fluids. Think Super UDT2 is incompatible with 303 fluid?
Good Manuals are important..

 

[GeoHorn]

Here’s a really entertaining video of Japanglish:

 

[whitetiger]

It is a Dealer problem as the setup instructions very clearly and in plain English show what length of bolt goes in what hole. They also list the torque for each size of bolt.
If the person setting it up can not follow these instructions, they have no business doing any assembly.