L3301 steering grease point leaking

[hellasmania]

I just made it to 100 hours on my L3301 that I got at the beginning of the year. Have had no problems at all.

While greasing all fittings, I noticed that the front steering point, on one side, is releasing grease. Is this normal? If not, how easy is the fix. I have added pics of both sides for comparison. Thanks all!

 

[hellasmania]

PS: It is leaking from a small crack on the nipple of that rubber piece in the first picture.

 

[85Hokie]

on most zerk fittings - the evidence of grease coming out is an indication to stop greasing. On some ball fittings, there is a boot that holds the grease in place and does not allow dirt back into it. I am not sure that is a sealed boot or not. I do see the another boot bulging - so I am assuming it is either sealed or you need to hit it another lick or two.

I hope that you have been hitting it with grease about every ten hours or so?

In the conditions that you are running (lots of wet areas) I would continue to grease the zerks and then if possible to wipe away the excess SO the dirt doenst attract to the grease.

If the boot is busted it is not a hard job to fix - you will need a either a pickle fork or a BFH!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_JzIdlolfg

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

If your going to keep operating it in really wet and dirty conditions I would replace the boot P/N TC422-13732.
And don't put so much grease in it next time, with those just watch for the boot to balloon a little bit and stop.

Back the nut off till it lines up with the end of the shaft then smack it with a hammer or use a pickling fork to remove it, it will destroy the boot but your replacing it anyways.

 

[hellasmania]

Thanks all for the responses. I didn't know if this was a sealed boot.

I must have overfilled it, as I'd put about 3 shots of grease in there every 10 hours, and now it is leaking.

I will attempt to replace this within the next 2 weeks and let you know how it goes.

 

[Bluegill]

3 shots every 10 hours is an awful lot of grease for that little boot to hold.

 

[85Hokie]

3 shots every 10 hours is an awful lot of grease for that little boot to hold.

thinking about this a little more.....

IF it is a sealed boot ......and was greased from the factory,

and HAS a zerk fitting......to grease more at a later time,

where does the grease go ??????

aint like it evaporated ! Grease can get old, it can lose it's ability to lubricate, and can break down over time and it can get hard......but it does not lose it's mass! I have to hang my grease gun with a plastic bag on it so the hot liquid grease will not leak out all over the bench where it is hung in the shed during the summer.

Sooooo....

in order to re-grease the zerk - the old stuff typically has to be pushed out.

I would look at the boot very carefully - IF the boot is split where it pivots I would replace it ....if however the grease seeped around the edge of the boot - I would not replace.

The boot is necessary to keep the grease in the "cup" otherwise the grease would not stay where placed. All other places on the kubota - other than steering rely on the grease to be squeezed through two contact surfaces and then it oozes out, when re-greased - the old comes out by replacing with new.

 

[Porkman]

A lot of boots have a relief hole to prevent bursting the boot from over filling. It can look like a small nipple and will have a small hole in it. There appears to be one on the 2nd picture. Wipe the boot in 1st picture off and look for one of the relief ports as that may be where it is coming from and if so, quite normal if over-greased.

 

[hellasmania]

Ok, so I took some better pictures. It looks like one of the boots has a crack on that nipple protrusion and the other doesn't. Maybe by over greasing it, it split. Either way, from all your advice, it seems like I may need to replace it. It's going to be a muddy summer ahead of us here in Ohio.

 

[hellasmania]

Update on this:
I had the dealer come out last week to check the leaking boot. The service guy used an electric grease gun on both boots for some reason and they both now leak at the nipple. He left without being sure of how these boots are supposed to function.

I called the dealer again and they sent out another service guy yesterday. He stated that these boots are designed to leak excess grease at the nipple. Is this true? Can anyone confirm?

I had understood that these tie end boots should be sealed.

 

[D2Cat]

Read post #8 by Porkman, he explained it for you.

 

[KennedyFarmer]

Mine leak when I put grease in them, I rather see the grease come out. i try to grease everything appx 10hr per the book. I don't think they are fully sealed. But I agree with wolfman if your going to use the tractor in mud and other icky stuff. Replace the boot on a regular basis.

 

[Tooljunkie]

There will be mixed opinions.
Grease slowly until you see clean grease exiting the boot. That will fill tie rod with clean grease.
Typically that is whats reccomended.
I grease 2-3 pumps til i see boot swell.

Its the lack of grease where problems start.

 

[Riddlel3901]

I just replaced these boots on my 3901 today. All new from dealership the nipple in all 4 had a relief hole. Looks to me the factory ones were painted over when installed.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

A lot of boots have a relief hole to prevent bursting the boot from over filling. It can look like a small nipple and will have a small hole in it. There appears to be one on the 2nd picture. Wipe the boot in 1st picture off and look for one of the relief ports as that may be where it is coming from and if so, quite normal if over-greased.

X2... and before I let them relieve themselves or worse yet bust loose I like a simply press of the finger tip on the boot.

After a couple of boots you can easily get the feel if boot is full (and ready to bust free) or empty.

A happy medium / spot is before its gets full like the belly of a fat kid at the all you can eat buffet and loose / empty like a deflated ballon