M5N-091.... someone screwed up and it wasn't me.

[Shadow_storm56]

So..... was doing my my yearly matinance and checking my front end fluids the differential and what I guess would be called final drives is all connected so I usually check the sides and don't check the middle "check" plug. I was so confused at first because I couldn't find a drain plug for the front end but it drains when the sides drain and if not then someone forgot to put in a drain plug. Anyways...... to the point.

I took out the plug labeled "check" in the manual just to make sure oil was getting everywhere it's supposed to..... it wasn't a plug.... it was a bolt with a nut on it and a copper crush washer on this side. The hole is threaded but not for that bolt. So now theres a nut and maybe washer on the inside.... weird that the nut didn't just spin. It felt a bit strange when I was taking it out but it's what I'm supposed to take out to check it so I did.... sooo this is a new one

 

[TheOldHokie]

So..... was doing my my yearly matinance and checking my front end fluids the differential and what I guess would be called final drives is all connected so I usually check the sides and don't check the middle "check" plug. I was so confused at first because I couldn't find a drain plug for the front end but it drains when the sides drain and if not then someone forgot to put in a drain plug. Anyways...... to the point.

I took out the plug labeled "check" in the manual just to make sure oil was getting everywhere it's supposed to..... it wasn't a plug.... it was a bolt with a nut on it and a copper crush washer on this side. The hole is threaded but not for that bolt. So now theres a nut and maybe washer on the inside.... weird that the nut didn't just spin. It felt a bit strange when I was taking it out but it's what I'm supposed to take out to check it so I did.... sooo this is a new one

Ohh my - thats not going to be fun.

You could but the proper bolt back in ans cross your fingers....

Dan

 

[Henro]

So..... was doing my my yearly matinance and checking my front end fluids the differential and what I guess would be called final drives is all connected so I usually check the sides and don't check the middle "check" plug. I was so confused at first because I couldn't find a drain plug for the front end but it drains when the sides drain and if not then someone forgot to put in a drain plug. Anyways...... to the point.

I took out the plug labeled "check" in the manual just to make sure oil was getting everywhere it's supposed to..... it wasn't a plug.... it was a bolt with a nut on it and a copper crush washer on this side. The hole is threaded but not for that bolt. So now theres a nut and maybe washer on the inside.... weird that the nut didn't just spin. It felt a bit strange when I was taking it out but it's what I'm supposed to take out to check it so I did.... sooo this is a new one

It almost sounds to me, like whoever did that removed that bolt that was there originally, and lost it. So they had a longer bolt, and in order to not have it extend too far into the housing, they put a nut on it to make it essentially shorter, and the crush washer on the inside of the nut, as if the nut was the bolt head…

Any chance I’m seeing this correctly?

I have no clue, but it’s my first impression if I understand what you expressed in your description.

probably because it sounds like something I might do…

 

[Shadow_storm56]

Ohh my - thats not going to be fun.

You could but the proper bolt back in ans cross your fingers....

Dan

Turns out on the narrow version that's actually the drain plug, same position but lower. I kept looking for a drain plug and then decided to check if the axle was just thick. Stuck a screwdriver in and that plug is at the bottom just on the side not underneath. In this case the large fill plug is also my indicator which is not uncommon but not what my manual showed. Fill plug is also on the side for this to work. My large john deere is exactly the same except has a large drain plug on the bottom... fill is also the level..

All good information but dosen't fix the nut being in the axle.... the plug from the drains for the finals fits the threads perfectly whare a plug should have been

 

[Shadow_storm56]

It almost sounds to me, like whoever did that removed that bolt that was there originally, and lost it. So they had a longer bolt, and in order to not have it extend too far into the housing, they put a nut on it to make it essentially shorter, and the crush washer on the inside of the nut, as if the nut was the bolt head…

Any chance I’m seeing this correctly?

I have no clue, but it’s my first impression if I understand what you expressed in your description.

I'm not sure how you would get the nut in there except during assembly.... this is my first time taking that drain out. I loosened it one year, it felt odd so I put it back, just made sure the level was good and was going to ask the tech but forgot. This time I figured the odd feeling was a magnet or somthing....nope

 

[Shadow_storm56]

I'm not sure how you would get the nut in there except during assembly.... this is my first time taking that drain out. I loosened it one year, it felt odd so I put it back, just made sure the level was good and was going to ask the tech but forgot. This time I figured the odd feeling was a magnet or somthing....nope

I got the tractor new FYI

 

[Henro]

I'm not sure how you would get the nut in there except during assembly.... this is my first time taking that drain out. I loosened it one year, it felt odd so I put it back, just made sure the level was good and was going to ask the tech but forgot. This time I figured the odd feeling was a magnet or somthing....nope

I got the tractor new FYI

Call me dense, I have no problem with that but where is the nut that you’re referring to? Inside the housing? How do you know it’s in there, that’s what I’m wondering.

From your description I either the imagined that what I described in an earlier post was the situation, or it was a through Bolt.

Are you saying that there’s a nut inside the actual case? That’s a bit insane but nothing is impossible… Just trying to understand your situation.

If there was a nut in there, that wasn’t secured somehow, wouldn’t it be missing now? I mean wouldn’t have fallen down somewhere after you took the bolt out?

Again, perhaps I’mobviously missing something… but I am curious and humoring me may help you get better answers.

 

[Shadow_storm56]

Call me dense, I have no problem with that but where is the nut that you’re referring to? Inside the housing? How do you know it’s in there, that’s what I’m wondering.

From your description I either the imagined that what I described in an earlier post was the situation, or it was a through Bolt.

Are you saying that there’s a nut inside the actual case? That’s a bit insane but nothing is impossible… Just trying to understand your situation.

If there was a nut in there, that wasn’t secured somehow, wouldn’t it be missing now? I mean wouldn’t have fallen down somewhere after you took the bolt out?

Again, perhaps I’mobviously missing something… but I am curious and humoring me may help you get better answers.

It is missing now.... the bolt that was used just sticks right in, is too small for the threads of the hole in the actual casing. I found this out because when I thought it was the level check plug as the manual suggests I went to put it back in as soon as I saw oil and there was nothing for it to screw into. It is in fact the drain, the regular non narrow M5 has alot of similarities so it must have gotten copied over. I kept looking hoping I was missing some hidden big drain plug so I could use a magnet to get that nut but unfortunately no large drain plug....which is really weird tbh

 

[GreensvilleJay]

so..the next question... HOW did 'Mr. Fixit' GET the nut INTO the axle housing .
next question , is WHY ??

I'd be paranoid about a lose nut 'rolling around' in that axle housing and it 'magically' travel to the end and destroy the FWD gears ? Looks like # 055 is the proper bolt ??

 

[Shadow_storm56]

The manual even shows a 1,2 and 3 labeled fill, check and drain with pictures of the location of the first 2.... does not show a drain location. Sorry to have 2 things at once but that discrepancy irritates me

 

[Henro]

so..the next question... HOW did 'Mr. Fixit' GET the nut INTO the axle housing .
next question , is WHY ??

I'd be paranoid about a lose nut 'rolling around' in that axle housing and it 'magically' travel to the end and destroy the FWD gears ?

On top of that, since the OP bought the tractor new, how did it happen to begin with? Doesn’t sound like typical Kubota practice… relying on my memory again, but I believe the OP said that he bought the tractor new (just looked back and that is the case he bought it new).

 

[Shadow_storm56]

so..the next question... HOW did 'Mr. Fixit' GET the nut INTO the axle housing .
next question , is WHY ??

I'd be paranoid about a lose nut 'rolling around' in that axle housing and it 'magically' travel to the end and destroy the FWD gears ?

Like I said I bought it new sooooo I have no clue. Also it wouldn't get to the finals as it actually is separated it would just get into the differential.... which isn't good either. Maybe the factory did the thread pitch wrong in the actual hole and patched the issue this way? I'll have to get a really strong magnet so the nut can't move..... go all ironman

 

[Shadow_storm56]

On top of that, since the OP bought the tractor new, how did it happen to begin with? Doesn’t sound like typical Kubota practice… relying on my memory again, but I believe the OP said that he bought the tractor new (just looked back in. That is the case he bought it new).

You are correct, I am mindblown

 

[Shadow_storm56]

Fun update, took my bore scope to see if I could see the nut... theres still a couple inches of oil in there. That actually is the check plug... so whare is the drain plug? Is there some sort of flush cap hiding it? If I could find a larger plug I could get this nut but I can't see any lower plug. Anyone who has one of these know whare the drain should be?

 

[Dustball]

Looks like plug #40 is the same as your check plug (#55). You could use that plug to verify the threads of the check hole are good and correct.

 

[Shadow_storm56]

Looks like plug #40 is the same as your check plug (#55). You could use that plug to verify the threads of the check hole are good and correct.

View attachment 124962

I noticed that, it went in but got tight pretty early so maybe that's why....

 

[Shadow_storm56]

My friend found an updated manual, so it's the drain and the correct check is hidden behind the steering hydraulic hose on the left. So that parts solved.... too bad theres still a nut in my differential

 

[Dustball]

Is the screw you pulled out an M8x25mm flange bolt?

 

[Shadow_storm56]

No no.... it was in the drain plug hole. You can see the hole in my picture it was in.

 

[Shadow_storm56]

Is the screw you pulled out an M8x25mm flange bolt?

View attachment 124966

Oh you mean is that the bolt they used? Not sure it's the same size and thread as the short ones holding the engine guards on