Plastic cap dropped in front axle!

[TomV]

Hello all,

New to the forum and appreciate any advice. I recently bought a used bx2200 4wd in nice condition with 610 hours to use on our evolving 8 acre homestead. I am performing an overall tuneup and doing the 600 hour maintenance. Fairly experienced with tractor operation, but not maintenance.

I did a stupid thing and dropped a plastic cap (about the size of an earplug) into the front axle oil fill point on the right side when I was changing the oil. I was unable to get it out or even feel it with my fingers. How concerning is this? Should I be considering taking apart the axle to try and retrieve it?

Thanks for your help,
tom

 

[tinkerwitheverything]

It's all gears down in there so it will get chewed up. If it was me I'd drain the oil and pull the side off that it fell into to get it out. For peace of mind anyway. It's not that big a job just take the tire off the side your working on,remove the the tie rod,take out the 4 bolts that hold the down ward assembly to the axle tube. You 'll then beable to turn that part upside down and shake it around to get the plastic thingy out. But hey thats up to you.

 

[rentthis]

I would leave it there. I doubt the machine would ever know the difference

 

[Kingcreek]

I think its unlikely to cause any damage. I would leave it in there awhile and drain the pieces of it out later.

 

[ihfr]

Things like this always seem to happen to me as well- before going to the trouble of taking things apart- I would try to McGyver something up which would allow me to get it out. Maybe a thin hose/tube rigged to a wet dry vac

 

[TomV]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I went for peace of mind and took off the wheel and downward assembly and was able to "chop-stick" out the plastic with two tiny forks from the kitchen. Didn't even need to touch the bearings. Thanks to tinkerswitheverything for suggesting this wouldn't be a hard job...it really wasn't bad!