Advice and Front Diff Removal

[900XT]

Up to now I've enjoyed reading this site. Can I please request some information?

I have a new (13 hours now) 900 xt which leads a fairly easy life. After running smoothly, if not quietly, around nine hours it developed a tapping/clicking noise from under the front. It seems as though when the noise comes from one side, it is followed by the same sound from the other. The noise is loud and clear, even when wearing hearing protection. The noise is about the same in 2wd and 4wd.

Got underneath and couldn't find anything loose. The driveshaft and pinion shaft have no play between them. There is at least 20 degrees of free rotation in the driveshaft/pinion input to the front differential. Compares with about zero on a car diff.

Because it's difficult to get the RTV to my local Kubota dealer, I'm thinking about removing the front diff myself and taking it in for repair, or preferably replacement – I feel that diff rebuilds need special skill, and I don't want one that's gone wrong so early repaired.

First question – how much play do any of yours have in the input to the front differential?

Second question – if this 20 degrees is excessive, can I get enough clearance to free the two shafts, called CV joints in the manual, at their inner ends by just releasing the suspension A-arm at its inner end and swinging the strut and knuckle outwards, or have I got to separate the knuckle etc?

Many thanks for any advice.

 

[bordercollie]

Hi and welcome to the forum. I would see if the dealer would come and pick it up and what he would charge since it is under warranty especially. Plus, Kubota may void the warranty if you do it. There is a thread on here about the replacing the front boots that tells about pulling the A arm down and removing the bolts in the diff then removing the shafts . It is a process in order to replace the boots,but is what you are talking about - I believe. Good Luck and keep us informed . bordercollie

 

[clueless]

not hard to do,but if it is warranty related let the dealer deal with it.20 degrees doesnt sound like much,but you got to remember the front rear is under a float mode till you put it in 4wd.i think the new one i put in had about the same backlash. ask the dealer,and call another dealer and ask the same question to both and see what the answer is.

 

[TWO GUNS]

not hard to do,but if it is warranty related let the dealer deal with it.20 degrees doesnt sound like much,but you got to remember the front rear is under a float mode till you put it in 4wd.i think the new one i put in had about the same backlash. ask the dealer,and call another dealer and ask the same question to both and see what the answer is.

I agree....... check with several dealers.
What ever happened to the " Kubota Mechanic" that was on this site ?

 

[900XT]

Front Diff

Thank you everyone - I appreciate the suggestions and will report back when I discover/decide what to do.

BTW, the 900xt is great.

900xt

 

[Art454]

When I was under my 1100 i checked it and it had about .010 inch backlash.
20 degrees somthing big time wrong.
That is about 1/4 in backlash.....have delear come get it....they most likely just put a new one in......the other is junk by now.

Art

 

[900XT]

Front Diff

Thanks Art - your measurement around 0.01" is what I would have thought normal - the play in mine is over 1/4 inch.

900xt

 

[Art454]

I bet they forgot to tighten the carrier bolts,ring gear bolts.....if you grap the yoke on the pinion and it moves back and forth that would do it to.
I doubt they will waste there time trying to fix it since it would cost so much for the parts and labor....we are in a R&R era today.
My dealer said the ones they survice they use 90 weight gear lube in front diff....at oil change time
There is nothing special abot it....its just open rear end diff. like a car.
Dealer and mechanic I know there also said on the 4 wheel drive....the front just use 90 weight gear oil.
My BX 23TLB...the front started to leak......bought all the parts...pin,bushings and seals.
All that was wrong with it the bushing wore up and down movement...side to side was ok.....the shaft was fine and also all the seals. Was a pain with hammer and chisel getting them out.
I showed them to the mechanic that works at the kubota dealer.......he said when you changed the oil you did not use 90 weight gear oil and I said no.
He said I told you so and I said yes you were right but the book and manual says to use sudt.
90 weight much better pressure lube than sudt....I new this 90 weight is a great pressure lube.
Have 500 hours on the bx23tlb when it stated to leak.
My mechanic friend at least you fixed it before you ate threw the bushings and then you have to replace the whole front end plus parts that got hurt.
He said most people wait to long then its all over.
I told him that should have been a niddle bearing setup and this would not happen.
He agreed but said a bushing is much cheaper.

Art

 

[cov62431]

The dealer would be the best way to go. It is still in warranty, let them handle it. The backlash in the frt. diff. is controlled by shims. If "nothing" else is wrong in the frt. diff. then it may have never had the right amount of shim. There are other issues that can happen in the frt end, but with that little hrs. I would let the dealer handle it before I started sinking my time into diagnosing and fixing it. Dont get me wrong, you could inspect it and fix it yourself, but at those hrs you shouldn't have to.

 

[900XT]

RTV Front Diff Play

Finally saw the dealer - we're part-time country folks - and got under a brand-new zero hours 900XT and compared the play in the pinion - identical.

So I have forty hours and eight months of warranty remaining and meanwhile I can continue to try to locate the clicking noise which started this thread.

Thanks to everyone for the helpful comments,

BTW, as you all know, the 900XT is just great.

 

[cov62431]

Does yours have a one-piece or two-piece driveshaft. Should be one-piece, but would be good to make sure. You can try a couple things: remove the drive shaft going to the front diff. then drive and see if noise disappears, OR jack up frt. end and try manually spinning your frt. tires and see if you hear any clicking. If you choose to jack up your frt. end make sure you use jackstands and chock blocks on the rear wheels. The majority of "clicking noises on the frt. end" we get are usually due to drive shaft or frt. drivetrain related. So I would try these first to try and isolate the noise.