Axles are free! - will grease prevent future problems?
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2003 8:47 am
As you may remember I took the Cub's axle off to get at a steering problem. The clamps and pins gave after some pounding, but the adjustable axle tubes were rusted tight - my 6-ton bottle jack wouldn't budge them. I sprayed some PB Blaster around the joints and posted a note here.
George had a good point - you can't apply direct pressure without binding unless you push at the axle base while at the same time pulling down on the wheel extension pipes. I put a come-along around the extensions and the 6-ton jack at the base, sprayed on more Blaster and tapped vigorously, but not hard, on the tube every time I walked past. To check for progress, I loosened the come-along, tried to apply more pressure and rapped the extensions with a hammer.
After 2 days with no change I didn't think I had a chance of freeing the parts without a welders torch and/or a LOT more pressure. I wasn't fond of using either, and probably would have settled for a Cub that LOOKED like it had an adjustable axle. Then yesterday evening (72 hrs after starting) the right axel came free. Oh nothing dramatic, the inner tube moved perhaps a sixteenth of an inch. A little more rapping and judicious use of the jack and it was out. I cleaned & sanded the inner & outer tubes, greased them, slid them together, put the pin in, and pressed out the second extension the same way. No heat, no insane pressures, and no bent or broken parts - wow am I happy about that!
My question is how do you all prep these parts to assure they won't seize up again? I'm leaning toward a light coating of good quality axle grease, or would anti-seize grease be a better choice? I don't think oil will hold up over the long haul.
I know we all appreciate being able to solicit advice from each other, but a novice like me could not work on, or even own, these tractors if it wasn't for the help offered here. Thanks for helping and Merry Christmas to you all.
George had a good point - you can't apply direct pressure without binding unless you push at the axle base while at the same time pulling down on the wheel extension pipes. I put a come-along around the extensions and the 6-ton jack at the base, sprayed on more Blaster and tapped vigorously, but not hard, on the tube every time I walked past. To check for progress, I loosened the come-along, tried to apply more pressure and rapped the extensions with a hammer.
After 2 days with no change I didn't think I had a chance of freeing the parts without a welders torch and/or a LOT more pressure. I wasn't fond of using either, and probably would have settled for a Cub that LOOKED like it had an adjustable axle. Then yesterday evening (72 hrs after starting) the right axel came free. Oh nothing dramatic, the inner tube moved perhaps a sixteenth of an inch. A little more rapping and judicious use of the jack and it was out. I cleaned & sanded the inner & outer tubes, greased them, slid them together, put the pin in, and pressed out the second extension the same way. No heat, no insane pressures, and no bent or broken parts - wow am I happy about that!
My question is how do you all prep these parts to assure they won't seize up again? I'm leaning toward a light coating of good quality axle grease, or would anti-seize grease be a better choice? I don't think oil will hold up over the long haul.
I know we all appreciate being able to solicit advice from each other, but a novice like me could not work on, or even own, these tractors if it wasn't for the help offered here. Thanks for helping and Merry Christmas to you all.