4500 rear axle removal

Howdy!
Got a 72 Ford 4500 tlb. Great tractor. Love it! Was scooping up some dirt with the load, riding the clutch, when there was a Big Bang from the
back. Wasn?t bouncing much but my first thought was the backhoe broke loose. Wound up being the left rear axle. I raised the rear wheels off
the ground with the stabilizers, put it in gear and the right rear tire had power but left, not so much. It would spin, but I coul stop it with my hand.
My questions are:
1. Can I pull the left rear axle without removing the backhoe and/or loader frame?
2. What do you think popped in the axle?
3. If I have to remove the loader frame, what?s the procedure?

I have all the parts and service manuals, but haven?t seen where it says to remove the loader frame or backhoe, but it sure looks like a tight fit
to be able to pull tha axle out with both still on.

Just for more info, the clutch was sticking a little. More so when it sat a little longer between use. It would come and go. The day of the pop,
seems like clutch was extra stuck and that strong 3 cylinder diesel over powered the differential or axle.
Thanks to all replies in advance!

It has a differential so it is normal for one wheel to spin and not the other unless you have the differential lock engaged (if it has one). The true test is to put the rear wheels in the air and the transmission in neutral and then spin one of the wheels by hand in one direction and the other wheel should spin in the opposite direction. If it doesn't then something related to the rear axle is broken. It could be the axle shaft or it could be something in the differential. One of the most common problems is the ring gear rivets breaking, as they were a weak link in that rear end. You will have to at least pull the left axle to see exactly what the problem is though. Others here can give you better advice than I about removing the axle as to whether the loader and/or backhoe frames need to be removed first. Some of them had a single subframe for both the loader and the backhoe and others had separate frames for each.

They are a pretty stout axle, but things do fatigue and wear, sounds like you lost a planetary from the description of sorta driving lightly, also possible you lost the spider gears in differential. Depending on your loader might be able to remove trumpet with it in place. Gotta open it up and find out

Hoe will have to be removed and hoe subframe dropped on both sides. I had plantary bust up in mine. If ran low on oil in r/a will tear up quicker. Brake boots bust and leak most all oil out.

First raise the left rear wheel off of the ground leaving the right side on the ground, with the transmission in gear try the turn the left wheel, if it does there's a problem in the left side or center section.
If every thing seams fine do the same on the right side to figure out where the issue is.

Question: where you using the diff lock during that time, I've had them bind up and not disengage when I released the pedal, only to disengage later and sometimes with a pretty good bang shaking the tractor.

If you do have a axle problem you can not remove the axle housing without removing the backhoe and lowering the loader frame to the ground at the rear.
I didn't get the backhoe with mine so I'm not sure of the procedure for removing the hoe
To lower the loader frame you need to drain the loaders hyd system, disconnect any lines that connect the loader to the tractor (make sure to unclamp the the bottom cross over pipe from the tractors belly), remove 2 of the 4 bolts connecting the loader frame to the front bolster and loosen the other 2. While supporting the frame with jacks remove the bolts holding the frame to the axle housing then lower the rear of the frame. At that point you be able to proceed as working on a normal tractor.

If you have the books Vol. 4 of the factory service manual pretty much covers the industrial tractors components that are different from a normal ag chassis.

I think my first move would be locking the right brake, hard. Then see if the left wheel will attempt movement. If it doesn't, then you know you have a big problem. Busting parts in those axles is no easy feat so at this point I'm still a bit skeptical. If you do have to remove the axle, the subframes have to come off.

Rod

(quoted from post at 06:44:28 11/01/17) Howdy!
Got a 72 Ford 4500 tlb. Great tractor. Love it! Was scooping up some dirt with the load, riding the clutch, when there was a Big Bang from the
back. Wasn?t bouncing much but my first thought was the backhoe broke loose. Wound up being the left rear axle. I raised the rear wheels off
the ground with the stabilizers, put it in gear and the right rear tire had power but left, not so much. It would spin, but I coul stop it with my hand.
My questions are:
1. Can I pull the left rear axle without removing the backhoe and/or loader frame?
2. What do you think popped in the axle?
3. If I have to remove the loader frame, what?s the procedure?

I have all the parts and service manuals, but haven?t seen where it says to remove the loader frame or backhoe, but it sure looks like a tight fit
to be able to pull tha axle out with both still on.

Just for more info, the clutch was sticking a little. More so when it sat a little longer between use. It would come and go. The day of the pop,
seems like clutch was extra stuck and that strong 3 cylinder diesel over powered the differential or axle.
Thanks to all replies in advance!

Click to expand...

Its a project with a loader/back hoe on it. On mine I'm going through the whole machine so you don't have to take it apart as far as I did mine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeLI5RMfEkI

I had to replace both rear axle seals, and used speedi-sleeves on the axles because the seals wore grooves into them. As big as the axle is I'd say you broke something in the planetary.

Thanks for the replies!!
PTFARMER - i grew up by Gruene/New Braunfels. Now im up the road between Stephenville and Dublin, TX.
I watched your bringing her home video right when i was fixing to buy my 4500. was looking to see what size trailer i might need. kid i bought mine from though it was a 3500, just nearly 1/2 the tractor the 4500 is. i had a 18'/20,000# trailer and everyone said the 3500 would fit. i took extra provisions and made a landing pad off the back end for the bucket and got her home. looked up the serial numbers and found out she was a 4500!
always thankful for you guys that take the time to post videos. helps a lot.
from what you have done thus far, your pretty sure i dont have to unload the backhoe or the loader frame? manual says the differential is accessed on that side and really need to catch it before it falls out when taking the left trumpet off.

Thx for the comments!
was not using diff lock at time.

You maybe able to do it with the loader frame on, but the loader frame may cause some headaches. If I remember right the right axle housing needs to come out around 6" to the side before the axle stub can come out the rear end housing. The left hand side doesn't need as much room since that is the side you access the differential from.

Dont get a lot of time to mess with my baby, but i did get to today at lunch. lifted back end up with bucket, then stabilized (don't want to scratch up mommas driveway with stabilizer marks). turned motor off, stuck it high 5, rotated right tire and left tire ran in opposite direction. went around and rotated left tire and would rotate right tire in opposite direction then slip and grind a little. to me, sounds like it definitely left rear axle i need to pull and see how many pieces i can find and what they came off of. gonna try pulling trumpet off with loader frame and backhoe attached.

raised wheels off the ground. put gears in high 5th. turned right wheel and left wheel turned opposite directions both ways. when turning left wheel, right turns opposite but if i torque it too much, left wheel turns, gears grind, right wheel doesnt move. dont get much time to work on her, but slowly working my way to left trumpet removal.

Howdy!

got the left trumpet off with loader and backhoe attached! once the sun gear cleared the planet gear carrier, i was able to lift the trumpet up and then rotate it counterclockwise to clear the loader frame. got the brake assembly out and found some pieces laying on backside of planet gear carrier. the lockplate is gone, so im thinking that broke, but havent taken the retaining bolt off the axle yet to see what damage was done on other side of the planet gear carrier. wished i had more time to stay at it. my son is in his last year of vet school and his truck started bucking and belching when accelerating. he got it home and let him take mommas car to use while i monkey with it. again, thanks for all the replies!

just read my last post about removing trumpet with loader and backhoe on. first sentence should say, once the sun gear cleared the differential...
use a 2x4 to keep the differntial from following the axle out. also, there was plenty of oil in the rear end. drained it all and will clean out before refilling.