Bern
Well-known Member
- Location
- Mount Vernon, WA
I'm currently rebuilding a 5000 SOS transmission. While it's split and I'm waiting for parts, I decided to clean the rear axle suction
screen and replace the hydraulic filter. While sliding the new filter on, which is located right next to the rear axle pinion adjusting
nuts, I grab a hold of said nuts and to my surprise they are both loose. The lock tab between them is keeping them from backing off,
otherwise they would have walked off long ago. While I can feel no end play in the pinion shaft, there should be pre-load in those pinion
bearings, and those nuts should not be loose.
I've worked on my share of 5000s over the years, and can honestly say that I've never noticed this before. That said, I haven't made it a
point to check those nuts each and every time either. In all my years, I can honestly say that I've never seen one of those rear axles
fail, so that's why I don't make it a point to check them.
My gut feeling is that this will not give a problem, especially for a hobby farmer who puts (I'm guessing) maybe 100 hours/year on it. In
order to check the bearings and/or tighten them, I'll have to remove the RH rear tire, RH axle housing, and diff before I can remove the
pinion assembly. I'm torn as to what to recommend to the owner - I don't want to make a mountain out of a molehill. What would you do?
screen and replace the hydraulic filter. While sliding the new filter on, which is located right next to the rear axle pinion adjusting
nuts, I grab a hold of said nuts and to my surprise they are both loose. The lock tab between them is keeping them from backing off,
otherwise they would have walked off long ago. While I can feel no end play in the pinion shaft, there should be pre-load in those pinion
bearings, and those nuts should not be loose.
I've worked on my share of 5000s over the years, and can honestly say that I've never noticed this before. That said, I haven't made it a
point to check those nuts each and every time either. In all my years, I can honestly say that I've never seen one of those rear axles
fail, so that's why I don't make it a point to check them.
My gut feeling is that this will not give a problem, especially for a hobby farmer who puts (I'm guessing) maybe 100 hours/year on it. In
order to check the bearings and/or tighten them, I'll have to remove the RH rear tire, RH axle housing, and diff before I can remove the
pinion assembly. I'm torn as to what to recommend to the owner - I don't want to make a mountain out of a molehill. What would you do?