Ford 555B backhoe front axle assembly

jledlow

Member
Going to look at and likely purchase a 555b this weekend and have been told it will need a new front end. It is a MFWD and from what I can gather it is a carrera axle set up. I have been looking into it and have seen where case/ih used the carerra as well and was wondering if they would possibly interchange?
 
As an addendum the ring gear and pinion are out and the left side hun is busted as per the current owner.
 
Lots of tractors and backhoes had the Cararro axle fitted,which ones would be compatible with yours I cannot say as I have never done that swap,there are some 555B's been dismantled on Machinery Trader at the link below.
AJ
Machinery Trader
 
You may be better off repairing what you have. There are numerous different axle ratios depending on how the tractor was spec', tire sizes, and mounting configurations. Hopefully you can luck into finding a good one out of a similar spec' 555.you will need the numbers off of your axle to find the correct one.
 
Is it drivable/useable as is, just no front propulsion? My 655A is so heavy on the back I wonder what MFWD would do for me. I certainly agree that if you get that far, what you want is another 555 for parts.
 
Well, looks like I own a 555b backhoe! All wear parts seem to be tight, engine has been swapped out by the original dealer. Hydraulics all are working good
NOW the bad, Checked all fluids and transmission oil looks good with no burned smell, torque converter fluid is milky which means water. reverser does not engage forward or reverse. No grinding or whining at all and also no wheel movement. THINK it is a solenoid problem. wheel hub IS broke off smooth at the lug nuts, front driveshaft has already been removed and the pinion looks to be sucked back into the case which to me says ring and pinion bad and quite likely carrier is bad.
Once I figure out how to upload pics I will post some.
 
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My 655A has a button on the floor, and a button on the end of the loader control stick, either of which, when pressed, stops trans drive. I never use them, and when accidently activated, they stick.
 
(quoted from post at 12:12:00 07/13/19) NOW the bad, transmission oil looks good with no burned smell, torque converter fluid is milky which means water. reverser does not engage forward or reverse. No grinding or whining at all and also no wheel movement. THINK it is a solenoid problem. wheel hub IS broke off smooth at the lug nuts, front driveshaft has already been removed and the pinion looks to be sucked back into the case which to me says ring and pinion bad and quite likely carrier is bad.

Milky fluid in the converter. Unless you pulled the drain plug on the converter, the dipstick you're looking at is the stick that measures the fluid level in your transmission & shuttle. The second stick measures the fluid in your center housing. Sounds like the fluid in your transmission and shuttle has water in it. Now to determine if it's coming from condensation, rain or the radiator cooler. Usual suspect is rain through the transmission shift boot but the radiator cooler lets loose once in a while.

No F or R. You have a shuttle problem. Maybe dump valve related considering F & R probably worked when the hub let go and they parked it where you bought it.

The hub broke off at the lug nuts. Looks worse than that. The driveline has been removed because the front axle is damaged. The PO probably drove it with no oil in the planetaries until the left planet seized.

I've been thinking about your axle since last night. I hate to say this because I can't explain where my thought is coming from but from what I remember the 4WD 555B used two front axles, the early one I want to say was a ZF or a company that ZF acquired and the later a Carrero. I don't believe your axle is a Carrero but someone else will correct me if I'm wrong. Parts availability on the early axles is slim to none. Hopefully I'm wrong and you have a Carrero axle.
 
You are correct when you say it is in the front housing with the reverser assembly. Just found a previous post about a guy that washed his out really well and am going to try that as the oil in the front reminds me of toothpaste. Once I get it all cleaned up and fresh oil in it things might get a bit better. going to check and make sure the flex is not broken and also check the reverser switches as well. I have just about decided to switch the front axle out with a 2wd for now and get it in moving. Later on I will likely go back to solving the front axle headache.
 
(quoted from post at 15:58:42 07/14/19) You are correct when you say it is in the front housing with the reverser assembly. Just found a previous post about a guy that washed his out really well and am going to try that as the oil in the front reminds me of toothpaste. Once I get it all cleaned up and fresh oil in it things might get a bit better. going to check and make sure the flex is not broken and also check the reverser switches as well. I have just about decided to switch the front axle out with a 2wd for now and get it in moving. Later on I will likely go back to solving the front axle headache.

You can see the T/C through the inspection plate under the bell housing. Pull the drain plug on the bottom of the transmission case and the plug out of the T/C. You'll have to bar the flywheel around until you you see the T/C plug. When she's drained, change the filter and fill her up. If the T/C is turning before you drain the contaminated fluid, chances are you will be able to circulate new fluid throughout the shuttle. If a valve is stuck, it might free up with a dose of new fluid. If not, there's two valves on top of the oil divider that can be checked before you split her.

If I were you and could find a flame cut 2WD front axle, I'd convert her to 2WD and keep her that way. Unless you're working in mud, you don't need 4WD.
 
(quoted from post at 15:58:42 07/14/19) ... and also check the reverser switches ...

There's no switches in your transmission except for the solenoid that controls the dump valve. The 555B has a mechanical shuttle. The later models used more electrical components.
 
Knew a customer once that had a new M series Case was roading it in four wheel drive,went around a corner and bang the pinion from the front diff sheared just where it came out of the axle,panicked he called me,to get him off the road I took the prop off and he used that machine for years and no one ever sussed that it was two wheel drive,you could try doing the same,take the spur gears out of the hubs,it will keep you going till you get an axle/parts.
AJ
 
(quoted from post at 06:12:13 07/15/19) ... take the spur gears out of the hubs,it will keep you going till you get an axle/parts. AJ

I suspect someone has already done that but failed to keep lube in the hub and the wheel bearings seized, causing the hub to "snap off" as mentioned.

On further reflection, I am beginning to think I remember that the early axle was made by Funk, but I find no mention of this online. Do you remember anything like that AJ.
 
Man I got it from said he bought it in this condition from the original owner. Original owner bought it new and used it extensively installing floating boat docks at a local lake. FIGURED that explains the screwed up front end as it most likely spent some time in the water.
 
(quoted from post at 17:01:33 07/15/19) Man I got it from said he bought it in this condition from the original owner. Original owner bought it new and used it extensively installing floating boat docks at a local lake. FIGURED that explains the screwed up front end as it most likely spent some time in the water.

That makes sense. By the time he figured out he had a problem it was too late.

If you can find a whole front end, front bolster with axle pinned thereto, you can have her running in an afternoon. There's a big weight under the 2WD front bolster. (not sure if the 4WD has or uses the same weight) and two side weights on the hard nose. Hopefully you can find an entire package for a reasonable price. The front bolster and flame cut axle rarely if ever wear out so after all the good parts have been scavenged, those should still be laying around in the bone yard.
 
(quoted from post at 17:30:55 07/15/19)
(quoted from post at 17:01:33 07/15/19) Man I got it from said he bought it in this condition from the original owner. Original owner bought it new and used it extensively installing floating boat docks at a local lake. FIGURED that explains the screwed up front end as it most likely spent some time in the water.

That makes sense. By the time he figured out he had a problem it was too late.

If you can find a whole front end, front bolster with axle pinned thereto, you can have her running in an afternoon. There's a big weight under the 2WD front bolster. (not sure if the 4WD has or uses the same weight) and two side weights on the hard nose. Hopefully you can find an entire package for a reasonable price. The front bolster and flame cut axle rarely if ever wear out so after all the good parts have been scavenged, those should still be laying around in the bone yard.
Got called in to work tonight and the guy on night shift turned me on to a hoe with a missing engine that he spotted today! Going to check on it asap and see if it will fit mine! MAY get this dog kicked sooner than later for pennies!
 
Just had a look at the online parts drawing of both the 555B and the Case 580SK,basically the axles look similar as all 4x4 axles do,the Case Carraro is very much different if you go into detail for example the the king pin pegs have only three bolts holding them on the Carraro and the axle on the 555B has six,I think you are better off trying to get an axle if you can,I'm in the UK and there were not that many Ford hoes here with JCB been home grown and Case coming second,MF and Ford about but not common,what was on what I can't remember.
AJ
 
Got it delivered today! upon first inspection I have determined that a good bath will do it and me some serious justice as far as being able to see what is what and where. Dump valve solenoid is disconnected
for sure and has 3 wires hanging down beside it. No switch on top of the loader control arm either. Not sure if this could be the issue with no forward or reverse yet but have not really had a chance to dig
into it.
 

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