Hello, I'm new here. I have a 3010 JD with a leak somewhere around the three point lift arm anchor points. To describe what happened, the old hay mower I was using behind it broke a hitch pin causing it to only be attached by the arm that is now leaking. Over a few days time it will leak all of the fluid out of the trans./final drive/ hydraulic case while sitting. What I would like to know is what I am getting into when I pull this apart to find the leak, needing to limit long trips to parts stores and such things as that. The leak appears to be around a shaft that goes through the bottom of the trans. case from side to side, (arm level control system?). Did I pull something loose, bend something, or crack something? There are no visible cracks, and it dosen't appear to be bent.
I've seen that happen on a 4430 Deere, could be a worn shaft, could be wore holes that shaft slips through, but many time it's just an old o-ring seal that seals the shaft. Seems I recall being able to replace the o-ring on each side of the transmission housing by gently knocking shaft into tranny housing, tap it in just enough to access the o-ring seal that's in a groove in the housing, remove o-ring with a pic, fit a new one, knock shaft back through. Just be careful knocking that shaft inward, if you go too far you'll get covered with tranny oil.
Thanks, that makes sense. Probably a little of both, and the sideways pull broke a very dry o-ring. Sounds easy enough to fix even if takes a slightly bigger o-ring
The more I think about it, or get lost in my head, either applies, seems it wasn't an o-ring on the 4430, but a u-cup seal instead. Still think I was able to replace seal without draining tranny.
Thanks again for the help, now all I need for the project is the time to work on it. Either way o-ring, or cup seal it shouldn't be too hard to get at and dig it out. If I wind up having to remove the shaft completely, is there anything inside the tranny that will fall, or roll away when it is pulled out?
Update, I finally had the time to work on this, the shaft had to come all of the way out, no problems, and the local deere dealer had the seals (they are cup seals) on hand. After draining the oil there were only a few drips when the shaft came out. It sure would have been a bath it I hadn't drained it first. Thanks for the help.
Like Willie59 said, those shafts will get some wear on them and continue to leak even after you replace the seal. It's a very common wear thing on those New Generation tractors cause they keep goin' and goin' racking up a lot of hours. Easy to change though, ain't it?
The only wear I saw was dead center of the shaft. looks like it MIGHT allow some movement and rip another seal, I was going to take a wait and see attitude. But I did price the replacement shaft at the Deere dealer (about the same as what I can make it for), so I know where I can get one anyway. It probably won't leak again unless it gets a hard side load like it got when that mower came loose. Here's to hope anyway.