[Ramdeesl]

Been working on an SS14 for a while. Engine issues mostly. Decided to check on the rear end yesterday. Drained a couple of qts of nasty looking gunk out of it. Refilled it with 30wt. and this morn. I had a dinner plate sized puddle under the rear end. Appears to be coming from the shaft seal on the right side of the case near the front of the rear end. That answers the question of why it only had 2 qts. in it. Can this seal be replaced without splitting the case? :banghead3

 

[GT_80]

I dunno... I got a deal on wheel seals from ebay though

 

[cjet69]

Is there a cap that goes in that hole to keep the dirt out? I'll take a look at mine tomorrow.

 

[Silvercreek Farmer]

It does look like there is a cap missing...

 

[cjet69]

I looked at mine today and it looks just like yours without the leak. Mine leaks from the input shaft seal. I don't know if this can be changed from the outside, but it does look possible to me. Hopefully there is a member who has worked on these that will chime in.

 

[Anonymous]

I hate when my Rear End leaks. I also don't like it when it happens to my tractor. :hide:

 

[Dude11]

Are you sure it's coming from the seal/plug??Looks like a nasty wrinkle in the case from here,not sure.

 

[mmccarty]

That looks like a loose expansion plug. It probably did its job when water in the case froze. Put a socket in there and see if you can tap it back into place.

 

[mmccarty]

Or is the plug rusted through? The photo is out of focus.

 

[cjet69]

Here is a parts diagram from http://www.searspartsdirect.com/par...ts/Model-91725610/0247/1509200/00034247/00006

# 15/18 are both seals. I didn't see any listing for an expansion plug. It would be nice to see one that has been removed to see what it looks like.

 

[mmccarty]

But aren't 15 and 18 the input shaft seal and axle seals? What he is pointing out is something different.

I may have to crawl up under my Suburban 15 and take a look for myself.

 

[mmccarty]

I looked under mine. That area is very hard to see without removing the wheel, but it looks like a thin steel expansion plug.

 

[mmccarty]

The more I look at the diagrams the more it looks like steel plugs were used to seal the bearing bores after boring the case. There's probably a needle bearing set behind that plug, which is either loose or rusted through.

It doesn't look like any sort of replacement is available. If the cap is just rusted through, some JB Weld to seal it might be an option. If it is loose, you may be able to remove it, apply some sealer around the edge and tap it back in.

 

[Ramdeesl]

Here is a parts diagram from http://www.searspartsdirect.com/par...ts/Model-91725610/0247/1509200/00034247/00006

# 15/18 are both seals. I didn't see any listing for an expansion plug. It would be nice to see one that has been removed to see what it looks like.

By the looks of the diagram, input shaft 57 goes into that hole in the case with a needle bearing 24. Seal 18 is pictured outside the case. I wonder if that means it is installed from outside? It doesn't show any cap or cover. In the pic and on Sears Parts website it looks like an axle seal. However, I jacked the tractor up and spun the rear wheels with the tranny in gear. If that was the end of the input shaft you would be able to see it turn. It doesn't turn. I think it is a cap or plug of some kind. I've got the original manual for the tractor and the diagram is the same for the rear end. Anybody ever work on one of these? Help!! raying:

 

[cjet69]

By the looks of the diagram, input shaft 57 goes into that hole in the case with a needle bearing 24. Seal 18 is pictured outside the case. I wonder if that means it is installed from outside? It doesn't show any cap or cover. In the pic and on Sears Parts website it looks like an axle seal. However, I jacked the tractor up and spun the rear wheels with the tranny in gear. If that was the end of the input shaft you would be able to see it turn. It doesn't turn. I think it is a cap or plug of some kind. I've got the original manual for the tractor and the diagram is the same for the rear end. Anybody ever work on one of these? Help!! raying:

I'm thinking along the same lines. Might even be a plug/cap that could be pulled and reinstalled with some sealer. That is if you can get it out without trashing it.

 

[mmccarty]

By the looks of the diagram, input shaft 57 goes into that hole in the case with a needle bearing 24. Seal 18 is pictured outside the case. I wonder if that means it is installed from outside? It doesn't show any cap or cover.

You're not following what I said. The input shaft is on that side of the case but has a large pulley on it. The belt from the engine spins it... The seal for the input shaft does look like an axle seal and is called out as #18 on the diagram.

I think what you are pointing out in the photos is a plug for one of the bearing bores. The gear shafts inside the transaxle spin inside of needle bearings that sit inside of bore holes in the sides of the case. They weren't machined as blind holes in the case. More than likely the case halves were mated and the bores were line bored all the way through the case leaving holes that needed to be sealed. They did this with steel expansion plugs. They are not called out on the parts diagram. If one of these is leaking, it is either loose or rusted through.

 

[mmccarty]

Take a look at this photo. I'm not even sure what brand of tractor this transaxle is from. It is just a a photo I found with Google. The holes in the side of the case correspond with the internal gear shafts and are sealed with steel plugs.

 

[mmccarty]

More photos I've pulled from another thread here. This a transaxle from a small Deere garden tractor. Those steel plugs seal the bearing bores.

 

[Ramdeesl]

You're not following what I said. The input shaft is on that side of the case but has a large pulley on it. The belt from the engine spins it... The seal for the input shaft does look like an axle seal and is called out as #18 on the diagram.

I think what you are pointing out in the photos is a plug for one of the bearing bores. The gear shafts inside the transaxle spin inside of needle bearings that sit inside of bore holes in the sides of the case. They weren't machined as blind holes in the case. More than likely the case halves were mated and the bores were line bored all the way through the case leaving holes that needed to be sealed. They did this with steel expansion plugs. They are not called out on the parts diagram. If one of these is leaking, it is either loose or rusted through.

I think I see what you mean. The pulley would be on shaft 57 and either 56 or 51 would go into but not thru the case where my faulty cap is. Is that what your thinking? It's odd they wouldn't show that on the diagrams. Finding a new plug is going to be a problem. Geting the old one out is also going to be a problem. Do you think JB would hold if I drained the rear and roughed it up with emery cloth and cleaned it with brake cleaner or carb cleaner? Any other ideas? :dunno:

 

[mmccarty]

I think I see what you mean. The pulley would be on shaft 57 and either 56 or 51 would go into but not thru the case where my faulty cap is. Is that what your thinking?

Yes.

Why is it leaking though? Is there a hole in it? Is it leaking from around it? Are you sure the oil isn't coming from elsewhere?

If it's leaking from around it, I would try to extract it somehow and then reinstall with some Loctite. If it has a hole in it, then cleaning it up and using some JB Weld may be your best option.