540b axle question

br389 · August 31, 2013, 07:01:31 AM

Yesterday while we were pulling out a hitch we snapped our rear axle and I know ill probably have to drop the rear end to fix it but I didn't know if maybe you guys had any pointers. ....thanks

Decked · August 31, 2013, 10:13:49 AM

Well, you're in for a wrestling match.
I put new wheel seals in on the landing one time. Our truck driver picked up the back of the skidder & we rolled the axle out from under it. Truck driver stood the whole axle on end, we unbolted it, he picked the wheel/axle off splitting it at the punkin. We rebuilt it on the landing. new brake pads.

I never saw a guy so nervous, but the driver picked the wheel/axle up , & lowered it back down on the punkin, while my fingers were in there guiding it down & holding the gasket. We got it together & the driver was white as a ghost!

Not recommended in any way, but , we got away with it.

Good luck, it ain't gonna be fun.

beenthere · August 31, 2013, 11:31:59 AM

That truck driver was one strong dude... 8)

TheDirt · September 02, 2013, 09:35:55 AM

Had this happen a few years ago on a 540b, we were fortunate to have an excavator on the landing.
as I recall we thought we had a bad wheel seal and then found we had a cracked the axle all the way around, which is pretty common on those, how it hadn't snapped off completely is beyond me.
I'm trying to remember how exactly we did it: funny how you sort of block these things out of your memory, I think we had to unbolt the axle on both sides, but figured out how to just pull the whole quarter with the bad shaft and take it back to the shop (it was February). We only removed the one wheel on the bad side and held the differential up with blocks and the skidder itself was on blocks so we could wiggle/roll the rear end around some to fit the quarter back on after the rebuild. It was pretty sketchy but it worked. finding an axle shaft was a challenge, there are couple different styles as I recall. Good luck!

John Woodworth · September 07, 2013, 11:31:13 PM

When we were running JD it was always either planetary or axle brg or seal, I used to block up the skidder and remove all the axle to frame bolts except the outer two on the oppisite side, these loosen as far as possible this allows the rear end housing to tip down at a angle and with a gin pole against the skidder and a ratchet hoist the axle housing can be removed and replaced without removing the complete housing or the oppisite tire. Also works on the front axle but takes a bit more prep but beats folling with the hyd lines. Have done it this way many times including on time out in the brush when we couldn't get it back to the landing.