This is why I have a parts machine.

grassfed · August 22, 2011, 10:51:04 AM

This happened Sunday. I managed to drive it out on three wheels. I will swap axles with my parts machine and then put on the wheels and tires from this axle on. The loader on my truck managed to pick the back end up and set it on some logs...

lumberjack48 · August 22, 2011, 11:38:17 AM

Looks like more than just a axle, not sure what its called, i think the spindle and axle are busted off. That would have been a good video of you driving out on 3 tires. I never had this happen to me, i seen a guy hid a tree with a front tire and busted it silken clean off.
Your lucky to have a parts machine, good luck with it

grassfed · August 22, 2011, 11:50:19 AM

I think that they call it an outer half axle. It has the wheel flange on the outside and the planetaries bolt to the inside end (deere/funk inboard planetaries). The break happened exactly at the outer edge of the outside wheel bearing and the only other part that was damaged was the seal. Looks like it has had a crack for a while and just gave up while I was winching a hitch. Took a minute to figure out what happened. I am just swapping the whole rear axle and difs and then changing wheels. I wanted to get it out since we had rain coming and it gets muddy there. It rode on the log bumper and just dug an inch or two deep furrow in some spots.

mad murdock · August 22, 2011, 01:01:00 PM

The main ???? how did it tranaspire?? Sorry to see your breakdown. good thing you have a parts machine handy!

grassfed · August 22, 2011, 01:46:22 PM

It was already cracked I'm sure. The broken area had grease and corrosion on 3/4 of the diameter and then a clean white mettle fresh snap on 1/4 . I figure it has had a hair line crack as long as I have owned the skidder (I am real easy on stuff) The crack probably got worse slowly and then I just happened to have the crack in the right place this time. When the winch took a strain the weight transfer popped the crack. The cracked area was facing down and a little toward the load when it broke. The skidder was in park with the brake on and I was pulling in two fir trees.

mad murdock · August 22, 2011, 02:12:27 PM

I thought it was prolly a pre-existing hurt. You just don't break a piece like that all at once, unless a big old coastal redwood was felled right across the arch maybe ;) I hope you aren't down for too long. Sounds like you will be back yarding wood in a few days, or less.

treefarmer87 · August 22, 2011, 05:59:55 PM

thats not good :( im working on getting a parts skidder, loader,and truck

Taylortractornut · August 22, 2011, 07:34:57 PM

Scrappers get mad when we wont sell the landfills junk JD scraper, old Macks, or Dodge trucks. THey say well it will bring 13 dollars a hundred. We had a differential carrier go out on the main scraper and Deere wanted 14k for a new axle. Jut gave 1100 to had a feild man change it out. Pluswe have all the metal lines and such.

snowstorm · August 22, 2011, 07:50:23 PM

likely there is more broken parts in the housing. planatery parts. the little jd skidders werent ment to run chains on the rear. i know a lot do. bolth rear wheels are locked all the time.

Bobus2003 · August 22, 2011, 08:06:10 PM

Been there, done that on my 440, I have also stripped the splines on the Hub once.. A parts machine was my savior also

grassfed · August 22, 2011, 09:48:56 PM

I don't think that any thing else broke since the machine was not moving when it happened. It just fell off when I started winching.

treefarmer87 · August 22, 2011, 10:15:50 PM

thats wierd it happened like that ??? its a good thing it happened on level ground and your ok

forestry mick · August 25, 2011, 09:12:15 PM

I had the same thing happen a few years back on the 540! It was an old crack going most of the way through. Parts machines are handy to have! Good luck!