Replacing oil seal on Farmall C axel ?

[Paul Shuler]

After the holidays are all over I need to replace the oil seals on my old farmall C axel. I have a couple of questions about it. First can the axel housing be removed and slid off over the axel and job be done that way leaving the axel in place? Or do I need to pull the bolt on the inside and slide the axel out fist. I have an IT manual to look at that shows it in detail but does not give a step by step description of how to do it. Would like to here from you guys that have done it before. Thanks
Paul

 

[CNKS]

You have to pull the housing, the inner seal is the problem, there is not supposed to be any oil in the housing, the outer seal is just a grease seal. Replace the gaskets while you are at it. I suppose you can slide the housing over the axle but I have never done it that way. I remove the housing and axle as a unit, not saying I won't try it sometime.
 

[Wayne in MN]

You need to remove the bull gear to get the housing & axle off as a unit. The inner bearing is held in the housing with a retaining ring and the axle cannot be removed unless the retainer is removed first.
Much easier to take the bull gear cap screw & washer out if the transmission cover is taken off first.
A seemingly simple task gets much more involved when you "dig deeper" into the problem.
Good luck.
 

[Dennis K (WA)]

Hi Paul
Like others have said, it needs to be removed as an assembly but first you need to remove capscrews holding retainer #19 in your picture.
The bull gear stays in the main case,
I found it easier to reinstall by filing a chamfer on the end of the splines where the shaft reenters the bull gear.
You may be able to remove the retainer bolts by removing the PTO assembly but reassembling will be a challenge because the bull gear will drop a bit once the shaft is removed. I removed the top cover when I did mine. I kind of wanted to see what else was going on in there anyway.
Have fun
Dennis
 

[Paul Shuler]

Thanks so much guys for the advise. I will update with a post when I get it all done. Hope to tear into it in January sometime.
 

[Paul Shuler]

When you lift the deck off is that a two man job or is there anyway maybe to use my engine hoist on it you think. I have a big stout 20 year old son but its hard for us to get together cause he works so much.
 

[Dennis K (WA)]

Engine hoist should work great Paul. You need to come straight up far enough to get the shift forks out of the sliding gears.
Merry Christmas
Dennis
 

[Dean Olson]

I replaced just the outer seals on my SC about 3 years ago thinking I would "do it right" when I had time. They still don't leak and I'm not motivated to get it done.

I just replaced the 2 outer seals on my 200. The axles housings also leaked where it bolts to the trans housing. I removed all those nuts and slid the assembly out about 1/2". I then cleaned and scraped all the crud out, hit it with some brake cleaner and used silicone as a gasket. Sealed it up, no more leaks.

I know it's not "right" but it works and only takes a couple hours vs all day and then some removing the top cover.

Someday I'll tear them both down and do a restoration.
 

[CNKS]

I don't know why IH did it that way, the H/M-460/560 are the opposite, no inner seal only an outer one. Would seem like 2 seals on both tractors would have been the way to go.
 

[Dennis K (WA)]

Good point CNKS,
Why not just replace the outer seal, very simple and leave it at that?
If it doesn't work out you would not be out much.
Dennis
 

[Dennis K (WA)]

Got to thinkin and I know that's dangerous.
Did the H, M etc have a sealed inside bearing and that is how they got away without the inside seal? Just wondering
I know my 'C' did not have a sealed bearing.
Dennis