860 Diff. Clunking

[Anonymous-0]

Hi guys, Cleaning up from the last NE storm last night my 57 860 started making a clunking noise about the speed of the rear axels, I thought I lost a pinion tooth. With the tractor all warm in the shop tonight I jacked it up, drained the Diff. and looked in the filler hole. There were two groves worn into the center housing and the center race for the pinion pilot bearing was floating free on the end of the pinion. So the question is do I split the tractor behind the tranny and can I just pull out the pinion shaft to maybe press on a new race and probably change the seal.The ring gear looks great I'm hoping I don't have to pull off the left trumpet and pull out the diff. Has anyone else seen this happen. Thanks for your help,,, Larry

 

[RickB]

Pinion shaft comes out to the rear after you remove the differential.

 

[Larry-NEK]

Hi , I forgot my handle last night. Rick the pilot bearing is to the rear of the pinion, the manual shows the pinion being jacked out into the hyd. tank with 9/16th bolts. I wanted to hear from someone who had pulled out a pinion and replaced the pilot bearing. with out pulling the carrier out. Thanks ,,, Larry

 

[RickB]

I'll stand corrected on that. After looking at the manual, I'd follow it and remove the differential, no more time than that will actually take. Trying to work around it seems like one of thse shortcuts that will take longer and potentially reduce the quality of the final product.