Lubing The 885's Front Axle Pivot Pin

ScottNC

Member
Have the front axle out to bore and sleeve the damaged front bushing hole then re-bush it and the rear. In the time I've owned the tractor the pivot pin zerk has never taken grease, with it apart I can see why! From the zerk back, the hole is packed so solid a drill bit just would go through. I'm curious where is the grease to the rear bushing comes from? With the front zerk out then poking behind it with a drill bit (down as small as 1/16") I can't find a through hole from the front to the rear and no place for a zerk on the rear - but the rear of the pin and the cavity behind it had grease.

I welcome comment as to my solution for the lack of parts for rebuilding the front axle pivot on the 885. The pin isn't pristine - lets call it polished - but it's usable since a replacement isn't available. The front bushing is the only one of the two bushings still available - for $30+. Is there really enough difference between the front and rear that two front bushings wouldn't work? Instead of spending over $60 for two bushings and one possibly not working, I have ordered two spring eye bushing for $16/pair that fit a Freightliner and Volvo truck. Same dimensions, same bi-metal construction, split steel outer and a dimpled copper (looking) inside friction surface. A friend who has big truck experience thought the spring eye bushing might be a bit cruder than I'd like but he didn't know anything about the requirements of a tractors front axle to say they wouldn't work. Thoughts?
 
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The last DB pivot bushings I ordered from Case were plastic, I politely left them on the counter and walked out. Easy lathe project.
 
I sat down to call the local dealer Saturday but they were closed. RG, you might just of saved me a two hour round trip!

Yesterday, I crawled under the tractor determined to find from where the rear bushing gets its grease. During a thorough session with brake clean, some brushes and rags I finally found it - the zerk hole under a layer of paint - right under the center of the bushing is a hole tapped 1/4-28. It was packed solid with rock hard dirt that at some point was painted over. It was only visible from inside the pin bore with a mirror, I could see the outline of the hole but couldn't feel it due to the hard azz dirt. Some scrapping, some drill action followed by a tap and we're back in business.
 

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