8070 front axle surprise!

After all this talk about 18.4 x 26 tires on the front being an unfavourable combination with 20.8 x 38 on the rear, I drained the oil in my axle. The tractor has 3500 hrs and the tires are original. Here's the pics:









Anybody want to guess where the ball bearings are from?
Do you want to guess if the differential gears are still good?
There was approx two tablespoons of water that came out first before the oil. I had to poke the ball bearings with a screwdriver to get the oil out, so there could still be a lot more pieces inside.
I'll let you know the answers next week.

That stinks hopefully all goes well but i didn't think anyone thought that combination was bad one?? or atleast it wasnt according to the allis literature.  

Something I have been doing  to our equipment when draining fluids for a number of years now is to drill  a 1/2" dia hole half way through the inside of the plug and epoxy a 1/2" x 1" neodymium  magnet in it.   

I hope for the best for your machine. Check your vent plugs rubber O ring. The O ring grove in the plug has a hole in it for the vent. The O ring in the grove lets pressure out and keeps dirt and water from getting in. Put in a new O ring with every oil change. When refilling the final drives, leave them a little lower then the book tells. They don't have a vent and the pressure will blow out the big seals. If that happens, oil will spray the inside of your tires and makes a mess. Don't ask how I know.

rob(ont)
After talking to a local mechanic he confirmed that the outer bearings are ball and the dif carrier has roller, so you are right, someone had changed a failed outer bearing prior to my ownership and left a few inside.

As long as you got it apart and the check book open, why not? Be ready, I think they might really amaze you as to what they can cost.

Yeah, that pin should be smooth. Never seen the grooves angled like that. Are all the needles in the bearing? That comes from running in relatively few steering positions in the field. Makes for jumpy steering on the road. Another thing I have done is to grind a recess in the center between the 2 u-joints and install a 90* grease zerk in the u-joints. Point them to the center. Tight, but can be done, and is now greasable. Use lots of grease to hold the needles in place around the outside of the bearing when re-installing the bearing so a needle doesn't fall out of place. Rob.

More pics:

Ron,
Sorry to Hijack the post, but I am curious about your puller tool.  Threaded rod into the king pin, but is there weld down there? 

I need to replace a u-joint on an 8050, and reading the service manual, it mentioned the special tool.  I like your method, as I likely have the parts. 

Also, is there a way to replace a u-joint without removing the outer assembly? 

Thank you,
John