L 555 Axel seal

[1921s]

The rear axle seal On my 1986 L 555`s leaking bad,how do you change it. Also the hydraulic charge light has come on,but everything works fine like it always did. Could the sensor be bad?

 

[deaop06]

If you can get a copy of a service manual pages 9-11 and 9-12 show you how to change the seal. You access the axle through the top cover (easy way). The other way is a lot of work. You will have to drain hyd fluid either way. I have never done this so you need someone to advise you. I think if you remove the side plate and use 4 long 5/16" all thread bolts you can lock the sprocket and inter bearing in place. If you can get the nut off the axle just slides out. Good luck on your seal replacement.

 

[Mike10]

You will need to raise and block the loader up far enough to get the fuel tank out. You do not need to drain any oil from the chain cases. The oil level is below the rear axle access plates. Once the machine is up in the air, remove the skid plate under the fuel tank. If the engine has an electric fuel pump I would hook a hose on the out let side and pump all the fuel out of the tank. If you do not have an electric fuel pump then place a 2x6 on top of a floor jack and raise it against the fuel tank. remove the cross over hose under the seat on the right side, It can remain attached to the left side. Right is determined by standing behind the machine facing forward. Remove the two wires to the fuel sender on the right rear corner of the tank. Loosen the clamp at the fill spout. Remove the hose from the fuel tank that goes to the fuel pump. There are four plates that hold the tank up. Two plates in back and on each front corner. The right side only needs to be loosened enough to swivel it forward away from the tank. Lower the tank about 2 inches. There is one hose that needs to be removed from the top of the tank on the right side. It is the leak off tube from the injectors. Lower the tank completly and pull the jack out from under the tank and pull the tank out. If you could not pump the fuel out of the tank prior to removing then before you reinstall the tank dump the fuel into a clean bucket through the fill tube...............Now you will see a square plate on the side of the chain case on each side. Remove the four bolts and remove the plate. Take 4 pieces of 5/16 all thread and screw them into the hole where you just removed the four bolts. tighten them until the bolts are snug against eh gear. Remove the nut from the end of the axle and remove the axle from the machine. You will need to tap it out. The seals are on the outside of the axle housing. There is an inner oil seal and outer dirt seal. The lip of the oil seal points in towards the chain case and the dirt seal lip points outward. The trick is getting the axle in without turning the dirt seal lip in. On the later loader there is a taper that will allow the axle to slide into the seal without damaging it. On earlier machines I install the dirt seal on the axle where I can work the seal so the lip goes up on the sealing surface without turning the lip. Once the axle is in far enough I take a couple of large screw drivers and push the seal into the housing. If you turn the lip on the outer seal, you will be back re-doing the job in short order. Also look for grooves in the axle sealing area. If deep there are speedi-sleeves that can be installed so you have a good sealing surface. While the tank is out do the other side also............I have never tried to remove the axle from the top plate. First you would need to remove the chain in order to have enough room for your hands. In order to remove the chain you need to drain the hyd oil and remove the side plate. Even with the chain out it would difficult to remove the nut and there would be no way to block the gear so it would remain in place.

 

[Mike10]

You will need to raise and block the loader up far enough to get the fuel tank out. You do not need to drain any oil from the chain cases. The oil level is below the rear axle access plates. Once the machine is up in the air, remove the skid plate under the fuel tank. If the engine has an electric fuel pump I would hook a hose on the out let side and pump all the fuel out of the tank. If you do not have an electric fuel pump then place a 2x6 on top of a floor jack and raise it against the fuel tank. remove the cross over hose under the seat on the right side, It can remain attached to the left side. Right is determined by standing behind the machine facing forward. Remove the two wires to the fuel sender on the right rear corner of the tank. Loosen the clamp at the fill spout. Remove the hose from the fuel tank that goes to the fuel pump. There are four plates that hold the tank up. Two plates in back and on each front corner. The right side only needs to be loosened enough to swivel it forward away from the tank. Lower the tank about 2 inches. There is one hose that needs to be removed from the top of the tank on the right side. It is the leak off tube from the injectors. Lower the tank completly and pull the jack out from under the tank and pull the tank out. If you could not pump the fuel out of the tank prior to removing then before you reinstall the tank dump the fuel into a clean bucket through the fill tube...............Now you will see a square plate on the side of the chain case on each side. Remove the four bolts and remove the plate. Take 4 pieces of 5/16 all thread and screw them into the hole where you just removed the four bolts. tighten them until the bolts are snug against eh gear. Remove the nut from the end of the axle and remove the axle from the machine. You will need to tap it out. The seals are on the outside of the axle housing. There is an inner oil seal and outer dirt seal. The lip of the oil seal points in towards the chain case and the dirt seal lip points outward. The trick is getting the axle in without turning the dirt seal lip in. On the later loader there is a taper that will allow the axle to slide into the seal without damaging it. On earlier machines I install the dirt seal on the axle where I can work the seal so the lip goes up on the sealing surface without turning the lip. Once the axle is in far enough I take a couple of large screw drivers and push the seal into the housing. If you turn the lip on the outer seal, you will be back re-doing the job in short order. Also look for grooves in the axle sealing area. If deep there are speedi-sleeves that can be installed so you have a good sealing surface. While the tank is out do the other side also............I have never tried to remove the axle from the top plate. First you would need to remove the chain in order to have enough room for your hands. In order to remove the chain you need to drain the hyd oil and remove the side plate. Even with the chain out it would difficult to remove the nut and there would be no way to block the gear so it would remain in place.

When you block the machine up DO NOT block under the wheels. The loader will roll off the blocks.

 

[StuMpy77]

I'm in the middle of doing all 4 wheels worth of seals and bearings in my L555 now, have both rear axles out and never touched the fuel tank. The bearings are much cheaper from Rockauto if you elect to change them also. Not saying Mike is wrong, I'll be the first to admit he knows a lot more than I do here. I have not tried to reassemble mine yet, might have issues...I don't know(having trouble sourcing a good used axle now). I honestly wasn't sure how to get the skid loader up high enough to be able to clearance removing the tank. It is damn tight through the access plate on top, but I did manage to get them out(borrow a kid or lady with tiny wrists if you have to lol). I used a bent metal coat hanger to yank the cotter pins out, was probably the worst part of removal other than the edges of the access holes have an edge to them with no room for gloves of course. I did drop my angled long reach needle nose pliers I was using to straighten the cotter pins into the chain case. What a pita getting those back with the gear in the way & slick with hydraulic oil! I did drain the fluid...all 17 gallons of it. A $6.99 kiddie pool from Fleet Farm worked well as a drain pan. My 1991 was 8 gallons low on hyd fluid and the charge light didn't come on except on start up & went out (so not burned out at least). Everything worked as it should even missing roughly half the fluid, was pretty surprised by that. I would check your fluid level if you have not already, maybe the charge light is working as it should? Maybe mine isn't lol!

 

[1921s]

I'm in the middle of doing all 4 wheels worth of seals and bearings in my L555 now, have both rear axles out and never touched the fuel tank. The bearings are much cheaper from Rockauto if you elect to change them also. Not saying Mike is wrong, I'll be the first to admit he knows a lot more than I do here. I have not tried to reassemble mine yet, might have issues...I don't know(having trouble sourcing a good used axle now). I honestly wasn't sure how to get the skid loader up high enough to be able to clearance removing the tank. It is damn tight through the access plate on top, but I did manage to get them out(borrow a kid or lady with tiny wrists if you have to lol). I used a bent metal coat hanger to yank the cotter pins out, was probably the worst part of removal other than the edges of the access holes have an edge to them with no room for gloves of course. I did drop my angled long reach needle nose pliers I was using to straighten the cotter pins into the chain case. What a pita getting those back with the gear in the way & slick with hydraulic oil! I did drain the fluid...all 17 gallons of it. A $6.99 kiddie pool from Fleet Farm worked well as a drain pan. My 1991 was 8 gallons low on hyd fluid and the charge light didn't come on except on start up & went out (so not burned out at least). Everything worked as it should even missing roughly half the fluid, was pretty surprised by that. I would check your fluid level if you have not already, maybe the charge light is working as it should? Maybe mine isn't lol!

Do you have to raise up the lift arms If you are going to drop the fuel tank out and do it from the bottom

 

[deaop06]

Do you have to raise up the lift arms If you are going to drop the fuel tank out and do it from the bottom

You will have easier access with the boom up on the pins. I would tell you yes. To disconnect the fuel tank you need access under the hood. Use a piece of plywood to support the tank on a floor jack. Clean everything you can before putting back together. Since you have the hdy fluid out clean the tanks out as good as you can. In front by the crossover tube each side there is a 4" long round magnet at back of tank. Take these out and clean them off. Put them back in the same place. I used a telescoping magnet to get all the metal out of tanks I could. I also made all new gaskets for the plates and for the top plates so no water can get in. I also used form-a-gasket around all the bolt holes. Try not to get too much inside the tanks. When you are done grease the 4 zirks on the wheels. That helps to keep stuff from the seals. Good luck Ron

 

[zen314]

You will have easier access with the boom up on the pins. I would tell you yes. To disconnect the fuel tank you need access under the hood. Use a piece of plywood to support the tank on a floor jack. Clean everything you can before putting back together. Since you have the hdy fluid out clean the tanks out as good as you can. In front by the crossover tube each side there is a 4" long round magnet at back of tank. Take these out and clean them off. Put them back in the same place. I used a telescoping magnet to get all the metal out of tanks I could. I also made all new gaskets for the plates and for the top plates so no water can get in. I also used form-a-gasket around all the bolt holes. Try not to get too much inside the tanks. When you are done grease the 4 zirks on the wheels. That helps to keep stuff from the seals. Good luck Ron

I have just replaced all 4 axle oil seals and all 4 dirt seals on my L555. I did not want to remove the fuel tank for the rear ones, so I accessed it from the top with long pliers. I used 4 bolts and threaded rod couplers to make little expanders to hold the sprocket in place while I removed the axle. I thought it had worked great until I put the axle back in and now both rear wheels are leaking oil. My question is this: I filled the zerk on the outside of the wheel with grease - could I have overfilled it, and could that be why it is now leaking oil? If so, is there a chance the excess grease will work its way out of the seal and stop leaking? I have already driven it around for about 30 minutes and it is still leaking. If I am going to have to redo the whole job (the right way this time), approximately how high do I have to get the machine in order to remove the fuel tank?

 

[Mike10]

I have just replaced all 4 axle oil seals and all 4 dirt seals on my L555. I did not want to remove the fuel tank for the rear ones, so I accessed it from the top with long pliers. I used 4 bolts and threaded rod couplers to make little expanders to hold the sprocket in place while I removed the axle. I thought it had worked great until I put the axle back in and now both rear wheels are leaking oil. My question is this: I filled the zerk on the outside of the wheel with grease - could I have overfilled it, and could that be why it is now leaking oil? If so, is there a chance the excess grease will work its way out of the seal and stop leaking? I have already driven it around for about 30 minutes and it is still leaking. If I am going to have to redo the whole job (the right way this time), approximately how high do I have to get the machine in order to remove the fuel tank?

Grease is not your problem. All the grease does is fill the cavity between the axle and the outer dirt seal to keep dirt and water from entering the dirt seal. There are several possibilities for you leak. .......Installation of the seals the wrong way or the seals switched so the dirt seal is the inner seal.......Grooves worn in the sealing surface of the axles........The lip of the outer dirt seal turned inward when the axle was installed.........Seal damaged when installed..............As far as the height of the loader, measure the deapth of the tank.

 

[zen314]

Grease is not your problem. All the grease does is fill the cavity between the axle and the outer dirt seal to keep dirt and water from entering the dirt seal. There are several possibilities for you leak. .......Installation of the seals the wrong way or the seals switched so the dirt seal is the inner seal.......Grooves worn in the sealing surface of the axles........The lip of the outer dirt seal turned inward when the axle was installed.........Seal damaged when installed..............As far as the height of the loader, measure the deapth of the tank.

Mike, thanks for your help. My guess is the sprocket might have slipped slightly and hammering the axle back in might have caught the edge of the seal and damaged it. Where are you located, and what would you charge to change both rear wheel seals if I brought it to you? I have already ordered the new parts and am tired of messing with it.