LS160 Gearbox Bearing Replacement

[Dirtballer]

I searched the NH forum, but found no help for this. I've had this NH LS160 for over 15 years without any mechanical issues until now. Last week I worked a ~500 foot driveway for over four hours without problem. Brought the machine home and used it for 20 minutes in the compost pile and the large hose going to the control valve ruptured. I removed and replaced the hose. Because the hose rests on the pan, I had to clean out the junk that accumulates there. In doing so, I started to find ball bearings and what looked like a small lid for a paint can. I later learned this was the cover for the gearbox innards and I lost the inside bearing. I have no idea when this happened, as the blown hose was the only problem I had after running the machine for hours just a day before. Seemingly, the machine still runs fine ... but I'm not moving it yet until I figure out how to replace the damaged bearing. I got the new bearing in the mail today (I found a brand new FAG 6011 50mm x 90mm x 18mm open on eBay for $15 delivered). My question is, do I have to remove the gearbox to replace the bearing or can I do it as it sits? Do I have to tilt the cab for this job? I'm hoping not. Anyone have any experience with replacing the gearbox bearings on NH loaders? Any help is most appreciated. (how does one format posts on this forum? It doesn't seem to like my browser (Pale Moon))

 

[Mike10]

Gearbox will need to be removed. Not sure if you can remoe the gearbox without tipping the cab. IF you do not tip the cab, you are in for a hard job. You will need to remove drive axles on the side of the gearbox so you can get the chain off the drive sprockets of the gearbox. There are four bolts you access from the chain case. Pay attention to the lower front bolt to see if there is a hole drilled into it. The drive motor will need to be removed from the gearbox

 

[Mike10]

Gearbox will need to be removed. Not sure if you can remoe the gearbox without tipping the cab. IF you do not tip the cab, you are in for a hard job. You will need to remove drive axles on the side of the gearbox so you can get the chain off the drive sprockets of the gearbox. There are four bolts you access from the chain case. Pay attention to the lower front bolt to see if there is a hole drilled into it. The drive motor will need to be removed from the gearbox

According to the service manual it is possible to remove the gearbocx without tipping the cab. If you can get the snap ring off and the inner bearing race off the shaft, you might be able to get the new bearing in without removing the gearbox. Ihe problem is, you do not know if any of the ball bearings are in the gearbox which can damage the gears. There is more to removing the gearbox than what I had posted and it would pay to get the service manual. if the gearbox needs to come out.

 

[Dirtballer]

According to the service manual it is possible to remove the gearbocx without tipping the cab. If you can get the snap ring off and the inner bearing race off the shaft, you might be able to get the new bearing in without removing the gearbox. Ihe problem is, you do not know if any of the ball bearings are in the gearbox which can damage the gears. There is more to removing the gearbox than what I had posted and it would pay to get the service manual. if the gearbox needs to come out.

Mike10 - thanks for the reply. I was able to find a service manual last night (in ~15 years, I've never needed one) - I'd post a link, but I'm not sure about the rules here. In reading the steps, it would appear that cab tipping and gearbox removal are probably not necessary, as the blown bearing is the last thing to go back in the gearbox before the retaining clip after reassembly - and the manual states that the bearing is only hand-pressed in. That's going to be my first attempt, as removing the gearbox looks like a PITA. I understand that there might be a ball in there, but I think the spacer should have prevented them from falling into the gearbox and I have found many balls already and will do a count to see how close I am to having them all. Also - the unit has been running w/out problem like this for god-knows-how-long ... there are no symptoms of this problem - I literally found it by accident. I will follow up on this thread after the repair and will post a link to the (free) service manual if it's allowed here. ------- Any chance of formatting help? I tried to use manual HTML and forum code [p] to no avail - is there a way to insert code manually? ----- Thanks again!

 

[flyerdan]

Mike10 - thanks for the reply. I was able to find a service manual last night (in ~15 years, I've never needed one) - I'd post a link, but I'm not sure about the rules here. In reading the steps, it would appear that cab tipping and gearbox removal are probably not necessary, as the blown bearing is the last thing to go back in the gearbox before the retaining clip after reassembly - and the manual states that the bearing is only hand-pressed in. That's going to be my first attempt, as removing the gearbox looks like a PITA. I understand that there might be a ball in there, but I think the spacer should have prevented them from falling into the gearbox and I have found many balls already and will do a count to see how close I am to having them all. Also - the unit has been running w/out problem like this for god-knows-how-long ... there are no symptoms of this problem - I literally found it by accident. I will follow up on this thread after the repair and will post a link to the (free) service manual if it's allowed here. ------- Any chance of formatting help? I tried to use manual HTML and forum code [p] to no avail - is there a way to insert code manually? ----- Thanks again!

The best way to code is just assume that you're building a webpage in notepad and have to do all of the formatting - no whizbang wysiwyg editor here. I always use this Cheat Sheet to cut and paste the needed code in, I'm lazy and there are less errors that way.
Always, always use preview before hitting post as there is no editing once it's done, so frame busting images or other errors will be around until one of the mods comes around to fix them.

You can post a link to the manual, if it isn't already covered in the manual thread, I'll add it there as well.

 

[Dirtballer]

The best way to code is just assume that you're building a webpage in notepad and have to do all of the formatting - no whizbang wysiwyg editor here. I always use this Cheat Sheet to cut and paste the needed code in, I'm lazy and there are less errors that way.
Always, always use preview before hitting post as there is no editing once it's done, so frame busting images or other errors will be around until one of the mods comes around to fix them.

You can post a link to the manual, if it isn't already covered in the manual thread, I'll add it there as well.

Thanks for the help! This is much better!
Lol ... the formatting thing is a bit maddening here, but I enjoy puzzles. The coding I know, but typing code directly into the editor without the HTML being enabled in my profile only allowed me to type and post without any formatting - the HTML just showed up as plain text. When I enabled HTML in my profile, I had no cursor in the HTML-enabled text box nor could I paste anything until I hit 'Preview' on an empty box and then came back to the editor - then I had a cursor and was able to use code. I use Linux and normally use Pale Moon in for my browser, but that doesn't work here at all, but the latest Firefox does. Still not sure of the difference between the 'Design' and 'HTML' buttons ... they don't seem to do anything different.
I don't mean to drone on about this, but perhaps it will help some other n00b.
Anyhow, here's a link to the LS160 Service Manual... I did not see it in the Manual Thread: https://www.mytractorforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=407218&d=1376313298
The weather down here in E. C. GA is wet and raw, but I'm hoping to work on the tractor tomorrow.
Thanks again!

 

[Dirtballer]

The best way to code is just assume that you're building a webpage in notepad and have to do all of the formatting - no whizbang wysiwyg editor here. I always use this Cheat Sheet to cut and paste the needed code in, I'm lazy and there are less errors that way.
Always, always use preview before hitting post as there is no editing once it's done, so frame busting images or other errors will be around until one of the mods comes around to fix them.

You can post a link to the manual, if it isn't already covered in the manual thread, I'll add it there as well.

Off-topic here - sorta.
I noticed the vintage loader in flyerdan's avatar and remembered a video clip I once saw on TV (pre-internet). It was of a similar type loader and there were two of them ... and two guys were flipping them, rolling them head-over-heel using the boom/bucket. Neat ... but what was really incredible about it was that there was this dog that was running around between and under them with the machines damn-near falling on him.
I wondered a few times after seeing that, what happened to that dog. I've searched the internet, but have never seen that vid - or anything like it - again.

 

[Dirtballer]

Off-topic here - sorta.
I noticed the vintage loader in flyerdan's avatar and remembered a video clip I once saw on TV (pre-internet). It was of a similar type loader and there were two of them ... and two guys were flipping them, rolling them head-over-heel using the boom/bucket. Neat ... but what was really incredible about it was that there was this dog that was running around between and under them with the machines damn-near falling on him.
I wondered a few times after seeing that, what happened to that dog. I've searched the internet, but have never seen that vid - or anything like it - again.

I really didn't want to pull the gearbox ….
I worked on the loader today and was able to move the machine out of the compost pile and up near the garage without any problem. I only took apart as little as necessary to get access to the bearing and was able to get the outer ring of the bearing out of the gearbox without any real problems. I was so excited that this wasn't going to be a big problem! The inner ring split in two down the middle of the groove and cracked and shattered on the outside half, so I was able to get that out easily … however, the other piece is intact and tight on the shaft. While trying to pull it off, I noticed the shaft moves around. Then the depression set in. I'm guessing that the front bearing is worn out from being the only thing holding it all together for who-knows-how-long.
I don't know if NH should be praised since the machine is still operable or cursed for having a problem that doesn't show itself until there's catastrophic failure. If my hose didn't blow, I wouldn't know about this problem until the whole gearbox fell apart. I suppose I'm fortunate that it isn't torn-up completely.
I didn't find all the bearings, but there's no way they fell into the gearbox, the gap between the inner bearing ring and the spacer is too small - tho the inner bearing ring shattered and I only found bits and pieces of the cage – those items could have easily fell into the gearbox, so I have to assume they did.
I found a NOS Nachi bearing (6213) on ebay for twenty bucks delivered and will take the gearbox out while waiting for delivery; I should have it by Friday. I'll update once I get it all apart.