Hello from Wales

[JamesTE]

Hello All

I have owned my Cub Cadet 100 for about 50 years. When I bought the Cub, it had just been fitted with a new Kohler engine, model K181T. Since I have owned the Cub, it has been in everyday use on my 25 acre estate.

I rebuilt it entirely in 2008, stripping it down completely including engine and gearbox. All painted parts were blast cleaned and powder coated. The engine was rebuilt with oversize piston, new big end bearings, new valves and guides, new carb, etc. The gearbox needed no attention as every component was still in very serviceable condition. When reassembling the machine every nut and bolt was replaced with stainless.

I have recently stripped down the LH rear axle to replace a leaking seal. I have discovered that the inner sleeve of the needle roller bearing is very worn and this is probably why the seal is leaking. I would like to remove the sleeve and fit a new one if available, with a new needle roller bearing in the axle case. If I cannot get a new inner sleeve I would probably machine one from oilite bronze.

However to replace the sleeve the wheel plate has to come off the axle. I had assumed that if I machined away the weld on the outer face of the axle wheel plate that I could press out the axle from the plate. I have made an initial attempt at this but so far the axle will not come out. See photo of machined wheel plate.

Has anybody got any experience with what I am trying to do, or is this a dead end?

I have looked online for a replacement second hand axle (coarse splines), but nothing is available.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Best wished, James.

[Billy-O]

Welcome to OCC.

Isn't there a retaining ring on the axle inside the axle carrier housing? It seems to be rather extreme to remove the welded wheel hub from that axle.

[Ozcub]

Welcome from New South Wales

[Grandpa53]

Something is not making sense. You should have had to remove cover on the rear of differential to access the e-ring on end of axle for removal before axle could be removed from rear end.
Can you post a picture of back side of axle flange so we can see what you're dealing with?

[JamesTE]

Thanks for the replies. Here is a picture of the back side of the axle flange. As you can see the sleeve that the needle roller bearing runs on is very worn down. I want to remove it and fit a new one if available, or machine a bronze or steel bush to replace it. As far as I can see the only way to replace it is by removing the axle flange.

[Grandpa53]

The model 100 used oilite bushings from the factory. Appears there has been some swapping of parts. Regardless of needle bearing or oilite bushing there should not have been a sleeve on axle. It was a machined shaft to fit bearing or bushing.

[JamesTE]

Thanks for your response. So you think the arrangement is a one off modification. I will machine a bit more out of the outer face and try to get the wheel plate off, so I can make and fit a new sleeve. I will post again if I succeed!
Best wishes, James.

[Billy-O]

I dont know about Wales, but on our side of the pond, there are plenty good use axles (and carrier housing if necessary) to be found fairly cheap and just be done proper without modifications.... shipping cost could be an issue.

[ol'George]

Normally a shaft is hard as it is the inner bearing surface for either a roller style bearing or a bronz bushing.
It appears that a roller bearing was fitted to a softer rockwell reading shaft that
obviously didn't hold up in the long term. because it originally was for a bushing.
(Well, 50 years is way past its life exptancy)
I don't remember those shafts being welded to the wheel flange, seems like they were a forging, all one piece of metal just like the head of a bolt.
But my memory is not what it was.
That said, your options are welding the shaft in the worn area and turning it down to specks in a lathe ,
doing a finish grind with a tool post grinder, and using the factory bronz bushing in the housing.
OR, getting a good used axle,
hopfully in your country or from the states or other places on the 'net.
My take is you are planning on keeping your little "friend" till you no longer
have a need for it.
Money is something that we choose to spend on what makes us happy,not what others say we should.
Best of luck on your decision.

[green407]

If you got a buddy with a machine shop you might try welding it up and turning it back down. I don't think the axle shafts are cast iron.

I know it's not the ideal solution, but I think it's worth a try.