Axles needed for a 1976 model 1650

[jlord]

I snapped the end off of the right side axle right at the side gear in the differential. This is the course spline type with the disk brake rotor welded to it.
If anyone has a flea-bay listing for a pair of these, let me know and I'll check it out.
Lots of torque + lots of traction + lots of load = failure of the weakest link. It just twisted the end right off. It sure surprised me that that happened!

 

[digger]

I snapped the end off of the right side axle right at the side gear in the differential. This is the course spline type with the disk brake rotor welded to it.
If anyone has a flea-bay listing for a pair of these, let me know and I'll check it out.
Lots of torque + lots of traction + lots of load = failure of the weakest link. It just twisted the end right off. It sure surprised me that that happened!

Check out the Houtz cubcadetusedparts.com link at the top of the page. ;-)

http://cubcadetusedparts.com/

 

[jlord]

Thanks Digger,
I went through all the linked sites listings and didn't see any 1650 external brake type axles there. I guess I'll keep searching & waiting & searching... something will pop-up eventually.

 

[dschwandt]

You need the housing as well as the axle??
Both sides?
I may have a pair for you but shipping to CA will not be cheap!
Drop me a PM

 

[digger]

Thanks Digger,
I went through all the linked sites listings and didn't see any 1650 external brake type axles there. I guess I'll keep searching & waiting & searching... something will pop-up eventually.

There's a reason he has a phone number and email address listed. No one has everything they have listed on their site.

 

[tlavalette]

Try Midwest Super Cub

 

[digger]

Try Midwest Super Cub

Oh by all means go to some big outfit that doesn't support the forum to TRY and buy stuff. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[belliott]

I have a 1650 that I am parting out. It is internal brakes but I have the complete transaxle. I am near Santa Cruz, CA. Let me know if you are interested.

 

[jlord]

Thanks to all for your help and advice concerning my need for axle(s). I eventually found a pair listed on flea-bay by ( I think ) someone who's a member here. Even though I only needed one, I bought them both. They're in good shape with no visible defects and the rotors are in great condition. I think I paid $65 for the pair delivered.

I was using the FEL for about a week, excavating a trench about 4 feet deep 10 feet wide 40 feet long. I've got 100 lbs of wheel weights, 90% loaded AG tires and about 400 lbs of counter weight in a cage / tray off the rear 3 point hitch. the dirt was virgin, high clay content and dry. I was taking cuts about 3 inches deep at a time just keeping the hydro drive at the highest rate I could without spinning the wheels. Got about 3/4 of the job done when the right rear axle gave up the ghost.

My neighbor felt sorry for me and came over with his JD-310 "clam-shell" FEL / backhoe 4WD tractor and finished the job for me in about an hour. Don't get me wrong, I love my little cub 1650, but I was just plain old asking way more out of it then it could deliver. I'll keep the cub, but am thinking of getting something like what my neighbor has as I've got a lot of trenching and more excavating to do on my 5 acres of paradise in Oregon.

 

[tromaniecki]

I was going to ask how it broke, but now I don't need to!
Sorry to hear you broke it but glad you found the parts.

 

[tromaniecki]

I snapped the end off of the right side axle right at the side gear in the differential.

So you snapped the axle, without striping the splines?

 

[jlord]

So you snapped the axle, without striping the splines?

It (or I ) did. The splines were undamaged. The axle failed about an eighth of an inch outside of the side gear. The stub that was in the gear had a conical shaped recess in it and the broken end of the axle had a cone shape to it.

My guess is that the area of failure is a transition point in the heat-treated axle and the spline may be case-hardened to reduce wear and increase strength. If that is true, then my theory is that the case-hardening also made that juncture brittle. Evidence of that is that there were shards or splinters of metal in the cavity outboard of the side gear. Upon close inspection, the bearings in this area appear to be undamaged as they all roll free and true with no defects on the rollers / balls or races.

After a thorough cleaning of the inside of the differential and housing by brush and magnet followed by a low-pressure rinsing with diesel fuel, I feel it's safe to install the replacement axle and fill it up with Hy-trans and a new filter. After a short while, 15 or 20 minutes, I'll go ahead and drain and refill with another new filter, if I don't detect any problems.

My only other alternative is to tear the whole thing down and wash / flush every part where metal flakes could go. When it happened, I shut the machine down right away, so I don't think anything went into the pumps or piping and remained localized in the cavity area where the axle tube meets the differential housing. I'd like to hear your guys thoughts on my logic.

 

[tromaniecki]

The axle failed about an eighth of an inch outside of the side gear. The stub that was in the gear had a conical shaped recess in it and the broken end of the axle had a cone shape to it.

My guess is that the area of failure is a transition point in the heat-treated axle and the spline may be case-hardened to reduce wear and increase strength. If that is true, then my theory is that the case-hardening also made that juncture brittle.

Thank you Jim, I was very interested in how the axle failed. They seem pretty robust to me. I would have figured a course spline would have striped before snapping the axle? Wonder if it was a metallurgy problem...

Your clean out plan sounds good to me, I think the filter should have caught anything nasty from going to where it could have caused a lot of harm.
Good luck.