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Deere 2320 2520 4110 and 4115 front axle failure

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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2013-05-29          187107


Just got some bad news from my dealer.

Yesterday I dropped the 4115 off to repair an oil leak on the front axle and what I thought would be a couple of cheap seals and some shop time has turned into a real problem.

Seems this axle was badly designed. Apparently the spindle is poorly supported and wobbles in use which eats up the oil seals and will eventually destroy the axle housing.

The good news is my axle housing is still intact.

The bad news is that it is going to cost about $1800-$2000 for both sides of the axle to install the retrofit Deere designed to address the design problem.

Just got off the phone with the national service center.....
No Help There.

Their computer doesn't even show there is an issue ever though the dealer (who I trust) is saying there is a re-engineered kit with extra bearings.

I could find no mention of the axle failures online or in these archives. If anyone else has had experience with this issue please let me know.

I will keep you all posted on developments.





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Deere 2320 2520 4110 and 4115 front axle failure

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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2013-05-30          187120


Mark, it's good to know you are still alive and kicking but I'm sorry to hear about the axle troubles. How many hours are on it now? There probably isn't a mechanical item made that doesn't have an "opportunity for improvement" somewhere but that sounds like a bad one.

The local small town JD dealer sold out to Hyster so I am hoping to avoid such problems with my tractor. So far, so good, knock on wood.
....


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Deere 2320 2520 4110 and 4115 front axle failure

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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2013-05-31          187128


Good to hear from you too.......

The tractor has about 450 hours on it over ten years. It has otherwise been virtually trouble free.

I have not seen the parts yet, but from what I have been told the bottom on the steering spindle is supported by a bearing assembly while the top has only a bronze bushing and an oil seal.

I have moved many tons of dirt and rocks with the front loader in and out of tight spaces over rough ground and it sounds like those tight, heavily loaded turns may have accelerated the wear.

Perhaps if it was used primarily as a mower not a dirt mover it would have worn less rapidly.

In any case, the guys at the dealer say the new set-up looks much stronger and will definitely take the wobble out of the system.

Are you still doing the logging/tree farm thing? Seems like your more complex Deere is coming up on ten years now too...
(boy does time fly or what?)..... how is all that electronic stuff holding up? ....


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Deere 2320 2520 4110 and 4115 front axle failure

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DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998
Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ
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2013-05-31          187129


Hi Mark

Good to hear from you.

I was on my tractor last night and I realized it is 9 years old now and about 400 hours.... so when is it that you start to have problems ? Now?

Hmmmm I got to thinking do people trade in for a new unit around now? I think I will be waiting another 5 years when the kids finish school. Then I'll probably downsize .... the house ... land etc....

Good luck with the repair. ....


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Deere 2320 2520 4110 and 4115 front axle failure

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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2013-05-31          187137


My 4310 hasn't given me any trouble other than normal maintenance. The only thing fixed was the instrument panel was replaced early on due to fogging but the new one has had no such problem. The skid plate probably prevented a lot of trouble by protecting all the under-chassis wiring harnesses. I have about 350 hours on it but after initially building trails and cleaning up around the property it has been mostly used for mowing, spraying and towing the big chipper around as needed. I stopped cutting firewood and now just chip everything since my wife's asthma flares up any time we burn. Enough firewood for emergencies and that's about it. The backhoe will get another workout this year as I build another retaining wall.

Overall, no complaints here. I hope to avoid problems such as you had but my guess is the front axle is of similar design to yours based on inspection. It does look like bronze bushings on the top end.
....


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Deere 2320 2520 4110 and 4115 front axle failure

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cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2013-06-02          187163


Sorry to hear of that issue. IMHO it makes it harder to swallow when the manufacturer knows of the problem and provides an improved kit to fix the issue without consideration for the few that may have to pay the full shot for a repair. Granted it's well out of warranty, but still, a design defect might warrant a discount on the parts or labor to maintain good customer relations. ....


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Deere 2320 2520 4110 and 4115 front axle failure

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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2013-06-03          187188


Hi all.... thanks for the feedback.

Cutter, you will be pleased to know that someone (I think it was the local dealer) took some pity on me. The final bill was $1358.00, still a big number but better than the first estimates.

Dennis........ I really expect these tractors to last thousands of hours not hundreds. If you drove your car around town for 400 hours you might only have 12-14,000 miles on the odometer. But then again, time and UV take a toll on rubber hoses, tires and such. I guess if I think of spreading the maintenance and this repair over ten years it seems a bit more reasonable.

Also, I now have the official "solution summary" from Deere and I need to change the title of this thread but the normal edit function will not allow that.

Also, apparently the 4100 is not included in this issue but others are, so please change the title to:

"Deere 2320,2520,4110 and 4115 front axle failure."

Thanks........ Mark ....


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Deere 2320 2520 4110 and 4115 front axle failure

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2013-06-03          187190


Mark,

I seem to remember a few years back this problem came up as well at the time the factory gave an extended warranty because they initially blamed it on the front end loader but since the loader is a Deere product as well that didn't hold water very well.

Try googling something like "John Deere front end loader causes problems" and see if something comes up.

We had front axle bearing problems with a few of our Kubota's a number of years ago and at the time they tried to say it was from over loading the front end loader. However I was able to quickly show them that the forces would bend the loader far before they would break the front wheel bearings. They didn't want to try and fight that battle. It only happened for one model years worth of tractors and almost every one of that year that we had bought never again never before so I suspect there was a out of spec problem.

Best of luck. ....


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Deere 2320 2520 4110 and 4115 front axle failure

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2013-06-03          187201


Just wondering if this is a model JD makes or contracts out? ....


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Deere 2320 2520 4110 and 4115 front axle failure

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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2013-06-04          187208


I was always under the impression that the listed models and a couple others like the 4100 and the 790 were basically "Green Yanmars", made and assembled in Japan.

The 4200/10 through 4500/10's were a mixture of Yanmar engines and american parts assembled in america.

Update..... apparently the steering spindle inside the front axle was originally designed with a sealed bearing at the top and a combination of a "wet" bearing backed by a bronze bushing on the bottom.

It was this lower bushing/bearing combo that wore out. The engineering fix is to replace this lower assembly with double wet bearings.

....


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Deere 2320 2520 4110 and 4115 front axle failure

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sean882
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 2 NY
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2014-04-05          189927


Just wanted to thank you for this thread. I'm just finishing up helping a friend who's wheel/spindle fell off. Turns out that wet bearing/bushing combo failed probably a few years ago, found its way into the MFWD components, pushed things around, wore the splines... you get the idea. The parts diagrams don't really reflect the update to remove the bronze bushing, and the local dealer had no clue about it. So, just wanted to thank you for the clarification and reassurement that I wasn't missing something. The only part not getting replaced is the steering arm... even though the pin's worn that interfaces with the bearing, the ball joint on the steering cylinder is worn to the point where I'm not sure I could remove it without damage. And that is one expensive piece...

Anyways, thanks. ....


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Deere 2320 2520 4110 and 4115 front axle failure

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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2014-04-06          189944


You are most welcome.

I ended up consigning and selling the 4115 with the dealer who fixed it. Got a lot more out of it than I would have guessed.

I replaced it with a Kubota BX25D. I soon remembered why I sold my original BX years ago.

Good grief, the ride quality was killing me. But this time I figured out that replacing the rear tires could fix that. It will not lift or carry the same loads as the 4115 but I am learning to accommodate those limitations.

Anyway, glad to help. Hope you friends tractor works better with the upgrades.

....


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Deere 2320 2520 4110 and 4115 front axle failure

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deere_x475guy
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 2 Eaton Rapids Michigan
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2014-10-01          191142


I know this is an old thread. I have a 4110 bought new in 2005. It has 749 hours on it and I would say better that 1/2 of those hours were using the front end loader. Up until now things have been very good...

I had a front axle leaking on both sides. Thinking this couldn't be over a $300.00 repair I called my local dealer to schedule it in. I also asked for a rough estimate on doing the repair....I was shocked....$3000.00...maybe a little less maybe up to $5000.00 depending on cost.


The dealer did say I could drive it till the front end just gave up...

I am still contemplating what I am going to do.

To the OP....has yours held up since the repair?
....


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Deere 2320 2520 4110 and 4115 front axle failure

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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2014-10-01          191143


As noted above I sold it right after it was fixed. It was the last John Deere product I will ever buy.

In theory it should be stronger with additional bearings in place but I just could not get my mind around Deere "saving" money by installing cheaper/weaker/lesser quality parts.

I didn't want to wait around for the next engineering "surprise", so I put it in the best shape possible and cut my losses.

Something you might want to think about too. ....


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