# Repairing leaking planetary seal on Case 580k



## rdavison39 (Nov 16, 2021)

Hi there - i have what appears to be leaking planetary seal. I have oil on both inside and outside of the wheel hubs. I took apart the planetary gears and i trying to figure out what needs to be repaired. I wanted to get other folks opinion. I think i have to 

a) reseal the planetary cover to the hub using RTV sealant. Does anyone know what the best RTV sealant to use on the planetary hubs. Googling shows Permatex Ultra black for sealing stuff with oil

b) replace the oil seal that's inserted into the hub. Is there any tricks to removing and inserting the oil seal ?










The oil seal i believe i need to replace ....










This is the planetary hub once taken apart showing the seal. I believe this is the seal that i need to replace. I think t he other rings are wear rings for the ball bearings and they seem to look okay to me.










If anyone else has experience in repairing leaking planetary gears I'm all ears.

Thx
Ron


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

The "other metal rings" are the wheel bearing races. From what I see in your photo, they appear to be pitted pretty badly. I would have suggested before taking it apart, lift tire wheel off the ground and shake the tire to see if you can notice any movement side to side. That would indicate the bearings are too loose. Too late for that now I guess. If I were doing it, I would replace both bearings. They should be a cup and cone as one part number. Order two. Check the other side as well before putting the machine back in service.


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## rdavison39 (Nov 16, 2021)

Thx @Fedup. I'm looking at the parts diagram. You think #2 below is both the bearings and the bearing races? Do i just knock out the races with a screw driver ? And then the new ones just slip in ? I'm curious why the races are just falling out. I attached a closer picture of the races and I guess they do look pitted. This is an old machine that i just drive around the farm. Is there any danger of having bearings that are too loose ? Will it affect oil leaking (i.e. put more stress on the oil seal ?)


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## rdavison39 (Nov 16, 2021)

I'm also curious about this ring that is attached to the hub....is this a wear ring ? Does it look like it needs to be replaced ?


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## okiefarmmechanic2009 (Nov 4, 2021)

i would leave the wear ring alone. and the bearing races dive out hard not with a screw driver. to put the new ones back in be very square and straight and use a press to press it down in. loose bearing are yes very bad to have as parts tend to break and accidents happen with loose bearings.


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## rdavison39 (Nov 16, 2021)

Thanks @okiefarmmechanic2009 - when you say "use a press to press it down in"....Is that a special machine. I'm guessing this is not a DIY (as i don't own a press)

Thx
Ron


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## okiefarmmechanic2009 (Nov 4, 2021)

rdavison39 said:


> Thanks @okiefarmmechanic2009 - when you say "use a press to press it down in"....Is that a special machine. I'm guessing this is not a DIY (as i don't own a press)
> 
> Thx
> Ron


you can drive them in with a hammer and a softer type of punch like a brass drift but keep it square going in. i've used hammer and punch many times be very careful not to chip or ding the out side of the beaing race as to weaken it


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

I drive races in with a hammer and punch on a regular basis. Has never been a problem. The thought of wrestling that hub into a press (provided I can find one), locating the proper size driver and spacers doesn't appeal to me at all. It's overkill and not necessary. 

The wear sleeve should be removed. It's part of the seal and a new seal will come with one already in it. THAT you can remove with a screwdriver or whatever you can fit behind it. I generally use a couple heel bars to work it off. I install the seal with the sleeve in it, then push the hub onto the package. Trying to put the new sleeve onto the hub first doesn't work for me. It's too easy to wrinkle or distort while attempting to drive it on squarely. The inner surface of the sleeve has a rubber like coating and will seal without any extra compounds. 

The hub is heavy and awkward to handle, yes, and an extra pair of hands at this point might be helpful. It is indeed possible to start the hub into the seal, hold it in place, start the outer bearing along with the inner hub/ring gear, then work it all into place. I do it by myself, but I've done it many times. 

Others may choose to do it differently, but I know what works for me.


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## rdavison39 (Nov 16, 2021)

Hi there - i received my oil seal today. I thought the seal was going to be a rubber seal (much like an o-ring you would find in a hydraulic seal) but it was a rubber ring encased in a steel ring. So i want to confirm that i need to remove the existing steel ring and replace with this (i







n case i ordered the wrong part )? If that is the case, what is the best way to remove the existing oil ring ?


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

I use a long punch and drive them out through the center hole, similar to how you drive out the bearing races. 

So the new seal did NOT come with the wear sleeve? That would be odd since the parts diagram did not show the sleeve as a separate pert.


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## rdavison39 (Nov 16, 2021)

There is only 1 part - which looks like a rubber seal built-in to a steel ring. I've included picture of both sides. The one currently in the hub has a steel outter face whereas the one has rubber outter face (but a steel ring around it). I am assuming that the side that is more flat would face towards the outside of the hubm.... Pictures attached


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## rdavison39 (Nov 16, 2021)

okay - i just punched out the existing oil ring. its the same size diameter and thickness as the new one - so i'm guessing the new one was made cheaper by not having a steel face. Pics attached of new and old ring side by side


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## rdavison39 (Nov 16, 2021)

So.....trying to insert the new oil seal - its not going in easy as expected. I'm using a piece of wood and then tapping the wood although when i get the seal flush with the hub I'm going to have to use something else. Before i push in any further just want to get some feedback that this is the right way the ring goes in and right method - also - suggestions when i can't use the board.....i could cut the wood so it fits inside so i can insert the ring further inside the hub.....just don't want to damage anything....


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

Looks to me you're on the right track. I probably wouldn't be so concerned about damaging it. Once in that far, I would just start tapping it down with a hammer. one smack here and another there, working around the seal, hitting only the metal. Just work it in as even as possible, wherever it's protruding the most is where you smack next. It will be just fine.

I assume you tried the seal over the wear sleeve to see how it fits before driving it into the hub?


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## rdavison39 (Nov 16, 2021)

Thx @Fedup - Hmmmm - i don't have a wear sleeve. I'm looking back at some pictures i took when i removed the hub and i am assuming the wear sleeve is still on the axel (??) and when i put hub back on it will rest up against it ?


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

It seems to me you asked about the wear sleeve back near the beginning of all this. 

The part you're referring to and what's in this photo is a spindle, and the surface the seal will contact and rotate on looks like a removable sleeve to me, but I could be wrong. Maybe that's why it's not listed in parts diagrams. It may well be simply a machined surface. If so, you will want to take some fine emery paper (I use 350 grit for this) and polish the surface as much as you can before installing the hub.


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## rdavison39 (Nov 16, 2021)

Thanks @Fedup. That must be the case because apart from what you see on the spindle and the oil ring i removed there were no other parts. I was confused about the wear ring as I never quite pinpointed the part on my machine. Part #2 in the diagram i posted looks to be the oil seal. and if what is on the spindle is not part #2 (wear ring) then unless the wear is part and parcel of the oil seal i don't what to say....


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

Then you don't have a wear ring in this case, you have just a surface machined on the spindle. Clean it up as best you can and put it together.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

one would have thought that this is the slip ring, and it looks removable, I would check to make sure that a new one doesn't have a groove like this has, if this recess is wear, then the new seal will be a waste of time.


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