Colt Case Ingersoll Garden Tractors

I have a 4020 with a clunking noise in the rear end when I push against the sides of tractor. Did see a thread on installing shims to the axles, is this really worth doing?

TLD89 wrote: ↑Mon Nov 07, 2022 10:01 am I have a 4020 with a clunking noise in the rear end when I push against the sides of tractor. Did see a thread on installing shims to the axles, is this really worth doing?

I would jack the tractor up and see just how much movement there actually is in the axles , and make sure it is not anything else going on . Some side movement in all "C" clip retained axles is normal . How much varies from axle to axle even in cars , trucks and tractors . All I have ever seen was a spec. on the differential carrier side to side not anything on the axles them selves . Maybe @myerslawnandgarden Bob would know what is too much in this case . So that bring up the question of weather it is axle play , or diff play , or a combination of both you are getting ?

DavidBarkey wrote: ↑Mon Nov 07, 2022 11:44 am

TLD89 wrote: ↑Mon Nov 07, 2022 10:01 am I have a 4020 with a clunking noise in the rear end when I push against the sides of tractor. Did see a thread on installing shims to the axles, is this really worth doing?

I would jack the tractor up and see just how much movement there actually is in the axles , and make sure it is not anything else going on . Some side movement in all "C" clip retained axles is normal . How much varies from axle to axle even in cars , trucks and tractors . All I have ever seen was a spec. on the differential carrier side to side not anything on the axles them selves . Maybe @myerslawnandgarden Bob would know what is too much in this case . So that bring up the question of weather it is axle play , or diff play , or a combination of both you are getting ?

Well, that poses an interesting question until you really think about it. While you might first think to shim the axles for end play, they do not ride against the flange of the bushing in the outside of the axle tube, there is an oil seal between the wheel mounting plate and the bushing. The inner end of the axle hits the pin that retains the floating spider gears so when the axle moves inward it also moves the differential assembly. I think that shimming the differential carrier for wear should take care of the clunking as if it can't move then the axle cannot either as it's butted tight to the center pin.

Bob

My 646bh basket case axles had been run without oil and wore through the outer axle bushings and into the housing. The stress on the differential broke the gear side off. The PO must have move the tractor by using the backhoe to pull himself around. I would agree with Dave, jack the tractor up an check for pitch and yaw in the wheels along with lateral slack.