Spring bad on a goat??

My goat leans about three inches lower on the right...Is the a common suspension piece that goes on it...

it looks like the front does it...

Joe

One of two things is causing it. The tractor rear diff rotates in front and rear torus bearings. These probably have not been greased since build. If it's taken off road or on rough terrain (over a curb) it will force the diff to rotate. It will lock in that position and cause the tractor to sit cockeyed. Or, one coil spring is collapsed (doubtful). I've built several and they've all had the frozen torus bearings. Look at the front and rear of the diff, you'll see the mounting points. These are bearings that allow for much greater wheel travel than the spring alone can provide. The idea was to keep the wheels in contact with the ground in any condition. There is a grease fitting on each, but to free them they will probably have to be removed and cleaned and polished. Then use a good water proof grease. I'd send pictures of the rebuild but they are in my computer and it's sick.When it gets back I'll attach to this post..

This is something that most Goat owners never address, untill the bearings break off the diff housing.

Here are the pictures that go with my last post.

Thanks Gamma Goat 1 you always come through in the clutch..I mean Differential..Looks like major fanny pain to drop it but I gotta..how long do you think it would take..

Thanks again..

Joe

Here's a suggestion, disconnect the bottom of the shocks, Jack up the tractor and put it on jack stands, ( no jack stands contacting the diff or drive axels or wheels. ) Jack under the diff untill it begins to raise the back of the tractor then lower it till the tractor no longer moves down. This will remove the load from the bottom half of the bearing housing. These housings are bolted to the front hull and rear support. Remove the rear bottom first then the front. You'll be surprised at the guk you'll find. Then do the same for the front bottom bearing housing. Now it gets interesting. ( I used two jacks on this move , for stability) Lower the diff very slowly. You may have to help it a little if it' stuck in the guk.( It can't move much because of the front drive shaft linkage etc..) Then remove the bolts, again, rear first. clean and polish the housings the best you can. These are not available anywhere, so unless you have a old spare, make em do. There is a felt gasket around the edge, try to save it, if not it's just s dust seal.

This is NOT easy but far easier than removing the whole thing. Watch for a shim at the rear bearing house where it attaches to the support. If the diff was removed before this shim may not be there.
The pictures don't show much, but the job of taking it out is a big one.
This method works if you want to take a short cut. TAKE YOUR TIME, DO IT RIGHT!

Thanks again for the info..looks like I have a bit of work ahead of me ad that isn't always a bad thing...Now for a noobie question...I do have to take the trailor of the goat to do this.????

I have some very mechanical folks doing this and they only charge me double to help...!!

Joe

You can do it with the trailer on but not as well. It's simple to remove the trailer, that way you can check the pins that hold it to the tractor as well as the locking bolts that keep the pins (and the trailer) from falling out. Don't forget to disconnect the quickdisconnect for the breaks and air. Also, mark the steering driveshaft so you get it back in the same spot. With the trailer off you have much better access to the rear of the diff. so it's much easier to see what needs to be done. If you drop the diff clear out you'll have to disconnect the U joint under the engine at the back. This will free the diff.

The trailer is surprisingly light.

Thanks twice Gamma 1 and I printed out all the stuff you said to give to the old Coot doing it.....

As an aside I would like to disconect the trailor for painting and maintainence anyway...How long does it take to disconnect ???

Thanks Again...

Joe

It's not a big job. Just support the carrier and after seperating the U joint carefully push it away.

Be sure to pull the retaining bolts out of the carrier attachment bolts before trying to take them out.
Also a good idea to bleed the carrier breaks after reconnecting the quick disconnect. Shuldn't have to but better safe than sorry.

Mike

Well I took some pics of the goat after I seperated the trailer from it today..

Didn't find any quick disconnects...

Now to see if I can level it..

The wepons carrier is the vehicle my goat hangs out by...

The "Quick disconnect" is the fuel connection between the tractor and carrier. Sometimes the air connection is also a "Quick Disconnect".

Good job!!
You've just done more work on your Goat than most will ever do, other than hit it with a can of spray paint..

Good Job Joe!

Heres a dark question...I saw my center differential had writting on it So I'm thinking maybe it was pulled and rebuilt...I pull everything apart and at this point found no bearings...could someone have left them out and assembled it again???

These bearings are the ones you cleaned up..

Joe

That's all there is Joe.
As you can see in the pictures, they are just very hard, metal to metal, bearing surface. They do not move often. Grease them regularly.
Clean and polish, as best you can, then clean the other side, on the diff, grease good and reassemble. Make sure they revolve freely after assembly an put the diff back in place.
The dust seal, felt, can be left out or replaced, it's up to you.

Then what are these...? I thought I would find them set into the Housing...to be removed and cleaned...Hmmm..

Hate to put it back and find I needed them...

Thanks again Gammagoat 1

Those are these.
Same, just a different angle.
They are at each end of the diff, as in the picture. they are just disassembled.

You took such a perfect picture of them clean I thought it was another part...I enlarged the image and suddenly saw the true depth.....

Thanks again.....I took off the rear set and cleaned them but the front set took tons of grease unlike the back. My partner with all the mechanical exp said we would not have to take down the front set (which I disagree) and it should work its self out . Since they are his tools in his garage and his time I will take out the front ones when I get her home...


I took the Goat minus trailor for a ride to see if it leveled and it looks worse...

Does anyone have any experience driving the goat with out trailor...It was pretty enjoyable....

Joe

Wasn't the purpose of this exercise to free up the center diff? Just because they take grease doesn't mean they are free. That grease is coming out someplace. The bearing itself has a center depression to hold grease.(1/8 inch wide) The bearing surface may be stuck and the grease not getting to it and just squirting out the side.
If it's jacked up on jack stands, disconnect the shocks. If the wheels are off the ground (Both sides) the diff should rotate. lift one wheel, it should force the wheel on the other side to the floor. If not --- it's still stuck.
If it's not stuck then the front has a weak coil spring causing the list to starboard.

Your right he said it moved freely but Its still easy to work on and seperated....I will do this test tuesday...

Joe