My poor W9--just dropped a rear axle bearing

After spending time today tuning up the W9, I got the engine running pretty sweet. When I backed her up out of the shop, and put her in 3rd gear the rear end started popping quite loudly. And I could feel it in my feet. It actually locked up the left axle briefly. If I travelled a few feet in any gear the popping went away, but as soon as I changed direction it came right back.

Visually it looked like the tire was jumping a bit, but the brake drum wasn't. Seems to me it has to be the rear axle. I guess I'll start by jacking up the wheel to check it unloaded. There is no doubt that the left axle is the problem.

Can the axle be pulled like an M---By undoing the outer bearing retainer and pulling the bull gear retaining bolt through the PTO. The cutaway I have doesn't show a inner bearing retainer.

How about separating the rear axle housing from the differential?

Can't wait to dive into this job over the weekend...

Chris B.

I've been told it's possible to undo the bull gear fasteners through the PTO drive opening. I had an occassion last year at about this time to investigate that, but I felt it was near impossible due to my ham-fistedness and no skills being a gynecologist

At any rate, you may have a failed pinion shaft bearing. Don't overlook that. I had one fail utterly and never have I seen a bearing so destroyed. There was probably an inch of free orbit the shaft was revolving around in which nearly locked-up the bull gear action.

The pinion bearing casting is accessible from the outside obviously after the brake drum cover and brake drum are removed. Do NOT make the mistake I did and what I've discovered others have done. It looks for all the world like the pinion bearing casting will pull out of the transmission casting using the three provided tapped jack screw holes. Nope. The back (the portion most internal) of the pinion casting "swallows" some of the arc of the bull gear. The rear end must be split from the transmission and wheeled backward. I broke my pinion casting because of my block-headedness.

Two months prior to the W-9 split I split our 460. The W-9 split much easier in my opinion. What impressed me was how many bolts there are and the robust size they had. Obviously IH didn't want these big hosses coming apart by accident in the field.

I broke a bull pinion cage on my M once doing the very same thing you describe. That was a hard-learned lesson. In any case, I'm going to try working thru the PTO. I ought to be able to pull the axle out, and once I get the bull gear loose I can pull the cage also if it's bad.

This weekend, I'll get that wheel in the air and try to locate the bad bearing. I'm almost positive it's either the inner or outer rear axle bearing. It's a fairly slow popping noise, that'll actually go away.

Thanks, Chris B.