Farmall C Rear Axle Gear Problem

Recently purchased Farmall C. Tractor made grinding noise in axle housing in every gear. Drained axle reservoir. First quart was pure water. Next gallon was goop. Remainder was 50-yearold oil. Then got two bolts out. Yes, two bolts. Both were 3/8"dia X 7/8"long fine thread. Someone earlier on here said they were probably from the retainer on the bull gear (they were correct & Thank You!). Took PTO safety shield off. Took Belt Pulley Drive housing off. Took a while, but finally got the PTO Drive Housing off. This allowed me to see, through the hole, the retainer washer lying on the rear axle gear housing floor. Then found out my hand is too large to get through the access hole into the housing. Since I can't get my hand through the hole I don't see any way I can hold that washer in position and start the bolt back into the axle. I see no way to correct the situation but to remove the entire rear axle gear cover. Oh, brother, that looks like a real job. Anyone have any other suggestions? For a while I couldn't understand why those two bolts would come out but I believe it's because the previous owner let the brake bands wear down to where the metal of the band wore completely into the disk and this caused the vibration on the axle to where it caused to bolts to back out? I'm open to all ideas for any soltuion.

From what I am hearing already,it is PROBABLY the best idea to go ahead and start disassembly.If you got water,"goop",bolts out of it,it needs SERIOUS attention!!!!

Removing the top cover takes a while but is not hard. I work alone and use an engine hoist or "cherry picker" for about everything that is heavy. Do that and you can see and work on all of it.

Well, Mike, I've drained several of them and I've got water out of every one of them. It was obvious in some of them that they had the original oil in them (50 years old). Those old boys just never did any maintenance that cost very much money - just changed the motor oil maybe once a year, filled her full of gas and went back to work.

Dude,if you got bolts coming out of that rear end,it is time to tear into it.Time to clean it out proper.

The top cover is your best bet at this point.

Installing a fast hitch on ours, which requires removing the second-from-rear bolts on both sides. We were suprised when those top cover bolts came right out without a fight, using an impact wrench.

Thanks CNKS. While I don't have a cherry picker I do have a "homemade lift" due to rafters and a fence wire stretcher. I can make it. Thanks.

That's encouraging news. I don't have an impact but I've got a cheater bar. Here we go......

Dude, what do you think I'm trying to do?

Didnt think you were gonna look in there until I saw all of your LATER post.

Just want you to have a good machine

Mine did the same thing. Took the pto and belt pulley drive off run in to same problem hand to big. Setting there drinking a beer studying it when the kid next door came over to see what was up. His hand fit in real nice Problem solved ben good for years.

My suggestion is to take the tranny cover off. That way, you can inspect the whole situation. Tighten up anything that is loose, and really clean things up.

It is extra work, but anything worth doing is worth doing right the first time.

I'm really curious as to what would cause these bolts to come out. The only thing I can think of is that the brake bands were worn down so far that even the rivets were gone. Would this have set up a vibration on that shaft or somehow had something to do with the bolts backing out?
I worked a little last night on removing the lid. No problem on the lid bolts but getting the bolts out of the tool box and steering pedestal housing was a nightmare.
I'm convinced that I wouldn't be able to do any good even if I could access it from the back. I can't imagine my being able to get that first bolt started while holding the washer in place - all with one hand that I can't see.

Got to work on it a little last night, Mike. Getting the bolts out of the gear housing was no problem. But, getting those bolts out of the tool box and steering pedestal housings was a nightmare. Did get them all out, though. I'm still trying to come up with reason why those two bolts down in the gearing would have ever come out. I really believe that the farm tractors made in the era of 1950, although simple, were a quality piece of work and would have lasted forever if they would have had the entire maintenance performed as recommended by Farmall. On the several I've worked on it's a shame to find the steering pedestal vent plugged, water and goop out of oil reservoirs, oil filters that have completely collapsed, etc. because someone was too cheap to perform the maintenance.

Hoping things are NOT too bad when you get in there!

Just clean her up real good inside.I find a garden sprayer and a mix of diesel and gas,or mineral spirits(using a NON ferous brush) works real well in clean up.Air hose it out in between sprayings.

Place a catch pan under your drain plug and go to town!

Check all your bearings and bolts for torque while your in there.Gotta be a reason those bolts came out ????

Just got in the house to grab a sandwich. Got the cover off. Sure enough, the washer is laying down there on the bottom of the housing. The forks, rails, bearings, and the gears look to be in very good condition EXCEPT the 4th speed gear is dogeared on the leading edge. I wish it was better but its not so bad it has to be replaced as road gear was working ok before. Now I've got to jack up the axles & shove 'em inward, put the washer & bolts back, check all the torques (like you suggested), clean her out good and then put her back together. I think the only hard part may be getting the forks back in the right place while trying to align the lid with both hands.

The bolts came out because they were loose. They became loose as the bull gear and axle wear. The bull gear is a slip fit on the axle so there is some movement between it and the axle. Over 50+ years the wear was enough to release the tension on the bolts.

Later/replacement axles use a snap ring instead of the bolts and washer.