JD MC Final Drive- Brass glitter in Oil

[catmatt]

I had the MC Crawler in the shop for the service today- drained the engine oil and the final drives. Everything went well with the exception of the left final drive which had brass glitter in the oil. No chunks of brass, just glitter like pieces suspended in the gear oil. I have never had a JD final drive apart so where would the brass be coming from- bushings? I would like to prevent a major failure so should I break down the final drive right away? The machine was last serviced 2 years ago and has less than 50 hours over those 2 years.

Thanks

[Lavoy]

There are no brass components in there, so either someone has repaired something in there with broze in the past, or what you are seeing is chrome off of the bearings. If you are so inclined, I would tear it apart just to be safe. If a roller drops out and climbs the gears, you will be tearing it apart anyway.
Lavoy

[catmatt]

Thanks for the response. Are there brass rivots holding the steering clutch material or brake bands?

Matt

[NNAATZ]

the cluches and brakes are dry and cannot get to the 'wet' side of the drive. oil in in the clutch housing mite indicate that a bearing is out. or at least the top one.

[catmatt]

I wasn't sure how the final drives are on JD machines. I have about a dozen old caterpillars and they are dry clutch too. Last time I saw this glitter in oil, it was on a track drill in the finals and it was from the brass rivots on the brake band- they material needed to be replaced.

How involved is opening up the final?

[gus]

Is the glitter magnetic??
Gus

[Lu47Dan]

How involved is opening up the final?

Split the track, remove the sprocket, and then start unbolting the final drive. I have not done a MC but I did tear down my 420 as it is a five roller with sprocket guards it is a little more complicated then a MC would be.
Buy a service manual and a parts manual for it before tearing into it and you should be fine.
Dan.