Case 530CK left wheel locking intermittently

[JennyE]

I have a 1965 Case 530CK and the left wheel has been locking up intermittently. It first started in the winter and I thought maybe the gear oil was freezing up (there is a frame leak somewhere so water gets into it). After warming up it mostly seemed to go away. Now however it is doing it in warm weather.

I have seen other threads where it was a brake issue so I was ready to take the recently replaced brake apart, however it only does it in 2nd, 3rd or 4th gear going forwards and in 1st gear going backwards...but I cannot get it to lock at all in 1st gear going forwards. That makes me think it may not be a brake problem as surely it would do it in all gears?

It also has another symptom... if I keep the clutch slightly dipped in the higher gears I can mostly prevent it locking when going forwards. BUT if I dip the clutch when in 1st gear going backwards it immediately locks up hard.

Any insights please?

 

[JennyE]

Anyone?

 

[Tinkerer]

Welcome to HEF, JennyE !
I can only think of two things that will cause a wheel to quit turning.
A defect in the brake for that wheel, or a differential gear problem.
Was it doing it before you replaced parts in the brake ?
Do you have the correct service manual for it ?

 

[JennyE]

Thanks Tinkerer!
Yes it was doing it before the brake was replaced but only in the cold weather. Now it's doing it all the time. I don't use it very much or very often so it's not had much use since doing the brake a couple of years ago. Do you think it's worth taking it apart to see if there is anything else going on with the brake? Just seems weird that 1st gear would be ok if it was a brake issue.
Yes I have pfd versions of the manuals for it.

 

[Coy Lancaster]

When it locks up can you put in in a different direction and move it? Do you have all four gears in four speed tranny?

 

[JennyE]

When it locks up can you put in in a different direction and move it? Do you have all four gears in four speed tranny?

If I dip the clutch it releases and will then go again, I don't need to change direction. In the winter it seems to lock harder and then I often have to rock it back and forth to get it to unlock.
Not sure what you mean "do I have all four gears?" All four gears work if that's what you mean. But it locks in 2nd, 3rd and 4th but not 1st, although it will lock in 1st if I reverse.

 

[JennyE]

Welcome to HEF, JennyE !
I can only think of two things that will cause a wheel to quit turning.
A defect in the brake for that wheel, or a differential gear problem.
Was it doing it before you replaced parts in the brake ?
Do you have the correct service manual for it ?

Thanks Tinkerer!
Yes it was doing it before the brake was replaced but only in the cold weather. Now it's doing it all the time. I don't use it very much or very often so it's not had much use since doing the brake a couple of years ago. Do you think it's worth taking it apart to see if there is anything else going on with the brake? Just seems weird that 1st gear would be ok if it was a brake issue.
Yes I have pfd versions of the manuals for it.

 

[Tinkerer]

Just one wheel lock up ?
Does the tractor still move and slide the tire when it happens ??
Are there any sounds emitted when "wheel locks up" ?
Does the gear shift lever move any on its own when it happens ?
It's hard to diagnose an unusual problem like you have without being there.

 

[JennyE]

Just one wheel lock up ?
Does the tractor still move and slide the tire when it happens ??
Are there any sounds emitted when "wheel locks up" ?
Does the gear shift lever move any on its own when it happens ?
It's hard to diagnose an unusual problem like you have without being there.

Yes, just the left wheel locks. It locks hard, so hard the machine jerks to the left.
No sound other than the jiggle of the machine as it locks. Sometimes there's a clunk when it totally locks up and a clutch dip won't clear it and so I "force" it to go forwards. Feels like the wheel is pushing past a block.
I haven't noticed the gear shift moving. It doesn't pop out of gear.

 

[Tinkerer]

If the tractor has a backhoe on it, raise the tractor up with the stabilizers so you can turn a wheel.
Put a long bar under the left wheel and pry on it up and down. Look closely for any movement between the axle and the diff. housing. I'm suspicious of a wheel bearing problem. If it is tight, remove the differential cover and examine the gears for damage.

 

[JennyE]

If the tractor has a backhoe on it, raise the tractor up with the stabilizers so you can turn a wheel.
Put a long bar under the left wheel and pry on it up and down. Look closely for any movement between the axle and the diff. housing. I'm suspicious of a wheel bearing problem. If it is tight, remove the differential cover and examine the gears for damage.

OK, thanks. I will try that and get back to you.

 

[JennyE]

If the tractor has a backhoe on it, raise the tractor up with the stabilizers so you can turn a wheel.
Put a long bar under the left wheel and pry on it up and down. Look closely for any movement between the axle and the diff. housing. I'm suspicious of a wheel bearing problem. If it is tight, remove the differential cover and examine the gears for damage.

OK, so I raised the tractor up and whilst doing so I noticed that there was a lot of drag on the left wheel compared to the right. No movement with the crow bar though which was good. So I loosened the left hand brake right off, and hurrah, it's now not locking
When I apply the left brake now though it stops super hard, with a clang, just like when it was locking - is there a particular area of the brake system that I should look at? (It wasn't stopping hard like that before when using the brake pedal).
BTW before getting this beast I had never done any mechanical work and I had someone do the brakes for me, but I was watching closely, so I am fairly confident I can take them apart again if needed.

 

[Tinkerer]

I'm glad it is only a brake issue.
It is possible that brake is just adjusted tooo tight.
Or they aren't installed correctly.
Whomever worked on the brakes didn't get them right.
I suggest that you find someone else to redo both of them.

 

[JennyE]

I'm glad it is only a brake issue.
It is possible that brake is just adjusted tooo tight.
Or they aren't installed correctly.
Whomever worked on the brakes didn't get them right.
I suggest that you find someone else to redo both of them.

Me too! Yes, I will see if I can find someone. Not all that easy in this area though. I don't tend to need to use them very often which is good I guess. Appreciate your help figuring it out, thanks