Argo Bearing and Seal Replacement Video

[Rock Doctor]

I pulled my tracks off the other day, and found that I had 6 loose outer axle bearings. A couple of them were not too bad, and all of them would have been fine for a while. However, I had the parts and (I thought) a bit of time, before I was supposed to go for a ride with friends, so I replaced them. I ended up in a bit of a hurry. You won't find any white shop coats and clean hands in this vid, but if you want to see how to change a brng and seals on an Argo, you can check it out.
Yes, I know my shop AND my Argo are a mess right now

I found it suprisingly difficult to make this vid, but I think it turned out OK. I think I covered most of it, but did miss tightening the inner brng setscrews.

YouTube - Argo Conquest Axle Bearing & Seal Change


RD

[ArgoSteve]

What is an indication that your bearings are gone? And could you still drive with the bearings shot?
Also, my argo is a 93 Vanguard, would the process be similar for mine?
Thanks,
Steve

[Rock Doctor]

Hi Steve,
Jack up your machine, so the wheels are off the ground. Try to lift each wheel/axle, indevidually. If you have movement, try to grease your bearings. If you can still get movement, then IMHO it's time to change your outer bearing. If you can not get movement after greasing, you will be OK for a while yet.
Yes, you can still drive on "SHOT" bearings, to get yourself out of a jam, but be prepaired to replace your Axle bearing housing, and maybe even the axle, depending on how far you have to go.
Your Vanguard will be very similar, does it have "Splined Axles"? If so, it will be EXACTLY the same. If not, it will be the same, except you will have concentric lock colars on your bearings and Shear pins through your sprockets.

Hope that helps

RD

[ArgoSteve]

Hi Steve,
Jack up your machine, so the wheels are off the ground. Try to lift each wheel/axle, indevidually. If you have movement, try to grease your bearings. If you can still get movement, then IMHO it's time to change your outer bearing. If you can not get movement after greasing, you will be OK for a while yet.
Yes, you can still drive on "SHOT" bearings, to get yourself out of a jam, but be prepaired to replace your Axle bearing housing, and maybe even the axle, depending on how far you have to go.
Your Vanguard will be very similar, does it have "Splined Axles"? If so, it will be EXACTLY the same. If not, it will be the same, except you will have concentric lock colars on your bearings and Shear pins through your sprockets.

Hope that helps

RD

Well, I'm not sure if I have splines or not. I notice in your video you have a bolt at the end of your axle, I don't have a bolt at the end. I have the lock collars, not sure about the shear pics. But my sprockets move back and forth, not sure it they are supposed to or not. My axle is held in by a setscrew that is on the bearing housing.

Steve

[Malee]

I watched this clip a whille back before attempting to repair a bent axle on my old argo.

found an unserviced sheer pin and locking collar system n mine to be a bastard of a job.. one axle took about 6 hours

[george_pimpdaddy]

Thats why the use of an anti seize compound is so important when you put it all back together

[Rock Doctor]

Well, I'm not sure if I have splines or not. I notice in your video you have a bolt at the end of your axle, I don't have a bolt at the end. I have the lock collars, not sure about the shear pics. But my sprockets move back and forth, not sure it they are supposed to or not. My axle is held in by a setscrew that is on the bearing housing.

Steve

"Splines" are grooves cut into your axles, with corisponding grooves cut into your sprockets. Looks like a bunch of "keyways" cut into the axles and sprockets.
Regardless of wheather you have splined axles or not, (I think you do), your sprockets should not be free to slide around (Other than the one on the front axle). Setscrews are loose or missing, is my guess.

My axle is held in by a setscrew that is on the bearing housing.

Your axles turn, and your bearing housings do not..........do you have any pics, by any chance? Your axle should not be held in place with a setscrew. The "Lock Collars" should keep your axle in place, if I'm understanding things correctly..........I may not be.


RD

[Paquette]

That's an amazing video. A little disappointed there was no cursing or tools being thrown, or fingers whacked though....LOL Can you do a video on replacing the bottom hull ?

[ArgoSteve]

"Splines" are grooves cut into your axles, with corisponding grooves cut into your sprockets. Looks like a bunch of "keyways" cut into the axles and sprockets.
Regardless of wheather you have splined axles or not, (I think you do), your sprockets should not be free to slide around (Other than the one on the front axle). Setscrews are loose or missing, is my guess.

My axle is held in by a setscrew that is on the bearing housing.

Your axles turn, and your bearing housings do not..........do you have any pics, by any chance? Your axle should not be held in place with a setscrew. The "Lock Collars" should keep your axle in place, if I'm understanding things correctly..........I may not be.


RD

OK rock doctor, got some pics for ya.

This one is the left side end of the axle:


This pic is the left rear axle:


this one is the whole left side:


This is the axle that is giving me problems. Here you can see the end of the axle has moved out.


here is the same axle:


Same side, full view:


Since my last trip the right rear axle has come loose again and has slided out again, I guess the set screws have come loose again.
This is getting frustrating!

[Rock Doctor]

Hi steve, I believe that what you have there is a "transition" machine. Probably produced between the time that Argo used straight axles with shear pins to hold the sprockets and the ones that are used now with a step in the shaft used to "locate" the inner axle bearing, and they also lock the axle in place so it can not slide in or out. Are the front axles longer than the rest, and using a "Woodruff" key to hold the sprocket?
Those don't look like bearings with "Concentric Locks", but it's hard to tell in the pics. They look like they have setscrews. Couple options:
-Dimple the shaft where the setscrews tighten down, and put a drop of "BLUE" Locktight on the threads of the setscrew.
-Change the back 4 axles over to the newer style axles that takes the smaller inner bearings, and has the "Thrust Bolt/Washer" in the end of them.
-You could drill a small hole in the top rail of your frame rails, over the bearings, so you can fit a hex wrench through to tighten the setscrews a little easier.

RD

[Paquette]

With my limited experience it looks to me like Rockdoctor is right on the money.

I have an axle question as well and this seems the appropriate spot to ask.

Is there supposed to be a gasket between the plastic hull and the metal frame ? Or do the gaskets go on the inside of the frame ? (I know there's one on the outside of the plastic hull)

[Roger S]

there's no gasket except outside the plastic, but it does bring up the subject of sealing the bolt heads in the outer flange. I use silicone.

[Paquette]

there's no gasket except outside the plastic, but it does bring up the subject of sealing the bolt heads in the outer flange. I use silicone.

Seems like a poor design doesn't it ? I would think a gasket between the plastic and steel as well as the outside and inside the frame would be the best.

Would putting an additional gasket between the plastic and steel frame or at least some silicone cause any problems ?

[Rock Doctor]

Roger could very well be on to something with the bit of silicone around the bolt heads, I will try it too.

As for the design. First a gasket to seal between the plastic and the inner brng retainer, then the inner retainer, then a gasket, then the outer retainer. The bolts go through holes in both gaskets, and when tightened up the gaskets squeeze down and seal around the bolts. I think that part works well...........better than the lip seals around the shaft anyway.
Just a note about useing silicone: One time when I was trying to use an old gasket, I siliconed both sides of it, and tightened it in. The silicone acted as a lubricant, and allowed the old cork gasket to extrude out and completely loose it's seal. It would have been fine if I let the silicone set up a bit first I was in a hurry

My 2 cents

RD

[Aussie Iron]

There should be a lock collar on the inside of the channel for the inner bearing and on the inner side of the outer bearing. The up side of this setup is that the axles can be all moved in a little bit to have a new seal surface. The sprockets are keyed to the axle and are located with spare lock collars.Thats how they are on my Vanguard.