Lost 4WD on my M7040

[r40kh]

Well it looks like I've lost 4WD om my new 7040. Only 50 hrs on it with no more than 10 with the 4WD engaged.
Was having some issue last week with the idiot light on the dash flashing in and out but the 4WD was definately engaged even when the light was out. I had the dealer do the 50 hr service just a couple of days ago so he checked the switch and he said it was just a tab on the switch that was causing the light to flash which he fixed.
This morning I tried for over an hour and it will not go into 4WD. Tried moving the wheels, different ranges, drove it on the road and nothing. Contacted the dealer and they suspect something wrong internally and will be coming to pick it up. Thankfully, it's still under warranty for another year. Now I'm worried what will break if I ever get to use it hard. Anyone else have any issues with 4WD in this model. I'm very disappointed!

 

[TripleR]

Don't have a 7040, but have an 8540 we have used for two years with a lot of hard 4WD use and no problems so far, this is the first post I can remember with such a problem.

 

[rbarker]

I had the dealer do the 50 hr service just a couple of days ago

Boy I sure would suspect something to do with this rather than broken parts. Something loose or disconnected like a plug or linkage maybe? I only have a little BX so I don't know anything about the big boys but it seems awful coincidental.

 

[r40kh]

I don't think so as I spent the entire time with the mechanic and the work was mainly dumping fluids. Looking underneath I can see all the linkage working properly but 4WD is a no go. Not sure what they have to get at to do the repair but it looks like a fairly invasive surgery to me.

 

[Chilly807]

Where are you in NS? Which dealer have you been using? I had a few minor issues with the L3400 in the first year or so after I got it, they were resolved with the exception of curing the L-series 3 point hitch problem. To give the dealer credit, Kubota corporate is the biggest culprit with that issue, so the dealer did all they reasonably could to help me.

I wouldn't get too concerned with "surgery" if you have a good dealer, mine had the L3400 split in two to correct a rusted clutch spline and I've had zero problems with it as a result of that repair. It's what they do for a living, and most of them are good at it.

Sean

 

[r40kh]

I'm in Cape Breton. The dealer up here has been super good so I know I will get the problem fixed right. I just don't like having issues on such a new machine...hoping it wan't made on a Friday

 

[Bluegill2]

Never heard of this problem with the larger Kubotas. Probably something simple.

 

[big bubba]

Well it looks like I've lost 4WD om my new 7040. Only 50 hrs on it with no more than 10 with the 4WD engaged.
Was having some issue last week with the idiot light on the dash flashing in and out but the 4WD was definately engaged even when the light was out. I had the dealer do the 50 hr service just a couple of days ago so he checked the switch and he said it was just a tab on the switch that was causing the light to flash which he fixed.
This morning I tried for over an hour and it will not go into 4WD. Tried moving the wheels, different ranges, drove it on the road and nothing. Contacted the dealer and they suspect something wrong internally and will be coming to pick it up. Thankfully, it's still under warranty for another year. Now I'm worried what will break if I ever get to use it hard. Anyone else have any issues with 4WD in this model. I'm very disappointed!

by "not going into 4wd" do you mean the lever will physically not engage, or the dash light not coming on? how do you determine whether it is engaged or not? hope it's simple.

 

[r40kh]

4WD lever moves fine and the indicator on the dash lights but definately not engaged as I tried to see if the front wheels would spin. I also lifted the front wheels off the ground and they can be spun by hand. I think that with the 4Wd engaged the front wheels would be coupled to rears and should not move but I'm not positive. I'll let the dealer figure it out

 

[ericher69]

Do you have a FEL? If so raise the front off the ground with 4wd engaged and look at the fronts; they should spin as you move forward or back

 

[94BULLITT]

4WD lever moves fine and the indicator on the dash lights but definately not engaged as I tried to see if the front wheels would spin. I also lifted the front wheels off the ground and they can be spun by hand. I think that with the 4Wd engaged the front wheels would be coupled to rears and should not move but I'm not positive. I'll let the dealer figure it out

The front wheels should not turn with 4wd engaged.

 

[r40kh]

That's what I thought. Hopefully it will be something simple to repair. On a positive note I'm glad it happened now and not in the middle of a snow storm.

 

[ericher69]

The front wheels should not turn with 4wd engaged.

It's an open diff one wheel will spin the other shouldn't

 

[94BULLITT]

It's an open diff one wheel will spin the other shouldn't

Your right someone would need to hold one while he tries to turn the other.

 

[gwdixon]

On the M7040 the fronts have a limited slip differential.

I believe that if you spin one front wheel by hand the other goes the opposite direction (from what I've read). Others may have more information about this.

If the OP lifts the fronts with the FEL and tries this then at least he will know it is an engagement issue rather than the front end being stripped out.

As mentioned - it is a dealer problem now.

 

[r40kh]

Well the dealer arrived yesterday and took the tractor away to get repaired. Got a call this afternoon that the repair was complete and it would be returned tomorrow morning. I wasn't able to talk to the mechanic who did the repair but the service manager said the problem was in the linkage with one piece showing some corrosion which wasn't allowing it to move far enough to engage the 4WD. The fix was to remove the rear wheel and fuel tank which exposed the linkage in order for them to work at it. There's not much room between the fuel tank and all that linkage but in the future I'll keep it well dosed up with spray lubricant. I still find it odd that this could occur as all the linkage is exposed to the elements so there couldn't have been much concern by the manufacturer that there would be some issues with any of the pivot points. May have got a little sticky because I've only spent about a couple of hours with the 4WD engaged in the last 6 months. Anyway , problem appears to have been solved.

 

[gwdixon]

Ahhh...it is nice to hear good news.

Thanks for the update.