F3080 wheels don't turn with steering wheel....sometimes. Anyone else???

[JOHNTHOMAS]

First F3080 is now 3 years old. I've noticed that sometimes I'm whipping the steering wheel around and do the go pedal and the F doesn't go the direction that I thought it should with the steering wheel turning that I did. Rear steering wheels are not turning when steering wheel is turned. This has happened a time or two during a 4 hour mowing session on hillside. Barlows has been unable to find any problem and seems Kubota has no in house memos covering this issue.
Moving on to newest F3080 that is in its first mowing season. It is doing this 10 times or more worse than my older one. Can actually see wheels are not turning while turning steering wheel. Starting to be a bother so is any other F owner experiencing this problem?????

 

[milkman]

Hey John, might just be the nut behind the wheel.:laughing: A few on here with the BX have had a similar problem and it turns out to be the seals in the steering cylinder are leaking internally. There is a kit to replace those seals on the BX and I would think that your F uses a similar set up. Hope you get it fixed.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/87375-steering-wanders.html

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Hey John, might just be the nut behind the wheel.:laughing: A few on here with the BX have had a similar problem and it turns out to be the seals in the steering cylinder are leaking internally. There is a kit to replace those seals on the BX and I would think that your F uses a similar set up. Hope you get it fixed.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/87375-steering-wanders.html

Checked the loose nut and it's tight.
I talked to Steve Barlow today and he called someone who said no history of my problem with the F3080 but Steve thinks it could be foaming/bubbling up the Hyd fluid and I should check dipstick next time it does it and if there are air bubbles on the stick then that will prove one possible problem.
I'll take a copy of your thread also for their consideration. This is my new F3080 with under 15 hours and this is its first mowing season, the one that is doing it the worst.
Thanks for info. Still have a 2 bottom plow for sale.:laughing:

 

[Leejohn]

See if there is a filter in the suction line, maybe check that.

 

[murphy1244]

Hey John, Went and bought a Ventrac 4500 today. Could not find any dealers here to look at a F series Kubota. Hope you find your problem.

 

[milkman]

With the hills you mow, could be sucking air, or does it do it on the flat also? Be interesting to find what the culprit is.

 

[TailDragon]

John, were you locked in 4wd on the hillsides? Have not had that problem in over 900 hours. Were you stopped when turning the steering wheel? I normally am moving when cranking the spinner knob for sharp turns.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

See if there is a filter in the suction line, maybe check that.

Will ask Barlows if there is a filter

Hey John, Went and bought a Ventrac 4500 today. Could not find any dealers here to look at a F series Kubota. Hope you find your problem.

Congratulations!

With the hills you mow, could be sucking air, or does it do it on the flat also? Be interesting to find what the culprit is.

First F3080 only done it on steep hill and only rarely but new one is doing it on flats and hills.

John, were you locked in 4wd on the hillsides? Have not had that problem in over 900 hours. Were you stopped when turning the steering wheel? I normally am moving when cranking the spinner knob for sharp turns.

I never move/lock the 4wd lever only keep it in the "other" position. I occasionally engage the diff lock foot pedal but rarely. I'm moving, hardly ever stop. I'm a rapid action mower:laughing: that puts the pedal down to a speed that I can survive the bounce and go with rapid turning of steering wheel and tearing up grass on turns. Well, I was last mowing since the ground was so wet from everv day rain and had to mow in between forcasted rain. Steve Barlow believes it's getting air and wants me to check dipstick the next time it does it. Also will give him the info from Milkman to see if he considered the seals. I won't be mowing again for a few weeks so will keep post active when/if I find a solution/fix.

 

[TailDragon]

Any news on this issue? No problems with my 3680 in over 925 hours but the steering valve may be different.

Second question after reading old threads: you had pictures of your past. Have you tried another Dodge after your problems with the first one ? The only one I have had was a 1952 M37.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Any news on this issue? No problems with my 3680 in over 925 hours but the steering valve may be different.

Second question after reading old threads: you had pictures of your past. Have you tried another Dodge after your problems with the first one ? The only one I have had was a 1952 M37.

Been on vacation and grass grown about a foot in places so I'll be checking it out this week if it will stop raining. Going to check for bubbles on the dip stick when it does it again.
Have had several Dodges after the 1935 model and all worked fine without burning quarts of oil with gallons of gas.

 

[powerstroke444e]

Just wonder are you running it wide open?

Also I have seen this problem before it was the priority valve on the hydraulic pump it is giving the hydro all the oil 1st which it is suppose to do but some times if you are not running wide open you are not moving enough oil to get the steer to work.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Just wonder are you running it wide open?

Also I have seen this problem before it was the priority valve on the hydraulic pump it is giving the hydro all the oil 1st which it is suppose to do but some times if you are not running wide open you are not moving enough oil to get the steer to work.

15 Kubotas and rarely have I ran any of them wide open but will try it when I next mow to see if it makes a difference. Grass is so high with all the rain that I'll need to run it wide open this time anyway.
Thanks for a possible solution.

 

[TailDragon]

That was one question I did not think to ask.
John there should be a F3680 at Barlows soon for you to admire/drool over, just not with the 102 inch deck. ( I did ask Steve to see if he could get one to display ) You could trade in that side discharge deck F3080 on it. I ordered the 60 inch rear discharge deck, traded in the ZD331.
I drove up 27 which I used frequently in the early 70's to visit grandparents, could not believe the growth in Burnside and Somerset. The traffic light at 27 and 80 was the major intersection back then.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

That was one question I did not think to ask.
John there should be a F3680 at Barlows soon for you to admire/drool over, just not with the 102 inch deck. ( I did ask Steve to see if he could get one to display ) You could trade in that side discharge deck F3080 on it. I ordered the 60 inch rear discharge deck, traded in the ZD331.
I drove up 27 which I used frequently in the early 70's to visit grandparents, could not believe the growth in Burnside and Somerset. The traffic light at 27 and 80 was the major intersection back then.

What have you done? Not sure from your post. Have you bought a 2nd F3680 and traded your Z toward it? Hal Rogers is from Somerset so we have many road improvements and I appreciate them, will keep voting for him.:laughing:
Mowed today. Grass really high. Lifted front deck, replaced broken piece on one of the blades that was bad from factory and Gary at Barlows gave me a new one under warranty. Raised my back wheels a smidge, need another smidge after mowing.
Revved it all the way, still some times doesn't turn tires with steering wheel. Did it first time as I was pulling out of tractor building. I believe it may just be doing it when turning steering wheel to the right. A few times I looked at tires and they weren't moving while I was spinning the steering wheel. Turn wheel left then right and works fine. No air bubbles on the dip stick when it was not turning tires.
Will stop at Barlows tomorrow and report todays mowing/failure to turn right at all times with full out throttle and no air bubbles on trans dip stick.
I'll also see what you done on your trade.
I was on flat and hillside when it don't work.

 

[TailDragon]

Yes it is your doing, if you could have two F series I could too. Traded in ZD331 60 inch side discharge for another F 3680 with 60 inch rear discharge.
Drove up Monday after work to submit paperwork and to meet Steve. Was looking for the old site of West Somerset Wrecking that an uncle owned part of could not see any remainder. I was told the dirt track on North 27 was also gone.
While the ZD mowed well on ground it was suited for, I cut a lot of other areas.
The 60 inch deck is for areas I have that are too tight for the 72 inch deck.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Yes it is your doing, if you could have two F series I could too. Traded in ZD331 60 inch side discharge for another F 3680 with 60 inch rear discharge.
Drove up Monday after work to submit paperwork and to meet Steve. Was looking for the old site of West Somerset Wrecking that an uncle owned part of could not see any remainder. I was told the dirt track on North 27 was also gone.
While the ZD mowed well on ground it was suited for, I cut a lot of other areas.
The 60 inch deck is for areas I have that are too tight for the 72 inch deck.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: Good for you. I keep telling my wife that if one is good two is better when I find something I like or a bargain. That's why I have all the extra buildings, to keep those extras in that I eventually give away.
Did you bring the Z and leave it or will there be the swap when your new one arrives? How many hours on the Z? Is Barlows delivering your F or are you coming back to get it?
I've been here in Somerset since 1974 and the changes are never ending. Guess that's the way it is in many mid size towns. Just West of Barlows is a Mobile Home park called Raceway. It finally struck me one day that Raceway used to be the Drag Strip that I came to in 1964 or 1965.

 

[TailDragon]

If it arrives soon will swap down here. Have to replace the power steering on my F350 PSD before I can haul anything up there. Need to clear the lower field on my farm property.
The ZD has 410 hours on it and has been parked until handed over. Will check with Barlows on delivery date if everything comes in. Otherwise I will haul the ZD up there, they cannot get anything for it sitting down here. My TN farm tax exemption would probably not work if I picked the #2 F3680 up there.
Thought about a F3080 with the 60 inch deck but decided having twin 3680s was better.
Have been reading about a front mounted flail mower (Verismo ?) that fits, the list price was over 7K however. Or if I hit the powerball I could try the 102 inch deck.
Hope others see the benefits of the F series. I think Kubota should have a demo model at the larger dealers for better exposure.

 

[murphy1244]

If it arrives soon will swap down here. Have to replace the power steering on my F350 PSD before I can haul anything up there. Need to clear the lower field on my farm property.
The ZD has 410 hours on it and has been parked until handed over. Will check with Barlows on delivery date if everything comes in. Otherwise I will haul the ZD up there, they cannot get anything for it sitting down here. My TN farm tax exemption would probably not work if I picked the #2 F3680 up there.
Thought about a F3080 with the 60 inch deck but decided having twin 3680s was better.
Have been reading about a front mounted flail mower (Verismo ?) that fits, the list price was over 7K however. Or if I hit the powerball I could try the 102 inch deck.
Hope others see the benefits of the F series. I think Kubota should have a demo model at the larger dealers for better exposure.

I could not find a F series at any dealers in my area and went with a Ventrac 4500

 

[TailDragon]

In another thread I mentioned the only one I saw on a dealers lot was my first one back in 2006. I think they had sold some to different government agencies. Here the city is running front mount Grasshoppers cutting the road frontage and center strips of the divided highways.
Have read about the Ventrac but same problem, no close dealers plus I have tractors to do the heavy cutting/ lifting. If I cannot cut a slope with a F series I do not want to be on it.

 

[murphy1244]

In another thread I mentioned the only one I saw on a dealers lot was my first one back in 2006. I think they had sold some to different government agencies. Here the city is running front mount Grasshoppers cutting the road frontage and center strips of the divided highways.
Have read about the Ventrac but same problem, no close dealers plus I have tractors to do the heavy cutting/ lifting. If I cannot cut a slope with a F series I do not want to be on it.

Well for me a Ventrac dealer are not too hard to find seeing their made less than 25 miles from me.