300CX Loader Pivot Pins Loose

[AK_Mike]

Anybody else having problems keeping the pivot pins tightened on a 300CX loader? I keep torquing mine to spec, but when I use the loader, they loosen back up. Anybody have a fix?

 

[beenthere]

Welcome to the forum.

I don't have the 300CX loader (yet) but am curious as to what 'pivot' pins you are talking about? How does one 'torque' a pin?

Do you have a pic of the 'pin'?
Thanks

 

[AK_Mike]

The joints on the loader arms and bucket are held together by pins that have oval heads and a recessed grease zerk on one side, and a large nut on the other. The oval head keeps the pin from spinning so that you can torque the nut on the other side to 150nm. Problem is, the nuts keep loosening while using the loader.

 

[browns40]

Hi Mike,

I have an early 300CX (before they "corrected" bucket mount casting), and my fittings appear to circular, but do not spin freely when torquing nut on back...

I keep on thinking mine are backing off--near the mounting bracket--when in fact the entire mount has around 3/8 inch of travel side to side through the arm.

When I "torque", while it may seem like the nut tightens, it really just spins the fitting back to the spline (?) inside that keeps it from spinning freely--the nut has never moved.

May be the design has changed in more ways than just the bucket mount tabs, but in 80 hours I'ne gone after those nuts 5 times, thinking what you are describing has happened, just to find the fitting is travelling within its housing.

Hope thats the case with yours... there have been some minor issues with the 300CX loader & 3320, if not the entire 3x20 lineup--hazard of buying "first year of production" model in anything--nothing thats has stopped me from working.

On another post they describe tail lights not coming on with lights... mine is same--they DO come on when lights & hazards are on..perhaps they figure if you are in places where traffic may see you at night, you'd best have the hazards going for safety (?)...

Happy tractoring! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[jhortonvt]

I have the same 'problem'. In fact I had two pins get stripped threads despite using a torque wrench. Now I just use a socket wrench and keep them snug by checking more often.

Once I realized that the nut just gets tightened against the shoulder of the pin I decided it wasn't worth trying to keep everything tourqed to the lb, seems like if you just keep them reasonably tight - and keep them that way- you should be fine.

I had no experience with this stuff until I bought my tractor, and I was surprised at how much of a gap is designed into the length of the pin, it always looked like everything was loose. But if the nut is against the shoulder, you can't get any tighter.
Apparently this stuff needs some decent play in it.

The grease fitting side is round as mentioned, looks to me like it keeps from rotating b/c the pin is offset from the center.

 

[beenthere]

Place a mark (felt-tip pen) on the nut and the 'pin' to see if the nut is actually moving or if the pin is moving.

I do this with my wheel lug-nuts to provide a quick check if they are still tight. Doesn't have to be much of a mark, but this will help 'seeing' what is going on, and hopefully providing a solution to the problem.

 

[Woody_NH]

I have about 35 hours of heavy loader use so far on my 3320/300cx without any problem. The "pins" all have about 3/16 inch free lateral play and about 30 degrees of free rotation. The offset center appears to act as a rotation stop allowing the nuts to be torqued against the shoulder of the pin. I have checked every 10 hours and the nuts remain tight against the shoulder of the pins. Then I give a slight CC turn to restore the free rotation of each pin. Appears to be working as designed.

 

[AK_Mike]

"Pin" is the correct part nomenclature...check the manual. Also, it cannot spin, as the head is offset from the body of the pin. The problem is the nuts keep coming loose. Loose enough that one almost fell off. I noticed from the seat that one looked loose. One more half turn, and it would have been gone. I'm going to try blue loctite.