3PH issues with Kubota L-4610 HSTC

[patrickg]

In less than 600 hrs I have broken the anti-sway side stabilizer thingies on one side once, sheard off the mounting bolts where connecting to the tractor twice (both sides one at a time), bent one, and broken one lift arm in half. I welded the lift arm back together and welded on a reinforcing doubler and that has held well.

I wonder how strong the attachment point is where the stabilizer arms bolt to the tractor by the differential? If I use a really strong bolt there I might endanger the tractor side of the connection which would be REALLY EXPENSIVE to fix/replace. If I use softer bolts they will break more often. I suppose I could rig a keeper chain so I won't lose the part somewhere in a field and treat the conection as a mechanical fused link (a shear bolt.)

I have lost a few pins that attach the quick attach FEL to various implements when the keeper gets opened while using thrusting the bucket into a gravel or dirt pile and not noticing until the big pin is gone. Sometimes they turn up and sometimes not. I have welded keeper chains to the keepers and the pins now so they can come apart but not go missing.

Any ideas rregarding the anti-sway stabilizer conections?

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifPat /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[btolle]

Yes, loosen them!

The only time I ever broke anything on the 3PH side stabilizers was when I had the stabilizers set too tight. They didn't look too tight with the box blade all the way up but as I lowered the box blade they got tighter.

Now, when I reset the side sway I leave a decent amount of slack then I lower the implement as far as possible and make sure there is still some slack in the adjusters. I back up to ditch and drop the 3PH down so I know it is at the bottom of it's travel before making the final check.

If you can't move the implement from side to side at least 1/2" or more when it is at the bottom of the 3PH travel you are too tight.

Bill

Tolle

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( In less than 600 hrs I have broken the anti-sway side stabilizer thingies on one side once, sheard off the mounting bolts where connecting to the tractor twice (both sides one at a time), bent one, and broken one lift arm in half. I welded the lift arm back together and welded on a reinforcing doubler and that has held well. )</font>

Hi Pat... I haven't seen you around in quite a while, but that might be because I don't read the Kubota forums much. (Nuthin' against Kubotas, but I just don't have time to read everything.)

I don't know how you would make the stabilizers stronger, but you might try to add additional chains and turnbuckles on the inside of the arms in addition to stabilizers on the outside. I think you are wise to worry about the mounting pins for your lift arms. Are yours a fork-type mount for the pin? If not, it seems even more likely you might do some damage if you stressed that mount too much. I'm sure you've seen the pictures of the L4610 rockshaft that broke. That would make me really paranoid about making the lift components so much stronger than the original design. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

What are you doing with your tractor when all these things happen? In all seriousness, have you considered that your jobs are just too hard for the L4610 and that you need to consider a larger tractor before this one gets destroyed? It just seems to me if you are breaking things on a regular basis, you need to consider the cost of an upgrade versus the cost of breaking your tractor in some major fashion.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. I hope things north of the Red River are going well for you. Did you ever get your air conditioning problems fixed?

Glad to hear from you. I hope your Thanksgiving was a good one. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[ns_in_tex]

Be sure to post, if you find what is causing your problem.

I am pushing 800 hrs on my L4610 HSTC and thought I pushed its limits as hard as anybody. So far, (knock on wood) I haven't broken any of the things you mentioned.

I even put a 10' 3 point bush hog on it for a few hours, before purchasing a 286 bush hog.

I do tighten my sway bar links as tight as I can to keep down the jar on the tractor. I even drilled some extra holes to accomplish this.

I had the same problem as you on the fel pins, until I drilled out to larger holes so normal larger hitch pins would fit. Since then I havn't had that problem.

 

[slowzuki]

Most ag tractors don't let you take all the sway out of the 3 point, when you turn it puts huge stress when using a ground engaging implement.

Ken

 

[patrickg]

Jim et al, Thanks for the responses. I do work the tractor hard smetimes and my box blade is pretty HD (about 1300 lbs) I don't think I ever took out all the side to side play because I don't think I can as it just won't adjust that tight. Of course I never backed over a cliff and lowered it to the max to check that way but will in a little while when I go back to playing in the dirt.

The problem I had with the FEL quick attach pins was the keepers geting knocked off when scooping gravel or diging in the ground and not noticing when the keeper went and then discovering the big pin missing. With them hanging on chains I have not lost any. I thought about drilling the hole out and putting a bolt with a nylock nut on it as that would be pretty secure but a pain to R&R.

Too much $ into house not enough to "throw" around on another tractor.

If I keep everything clean including the radiator and screen, A/C evaporator and screen, and the cab air filter plus keep good tension on the belt and use belt dressing then the A/C does OK most of the time. Although my Kubota tech said the heater control turned the hot water off I suspect it doesn't quite stop it all and may install a ball valve to "KILL" any residual flow throuh the heater core. The Kubota has a fantastic ARCTIC capable heater. In the coldest weather I can only stand to have it on just a little bit with the tractor warmed up and me working. I suspect the heater is so good that just a trickle of hot water would help overwhelm the A/C which is OK but not outstanding.

Oh well, break time is over gotta go play in the dirt...

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifPat /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif