Mowing B7610 needs repaired after simple field mowing

[bmwrdr]

I need to vent a little. My 7610 is barely a year old. Apparently, I waited too long to mow my field due to traveling. The field weeds and grasses were 3-4' tall. I noticed a leak under the front driveshaft after mowing. The dealer diagnosed it as the front drive shaft seal. The problem? Due to some lame design, tall grass can get caught on the front drive shaft and wrapped around it and then gradually gets into the seal to the xfer case. They suspect the roll pin length may also play into this and they will grind it down so it will be below the surface. They tell me to remove the front drive shaft to get to the seal they need to split the tractor. Labor will be over $1k for the $15 seal. I plan on making some sort of shield when I get it back to prevent this from happing again. Others may wish to do the same to prevent some unnecessary costs. I have the number of the customer service rep. The dealer said since there was grass in the seal, it won't be covered by warranty. I'm a tractor rookie, but this seems ridiculous for something that is designed to work in fields.

 

[plastikosmd]

would agree and would have responded..since there is grass in the seal, it was a design problem

 

[Double 00 Soul]

Is the dealer in financial trouble? The explanation/diagnosis sounds pretty lame to me, maybe the dealer needs the service money. If it takes $1k worth of labor and the tractor has to be split just to get to the seal, how can the dealer possibly know if there is grass in the seal at this point? My dealer told me that everything that isn't obvious abuse or lack of maintenance is treated as a warranty repair and I have to believe him because I spoke to several of his customers before buying my tractor. Even if it turns out there is grass in the seal, I don't understand how the warranty could be void, Kubota can't possibly believe it's tractors aren't going to see high grass/weeds unless they are operated only on gravel or paved roads.

I'd be talking directly to Kubota if the dealer wants you to pay to have a seal repaired with two years left on the tractor's warranty. Maybe Art could give you the benefit of his expertise on how the warranty could be void on your tractor just because it was used in high vegetation.

Hope you keep us advised, it would certainly be good to know if Kubota made you come up for the money for this repair. Is it possible you misunderstood the dealer? At any rate, I wish you luck.

 

[Dascro]

For what it's worth... I've spent plenty of time on my 2 year old B7610 running a rotary cutter in tall grass and have never experienced this problem. Of course, I've never had to use 4wd while doing this either, so the front drive shaft would not have been spinning. I assume you were running in 4wd otherwise how would the grass wrap around the shaft?

Good luck.

 

[Ductape]

I'd get a second opinion from someone other than that particular dealer.

 

[slowzuki]

The driveshaft turns evens if you are in 2wd.

Grass winding around driveshafts is a common enough problem. It can get wound around PTO shafts haying etc. We used to take the driveshaft out of our 4wd international in hay season because it would wrap so much hay.

Normally kubotas don't have much trouble because the shaft is up in the oil pan. Most of the time 4wd's have their seals ruined by catching old fence wire or baler twine.

 

[rbargeron]

I'd get a second opinion from someone other than that particular dealer.

I'll second this advice and the other posts that question this dealer's position. Maybe you could go to another dealer and find out how to contact the Kubota regional service rep.

 

[bmwrdr]

After speaking to the CSR, I'm very disappointed with Kubota's response. He said this is condition related problem and would not be covered under warranty as it is not a defect. He said if I noticed grass getting caught there, I should have removed it. I asked why I would be looking under there unless someone told me it's prone to getting screwed up by tall grass.
--pretty pissed.

 

[slowzuki]

Almost all 4wd tractors are constructed in a similar manner. I would be pissed too but it could have happened with any brand.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

After speaking to the CSR, I'm very disappointed with Kubota's response. He said this is condition related problem and would not be covered under warranty as it is not a defect.

Not to be rude, but he is right. Its an unfortunate problem, but its the nature of the beast.

 

[Double 00 Soul]

I'm truly disappointed about Kubota's position on your problem. It's disappointing for another reason too. I've been procrastinating about buying another, smaller Kubota, a 2350 or 1850. I'll be thinking a lot longer about it now and talking to dealers for other brands. A tractor that isn't designed to be used in areas with vegetation is next to useless to me. Good grief, why do they think we buy these things, to use them in parking lots only?

 

[Double 00 Soul]

By the way bmwrdr, many thanks for sharing your experience. You may well have saved me from making a big mistake.

 

[Willl]

to remove the front drive shaft to get to the seal they need to split the tractor.

I find this is the biggest flaw.

What do you mean you got to split the tractor just to get the driveline off ?

 

[rbargeron]

bmwrdr - looking at the parts drawings for a B7610 (see pm sent today) it looks like the driveshaft to the front axle should be serviceable without splitting the tractor. The forward half of the shaft is protected by tube covers, and the back half slopes upward to the transmission and has exposed u-joints. The seal at the transmission end (09500-20428 $2.77) is installed from the outside of the transmission case. It looks like the mid-frame between the clutch housing and the transmission is open on the bottom and the shaft is accessible. Is the dealer saying that grass can get in there but he can't take the shaft out and reach in to change the seal? Maybe I'm missing something but splitting the tractor seems excessive.

 

[automech]

Maybe I'm missing something but splitting the tractor seems excessive.


I was thinking the same thing. If the driveshaft is removable, why can't the seal be changed without major teardown? Haven't looked at a 7610 underside so I don't know.

 

[bmwrdr]

re: splitting the tractor to remove the driveshaft, that's what I've been told by the service dept is required.

 

[bmwrdr]

They could see the grass in the seal, but couldn't get to it was the impression. I thought to do both, remove the grass and seal they would need to remove the shaft. I'll check with them again today.

 

[bmwrdr]

Update. The shaft was not the front drive shaft, but the shaft from the engine to the HST. From my bad experience with the regional CSR I spoke with last week, I decided to speak with his manager. After a few phone calls Kubota said they wanted me to be happy customer and Kubota corporate would pay 1/3 and the dealer would pay 1/3 if I would pay the last 1/3. I was satisfied with their offer (not thrilled, but satisfied). There was grass in the rear seal and the seal was damaged.

Note to others, after speaking with them the idea of a thin skid plate was thought to be good insurance. I think there is a good space to mount it to on the frame. My tractor is getting delivered tomorrow so I can check it. There should really be a tube around the spinning shaft by design, but there is not.

If you mow in tall weeds (3-4'), check the shaft on from the engine and see if there are weeds wrapped around it.

 

[skent]

I have the B7300 HST. Last year I was using a sickle bar mower and had the same thing happen. The first pass with a sickel bar you are running in high grass. The next week I noticed a puddle under the tractor. It was the seal on the clutch housing. Unit was out of wattanty (600 Hrs and 7 years old). Dealer said the seal was $6.50 and labor was estimated at 18 hours ($52.50 per hr).

I decided to split the tractor myself. Took the entire weekend, but was worth it. I fabricated a sheet metal shield to keep it from happening again.

I've split older Ag tractors (Case DC, SC and VAC's) and they are a walk in the park compared to the Kubota B7300. LOTS of linkages, hoses, pipes and wires.

 

[TomC]

Guess who's going to look under his B7510 tomorrow! FWIW, the first time I cut my field with high grass, weeds, and etc; I kept the FEL on and used it about 6" off the ground to knock down the high stuff. Seemed to work with no problems.