B7800 - Busted Axle at 441 hours

[kennyd]

How much loader work has this machine seen? I doubt the filled tires alone is enough rear ballast...I know for my JD it would not be according to the loader manual.

 

[Double Orange]

Let me be brunt and to the the point.

Do you expect a Lifetime Gurantee.?

 

[twodogs]

How much loader work has this machine seen? I doubt the filled tires alone is enough rear ballast...I know for my JD it would not be according to the loader manual.

I never kept track of the hours split between loader vs cutting, but I would venture to guess that the most it would have with the loader would be 50-60 hours. I cut my fields a few times per year with my brush hog, I cut my yard (now 4.5 acres), and I move things with the loader - snow, stone, mulch, topsoil. I just added a tiller this past year, which I have used for about 2 hours.

As for its overall use - the machine has not been abused. I am not cutting in high gear or trying to jump things with this tractor. I am not made of money, and the purchase required tremendous sacrifice on my part, so I take care of it.

I know things break, but I can't accept a broken axle hub with so few hours on a machine that has been well cared for.

As far as the rear ballast - filled tires add approximately 400 lbs to the rear. It is listed as an acceptable rear ballast in the manual, and was recommended by the dealer. What does your Deere suggest regarding weight for the rear ballast?

 

[twodogs]

Let me be brunt and to the the point.

Do you expect a Lifetime Gurantee.?

Let me be blunt and to the point - What would you expect from the company? You would drop 18K on a tractor, have a wheel fall off after a crack in the axle, and be okay with it? You wouldn't expect the company to stand behind it fully? The tractor isn't 10 or 15 years old. The crack probably occurred 6 months ago - so it would have been 6 months out of warranty.

No, I don't expect a lifetime warranty, but I think that a major issue like this should be taken care of by the company.

I am sure that I am "too close" to this to be fully objective. But I would also bet money that you wouldn't shrug your shoulders and say, "Oh well." if you were in the situation.

 

[Double Orange]

I never kept track of the hours split between loader vs cutting, but I would venture to guess that the most it would have with the loader would be 50-60 hours. I cut my fields a few times per year with my brush hog, I cut my yard (now 4.5 acres), and I move things with the loader - snow, stone, mulch, topsoil. I just added a tiller this past year, which I have used for about 2 hours.

As for its overall use - the machine has not been abused. I am not cutting in high gear or trying to jump things with this tractor. I am not made of money, and the purchase required tremendous sacrifice on my part, so I take care of it.

I know things break, but I can't accept a broken axle hub with so few hours on a machine that has been well cared for.

As far as the rear ballast - filled tires add approximately 400 lbs to the rear. It is listed as an acceptable rear ballast in the manual, and was recommended by the dealer. What does your Deere suggest regarding weight for the rear ballast?

I'm very sorry for your situation.
But when do you think a Warranty should expire?
Possibly when the written terms are spelled out ?
Or when you or Joe Smuckatellie decide?

 

[Double Orange]

Let me be blunt and to the point - What would

I am sure that I am "too close" to this to be fully objective. But I would also bet money that you wouldn't shrug your shoulders and say, "Oh well." if you were in the situation.

I agree that my previous post where too cold.
I'm just tired of people playing the system.
PM me I will send you info.


Frank

 

[twodogs]

I'm very sorry for your situation.
But when do you think a Warranty should expire?
Possibly when the written terms are spelled out ?
Or when you or Joe Smuckatellie decide?

As I stated in an earlier post, I am probably too close to the situation to be fully objective. As for your post - I am sure it is easy to see things in such cut & dry terms when it doesn't apply to you. I would also assume that you have been around long enough to know that warranties are not cut & dry by the vast majority of companies - from tractors to autos. Another poster probably said it best - I was right to assume that part would last the life of the tractor, and the parts being paid for takes part of the sting out of it.

 

[tommyz270]

I'm getting ready to spend some major bucks myself and I would be so ticked off, I'd fly off... Of course I woule expect the axle to not break 20 years down the road. Isn't it a tractor?

I'm with you, I'd be fuming. Have you tried contacting Kubota?

I'm trying to think what I would do in your situation and I think if the dealer and rep helped me as much as possible, I'd try contacting Kubota - you never know, you may get just the right person on the phone...

I'd seriously doubt the "kubota" brand after that and to be honest, puts some doubt in my mind to spend the $21k I'm looking at spending....

 

[Charlesaf3]

I think paying for parts out of warranty is "fair". I still wouldn't be all that happy if I were you. But fair often means both parties are unhappy.. But many companys these days would say "you are out of warranty, and it's probably you're fault anyway... " So you're ahead of that. And I'd guess axles are real money...

 

[KennyV]

This may seem silly ... why don't you take the parts an do the labor yourself? Can't be that difficult. I would expect common tools nothing special, no real machine shop time...
Parts for FREE is a great thing. Free labor that would be extraordinary...