CLANGING in the front diff of brand new T494....what the heck

[Slowpoke Slim]

This is known issue on 494/574. Take it to dealer before your wheel falls off.
Quite of few reports of this on the internet, main reason I got 4820 instead of the 494.

I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to call "Complete BS" on that one.

"Quite a few"... implies we should hear a rash of this all over the forums. And we don't. Almost never reported on TBN. The *very* few complaints usually go strangely quiet when you start asking basic questions on what they were doing with it, and how were they using it (things like questions around proper rear ballast and what were you lifting/digging into).

It is *very* easy to break a front axle if you don't know how to operate a tractor (first time buyers/operators). Doesn't matter what brand, what color, or how much the MSRP was. If you do it wrong, SNAP-BANG is the result.

 

[flyinghigh]

A few updates. Thanks for the suggestion to drop the bucket and raise the front tires. Once we did that it was easy to pinpoint the location at the front diff (with the engine off of course) just moving the wheels by hand you can quickly reproduce the clang. Something is not right in there.

Hmmm had not heard about this being a known issue with this series...did a lot of research and never came upon that one.

So you think this was a tractor sold to someone else that came back and then went to us...I guess that makes the most sense.

My dad is a PHD that taught ag for 33 years at the university. He reads every manual several times before operating anything...even the new welding helmet I bought him today for his B day.

Last night he was pointing out all the mistakes in the TYM manual...they had labeled the trans level dipstick as the engine oil dipstick for instance.

One last item of note...the manual has red handwriting and underlining in it...I saw this immediately when we first received it and I called the dealer about it. He said it was put in the tractor by mistake from another "trade in" and offered to send a new one. I believed him....hmmm I think the returned tractor theory is correct.

Tomorrow will tell the tale. We will see how they respond. I hope we can get it fixed quickly...snow is on the way.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

The dealer sounds icky. I'm sorry to hear that

 

[tacticalturnip]

Feel free to clue TYM North America in on what is going on with the tractor, and maybe suggest to them you were likely sold a return and received some BS from the dealer. They are fighting an image that is propped up by the competition and supported by the behavior of dealers like this one, and I suspect they'll be wanting to resolve your issue if the dealer doesn't

TYM is really serious about this market; the past few years something lit a fire under them.

 

[K5lwq]

I would not be so quick to judge this dealer. Big Red’s in Granbury TX used to advertise about how they put every tractor they sold on the PTO Dyno and provided the print out before delivery just to make sure output was in spec. I would give them the opportunity to make this right before throwing them under the bus.

 

[ruffdog]

The dealer is full of BS. 8 hours of run time to "check it out'? That is a full day of operation. Mine arrived new with about 2 hours. The dealer has no reason to dyno a new tractor... The more they mess with it, the more opportunities they have to damage it before sale.

^^I agree something smells here. Dyno testing? More like DEMO testing.

 

[flyinghigh]

Heard from the sales manger early this morning.

They said,"the tractor is brand new. They sent along the wrong owners manual and were supposed to send you a new but I take it you never received it?

That manual was from a customer out of Mason City that bought another 494 but then after 50 hrs traded his back in and bought a larger unit.

The 7hrs would have accumulated from using the Dyno and moving on our lots previously."

He then said service would contact me asap, but they didn't.

I finally called them and they said, "must have been bad from the factory, we will have to call TYM and see what they want to do. Maybe you should look around and see if you can find a closer TYM dealer who can work on it. We will call you back when we hear from TYM".

Wow. Just wow.

So I called a closer dealer to see if they might be willing to look at it. The lady on the phone said they hadn't been a dealer for TYM very long, but they had been fixing tractors for about 10 years so they should be able to work on it. Of course we are responsible to get the tractor to them...which we have no way to do so will have to hire someone to get it there and back.

She said they would call back this afternoon to confirm they could work on it, but never did.

I felt from the start we should have just kept the old branson, at least we knew it worked. We would be using it right now if we still had it. Need to get brush and wood brought in before the snow hits.

We could not afford to buy a deer or kubota (only local in town brands) so we gambled on this one...so disappointing.

 

[zzvyb6]

My guess would be that the prop shaft to the front diff has a U-joint cross that's lost a cap and the cross is flopping around within the 2 yokes.
Don't be cross, but the yoke is on you...

 

[etpm]

I don't like accusing people of wrongdoing when I don't know the whole story but your situation sure seems fishy. For 4 reasons. That business of them checking it out for 8 hours. And then they gave you the "wrong" owners manual. Then they "forgot" to send the correct manual. Then they want you to send it to another dealer. I don't know how it works when buying a new TYM tractor but I would contact TYM directly and tell them your problems. Then demand either another tractor or a complete refund. That 8 hour business really bugs me. As a retired small business owner I understand how much time is worth. And I would be hard pressed to spend 8 hours checking out new tractors before delivery. It would just be too expensive, especially if all the other dealers don't spend the same amount of time. Granted, they might have had the tractor just sitting still and running, but I'm pretty sure if you went to that dealer and looked at the hour meters on the new tractors on the lot they would not show anywhere near 8 hours run time.
Good luck,
Eric

 

[K5lwq]

What state are you in? Maybe someone on the forum knows the contact information for the regional Service Manager for TYM. I believe they will make it right but likely not in the time frame you need. Going to a dealer you did not buy from often times puts you at the bottom of their priority list. Sorry you are having issues.