Have to keep steering slightly to the left to keep a straight line on the road, L3940

Grateful11 · May 29, 2011

My wife and son have been hauling in a lot of round bales and they said you have to continuously steer the L3940 ever so slightly to the left to maintain a straight line on the road. You don't notice it in the fields and around the farm just on the road where you're trying to go straight at high speed. Anyone else seen this problem with an Grand L40 series? I figure it's in the hydraulic steering valve. It's still under warranty I believe as we've had it 14 months and it has like 190 hours on it. It's being picked up soon to have some hydraulic hook ups put on the rear so I figure that would be a good time to bring it up if it's an abnormal thing among L40 series. None of the rest of our tractors do this.

This warranty notice went into effect after we bought ours:
Kubota Tractor Corporation - Kubota Limited Warranty

kuboman · May 29, 2011

Grateful11 said:
My wife and son have been hauling in a lot of round bales and they said you have to continuously steer the L3940 ever so slightly to the left to maintain a straight line on the road. You don't notice it in the fields and around the farm just on the road where you're trying to go straight at high speed. Anyone else seen this problem with an Grand L40 series? I figure it's in the hydraulic steering valve. It's still under warranty I believe as we've had it 14 months and it has like 190 hours on it. It's being picked up soon to have some hydraulic hook ups put on the rear so I figure that would be a good time to bring it up if it's an abnormal thing among L40 series. None of the rest of our tractors do this.

This warranty notice went into effect after we bought ours:
Kubota Tractor Corporation - Kubota Limited Warranty

This is a common problem with hydrostatic steering especially on a crowned road. I doubt there is much wrong other than a little more oil leakage in the steering motor.

Grateful11 · May 29, 2011

kuboman said:
This is a common problem with hydrostatic steering especially on a crowned road. I doubt there is much wrong other than a little more oil leakage in the steering motor.

You're probably right I wanted to see if anyone else was experiencing this. We have 3 other diesels, all bigger than the L3940, and I've never noticed it with any of them.

BTW: The L3940 the very smooth and stable on the road with R4's.

OT: I've heard that automakers wanted to drop the mechanical steering connection at one time and go with steering valve and watchdogs said no way. I'm kid a glad they didnt because I still wish the steering wheel on tractors would come back to the same place each time.

PHILIP8N · May 29, 2011

I have more road miles on my L3940 than most people, and I have never experienced this issue. I do have turfs, but I do not think that matters.

I freaked out the first time my steering wheel did not come back to center position. Called dealer and they explained what hydrostatic steering is. Does not even bother me anymore.

Philip.