Loader jd4120 bent leveling arm on 400cx loader

[jones911]

2009 ,4120 (172hrs)400cx loader moving brush and logs with pallet forks on level terrain.Horseshoed the leveling arm, does anybody have any idea why this would bend , far as i can tell no hyd. clyinder is bent.

 

[wolc123]

No idea what would cause that. I am amazed at the abuse that the 400X on my 4120 has taken over the last (5) years with no problems at all. The CX is a little more complicated, and must be a little more prone to damage like that I suppose.

 

[radman1]

Wow, that is amazing. Did the fork tips catch in the ground or on something? I have done some lift with lots of weight on my forks but never heard or seen that before.

 

[AKfish]

Whoa... impressively depressing.. I'm not an engineer; but, from the bend (deflection) of the leveling arm it appears that the force would have been directed up and towards the rear of the tractor.

I could imagine a situation that the forks were lowered with the tips into the ground and the back of the forks were elevated off the ground surface at say - 25 degrees. With the front wheels off the ground and the tractor under forward motion the mass and momentum of the tractor would be enough to push the fork ends up and back if you were to hit a stump or a rock or a big log at the bottom of the pile, etc. - and bending the leveling arm.

How does the mounting frame look where the bucket curl cylinders attach to the pivot point of the leveling arm?

AKfish

 

[Double6]

OUCH!
Houston we have a problem!
Have you priced a replacement part yet?
I hope it didn't bend anything else
Good Luck!

 

[jones911]

Hey guys ,i did a little bit of thought and geometry on my 400cx loader. after reading AKfish's reply, it looks to me, that the bucket curl cylinders were fully retracted and the main mast cylinders extended.That puts the mast up and the end of the forks down and angled back toward tractor.With that angle of the pivot joint it puts extreme pressure down in back on the main loader frame .IF YOU REALLY LOOK AT A 400CX SELF LEVELING (BUCKET) LOADER ,IT CAN WORK AGAINST ITSELF.THE ACTUAL PIVOT JOINT ON THE LEVELING ARM IS A HEAVY CAST TRIANGLE PIECE THAT THE bucket curl cylinders attach AND THAT LEVELING ARM . I JUST GOT THIS TRACTOR BACK TWO WEEKS AGO BECAUSE THE DEALER HAD TO FIX THE FRONT STEERING CYLINDER THAT BENT.THE JD DEALER IS GETTING TIRED OF ME(WARRANTY CLAIMS).THIS TRACTOR HAS A TON OF TORQUE! I AM NOT A DESTRUCTIVE GUY BUT I USE MY EQUIPMENT, THEY DON'T SIT AROUND AS LAWN ORNAMENTS.