Kubota M62, Repeated Steering Failures

[dmantt99]

I have an M62 that I bought new in April of 2020. It was fully serviced at 50 hours, 100 hours, and 200 hours, including a complete HST fluid replacement. Currently has about 300 hours on it.

It developed a steering issue at around 100 hours (steering became very stiff, and would actually "grab" at times to where the shaft would not turn at all). Dealer picked it up, rebuild the steering cylinder, and returned it to me. The steering was no longer "grabbing", but the effort needed to operate was far greater than it was when new.

After another 50 hours (approx), the steering began to lock up again. Dealer picked it up and replaced the cylinder with a new one. Again, the grabbing was gone, but the effort was still way too high.

After another 75 hours (approx), the steering again began to grab. This time, the dealer replaced the control valve under the steering column. When I got it back, the steering was back to normal (like when it was new).

Yesterday, I was using the backhoe to bury an irrigation line. Everything was working properly. I spent about an hour on the backhoe, then turned the seat around and prepared to drive the tractor back to the barn. The steering wheel was completely locked up. I mean, I couldn't turn it at all. After shutting down the tractor, then restarting it a few minutes later, the steering wheel loosened up a small amount, but it was a serious effort with both hands to turn the wheel at all.

I found no evidence of a fluid leak, and the fluid level is fine.

I also noticed that the front wheels are no longer parallel to one another. When the left front wheel is straight, the right front wheel is pointed out about 15-20 degrees.

Dealer picked it up again earlier today.

Is anyone aware of an issue like this with the M62 line (or previous M59)? Both myself and the dealer are pulling our hair over this. I cannot find any evidence of a service bulletin or recall notice involving the steering system on this tractor.

Thanks for any thoughts you might have.

One last thing, the tractor has remotes at both ends, but have never been used.

 

[sd455dan]

From what you posted and the "fixes" applied so far, it almost sounds like either the left or right hub pivot points was/are locking up.

This would put a Lot of pressure on the ram tie rod threads as well when attempting to turn, and it is possible that the ram actually pushed hard enough being hydraulic to strip/ jump the threads/ bend a piece of the steering linkage or if a bearing was jammed frozen maybe it let loose and changed the pivot geometry. Of course this is just arm chair thoughts from the time line you posted.
Hopefully the dealership will get to and fix the "root" cause.

Did anyone ever use the bucket to lift the front axle off of the ground and then with the engine off try turning the wheel/tires left to right by hand?
If it is binding up in the hub pivots this would probably reveal it.

Whatever the problem is hopefully they fix it for Good this time.

 

[dmantt99]

From what you posted and the "fixes" applied so far, it almost sounds like either the left or right hub pivot points was/are locking up.

This would put a Lot of pressure on the ram tie rod threads as well when attempting to turn, and it is possible that the ram actually pushed hard enough being hydraulic to strip/ jump the threads/ bend a piece of the steering linkage or if a bearing was jammed frozen maybe it let loose and changed the pivot geometry. Of course this is just arm chair thoughts from the time line you posted.
Hopefully the dealership will get to and fix the "root" cause.

Did anyone ever use the bucket to lift the front axle off of the ground and then with the engine off try turning the wheel/tires left to right by hand?
If it is binding up in the hub pivots this would probably reveal it.

Whatever the problem is hopefully they fix it for Good this time.

Thank you for your input. I had not considered the hub/hubs locking up, but I do believe there has to be something like that (in the steering mechanism itself) that is causing the hydraulics to fail. After this most recent failure, I did raise the front end and attempted to turn the wheel, without success. I did not, however, try it with the motor off. I have spoken with the dealer's shop foreman and asked him to check the hubs and such once he has it apart.

As an aside, are you/were you an sd owner? I was, a long time ago (1974-1976).

 

[sd455dan]

Thank you for your input. I had not considered the hub/hubs locking up, but I do believe there has to be something like that (in the steering mechanism itself) that is causing the hydraulics to fail. After this most recent failure, I did raise the front end and attempted to turn the wheel, without success. I did not, however, try it with the motor off. I have spoken with the dealer's shop foreman and asked him to check the hubs and such once he has it apart.

As an aside, are you/were you an sd owner? I was, a long time ago (1974-1976).

"As an aside, are you/were you an sd owner? I was, a long time ago (1974-1976)."



edit

How did you like your SD?
Was yours a T/A or did you have one of the Formulas?

Even when new they were Very Rare cars and Hard to get I would like to hear your SD story.

Yes still am, although my SD now needs some work, and actually is a 1973 standard 455 TA, but it is powered by an SD with M-22 .

It was actually Built from the ground up by H-O Racing Specialties and they installed the Super Duty.

So it is not a Pontiac Factory built SD-455 TA

Even after more than 40 years, it is still by far my favorite car.

Back to the thread

How is the tractors steering fix going?
Here is Hoping you already have it back in fully Operational condition.