L2800 Position Control (Jerky?)

[teg]

It's funny to me that knuckle-bota calls it "position control". I don't know exactly what "position control" is but those jerky valves are the farthest thing from having ANY kind of control over the 3ph. Attaching implements... you can not ease the 3ph into an "exact" spot during the raising up mode. You learn to bounce the 3ph up close to where you need it... then over shoot your mark... then lower to where it needs to be... repeat as many times as needed.

 

[ccsial]

It's funny to me that knuckle-bota calls it "position control". I don't know exactly what "position control" is .

What position control means is that the 3PH follows the control lever. If you put the lever on a certain number the 3PH will always go to the same place. Without postion control it works more like a loader. This is very handy if you want an implement to go the the exact same height each time you use it.

On the L3400 the spot is good to 1/4" instead of exact. As you mention, you can drop it a tiny bit to get to a more exact point. This is a real pain. It is still a position control though. For me, 1/4" is fine for the mower.

 

[Goog]

Goog: Is your valve perfectly smooth? can you make it move up, say 1/32 of an inch? My 1910 is perfectly smooth but not my L3400. It moves about 1/4" at a time but it does not jerk badly, just a little. It is pretty much just a fairly smooth 1/4" jump.

No it is not perfectly smooth and moves up in 1/4" increments as others have said. But compared to how it was I darn glad to gat it. Infinite adjustment would be awsome but not going to happen on these tractors. Brian

 

[RayMunising]

How does the 3PH on the L4400 tractors compare to the L3400/L2800? Is the L4400 super jerky like the original L2800/L3400 valves, 1/4" jerky like the improved L3400/L2800 or smooth like the GL or JD790? Just curious.

 

[Harvest Moon]

Just curious, are there any engineers or hydraulic pros following this discussion that understand why this valve works the way it does? I'd really like to know if there is a reasonable solution to this problem.

For example, would it be possible for a good hydraulic shop to gut my valve and rebuild it with better components to get similar performance to the JD790 in the video posted earlier?

Or, is there a plausible way to retro fit a better valve than the upgrades Kubota has offered/installed?

I want to make sure we're not all upgrading to better machines; fighting with Kubota's, dealers, reps and customer satisfaction department; and consulting lawyers to avoid a $400 trip to the local hydraulic shop. I'm sure a lot of people don't feel they should have to spend another nickel, me too but for the trouble, I want the best option available to me.

 

[jeconn]

I would pay $400 to have mine working good. It would be a whole lot cheaper than upgrading tractors. I don't think there is a simple cheap fix though. It's been asked several times on here if anyone knew of a fix and no one has replied. Besides it's normal. It is an ECONOMY tractor after all.

 

[teg]

...an ECONOMY tractor after all... .

What we need and will not get is information from a good kubota dealer, they most likely know the answer. Thanks, dealers... I'm guessing if a kubota dealer talks all heck will break lose. I really wonder if "headquarters" would even allow those valves to be sold. Maybe against "company policy".

I would not recommend buying an L2800/3400 since the reputation is tarnished and you don't know what you are actually getting... smooth move kubota for changing the valve back and duping a few more "customers". What do you have planned for the other tractors models?

 

[Harvest Moon]

What we need and will not get is information from a good kubota dealer, they most likely know the answer. Thanks, dealers... I'm guessing if a kubota dealer talks all heck will break lose. I really wonder if "headquarters" would even allow those valves to be sold. Maybe against "company policy".

Yep, a little help would go along way. I'm not yet convinced that there are not other L series valves that would be an easy fix but the specs. are so closely guarded... there is still some cross referencing I can still do but without help, installing another valve is just an experiment.

I bet I could get to the bottom of this if someone let me into that computer behind the parts counter. Actually, access to the parts would be even better.

Broken record, I'm pretty sure Kubota DOES NOT want this tractor to have a smooth 3 pt.

My latest thought, is the L3010 valve smooth on the L3010? If it is, we're all missing something.

 

[canoetrpr]

Harvest Moon - good thoughts. I'm sure it is not rocket science to make a 3PT valve that is actually smooth.

Pretty much every other tractor has one. I think it will take a L2800/L3400 owner who actually knows enough about hydraulics to rip into his tractor and try to retro fit.

The 'fixed' valve works good enough for me even thought it is not exactly what it should be. I decided that it was not worth upgrading tractors to me because when I upgrade I want a cab and I would loose too much money in depreciation.

Once you put a few hours on your new machine it is used and it has already done the depreciation that it is going to do for me for the first 5-7 years at 50-60 hrs a year. In Canada we pay a lot of sales tax as well so the hit you take on sales taxes if you are buying new every few years really hurts. I pondered trading in my machine and would have done it but the dealer literally offered me 45% less than I paid for my machine when it was 1.5 yr old and had 75 hrs on it..

FWIW, I really have not found anything that I could not do. It may well be the case that I'm really not that good at box-blading anyway but at my level of skill, its not the tractor's performance that gets in the way at all. I've done a little of everything too - quite successfully - box blading, digging post holes, landscape rake, bush hogging, snow blowing etc. etc. More than anything else it is just an irritant and a reminder that I would have preferred to not have the 'economy' tractor.

 

[emmy71]

In post #43 of this thread, I posted the pages from the parts manual for the 3ph valve. One page is titled "Old Valve" and has two different part numbers with serial numbers. The other page is titled "New Valve" and shows still a different part number. Can anyone cross reference these numbers to the L3010.

Terry

 

[Toy Camry]

Came across this interesting tidbit of advice on the Kubota Tractor USA "Kubota Ten Commandments of Tractor Safety" web page.

" Practice smooth, even transfer of loads. Sudden, jerky movements are dangerous and can damage equipment. "

In Kubota's own words "Sudden, jerky movements" much like the way our 3 point hitches operate !

Not only is it very difficult using our position control valve to accurately position our lift arms I am also concerned that the violent jerking is not particularly good (or safe) for our tractors or the implements that we put on them.

The above quote can be found at the following link.

Kubota Tractor USA - Ten Commandments

Although it is under the Backhoe Safety section I am confident that this bit of Kubota Safety advice applies to general operation of the Tractor as well.

Safety / liability issues can often get priority when it comes to management...just a thought.

 

[Harvest Moon]

In post #43 of this thread, I posted the pages from the parts manual for the 3ph valve. One page is titled "Old Valve" and has two different part numbers with serial numbers. The other page is titled "New Valve" and shows still a different part number. Can anyone cross reference these numbers to the L3010.

Terry

Terry, I cross referenced the numbers posted in #59 of this thread with parts books for the L3010 and L3400 I found on the web. This information should be accurate but I can't prove John Deere didn't put it out there in some brand war conspiracy.

Toy, VERY GOOD POINT.

 

[emmy71]

Terry, I cross referenced the numbers posted in #59 of this thread with parts books for the L3010 and L3400 I found on the web. This information should be accurate but I can't prove John Deere didn't put it out there in some brand war conspiracy.

Toy, VERY GOOD POINT.

Good research. I must have missed that post. The pages I have from the parts manual are close to what you have with the serial numbers being a little different, but I don't think that makes any difference in this case.

Terry

 

[Harvest Moon]

Good research. I must have missed that post. The pages I have from the parts manual are close to what you have with the serial numbers being a little different, but I don't think that makes any difference in this case.

Terry

Not sure why the serial numbers differ but I remember reading a post that listed different serial numbers for the L2800. My reference indicates the L3400 DT/HST.

 

[jeconn]

Have you had any more luck with part numbers to fix our problem?

 

[Harvest Moon]

No luck here, don't really expect to dig into it till I'm either really board or really frustrated. All my good tractoring projects are on hold for indoor work right now... Funny, I hate being inside when the weather is nice, don't mind too much being outside when the weather is bad.

Still hoping for a missing piece of the puzzle as I see it, it would be of great help if any L3010 owners reading could take a minute and respond to my L3010 owners question post.

Question for L3010 Owners: 3 point hitch - TractorByNet.com

 

[jeconn]

No luck here, don't really expect to dig into it till I'm either really board or really frustrated. Question for L3010 Owners: 3 point hitch - TractorByNet.com

Go outside and raise your 3ph. If your like me you will be really frustrated. I'm still working on Kubota to help us. You know the saying, "there is strength in numbers." I think we need to here from more frustrated 2800 and 3400 owners. I hear a lot of people say it's not good but I can deal with it. Not me!

 

[Harvest Moon]

I'm kinda thinking we're going to need to help ourselves on this one. I'm fairly sure if I want my valve changed I'm going to need $400, my WSM and about 8 hours (learning curve). I'm over 170 hours now and can't imagine Kubota fixing my tractor with the fight they've given others with brand new tractors. And I'm not too impressed with their latest upgrade work anyway.

A quick scan (rough count) of this thread and 7 people had the valve replaced and seem fairly content with it, two had it replaced and are still unhappy and two, me included, didn't get it replaced but would like to. I'm one of four currently unhappy posters and there are many thousands of these tractors out there.

That said, if you're reading this and you have one of these tractors and you're not happy, speak up and be counted!

At this point I'm just trying to figure out what the best option is, I'm not too interested in Kubotas option because I think they don't want my tractor to work well. Of course, if during my travels I come up with a better solution, I'll let everyone know.. unfortunately I might have to post it in another color.

 

[woodchuckie]

OK I'll be counted.I've had my 2800 for just under four years and 170 hours. It will jerk my heavy duty Squealer all over the trails I cut. But the real nightmare was when I needed to use a borrowed augur to drill a few post holes. I gave up on the first one worried I was going to tear it up the jerking was so violent. If the implement doesn't weigh several hundred pounds I can't use it. I did mention the problem at the dealer just to see if they had heard of the defect. This was three years ago while they were performing some very questionable warranty work and I didn't want to push it. But they claimed they didn't know of any problem. At that time some people had said their dealer had replaced their valve for free.

 

[redsmoke641]

My 3400 is brand new (10 hrs.) and I'm totally happy with it. I have bladed, box bladed, rotilled, and done loader work. The 3-point raises in 1/8 to 1/4 in. increments and I really like it for box blading. I can make it shake violently if I raise the lever very slowly ( which catches each increment on the lift), but if I just raise it, it comes up smooth. My JD4300 had a smooth lift, but I always had a hard time getting the box blade at the right place. I hope you guys can get your problems resoved. There's nothing worse than spending hard-earned money on a machine that isn't right, and a dealer that won't help. (I know that from my JD4300 experience).