L47 TLB Three Point Installation Questions

[heliman]

First, I want to thank everyone on the forum for helping me grow into Tractor ownership.

I recently purchased the Kubota Three Point Hitch kit (L3961) for my L47 TLB. When I went to install the three-point hitch, I discovered that the lower link pins had a collar on the neck that increases the diameter on the pin. This is preventing the pin from being fully inserted into the tractor mounts. When I asked my Kubota dealer about this, they stated that these are the correct pins and that we should machine the collar off. This doesn稚 make sense to me given that this is the Kubota kit.

A few questions:
1) Has anyone experience this same issue? If so, what did you do?
2) Did they sell me the wrong kit?
3) Will machining the collar down impact the integrity of the pin and the whole three point hitch?
4) Will machining the collar down void the warranty on the tractor or the attachments?
5) Am I missing or doing something wrong on the install?

To help explain this, here are some photos:

Instructions:

Part #3 is the Pin that does not fit


The Lower Link Pin is part TA040-3941-2

This is a picture of the Pin.

 

[Peter 315]

Hold on I will go look

 

[Peter 315]

Hi ,Same pin is there paint inside the hole, Mine have grease on them

 

[heliman]

Peter,

Thank you for the reply. I really appreciate it.

I double checked the holes on the tractor and they do not have paint inside them. Just doesn't make sense why they don't fit.

Thanks again.

 

[TMGT]

Looking at the picture it appears the outer hole is also stepped for the pin, I would make sure there isn't any paint/rust/burs holding the pin up. Maybe take some emry cloth and clean the inside of the hole up.

 

[mikester]

My M59 pins don't have a step in them maybe your machine uses a different pin than the one provided. Did they order the kit based on your tractor serial number or model year only? There might be a newer/older kit number for your machine.

Did you try measuring the hole diameters on each side with a caliper? If all four holes are the same size that will confirm things for you.

 

[rScotty]

My M59 pins don't have a step in them maybe your machine uses a different pin than the one provided.

Now that's interesting! The pins for my M59 are also stepped . They look like the ones Heliman posted for his L47. So there must be more than one kit for the M59s and by extension could be more than one for the L47s.

This M59 is one of the first ones, one of the first group that came over and those were all bundled with a set of options which included the 3pt kit - which I've never installed or used. The 3pt kit just hangs in the barn doing nothing but making me feel guilty about never having even tried it to see if it fit...

So I don't know if my stepped pins will work or not. When it gets nicer outside today I'm going to lay down under the tractor and try. BTW, the two pin diameters are 21.9mm and 23.9 mm. So the holes should be 22 & 24 mm.

3) Will machining the collar down impact the integrity of the pin and the whole three point hitch?
Not theoretically. The critical shear shear resistance takes place on the smaller pin diameter as it is now. So reducing the bearing area in the area that contacts the cast iron tab on the tractor will not impact the integrity of the pin in shear.

4) Will machining the collar down void the warranty on the tractor or the attachments?
It shouldn't. The smaller hole through the cast mounting point on the tractor actually increases the strength there. And machining the pin doesn't change the shear strength of the pin because the part machined is the bushing area, not in the area most likely to fail - which is the area of the pin stressed in shear.
5.) Am I missing or doing something wrong on the install?
No idea....
rScotty

 

[Peter 315]

Now that's interesting! The pins for my M59 are also stepped . They look like the ones Heliman posted for his L47. So there must be more than one kit for the M59s and by extension could be more than one for the L47s.

This M59 is one of the first ones, one of the first group that came over and those were all bundled with a set of options which included the 3pt kit - which I've never installed or used. The 3pt kit just hangs in the barn doing nothing but making me feel guilty about never having even tried it to see if it fit...

So I don't know if my stepped pins will work or not. When it gets nicer outside today I'm going to lay down under the tractor and try. BTW, the two pin diameters are 21.9mm and 23.9 mm. So the holes should be 22 & 24 mm.

3) Will machining the collar down impact the integrity of the pin and the whole three point hitch?
Not theoretically. The critical shear shear resistance takes place on the smaller pin diameter as it is now. So reducing the bearing area in the area that contacts the cast iron tab on the tractor will not impact the integrity of the pin in shear.

4) Will machining the collar down void the warranty on the tractor or the attachments?
It shouldn't. The smaller hole through the cast mounting point on the tractor actually increases the strength there. And machining the pin doesn't change the shear strength of the pin because the part machined is the bushing area, not in the area most likely to fail - which is the area of the pin stressed in shear.
5.) Am I missing or doing something wrong on the install?
No idea....
rScotty

My 3 point hitch is under the tractor but the pins are in , I took the pin out it is also stepped same as the ones posted, I could go measure them . You should not have to do any work on the pins they should fit

 

[mikester]

Now that's interesting! The pins for my M59 are also stepped . They look like the ones Heliman posted for his L47. So there must be more than one kit for the M59s and by extension could be more than one for the L47s.

This M59 is one of the first ones, one of the first group that came over and those were all bundled with a set of options which included the 3pt kit - which I've never installed or used. The 3pt kit just hangs in the barn doing nothing but making me feel guilty about never having even tried it to see if it fit...

So I don't know if my stepped pins will work or not. When it gets nicer outside today I'm going to lay down under the tractor and try. BTW, the two pin diameters are 21.9mm and 23.9 mm. So the holes should be 22 & 24 mm.

3) Will machining the collar down impact the integrity of the pin and the whole three point hitch?
Not theoretically. The critical shear shear resistance takes place on the smaller pin diameter as it is now. So reducing the bearing area in the area that contacts the cast iron tab on the tractor will not impact the integrity of the pin in shear.

4) Will machining the collar down void the warranty on the tractor or the attachments?
It shouldn't. The smaller hole through the cast mounting point on the tractor actually increases the strength there. And machining the pin doesn't change the shear strength of the pin because the part machined is the bushing area, not in the area most likely to fail - which is the area of the pin stressed in shear.
5.) Am I missing or doing something wrong on the install?
No idea....
rScotty

Sometimer's disease must be rearing its ugly head...I just checked and yes my lower pins ARE stepped...and a tight fit.

TMGT is probably on the right track about checking things to be clean and rust free. Maybe a little steel wool on the inside of the hole might clean things up.

After seeing how tight mine were to go in I'd guess it's just a tight fit. I don't think machining down the pins is a great idea at most a little emery cloth on the pin and some anti-seize compound.

 

[rScotty]

Sometimer's disease must be rearing its ugly head...I just checked and yes my lower pins ARE stepped...and a tight fit.

TMGT is probably on the right track about checking things to be clean and rust free. Maybe a little steel wool on the inside of the hole might clean things up.

After seeing how tight mine were to go in I'd guess it's just a tight fit. I don't think machining down the pins is a great idea at most a little emery cloth on the pin and some anti-seize compound.

Well, that's good Mikester...you've just saved me from laying in the snow today trying to see if my M59 stepped pins fit. As long as they might, that's good enough for me.
I'm still wondering if the L47 and M59 (& M62?) share a common 3 point kit.
rScotty

 

[Peter 315]

Well, that's good Mikester...you've just saved me from laying in the snow today trying to see if my M59 stepped pins fit. As long as they might, that's good enough for me.
I'm still wondering if the L47 and M59 (& M62?) share a common 3 point kit.
rScotty

Two different prices on kubota's web site so they must be different

 

[mikester]

Well, that's good Mikester...you've just saved me from laying in the snow today trying to see if my M59 stepped pins fit. As long as they might, that's good enough for me.
I'm still wondering if the L47 and M59 (& M62?) share a common 3 point kit.
rScotty

I wonder now that you mention it...could heliman's tractor be sitting outside in the frosty outside and the pins are coming from a nice warm house/car/garage? That would make a nice tight fit if it was tight to start with...

 

[heliman]

Thank you. I tried the emry cloth and some light steel wool to clean it out and still no luck. I dropped the tractor off at the dealership so they can see what's going on. I appreciate everyone's help and will keep you posted on what they come back with.

 

[DanHen]

Weather cooperated today so I pulled the tractor out and climbed underneath to check the fittment of my pins. They are exactly the same as yours (stepped) and fit perfectly. I’d say the fit is tight enough that when fully inserted you have to work at getting it back out, no slop at all. You shouldn’t have to modify a brand new price of equipment. Something is being overlooked. I’m not real technical but do have a set of calipers I could measure mine with. Maybe I’ll do that and post the results tomorrow

 

[Peter 315]

Maybe the hole never got machined out:confused3: Well keep us posted, Thanks

 

[RichM752]

Mine fit like a glove with the step.

 

[heliman]

I appreciate everyone's help. After several attempts at different approaches, two sets of pins and an additional $200, the verdict came down to the holes where to small.

Thanks again for all the help. Now on to mowing.

 

[rScotty]

I appreciate everyone's help. After several attempts at different approaches, two sets of pins and an additional $200, the verdict came down to the holes where to small.

Thanks again for all the help. Now on to mowing.

Uh.....didn't we know that in the first place? It's got to be the first thing they did was to measure it. But how did you fix it? $200? For what? Machining the pins - about a $20 job at most - would be preferable to drilling out the hole, although either would work.

I wonder why the holes are tight and the pins are stepped in the first place? All in all, that way of designing a 3 pt arm pin is quite unusual. They must have had a reason for it, since that system is going to be more expensive to make than the common single diameter pin and keeper everyone else uses.

Maybe it's just me, but there's still some understanding I'm missing here. Did anyone ask Kubota to comment on the reason for the design?
rScotty

 

[TMGT]

Uh.....didn't we know that in the first place? It's got to be the first thing they did was to measure it. But how did you fix it? $200? For what? Machining the pins - about a $20 job at most - would be preferable to drilling out the hole, although either would work.

I wonder why the holes are tight and the pins are stepped in the first place? All in all, that way of designing a 3 pt arm pin is quite unusual. They must have had a reason for it, since that system is going to be more expensive to make than the common single diameter pin and keeper everyone else uses.

Maybe it's just me, but there's still some understanding I'm missing here. Did anyone ask Kubota to comment on the reason for the design?
rScotty

Typically stepped pins like that are used to aid in install/removal when a tighter fit is desired. Prevents the pin from corroding in place as easily (imagine removing a pin that's full length is the same with corrosion on it as opposed to to 2 small sections).

The other reason, which I doubt in this case, is to allow 2 different size pins to be used in one application like a cat1/cat2 implement.

I'm also confused why you had to pay $200 to remedy the problem?

 

[heliman]

Sorry for the delay in responding. The weather cooperated and I've spent every moment I could out in the field.

Scotty - Yep, I can state the obvious. Sorry for not being specific. The holes on the tractor needed to be machined out to specs.

TMGT and Scotty, I have to admit that I am extremely frustrated with my local dealer. They sold me the 3pt hitch, the tractor is still under warranty; yet, they refused to do anything unless I paid them to do the installation of the 3 pt. hitch. Very disappointing in the customer service department.

Thanks for all the help.