Backhoe L48 sub frame broke

[Happy Gilmore]

I can't imagine that much water getting in there, remaining and ultimately freezing. It's bizarre, I'm agreeing with others who have posted regarding a defect in the steel. I'd really put some more pressure on the rep, you invested a lot of money on that machine new.

 

[skyhook]

I think Pepsiboy hit it on the head,
there was probably a slight crack before hand, it filled with water and rusted shut.

 

[NoNewParts]

No openings, it's a boxed frame made of rectangular tubular steel. Kubota rep thought it was from condensation.

condensation...wow...he is really grasping at straws there.
We don't even have to get into the impossibility of filling a space that big without a damp air entrance.....
Enough condensation to fill that tube would also have GALLONS of condensation water in the engine, trans, and rearend.....was there?
you live where it's cold, you know how relentless ice is. Tube would have bulged the entire length until it couldn't bulge no more,
then it would split the entire length, not just in one little spot.
Obvious steel or weld flaw there.

 

[Gator6x4]

Your Kubota dealer if full of BS. No way for condensation to form in a sealed area. There has to be a hole in the frame somewhere,possibly two with one or more on top of the frame and a drain hole that is stopped up which caused the frame to fill with water. In order for ice to split the box frame, it had to be completely full of water. You need to look more closely to find the hole(s).
I think I would look for a welder to weld up the split if no other damage is evident.
Is the $850 the cost of the frame and the rest labor to install?

Agree with that. I saw another piece of rectangular tubing that was swelled one time. The welder advised something about heat and gasses trapped caused it. Not being a welder I took his word. You may question a welding shop and see if what I was told is possible.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Agree with that. I saw another piece of rectangular tubing that was swelled one time. The welder advised something about heat and gasses trapped caused it. Not being a welder I took his word. You may question a welding shop and see if what I was told is possible.

Heating water would cause a bulge but just like Ice, it would swell the whole tubing and not just in a few spots prior to bursting. Also it takes enough heat to boil the water (above 212F) AND it would take a long time to build up enough pressure to burst the tubing. As in just welding a clip or something on it, would not produce enough steam to cause rupture.

I cant see how ice damaged just a few areas. If it had dips in it where all the water would settle, yes, but a long straight tube is unlikely to swell just one area then skip and area.
When you removed it, was it completely full of water?
Something really strange going on there.

 

[messtrap]

Here are the pics off the tractor, pics with frame resting on ground are the bottom of the frame, pics standing up are top of frame. Shot both sides of the frame so comparisons could be made.

 

[rbargeron]

You were right - the picture is worth a lot of words. The ballooning of the tube looks like repeated freezing and thawing over the winter of a full load of water, each cycle adding to the deformation. There had to be a crack somewhere allowing water to go in - with no way out.

 

[messtrap]

with the exception of the open crack, there is nothing else that penetrates that steel. I went over it with a fine tooth comb today. the new frame was suppose to come tomorrow, dealer called today, he called kubota this morning and it wont be here until next monday. they had to fabricate it. can't fix the hydraulic problem until i get the frame on. my faith in the orange is slowly disappearing.

 

[Pepsiboy]

View attachment 391575View attachment 391574View attachment 391573View attachment 391572View attachment 391571View attachment 391570View attachment 391569View attachment 391568
Here are the pics off the tractor, pics with frame resting on ground are the bottom of the frame, pics standing up are top of frame. Shot both sides of the frame so comparisons could be made.

messtrap,
What I see in pic 1, 3, and 5 tells me that the metal was defective from the start. When the frame was FORMED, there was a lamination at the point where it was formed. In the lamination there was probably some dirt or rust. This STARTED the bend to fail. USUALLY this type of defect can be seen by inspection at the factory. HOWEVER, there are times that it does not show up until a long time later. When it does, it fails. IMHO, I would try to get dealer to help you get the replacement free or at least at a VERY reduced cost. :2cents: Best of luck. Let me know what happens. :thumbsup:

Dave

 

[messtrap]

I understand what u r saying pepsiboy and will give it another "crack". Probably a losing battle, it took 3.5 months just to tell me I "need a new frame" from kubota's engineers. The next line was "there is nothing we can do for you".
My dealer battled for me and got them to give me 850.00 toward a new frame.