L5240 HST chatter

[snoboy58]

Our L5240 recently developed a chattering in forward and reverse. Tractor is used for snow blowing in a mountain neighborhood. Tractor has 665 hrs. We had to relocate the tractor by driving it due to no chance of maintenance in the location where noise developed so by the time we had driven it to where we could park it for trailering it had become extremely noisy and now barely moves. It's a loud chattering while driving, if stopped no noise, it does not make noise while operating implement hydraulics ie joy stick or 3 point or steering only a drive noise. In my mind it's as if the HST pump has failed or acting like clogged filter but Fluid and filters have maybe 50 hrs on them and fluid is full. Changed filters today just to see what we could see and suction filter magnet was covered with metal and the fluid that we drained from the suction filter was full of metal. Any hip shoot ideas? I already plan on taking to dealer but was hoping to hear some thoughts. Thanks
Mike

 

[moship]

I hope this isn't your issue, but given you are finding metal this thread might be helpful.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/386781-l5740hst-drivetrain-slipping-post4916919.html#post4916919

Read to the end as someone suggested there was a known problem on some of these units.

Good luck and let us know the outcome so others can learn.

 

[snoboy58]

Thank you moship, thats alot of information.

 

[Adiredneck]

How many hours on the 5240?

 

[moship]

OP stated 665 Hours in the original post.

 

[rbargeron]

Hip shot ideas: the symptoms sure point toward serious internal part failure. The problem might be in the HST, or it could be in the L-M-H range gears, or final drive gears/bearings, or even the brakes. Is it the same in 2wd/4wd?

Which of the filter(s) had metal debris inside? To run a distance making that kind of noise it sounds like something beyond the HST - in the travel gearing somewhere. No harm in hoping for the least checkbook damage. But there will definitely be some. Best luck, Dick B

 

[snoboy58]

Yes same in 2 or 4wd. It's definitely catastrophic failure of something expensive. Suction filter on R/H side of tractor was full of metal. It's the one with the magnet. The oil that drained out of the suction filter (aka Hydraulic filter) has so much brass in it that if it were gold I'd be rich. LOL. The Hst filter on the L/H side was clean and has no magnet to my knowledge.

 

[Adiredneck]

OP stated 665 Hours in the original post.

Whoops. I meant to ask what year.

 

[snoboy58]

I believe it's a 2007.

 

[Adiredneck]

I believe it's a 2007.

Oh. So is mine. I hope I'm not looking at the same problem. I'll hit 1000 hours this year. I guess it's time for a filter change and autopsy.

 

[TSO]

Sorry to hear about your problems, and I'd also lean toward some major internal failure with that much metal.

On the positive side, it's good to see you keeping your sense of humor. Others would immediately jump to bashing their tractor brand and swearing off ever owning one again. I'm sure you're frustrated, but you seem to look at things the same way i do (**** happens, roll with it)... Congrats for that anyhow

 

[rbargeron]

Mike,

First please accept my sympathy that your HST is toast. They ordinarily have a very low failure rate. A high percentage of symptoms are due to linkage and not a big deal. But when one of these units truly goes tango uniform its pretty nasty.

Multiple tractor operators shouldn't be the root cause here. HST tractors are actually more tolerant of inexperienced operators than clutch/geared type. But more operators can mean rougher treatment. Maybe a simple sign-in sheet for users would encourage reasonable operation?

 

[snoboy58]

Yes sir rbargeron that's a big 10/4. We have created log books for the Kubota and our plow truck (which I installed a hobbs meter in). We can now keep track of hrs in and hrs out and exactly what work was performed and by whom.