Loader LA1153 Loader on Kubota M6040

[gullagej]

I have a fairly new (65 hours) Kubota M6040 with a LA1153 loader that I bought new. While moving some snow yesterday, one of the 2 main pins that holds the loader assembly in place, fell out. I was pushing snow into a bank and the failure caused the loader to swing to the left thereby bending the main frame on the left side. My dealer, Chappell tractor of Milford, NH said it will not be covered on warranty because there is no broken part that caused the problem. The poor design of the pin that does not keep the pin from falling out is not a "broken part" so tough luck for me. The service manager said that both Kubota and New Holland have the same pin design with a sliding pin the goes through a hole on the frame. It seems to me that a jarring of the tractor during normal plowing operation could allow the pin to dislodge and fall out. He said it has never happened before. Personally, I think the sliding pin should have a hole drilled in it and a spring pin through the hole to prevent the sliding pin from disengaging. I plan to do that fail safe myself once the tractor is repaired. In fact, the LA1153 owners manual states under "Reinstalling the Loader Important: 6. Stop the engine. Reinstall the mounting pins and secure them with the spring pins." So someone thinks there were or should be spring pins on the assembly like I do. Anyone else have a similar problem? Thank you, Jack

 

[DT86]

Ouch!

Have you got any way to share some pictures?

 

[ovrszd]

I've not heard of this before either. But I believe that's what happened. I can't imagine you would have installed the loader and not correctly located the retaining pin.

That problem could be fixed relatively easy with a couple springs, washers and a welder. I'll rig up something and post pics when I get done.

Sorry for your troubles. Hopefully you have a metal shop nearby that can fix the frame??

 

[gullagej]

I think the easiest fix for this is to drill the sliding pins and put a spring or cotter pin through them so they can't pull back through the hole that is supposed to keep them from turning. I have a mobile heavy equipment repair guy that I know coming by next week to look at it. It will have to be heated and bent back in place. It was about 3 degrees here when it happened and I'm surprised it didn't break. Thanks for the note.

 

[ovrszd]

Yep, a hole thru the pin so when installed a cotter pin could be inserted that would stop the pin from jumping upward enough to come out. ONly down side is you now must have a pair of pliers or something to bend/straighten the cotter pin,,, and most importantly you now have to hang onto the cotter pin when hooking/unhooking. That's why I liked the spring idea, no loose parts.

I scrounged my shop for a spring and can't find one.

Another easy fix might be a 1" long slice of a bicycle inner tube. Punch a hole in it. Push the latch pin thru the hole from the inside of the tube. Pull the tube up the pin until you can stretch it over the large pin and the latch pin. The pin wouldn't be able to jump out then because the top end would be held down by the stretched tube. The tube would act as a spring.

 

[gullagej]

I like your tube idea. I almost never remove my loader (and I hadn't prior to this happening) so I'm not too concerned about having to have some pliers or losing the cotter pin. I would like to see your spring idea if you ever use it.

 

[foreman Etexas]

The pins have a small pin that goes threw it and into a slotted hole right? I have done a lot of pushing dirt,brush,hay bales and never had a pin come out several hundred hours of rough work,hate to hear that you have messed up your frame and only had it a short time... Insurance will cover it...

 

[wmonroe]

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=353118"/>The pins have a small pin that goes threw it and into a slotted hole right? I have done a lot of pushing dirt,brush,hay bales and never had a pin come out several hundred hours of rough work,hate to hear that you have messed up your frame and only had it a short time... Insurance will cover it...

That is the same setup mine has to keep the pins from coming out.

Sorry to hear of your troubles, do you have Kubota insurance? Will they cover it?

 

[gullagej]

No insurance. Thanks.

 

[whis]

I have over 2500 hr on 7040 don't think there is anyway for pin to come out own its own.