Leaking Hydraulic Line - Same Repair 3 Times

[CompactTractorFan]

Be careful around small leaks. It's rare, but if you get hit with a micro-stream of hydraulic fluid, it can cause a gangrenous wound.

I think this calls for that picture that has been posted on here before...

 

[slowzuki]

It sounds like vibration cracking, common on steel hardlines. May need some rubber blocks added?

 

[lakeside]

I'm not familiar with your tractor model but I have worked extensively with hydraulics. You may be getting harmonic vibrations and if that's the case the lines will start vibrating more and more until something fails due to stress fractures. One way to get around that is to either, as suggested above, change your RPMs or perhaps clamp the line somewhere with a rubber damper. The damper will change the vibrations in the line which hopefully will solve the problem. If you can't clamp the line, try cutting an old inner tube into a strip and either hose clamp, tie wrap or use electical tape to tape the rubber to the line near where it's failing. It's a cheap try and shouldn't effect your warranty.

I agree, three replacement lines seems like a bit much. One bad original line and maybe another bad replacement but not a total of four lines. Kubota seems to be trying to fix a symptom and not the root cause.

Micro hydraulic leaks are very dangerous. You may not see the very fine stream of hydraulic fluid jetting out but it can go right through your skin. In fact medical injections were once, and may still be done using the same principle. Never ever leave you hand, even when gloved, on a hydraulic line.

 

[aa2tn]

I don't think he ran the tractor long enough to have a new line crack from vibration. I would want to know exactly where it was leaking. You can use a piece of paper to find where it is spraying from. It could be a bad flare on the fitting or (I am not sure how the fitting is in the tractor) maybe the housing is cracked where the fitting is threaded into it......Jim.

 

[cboudreau]

Thank-you all....I appreciate your feedback. I have the tractor back now, and working fine as you might suspect. If I were a betting man, I'd put money on the line leaking again soon though.

The dealer tells me that replacing the steel line is the only thing he can do since this is the "Kubota authorized repair". He suspects that Kubota will come up with a proper fix soon.

I've had some good feedback here. Sounds like it's one of three things:

1. Hydraulic Pressure
2. Vibration (and lack of rubber blocking)
3. A faulty male end to the JIC fitting...which is causing the female end on the line to fail.

My money is on #3. The next time this fails, I'm going to contact the Kubota Rep. The dealer has agreed that this problem will be resolved regardless of the warranty period now.

This continues to be frustrating, but at least everything is covered under warranty.

 

[aa2tn]

If the fitting itself is is bad (the male JIC flare), it should be an easy, cheap fix to change it or put a flare saver on it. ....

 

[DIXIEDOG]

Thank-you all....I appreciate your feedback. I have the tractor back now, and working fine as you might suspect. If I were a betting man, I'd put money on the line leaking again soon though.

The dealer tells me that replacing the steel line is the only thing he can do since this is the "Kubota authorized repair". He suspects that Kubota will come up with a proper fix soon.

I've had some good feedback here. Sounds like it's one of three things:

1. Hydraulic Pressure
2. Vibration (and lack of rubber blocking)
3. A faulty male end to the JIC fitting...which is causing the female end on the line to fail.

My money is on #3. The next time this fails, I'm going to contact the Kubota Rep. The dealer has agreed that this problem will be resolved regardless of the warranty period now.

This continues to be frustrating, but at least everything is covered under warranty.

I understand your frustration the BX 1860 is heading back to the dealer for the same repair for time number 4....it sucks. So many people have no problems at all but it seems like the lucky ones get tractors that can't stay out of the shop. The metal hydraulic line has been the only breakdown but when it breaks everytime you go to use it you might as well not have the tractor. Not even 2 yrs old having that line replaced 4 times is insane, my 70's something International just keeps going and going...pretty sad when I have to keep using it for everything because the new Kubota is broken.

The last time the dealer had it they replaced the line and the male fitting....no dice it's something else causing it.

 

[aa2tn]

I would try and put a hose on it and see if that works. It may be they have a bad batch of lines or tubing?

 

[lakeridge]

Is this the location of the leak?

 

[DIXIEDOG]

Is this the location of the leak?
View attachment 202456

This is the exact line that is cracking on the 1860....does this have a Technical Service Bulletin number or anything I could give to the service department to aid in the repair? It's back at the dealer right now for the fourth line replacement.