New Tractor: Three Point Hitch Came Apart (see pictures)

[workinonit]

Based on some of the things I read on here it sounds like most new tractor buyers should assume the dealer didn't touch the tractor pre-delivery because in many cases it seems that's not far from reality. My dealer has a single guy that preps most if not all of the new deliveries. He is excellent.

 

[5030]

I assume nothing and check everything regularly.

 

[PILOON]

I could write a whole book on bad dealer prep.

OK, not on tractors but I sure had more than my share on new cars.
Here are a few.

A left front wheel departed due to no lube @ 6 K miles.
A differential seize solid due to no lube @ 1k miles.
Rear window blow out @ 30 miles. Same day as delivery.
Dangerous sudden lurching on left passing turns at highway speeds.
Oil filters that would not retain oil at 1st oil change.
A fan that departed and ate the radiator @ 12K miles.
Wild steering was result of wrong torqueing of wheel studs. Cost a new rim.

So my preference is off lease one driver vehicles now.
Let somebody else have all the 'fun'.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

My dealer delivered and installed the mid mount mower on my new tractor last summer, as it was not available when he delivered the tractor. An hour after he'd left, he texted me to check two adjusting nuts for tightness, he didn't recall tightening them completely. I checked right away, they were tight. Not perfect, but adequate for me.

Took my tractor to dealer for hydraulic work. Brought it home, parked it, next morning hydraulic fluid all over the floor. Mechanic loose fit the lines and forgot to tighten any of them. Sadly, you have to check up after everyone who does any work (from mechanics to home repairs, etc.) these days.

 

[sea2summit]

All turnbuckles work the same way, and all are vulnerable to coming undone if not locked. It is very low operator burden to check that they're suitably locked, as compared to a potentially complex and expensive mechanism to lock them. I have often found that complex and expensive locking mechanisms (and I see a lot of them on airplanes) will wear/fail/seize, and not release when needed. You end up breaking it off, and replacing it with the more simple version that you wish you'd had from in the first place.

If, on a machine, particularly one which works outside in the dirt, a mechanism can be simple, operated with a wrench (or Visegrips), and is very low cost to repair if I let it seize, that's what I want, and I'm prepared to do daily checks to assure security, rather than suffer frustration and expense when the automatic complex thing fails.

Ummmm, no? There are many quality designs that lock the turnbuckle without tools that are very simple.

 

[sea2summit]

Based on some of the things I read on here it sounds like most new tractor buyers should assume the dealer didn't touch the tractor pre-delivery because in many cases it seems that's not far from reality. My dealer has a single guy that preps most if not all of the new deliveries. He is excellent.

I'm not saying anything against you're dealer, sounds like a great guy to work with. But almost every manual says check all this stuff within or at the first 10 hrs of operation, things happen. Operators need to be on top of it.

 

[workinonit]

I agree. Thus my post. I checked the common item things on mine that would normally go sideways and didn't find any issues. I think it's always a good idea for especially a new operator to go over a new tractor thoroughly if for no other reason to learn what things are and how they work. On my old tractor when I bought it new I kept hearing a noise. Found out all the lug nuts were loose. Actually had lost a couple. Lesson learned.

 

[Cycledude]

All turnbuckles work the same way, and all are vulnerable to coming undone if not locked. It is very low operator burden to check that they're suitably locked, as compared to a potentially complex and expensive mechanism to lock them. I have often found that complex and expensive locking mechanisms (and I see a lot of them on airplanes) will wear/fail/seize, and not release when needed. You end up breaking it off, and replacing it with the more simple version that you wish you'd had from in the first place.

If, on a machine, particularly one which works outside in the dirt, a mechanism can be simple, operated with a wrench (or Visegrips), and is very low cost to repair if I let it seize, that's what I want, and I'm prepared to do daily checks to assure security, rather than suffer frustration and expense when the automatic complex thing fails.

Glad to see that you prefer that system but I would do whatever I could to avoid buying a system set up as lousy as that . Yes it saves the manufacturer a little money but often winds up costing the owner much more time and money to fix it.
Been working around tractors my entire life and never saw such lousy three point setups until these newer small tractors and the more they can sell with the cheap lousy design the more they will continue to build.
Another lousy thing on these new small tractors is no break away hydraulic couplers, just hate to think of the possible problems caused if someone happens to drive away from some machine after forgetting to unhook the hydraulic hoses.

 

[saxon11]

Thank you all for suggestions. Moral of story is I need to get intimate with the user manual and inspect this machine every time i use it. I put it back on for now:

 

[Midniteoyl]

just hate to think of the possible problems caused if someone happens to drive away from some machine after forgetting to unhook the hydraulic hoses.

I just did that yesterday. Dropped the grapple off and started backing up having completely forgot to undo the hoses..

 

[Jims1025R]

Glad to see that you prefer that system but I would do whatever I could to avoid buying a system set up as lousy as that . Yes it saves the manufacturer a little money but often winds up costing the owner much more time and money to fix it.

Fair enough. A trouble free, very low cost solution is to forgo the adjustable lift link, and replace it with a second fixed link if you don't need to adjust the angle of the three point accessory. Sure, the turnbuckle is a simple, low cost solution to the possible need to adjust the angle, it's not a required adjustment, if you don't need it!

After spending a lifetime enduring ever increasing complexity, both mechanical, and more recently computer systems, I am more an more saying "give me simple, I'll operate it responsibly for the privilege of not having to endure its needless complexity!".

To drift the thread, but in the theme, I drive a manual transmission, eight year old car. I love it, it has a steering wheel connected to the front wheels - directly. I rented a very similar car overseas last week, "hey, let me try the most recent version of my car, 'see what it's like!". What a mistake! Driving the Autobahn at 125MPH, the lane narrows for construction, and the car's steering wheel fights me to follow the white lane line into the new barrier, rather than the yellow construction lane lines! When I insist on actually driving in the lane, it vibrates the steering wheel at me! So, no new car for me for as long as I can manage - I do not want nanny systems!

So, I will understand my equipment (read the manual), check it as appropriate before operating it, and have it properly maintained, in return for simplicity in life! I'm going out to check my three point lift arm adjustment now!

 

[Gord Baker]

Perhaps it was the camera lens but that lower arm appeared to have a serious bend in it.
Are you sure you didn't back into something or pull radially on it?

 

[PILOON]

I just did that yesterday. Dropped the grapple off and started backing up having completely forgot to undo the hoses..

LOL, I was welding and wife called for lunch.
I later drove off and yanked the cables off of my welder as I'd not detached them.

 

[5030]

So my preference is off lease one driver vehicles now.
Let somebody else have all the 'fun'.

So is mine. In fact the only way I purchase a 'new vehicle'. I buy off lease low mileage turn in's that still have factory warranty left and then I extend that a way. My philosophy about a new car or truck is, don't care if someone drove it and let them pay the depreciation, not me. With what a 'new car or truck costs today, it's the only logical way to buy. I can typically get them for 1/2 sticker. Never had issue one with any, I let the new car leasee take the hit and deal with the issues. Bought my wife's Suburban that way. Off lease low mileage loaded to the hilt 4x4 with a 350 V8. Ever has backseat TV. All leather, air suspension, alloy wheels, mor gizmo's than China has Rice. Stickered for 85, I bought it for 35 cash. Only thing I wish it was, was triple black so we could play Presidential.. it's deep red metallic with tan interior.

Did the same with my Ford Focus RS. Off lease, female owned, 6 speed rocket ship. 12K cash. Sticker was 26. That little sucker is a sleeper too. I can top 120 on an on ramp if I mash it and if I drive my age, gets 40mpg.

I would never, never buy a new vehicle. Worst investment you can ever make.

 

[jayhawk238]

For what it's worth when I buy a tractor I also buy the shop manual. My dealer is over 125 miles away and the closest "town" is 65 miles. So if I have a problem and need to talk to a mechanic we are at least looking at the same picture. That has saved me hundreds and hundreds of $$ over the years.

 

[oosik]

You ARE really remote - Jayhawk. Several years ago I drove down to Boise to pick up some cargo. Decided I'd take the scenic route home. Hwy 15 - I think - up to Missoula. That was a LONG drive to Missoula and some very pretty and rugged country. As I found out - NOT a one day trip.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

Had the lug nuts come loose on my Kubota L6060 at about 100 hours. Check your lug nuts!

CHECK YOUR LUG NUTS!!!

I'm sure this has been discussed here many times, but today, I learned the hard way. My L6060 has just over 100 hours on it now. I ran it for about 3 hours this morning, then put my daughter on it for about another 3 hours. When she finished the job, she loaded it on the trailer. I took it...

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[sea2summit]

For what it's worth when I buy a tractor I also buy the shop manual. My dealer is over 125 miles away and the closest "town" is 65 miles. So if I have a problem and need to talk to a mechanic we are at least looking at the same picture. That has saved me hundreds and hundreds of $$ over the years.

Most over priced yet under valued book you can buy after you get a tractor!

 

[piper184]

If this had happened to me I would have said "Oops" & looked around to see if there are any witnesses and put it back together. Then grabbed the wrench from the tractor tool box and snugged the lock nut. It is there because I adjust the links a lot during tractor use, depending on what I am doing. Then I would have given the tractor an extra "look-see" (pre-flight to pilots) to see if I missed anything else.

What are these dealers y'all talk of? What is a service department? Oh, I see them, there they are in the mirror looking at me.

A long ago boss used to say "don't sweat the small stuff". That and "split tails, they all look the same upside down".

 

[JWR]

New tractor, with about 10 hours on it (not using the three point hitch). To my dismay when I walked up to it this morning, my 3-point hitch section must have rattled loose. Am I suppose to be checking and tightening this or some other issue?

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So somebody left things loose ... what in heaven's name did you do !!?? Back over it !!?? How did it get all bent up like that ?