Obsolete parts

[repete]

On my L2550DT, with the glide shift, it is sad when I need a piece of transmission linkage and I get the response after I find and order it online of "part no longer available". Hmmmm.

 

[rScotty]

You would think that they would make the blueprint available. Then you could have one made having some idea which dimensions are critical
As it is, I guess if you have any of the old pieces you could still make one..... depending on what it is of course. Or is that even an option? I wonder what people will do when parts become unavailable? Unavailable parts seems like an increasingly likely part of our future.

How is the L2550DT doing otherwise? It's got to be 30 years old at least. What has it's life been like and what is aging? JD, Ford, iH, and some others built their reputation on tractors that lasted way beyond what anyone expected. They were icons: visible and indestructible. I'm curious if Kubota will join them.
rScotty

 

[jeff9366]

In "normal" times Kubota is very good with legacy parts.

However, since Covid, low volume legacy parts are off the radar.

 

[JWR]

On my L2550DT, with the glide shift, it is sad when I need a piece of transmission linkage and I get the response after I find and order it online of "part no longer available". Hmmmm.

Not familiar with Wash State but back East there are several salvage yards. You might try searching around for salvage yards and see if the linkage could be had there. If you had some good photos of the parts pieces, you could probably confirm it being the right stuff and get it shipped to you if it is too far to drive. As rScotty said above though if you have the old parts pieces surely some shop near you can make replacements.

 

[seville009]

Some local dealers might still have the old part in stock; just call around and ask. I've found that the local dealer pricing on parts is generally quite close to internet pricing.

 

[cathy liebchen]

We replace tractors at 8-10 years old for this and other reasons.

 

[JasperFrank]

I would love to start a whole new thread, but I figure to start here.

What are the hardest parts to find? I'm thinking that if no one else will make them, maybe I could, if it was worth it.

 

[diesel85]

We replace tractors at 8-10 years old for this and other reasons.

Some of us don't have that kind of disposable income.

I'm still waiting to get my hands on a L3901. But ya know, right now isn't the time with what is going on in the world.... and if that were the case, if I had that much money, I'd source the part and send it to the OP for free...

 

[repete]

You would think that they would make the blueprint available. Then you could have one made having some idea which dimensions are critical
As it is, I guess if you have any of the old pieces you could still make one..... depending on what it is of course. Or is that even an option? I wonder what people will do when parts become unavailable? Unavailable parts seems like an increasingly likely part of our future.

How is the L2550DT doing otherwise? It's got to be 30 years old at least. What has it's life been like and what is aging? JD, Ford, iH, and some others built their reputation on tractors that lasted way beyond what anyone expected. They were icons: visible and indestructible. I'm curious if Kubota will join them.
rScotty

The tractor has done me well for over 6100 hours. 1984 I believe. Tough hours too I might add. Repairs have been doable in my shop and for a tractor that developed 75 acres, it is still going strong.

I had an issue with front wheel bearings going out and housings cracked then I studied how I had turned the wheels to the wider stance to match the rears. Once I took the load off the outer bearing and centered the wheel over both front bearings I have had no issues for over a couple thousand hours. I had to split it a couple years back to do the clutch. Had to put in a new front pinion gear due to a bearing failure and the coupler on the front driveline stripped out. All in all I think it has done a remarkable job for a little machine. Lots of little inconsequential things like belts and starters, typical of anything I suppose.

The part I am lacking is the final lever for the forward reverse shifter going into the transmission. About a 30 spline connection with about a 3" arm. Just wear in the spline after so much shifting.

It gets regular greasing and an oil change every 100 hours like clockwork. Hydraulic filter every year and hydraulic fluid and filter every 300 or so hours.

Gregg

 

[repete]

Some of us don't have that kind of disposable income.

I'm still waiting to get my hands on a L3901. But ya know, right now isn't the time with what is going on in the world.... and if that were the case, if I had that much money, I'd source the part and send it to the OP for free...

This is the first part not available at the dealer. Tractor with backhoe, blade and a few other items was about 12K. Had it 32 years so beyond maintenance it has cost me $375/year to own. I suspect whatever I broke on this one I likely would have broken on another.

Just a side note, my neighbor sent a picture to our local JD dealer of my old Kubota finishing the job his little JD tractor started with 100 hours on it was out of service waiting for parts to repair it.

Gregg

 

[IrishLoader]

The part I am lacking is the final lever for the forward reverse shifter going into the transmission. About a 30 spline connection with about a 3" arm. Just wear in the spline after so much shifting.


Gregg

Howdy Gregg,

Did you by chance try Messick's? And do you have a part #?

 

[Jchonline]

On my L2550DT, with the glide shift, it is sad when I need a piece of transmission linkage and I get the response after I find and order it online of "part no longer available". Hmmmm.

Which website did you use to order it from?

 

[repete]

From Messicks: "Dear Customer I regret to inform you that part 32430-23280 LEVER, SHUTTLE is no longer available thru Messicks or any of our obsolete vendors. Your order has been canceled and your credit card has not been charged. We are sorry for this inconvenience."
Same response from my local dealer. Tried looking for parts tractors but struck out and if I had found one possibly run the risk of a part similar to mine due to wear. I may just ID the spline and make one myself.
I found a work around for now but finding the correct new part would be the ultimate solution of course.

 

[SDT]

In "normal" times Kubota is very good with legacy parts.

However, since Covid, low volume legacy parts are off the radar.

Agreed, better than many.

 

[SDT]

Some local dealers might still have the old part in stock; just call around and ask. I've found that the local dealer pricing on parts is generally quite close to internet pricing.

Any dealer parts department can check available dealer stock for NLS parts if they choose to do so.

Doubt that this can be done online by consumers.

 

[rScotty]

The tractor has done me well for over 6100 hours. 1984 I believe. Tough hours too I might add. Repairs have been doable in my shop and for a tractor that developed 75 acres, it is still going strong.

I had an issue with front wheel bearings going out and housings cracked then I studied how I had turned the wheels to the wider stance to match the rears. Once I took the load off the outer bearing and centered the wheel over both front bearings I have had no issues for over a couple thousand hours. I had to split it a couple years back to do the clutch. Had to put in a new front pinion gear due to a bearing failure and the coupler on the front driveline stripped out. All in all I think it has done a remarkable job for a little machine. Lots of little inconsequential things like belts and starters, typical of anything I suppose.

The part I am lacking is the final lever for the forward reverse shifter going into the transmission. About a 30 spline connection with about a 3" arm. Just wear in the spline after so much shifting.

It gets regular greasing and an oil change every 100 hours like clockwork. Hydraulic filter every year and hydraulic fluid and filter every 300 or so hours.

Gregg

Dang! That is a serious amount of hours and sounds like it has been about as good as anything mechanical can be. And thank you for all the information.

Noticed that you didn't say anything about wear on engine, transmission, or hydraulics. That's pretty impressive. It sounds like a tractor worth some effort to keep it going.

How do you like glide shift after all those hours?

Hm... a short splined shaft with worn splines. That's a stinker. Machinable, but not a simple job. I see you gave a part number. Gotta go see what it looks like for myself.
rScotty

 

[rScotty]

From Messicks: "Dear Customer I regret to inform you that part 32430-23280 LEVER, SHUTTLE is no longer available thru Messicks or any of our obsolete vendors. Your order has been canceled and your credit card has not been charged. We are sorry for this inconvenience."
Same response from my local dealer. Tried looking for parts tractors but struck out and if I had found one possibly run the risk of a part similar to mine due to wear. I may just ID the spline and make one myself.
I found a work around for now but finding the correct new part would be the ultimate solution of course.

OK. I went to Messicks and see the part. My guess is that a temporary fix would be to drill and tap the lever and put in a socket head grub screw (set screw) to tighten the splines. Of course that messes up the splined shaft that the lever fits on....

What's more interesting is that Kubota uses that same lever on 16 different GST models including some later ones. AND that on several of those models there is a serial number break. Photos show that the serial number break was to add another leverage point to the lever when used on different models....and a new part number. Same price & looks to be the same piece.
New serial number is nearly the same; only the final digit is changed: 32430-23283.
See the inset to the right on the photo below for the L3450DT-GST.

It might be worth seeing if they have that one. I'd be willing to bet $42.10 it's the same part.
How is the shaft # 090? Is it usable?
rScotty

 

[repete]

A couple weeks ago I did EXACTLY as you suggested but I added two 1/4-20 cap screws with locking nuts and sacrificed the potential damage to the shaft thinking if I found the part in the future a die grinder would easily remove the damage. Great minds think alike!!!!!!!!!

Shaft appears to be fine as it is the harder of the two.

 

[azbinder]

IIRC, if the last digit is the only change, IE from 0 to 2 or 3, it should work. It is a factory part update to the original part.

 

[whitetiger]

A couple weeks ago I did EXACTLY as you suggested but I added two 1/4-20 cap screws with locking nuts and sacrificed the potential damage to the shaft thinking if I found the part in the future a die grinder would easily remove the damage. Great minds think alike!!!!!!!!!

Shaft appears to be fine as it is the harder of the two.

It appears that the spline is the same on the two-part numbers so the worst case would be to cut the arm from the old splined hub and weld it onto the new splined hub.