Rust getting bad all over my Kubota

[houstonscott]

This is how you keep a steel vehicle from rusting.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JauUjmXlTPE&feature=related]BMW Paintshop ECoat - YouTube[/ame]


Notice how it is rolled so there are no spots where bubbles would keep process from reaching an area. Wonder why you don't see any Toyota's or Honda's on road from the 1980's and you see old BMW's all the time.

HS

 

[TripleR]

We see quite a few 80's Hondas and Toyotas around here. I see my brother's 1986 rust free, trouble free Forerunner pretty often. We started buying them new in 88 and my mom had a mid 70's station wagon that was used until about a year ago. No, they aren't BMWs or Mercedes, but we have had really good service out of them.

 

[houstonscott]

I see zero in Houston.

HS

 

[RobertN]

I got my old B8200 in '98, and sold it a couple years ago. It was 12 years old when I got it, and from paint fade had obviously sat outside. I built a shed for it and the Farmall-A I had. Still get to see it; am friends with guy who bought it. He has it in a shed.

For 25 years old, with about 1400 hours now, the paint is faded, has dings and scratches. But, very little rust. Runs like a champ...

The NH TC40 I have now seems to have good paint on the metal. The hood, fenders ect are plastic. It is a 2002 or so. I wonder some times how the plastic will hold up. Then again, look at all the old Corvettes out there...

 

[TripleR]

I see zero in Houston.

HS

Must be a regional thing, I just got back from Cape and saw several. We are surrounded by counties designated as in poverty and people tend to keep their machines pretty long.

My daughter drove a BMW for years and loved it, she is trying a Benz right now, but don't know if she will keep it.

 

[GlennaR]

houstonscott said: Wonder why you don't see any Toyota's or Honda's on road from the 1980's and you see old BMW's all the time.


Stands to reason that you pay more you get more?????

I have had both a used BMW 7 series and used Toyota Camery. So far the Toyota has needed zero maintenance other than oil, filters n tires in 70,000+ miles. I can not say the same for the BMW. But it was less maintenance than my 2ooo Jetta diesel.

Unquestionably the BMW was lots more fun to drive and felt like a better car, but the maintenance records said exact opposite between the BMW n Camery. However, the Jet was a maintenance hog by far sadly, doubt I will ever buy another VW after all the extra parts n labor I needed to add to the cost of owning a diesel VW for only 9 years n 170,ooo miles. It should have gone 300,ooo - 400,ooo miles easy me thinks.........

 

[houstonscott]

Just wish tractors had similar anti-corrosion protections system on them. With many out in the open 24/7 it would seem a selling point for the manufacture willing to make the effort.

HS

 

[crazyal]

No rust on my Kubota and I can say for a fact that there is primer. Just look at the foot step, the Orange is gone but the white primer is still there. I wonder if it's a vibration issue. Maybe the joints in the steel move a little due to the vibrations rubbing the paint off.

 

[crazyal]

This is how you keep a steel vehicle from rusting.

BMW Paintshop ECoat - YouTube


Notice how it is rolled so there are no spots where bubbles would keep process from reaching an area. Wonder why you don't see any Toyota's or Honda's on road from the 1980's and you see old BMW's all the time.

HS

The only 80's BMW cars I've seen around here don't look safe to even be on the road.

I can remember when you bought an American car in the 70s/ 80s and paid for mud flaps the dealer would just put the car up on a lift and drive steel screws through the flap and into the steel fender. That usually made it about 2 years before rust would start. Thank god for the Japanese car companies who used a large hole with a plastic clip so the steel screw would never touch the steel fender or the paint on it. Now that's become the industry standard.

 

[BeezFun]

The only 80's BMW cars I've seen around here don't look safe to even be on the road.

Big ditto on that, probably because no one can afford to pay the repair costs on a beemer so they fall apart.

I can remember when you bought an American car in the 70s/ 80s and paid for mud flaps the dealer would just put the car up on a lift and drive steel screws through the flap and into the steel fender. That usually made it about 2 years before rust would start. Thank god for the Japanese car companies who used a large hole with a plastic clip so the steel screw would never touch the steel fender or the paint on it. Now that's become the industry standard.

I bought one of those cars and when I saw how they did it, I took the flaps off, drilled a hole for a rivet, primed the hole, fitted the mudflap and filled the hole with silicone before I riveted it. I just wish the Japanese would start making trailers, I'm so sick of fixing crappy electric connections, repainting all the rust where they drilled holes and left them bare, etc.

 

[houstonscott]

Bought a 79 Landcruser new. It rusted out right in front of my eyes. Within two years it was rusted through in many spots. Oh, I lived in California, no snow. Went through an exhaust manifold in first two years. By far worst vehicle I have bought. It was junk, no more Toyota's for me.

HS

 

[vtorangetrac]

My 1978 L245DT has very little rust on the fenders, though some on the FEL arms. My 2004 L5030 (just purchased) came with a fair amount of rust in the fenders and a bit in the floor (but that's where the cab mounts to it and crud collects there). Perhaps a lesser paint job with the new(er) models? Not sure the 245 has ever sen salt and I'm pretty sure the 5030 has done.

 

[jlrsn]

In plain English you were not at fault for the rust. What I'm saying is from the little that I can see in the photos it looks like Filiform Corrosion that I normally would see on aircraft aluminum surfaces (non-ferrous metals) that had been painted a year or two before and the residual acid of the surface treatment was not completely neutralized prior to the application of the primer coating. The tell-tale signs are the wormlike trails propagating from the initial deterioration of the paint at the seams. I've seen it before on ferrous metals (steel). I don't think that there is a way of stopping it as long as you have an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte joined by an external current circuit. In your case you have the moisture as the electrolyte and unless the affected areas are stripped to bare metal and treated with zinc and then top coated or the tractor is kept in an environment with the humidity well below 60% you are going to have a continuing problem. Good luck,
Jim

 

[Stopher]

Ok I admit Im a pretty big fan of Kubota tractors and I had L3400 then traded it in and got a L4400 back in 08. Well its been great I got about 650 something hours on it. Everything works to my expectations and power is great for what I due.

The thing that is starting to bother me is rust starthing show up all over the fenders. Anyplace where a panel is bolted to another panel is like a cancer that is just spreading up and down the seams.

I will have to add some photos. I just can see how in 4yrs all this rust would be starting to take over all my fenders. Yes the tractor sits outside but my Grandfather had 1960 something Alis Chalmers tractor and it didnt have the type of rust I got.

It wouldn't be from the use of fertilizer in a seeder behind the tractor would it? I've heard the dust from the fertilizer will make your tractor rust if not washed off after use.

 

[grsthegreat]

I also agree that the reason paints dont last , and steel rusts more these days are due to the lack of lead in the paints like the good old days. BMW and others left lead in their paints alot longer than the USA did, and their finishes lasted alot longer. I had a 1989 Ford Bronco that started to spider crack after 2 years. had to have the entire thing sanded and repainted under mfg warranty. These were the early non lead based paints. all sucked.

I also think that tractor paint jobs leave alot to be desired. There not put on thick enough overall. Tractors are also subjected to alot more flexing and abrasion than your car is. A $80,000 BMW will (or better) be getting a better paint job than a $20,000 tractor at any rate.

One thing is for sure, Kioti sure painted the HST and hydraulic filters with a heavy coat of paint. I was about to hire Arnold Schwarzenegger to help remove them.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I also think that tractor paint jobs leave alot to be desired. There not put on thick enough overall. Tractors are also subjected to alot more flexing and abrasion than your car is. A $80,000 BMW will (or better) be getting a better paint job than a $20,000 tractor at any rate.
quote]
Most BMWs are way under $80000, most, there are a few in or near that range but most are way under.
$20000 tractor.....yes there are $20,000 tractors but you can buy several BMWs for what some tractors sell for. Just saying.

 

[GlennaR]

Perhaps the point is:

Not necessarily better coloring of tractors is needed but defiantly better corrosion protection for tractors is mandated and available similar to the automotive industry since tractors are not disposable items......

 

[ericher69]

I certainly don't consider a 25k expense a disposable item!

The government mandates car paint and anti-corrosion measures?

 

[GlennaR]

ericher69 Said:

I certainly don't consider a 25k expense a disposable item!

The government mandates car paint and anti-corrosion measures?


I say:

I agree 1o1% on first sentence and do not know answer on second sentence.

I surmise vary few rich people drive small tractors, so any lobbyists hired in DC to make laws on tractor anti corrosion will only be concerned with the large factory farm size tractor's anti corrosion abilities???

After all, sure the rich wanna make n sell more tractors to the worker bees of society. However, their equipment must be manufactured to last a long time for "maximization of their investments"..............

Cynical old fart worker bee aren't I............................................

 

[grsthegreat]

I was on a Ford lot last month having my transmission serviced, and couldn't help looking at the new F350 extended cab 4x4 diesel on the lot. $54,000. Now this is WAY more expensive than my tractor...like 2x as expensive ... and lets face it a truck has a life expectancy these days of less than 10 years before major work needs to be done.

No one seems to think their truck can last 40 years... but they think their tractor should. Weird ah?