Some Zerk Stole My Grease Fitting

kemartin3 · Sep 3, 2002

Well, maybe not "stole," but....

I recently bought a used '99 model L3710. The Owner's Manaul expects there to be a zerk fitting on the front axle pivot (see attachment), which my tractor doesn't have. I suspect that this is one of those "design improvement" things that show up every now and again in the production runs. My question is whether this fitting is important enough that I should investigate doing a retrofit to add it. And...whether replacing the front pivot bracket is a simple R&R operation, or something complicated enough to give one pause.

Anyone out there run into this before, or have insight into the mysterious, elusive zerk.

Thanks,
Kevin

bsauter · Sep 4, 2002

My L3010 has that zerk. And it is a 2001. I would say that if you don't have it then I wouldn't bother with a retrofit as they may have done something a little different on the L3710. Maybe your manual covers a couple different models like mine and you just are not suppossed to have that zerk for some reason.

Taz · Sep 4, 2002

I am missing the same one from an '02 L4610.

Kub · Sep 5, 2002

Kevin, I wouldn't worry about it, there are plenty L's without the zerks. If it gives you trouble, then replace the front and rear assembly holders. The zerk is a design improvement but I can't tell you what year the improvement began. Kubota made the same improvements to the M4700DT/M5400DT after they made the first 500 or so. I have an L35 with the zerks on both assemblies and a L3410 without any, with the L35 being newer. Your attachment looks like it is a picture of the L4610 front axle and not the one for the smaller L's. Someone just replied about their 2002 L4610 not having the zerk but that may be because the L4610 is not really a 2002.

Remember that Kubotas are given the model year (birthday) when it is bought new. Even though it may be registered with Kubota as a 1999 or a 2002, it could have really been made in earlier years, lost in Kubota's warehouse or on some dealers lot or any number of reasons.

I bought a new L295DT in 1981 and it was registered as such (1981) with Kubota but in reality, per serial number check, the tractor was actually built in 1978! So it was a new 3 year old tractor. What a bummer. I didn't find this out until years later. One good thing, it was sold as a 1981 and not a 1978 and Kubota backs me up on that fact. I think this is why you can't find much about years built and serial numbers being published for the latest models. The 1978 list price was lower than the 1981 list, so I got taken but it was new. Does John Deere do this? There wasn't too many design changes back then, thank goodness.

I have noticed with my two L's that they have an EPA certification sticker on the inlet manifold or maybe the valve cover, which states the year it meets certification. That may be a clue as to really what year it is without checking serial numbers but I'll bet the sticker was applied here and not in Japan, so maybe not?

Years ago I had some reason to suspect a Kubota dealer blowing smoke about a new tractor I had just purchased, so I called Kubota's southern division and they referred me to their northern division for the info I requested. They gave me the build date or the date it was received in this country, can't remember which, and the original ordering dealer and date it was delivered, proving the dealer was blowing smoke on me. Needless to say, I don't deal with them anymore. Hope this info helps.

Kub

jhburke · Sep 5, 2002

It isn't only tractors that you have that problem. When I worked in the family spring repair shop, I was the parts mgr. We would get a motor home in for work and it would have been sold as a 19xx. But as I would find in trying to get parts for it, that actually it was built up to 5 years previously.
This was because the builder would order a large number of units and they would set on his lot til needed. They would always title the unit the year it was sold to customer.

mwechtal · Sep 5, 2002

That may not be the manufacturer / dealer trying to get away with something. The NY DMV wants the year that the motorhome was "manufactured". So, our 1990 motorhome has a 1989 chassis. Apparently the DMV considers the chassis just a part! (Ok we don't care what year your stove is, when was the vehicle built?)

In our case, the older chassis was actually an advantage. Our dealer ordered it for us that way, and we got a $1000 break on the price because of that.

Mike

kemartin3 · Sep 6, 2002

An update. Dropped by the dealer yesterday to get some oil. His comment was that "if there isn't a zerk, it is a sealed bearing; if there is one, then it isn't." Seems reasonable, though I don't have a history with the dealer, so his technical credibility is still an unknown. He also commented that he has seen cases where there was supposed to be a zerk, and Kubota had "forgotten" to drill/thread the hole, and install the zerk. Doh!

We looked up the axle holders on the parts fiche. For an L3710, it shows the zerk in the front holder (as identified in the owner's manual), AND another one in the rear holder. /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif The parts listing does show that there was a change around S/N #60000. And the part numbers for all machines (above and below S/N break) have been superceded to a common number (I assume the ones with the zerks). So...it would appear that Kub is correct in his thought that it was an "improvement." The dealer said he would contact Kubota and inquire about why the change was made and under what circumstances it would be advisable for someone to retrofit the new parts.