Transmission Cases

[Kubota 2350]

Been looking at a 3046 cab tractor and found the rear axle is all aluminum, the axle on my 4310 is steel or iron
{a magnet sticks to it} anyway do you guy's think it'll hold up?
Might look elsewhere,
Greatly disappointed to find this, and not sure if I'll go through with the deal.

Both these are the Ehydro models

 

[Kubota 2350]

Anyone have one of these tractors?
Would like some feed back before I spend $35,000+.

Guess they must be OK, if people were having troubles it would be talked about somewhere.

 

[MMagis]

It would take some serious abuse to ever cause any real damage. That being said, I don’t have any personal experience. Maybe do some looking online for examples of aluminum tractor housings being damaged. I’ve never heard of it myself, so my guess is it’s a non-issue.

 

[ch1ch2]

I do not know why you would want to buy it.
You obviously have concerns. Trust your intuitions.
My concerns would be strength and weight. I am sure they could design strength into it but did they? Do you need weight? Most tractor operators do.

 

[Kubota 2350]

I do not know why you would want to buy it.
You obviously have concerns. Trust your intuitions.
My concerns would be strength and weight. I am sure they could design strength into it but did they? Do you need weight? Most tractor operators do.

I like the tractor, I want a cab, this tractor fits the bill, just not sure about the transmission cases be aluminum.
The tractor weights around 3700 pounds, I don't think weight will be a problem..

 

[Kubota 2350]

Guess I'm not going to worry about it too much, talked to my insurance guy and he said if I hit something and break it, it's covered by my insurance.

 

[jenkinsph]

I do not know why you would want to buy it.
You obviously have concerns. Trust your intuitions.
My concerns would be strength and weight. I am sure they could design strength into it but did they? Do you need weight? Most tractor operators do.

Why would you come on the Deere forum to run down Deere equipment? Crap gets really tiresome

 

[jenkinsph]

Guess I'm not going to worry about it too much, talked to my insurance guy and he said if I hit something and break it, it's covered by my insurance.

The only problem I have heard of with the aluminum case has been with improperly mounted backhoe that did not utilize a frame mounting. The 4xxx and up series does have a steel case fwiw.

 

[JMER817]

A lot of concerns on this site over aluminum cases. I haven't heard of any major catastrophes. Think about it, auto engines and transmissions are made of aluminum, airplanes use aluminum components, and the "tough" F150 now too!

 

[eagle107]

Been looking at a 3046 cab tractor and found the rear axle is all aluminum, the axle on my 4310 is steel or iron {a magnet sticks to it} anyway do you guy's think it'll hold up? Might look elsewhere, Greatly disappointed to find this, and not sure if I'll go through with the deal. Both these are the Ehydro models

My uncle has a 3520 for almost eight years which has the aluminum axle. He uses his tractor hard and never once had an issue. He also is a heavy equipment operator and been the Operating Engineers Union for over 35 years so he knows what he is doing, and knows how to use and push a machine to it limits. It when you start abusing things is when things will break on any machine or tractor. I would not worry, Deere has a lot of these tractors in service.

 

[oldballs]

Are we talking about "axles",, or "cases"? Seems like a big difference to me. ....just wondering??

 

[Gary Fowler]

I fail to understand the logic of putting a lightweight aluminum rear end on a tractor where weight is your friend. I could understand this on a lawnmower or even a small garden tractor but not on a tractor weighing 3700# as the OP says. I would certainly look at a model with cast steel all the way. The aluminum MAY BE AS strong or even stronger than steel if designed right and with the right aluminum alloy, but I would prefer to have the extra weight of steel on my tractors.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

This is a non issue, there's been tons of talk of on the aluminum case over the years but I can recall one actual issue. The 3 series has been using them for over 10 years. I would not hesitate to by one.

Matt

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

duplicate

 

[eagle107]

This is a non issue, there's been tons of talk of on the aluminum case over the years but I can recall one actual issue. The 3 series has been using them for over 10 years. I would not hesitate to by one. Matt

Agreed. Deere would not keep building them if they were failing. The 10 year plus track record would prove that. I would not be afraid of the aluminum cases. It really comes down to what you like and what you want.

 

[ch1ch2]

They make aluminum cases so you will have to buy the weight you will need.

 

[kennyd]

This is a non issue, there's been tons of talk of on the aluminum case over the years but I can recall one actual issue. The 3 series has been using them for over 10 years. I would not hesitate to by one.

Matt

Exactly. And the 4x00 and 4x10 series before that had them also.
Can they be damaged? Sure...But you can find damaged cast iron cases broken too from abuse.

 

[Kubota 2350]

Exactly. And the 4x00 and 4x10 series before that had them also.
Can they be damaged? Sure...But you can find damaged cast iron cases broken too from abuse.

Good point, I pulled the trigger and ordered it, should be here in a couple of weeks.

 

[RoyJackson]

Exactly. And the 4x00 and 4x10 series before that had them also.
Can they be damaged? Sure...But you can find damaged cast iron cases broken too from abuse.

Yup...had a 4400 before the current machine (and if the 4400 had a cab, I'd still have it)...aluminum case back there with no problems.
I have read (on TBN and other forums) of the cases cracking when backhoes were mounted. IIRC, this was limited to those machines with 3PH 'hoes, not the subframe models.

 

[oldpilgrim]

there's a thread on this site somewhere where a guy busted the housing where the tow bar slides in.