F3080 wheels don't turn with steering wheel....sometimes. Anyone else???

[JOHNTHOMAS]

First F3080 is now 3 years old. I've noticed that sometimes I'm whipping the steering wheel around and do the go pedal and the F doesn't go the direction that I thought it should with the steering wheel turning that I did. Rear steering wheels are not turning when steering wheel is turned. This has happened a time or two during a 4 hour mowing session on hillside. Barlows has been unable to find any problem and seems Kubota has no in house memos covering this issue.
Moving on to newest F3080 that is in its first mowing season. It is doing this 10 times or more worse than my older one. Can actually see wheels are not turning while turning steering wheel. Starting to be a bother so is any other F owner experiencing this problem?????

 

[milkman]

Hey John, might just be the nut behind the wheel.:laughing: A few on here with the BX have had a similar problem and it turns out to be the seals in the steering cylinder are leaking internally. There is a kit to replace those seals on the BX and I would think that your F uses a similar set up. Hope you get it fixed.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/87375-steering-wanders.html

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Hey John, might just be the nut behind the wheel.:laughing: A few on here with the BX have had a similar problem and it turns out to be the seals in the steering cylinder are leaking internally. There is a kit to replace those seals on the BX and I would think that your F uses a similar set up. Hope you get it fixed.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/87375-steering-wanders.html

Checked the loose nut and it's tight.
I talked to Steve Barlow today and he called someone who said no history of my problem with the F3080 but Steve thinks it could be foaming/bubbling up the Hyd fluid and I should check dipstick next time it does it and if there are air bubbles on the stick then that will prove one possible problem.
I'll take a copy of your thread also for their consideration. This is my new F3080 with under 15 hours and this is its first mowing season, the one that is doing it the worst.
Thanks for info. Still have a 2 bottom plow for sale.:laughing:

 

[Leejohn]

See if there is a filter in the suction line, maybe check that.

 

[murphy1244]

Hey John, Went and bought a Ventrac 4500 today. Could not find any dealers here to look at a F series Kubota. Hope you find your problem.

 

[milkman]

With the hills you mow, could be sucking air, or does it do it on the flat also? Be interesting to find what the culprit is.

 

[TailDragon]

John, were you locked in 4wd on the hillsides? Have not had that problem in over 900 hours. Were you stopped when turning the steering wheel? I normally am moving when cranking the spinner knob for sharp turns.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

See if there is a filter in the suction line, maybe check that.

Will ask Barlows if there is a filter

Hey John, Went and bought a Ventrac 4500 today. Could not find any dealers here to look at a F series Kubota. Hope you find your problem.

Congratulations!

With the hills you mow, could be sucking air, or does it do it on the flat also? Be interesting to find what the culprit is.

First F3080 only done it on steep hill and only rarely but new one is doing it on flats and hills.

John, were you locked in 4wd on the hillsides? Have not had that problem in over 900 hours. Were you stopped when turning the steering wheel? I normally am moving when cranking the spinner knob for sharp turns.

I never move/lock the 4wd lever only keep it in the "other" position. I occasionally engage the diff lock foot pedal but rarely. I'm moving, hardly ever stop. I'm a rapid action mower:laughing: that puts the pedal down to a speed that I can survive the bounce and go with rapid turning of steering wheel and tearing up grass on turns. Well, I was last mowing since the ground was so wet from everv day rain and had to mow in between forcasted rain. Steve Barlow believes it's getting air and wants me to check dipstick the next time it does it. Also will give him the info from Milkman to see if he considered the seals. I won't be mowing again for a few weeks so will keep post active when/if I find a solution/fix.

 

[TailDragon]

Any news on this issue? No problems with my 3680 in over 925 hours but the steering valve may be different.

Second question after reading old threads: you had pictures of your past. Have you tried another Dodge after your problems with the first one ? The only one I have had was a 1952 M37.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Any news on this issue? No problems with my 3680 in over 925 hours but the steering valve may be different.

Second question after reading old threads: you had pictures of your past. Have you tried another Dodge after your problems with the first one ? The only one I have had was a 1952 M37.

Been on vacation and grass grown about a foot in places so I'll be checking it out this week if it will stop raining. Going to check for bubbles on the dip stick when it does it again.
Have had several Dodges after the 1935 model and all worked fine without burning quarts of oil with gallons of gas.