New Kubota M9000 with mediocre a/c - common?

[landcruiser]

My best friend just bought a brand new Kubota M9000 cab/air tractor to bale hay with. He likes it except for the a/c. It simply isn't cold enough. Just won't cut it in this Texas heat. Is this common on these tractor's? After he bought it and became concerned about the "cool" a/c (instead of "ice cold") he was told they had a problem on the early model M9000's with weak a/c systems. But, he was told Kubota "fixed" this issue on the new models. What's up? His tractor was bought in August of 2004 and all seems well, the compressor runs smooth and quiet. It doesn't cycle fast like it's low on freon but it just isn't cold enough. He has an old 780 Hesston that he rakes with and it will freeze you out of the tractor. Sad that this new M9000 won't.

 

[DK45C_Dave]

In the summer of 2003, Ravencraft Kubota, the dealer where I was shopping Kubotas said that some hay guys in SE Kansas were having some troubles keeping hay out of the radiators but Kubota had a fix on the way. I was not sure if he meant between radiators or just the front. Nor am I sure if engine heating or mediocre a/c was the complaint. Not much help but your friends is not the first hay related question on the M9000.

 

[Gatorboy]

With all that window area, the heat builds up fast. Down in Florida, my dad had that similar problem with his John Deere's. His solution was to put dark tint on the windows. Every tractor they have now has dark tinted windows. You may want to give this suggestion to your friend.

 

[BCF]

For what it's worth, I've got a new L5030 with a cab and the a/c has worked surprisingly well in North Texas. Granted, I've not had any experience with other tractors for comparison. If he's haying, airborne debris may be clogging the radiator and a/c coils.

Nelson

 

[KennyV]

I’ve got a 1998 L4200… AC was not as cold as I thought it should be, so as Dave has said, dark tint, I put it on the glass… Helped out a LOT.

Still was not cold, /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gifI checked the return air path… If it is still the same on the later models as it was on mine, I found very little insulation between the return path and the outside (orange) roof. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gifI bought a roll of insulation, the type that looks like bubble wrap with silver foil on both sides. This stuff is only ¼” thick but it keeps the sun heat load off the return air in the roof of the cab. I attached that to the underside of the outer orange roof. That made a tremendous difference. I now rarely have the blower on High. It gets cold in the cab on medium. This has worked for the past couple years. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Remove a few of the perimeter bolts on top of the cab (outside). Look under and see if there is any insulation. If not this will help.

 

[landcruiser]

Kenny V, you make the best point. It's sad he would have to do such to get the a/c to work decent on a brand new tractor. As for the tint, I'm sure that would help a lot also. There is absolutely no debris/hay in the radiator or the condensor as there are screens that are easily cleaned and he keeps them clean. I still have a problem with having to tint the windows and add insulation. Like I said, he has a approx. 20 year old Hesston 780 without tint and you can't keep it on hi cool and stay in the cab even at 95-100 degree Texas days. Kubota needs some serious work if all there cab tractors need extra insulation in the roof and tint to make them cold enough. I am a Kubota guy, but this is a VERY bad design issue on a cab tractor.

 

[teddydo]

I had a course in AC years ago. A set of gauges would tell the story on whether the condenser has adaquate air flow or not. I like the idea of insulating the top of the cab. I personally do not like tinted glass. So far my 4330 frezzes me down here in North Mississippi. I would also check the liquid reciever site glass to be sure the system isn't low or refrigerant. luck to all

 

[jeffmc134]

i have a 4900 with the ultra cab II and it freezes me out.

 

[Gatorboy]

<font color="blue"> Kubota needs some serious work if all there cab tractors need extra insulation in the roof and tint to make them cold enough. </font>

Like I stated earlier -- John Deere has the same problem. Having that much glass enclosing such a small area is the prime reason for the problem.

 

[KennyV]

Landcruiser …I forgot aother thing he could check… The hot water shut off valve for his HEATER. On my L4200 it is a manual shut off, if it is on, that will also put a lot of extra heat the system has to deal with.

There is nothing as nice as cold A/C cab. You can spend all day in there and it never seems like work.
KennyV