Montana 4540 design flaw?

[xxxsandman]

I have a Montana 4540 with about 100 hours on it. Mostly easy work around the homestead. I had mentioned before that the exhaust shooting out the side of the tractor caused the right FEL cylinder to turn black and look ugly. No big deal, I didn't buy the tractor to look pretty. But now I believe this causes more of a problem then looking bad. The right FEL hydraulic cylinder is leaking. It's leaking out the seal. I believe it's gettting worse, now dripping.
I believe this may have been caused by the tremendious heat that is applied to the cylinder from the exhaust blowing directly across it. I've touch it before after a good 1 hour of use and it is too hot to touch, several hundred degrees! The oposite cylinder is not leaking, in fact that's the only leak on the tractor. If it's not from heat, then it must be from the black suite that is left on the cylinder, building up and causing the seal to leak as it repeatly wipes it clean going up and down.

I haven't called Montana about this yet, but I will be soon, as the leak is getting worse. I don't have a local dealer, so I'm not sure what I will do. Taking the cylinder off looks easy enough, but shipping it to get it fixed will probably be costly. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

James

 

[jerrym4]

Montana will probably ship you a new cylinder. If not, you local Napa store will probably have everything you need to fix it yourself.

After you get the cylinder fixed your local muffler shop will be able to modify you exhaust such that you may prevent this problem in the future.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Several brands that I know of have exhausts that exit out the side and hit the FEL, none I know of hit the hydraulic cylinder, most hit the loader arm and turn it black. I don't know the effect of excessive heat on the cylinder, but I suspect your theory is probably correct.

Before you go forward with replacing the stuff at your cost, I would take it to the dealer and ask them to replace the cylinder and reroute the exhaust (maybe just point it down? or maybe just extend it a few inches so it misses the cylinder?). You should not have to pay to repair something that is not designed correctly. However, I've found that it usually is easier to get things done when I am nice and polite and make helpful suggestions, nobody likes to hear that they screwed up a design. Good luck with this, it seems like it would be an easy fix for either the dealer or Montana.

 

[montanaman]

James,

I'd just give Montana a call and see what they say. I'd also look into it and see it there is a dealer near you. There are about 250 dealers now so you may have one closer than you think!!

I can tell you first hand that the guys running Montana are serious about taking care of the customers and also providing the dealers with what they need to do so.

Please post back and let us know how it works out.

Ken

 

[xxxsandman]

I talked to Monana about this. They was quick to offer a new cylinder without hassle, so they get an A+ for customer service!

They admitted that there may be a problem with those tractors doing that. The person I talked to said they switched or are switching to a different brand loader, I think he said Kolker. He wanted to know what color my cylinder was and how the hoses hooked up, so I assume they must now have more then one loader out there for a 4540 already.

My dealer also has heard of this problem on the compact Montanas. He suggested I have a muffler shop make an elbo that will some how attach to the exhaust outlet to divert the exhaust away from the hydraulic cylinder. I think Montana should do this and offer it to all it's compact tractor owners with front end loaders. It would be cheaper for them then replacing hydraulic cylinders every 100 hours for 3 years. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Hulk4540]

I just had some warranty work don on my 4540, and I had the dealer contact Montana about the exhaust.

They sent him a pipe they had made-up, and he re-routed the exhaust so it blows down.

Thanks Sandman - your post saved me a failed cylinder.

 

[xxxsandman]

No problem! I might call and see about getting the exhaust mod, to save the new cylinder from another dripping death.

 

[montanaman]

I just installed the pipe on a tractor in for some service work the other day. I told you that Montana would handle this to your liking!! They truely are a good company that's working hard to gain happy customers and dealers and the LG product is a very well built machine.

Ken