Montana Warranty

[xxxsandman]

I own an LG Montana 4540. It's got a little over 200 hours on it and about 1 1/2 years old. The only metal parts I've had fail is the big bolts that hold the FEL onto the frame sheared off one side while trying to push a heavy brush pile. I had trouble fiding the right quality of metric bolt to replace them with, so I called Montana. They sent me inferior 8.8 grade bolts. So I finally found some 10.9 grade at fastenall and ordered them. That was a bolt failure, NOT a metal failure in the tractor itself. Actually 4 bolts failed, but anyway.

I do feel the LG compacts seem to have flemsy sheet metal parts. For instance, the fenders are made of a combination of light sheet metal and plastic. They flex terribly when ANY weight is applied to them. I realize they are not made to be a weight bearing part of the tractor, but I feel it's only a matter of time before one gets damaged from a stick or something bumps it. Maybe I'm just used to the good old heavy iron tractors of yesterday.

James

 

[Unclebuck257]

Uncle Buck how do you like your Montana? How do they stack up against Kubota or a John Deere?

Stoner,

I owned a Kubota prior to this Montana and honestly, I think the Montana is as good a quality as the Kubota. In other words, equal to a Kubota. I have no idea about a John Deere, as I have never owned one and any opinion I might have would be based on something other than first hand knowledge.

 

[NewToy]

I own an LG Montana 4540. It's got a little over 200 hours on it and about 1 1/2 years old. The only metal parts I've had fail is the big bolts that hold the FEL onto the frame sheared off one side while trying to push a heavy brush pile. I had trouble fiding the right quality of metric bolt to replace them with, so I called Montana. They sent me inferior 8.8 grade bolts. So I finally found some 10.9 grade at fastenall and ordered them. That was a bolt failure, NOT a metal failure in the tractor itself. Actually 4 bolts failed, but anyway.

I do feel the LG compacts seem to have flemsy sheet metal parts. For instance, the fenders are made of a combination of light sheet metal and plastic. They flex terribly when ANY weight is applied to them. I realize they are not made to be a weight bearing part of the tractor, but I feel it's only a matter of time before one gets damaged from a stick or something bumps it. Maybe I'm just used to the good old heavy iron tractors of yesterday.

James

The fenders on the 270 and 320 FarmTracs are actually pretty stout. You can sit on them with no problem.

John

 

[citytransplant]

tractor about 1 1/2 years old... The only metal parts I've had fail is the big bolts that hold the FEL onto the frame sheared off one side while trying to push a heavy brush pile.
James

Being 1.5 yrs. old, am I correct in assuming you have the "dog leg" style (vs. curved boom) loader? Just curious.

 

[xxxsandman]

You are correct, traditional "original" Montana loader, not the curved boom loader. Hopefully they "beefed" up the curved boom and the mounting system it uses.

 

[Maka]

100% different and better. They are an incredible loader.

Maka

 

[Hulk4540]

Maka,

I don't suppose Montana has any kind of buy-up or swap out for the new loader from the old? I was reading the specs on the new loader and they are impressive. What interests me even more than the raw power (hars to believe) is the skid-steer compatibility for attachments.

I complained to my wife that I missed getting the new loader with the older model... she laughed at me. It's a new model year right - yes i said - did you expect it to get worse? Everyone wants a practical woman for a wife ... there are drawbacks.

Anyway, do you know of any such program - or if the loader is available aftermarket?

Mike

 

[jc7622]

One year old 5740C. 165 hard, hard hours. Only broken part was a hose fitting on the AC compressor. Warranty replaced two of these. The last one was visibly different and evidently much improved because it has held up since. No other problems.

My FEL is the older straight style Koyker, but it is skidsteer compatible. No problems with it either. It will lift right at about 2000# just like the manual claims.

JC

 

[BRUSHTAMERS]

Just hit 170+ hours on the 5740C. Only bolt that has backed off since 50 hr. service was the set bolt on the front axle pivot. Still love the frame and Koyker loader(dog leg, w/4in1 & forks). Reset hand idle speed last week as it seemed a little too high, had crept up to about 1200 rpm. Had it in the shop for a couple of days last week for lettering and a grill guard, and tie downs on the front end. Pictures to follow when I slow down a little. Can,t remember the poster from last year who complained about tin work on the Montanas, but theyr'e spot on. The grill is already buckling, and the lift arms on the three point are very weak. Admittedly, I had the boom flail on the tractor, and probably crowded it too far, but nothing I hadn't done with the "old tractor' without breaking the lift arm into many pieces.The rest of the tractor sreems to be pretty tough. Still have some issues with climate control in the cab. Mike will have to make a few rounds in the field this week, and see if this can be resolved

 

[gemini5362]

Define "substandard"

I think that it is reasonable to assume that some alloys cost more than others. Recycled metal costs less than pure alloy. Depending on the type of alloy it can be weak, strong, brittle, or flexible. Recycled metals are less predictable but if the types of alloys are reasonably known the properties can be reasonably predicted. Tractors made with higher contents of recycled metals may use thicker castings to compensate for the lower quality metal, however that doesn't mean it is substandard and many people prefer thick castings because they provide weight.

I have worked in a Mini Mill which basically is a steel mill that uses only recycled metal. I am not sure where you get your information about recycled alloys but let me clarify a couple of points for you.
1. Recycled metal is used as a base and then the proper alloys to get the metal composition that is desired is mixed in.
2. Due to newer technology, alloys from todays mini mills are of a much higher quality than older metal which was cast from ingots.
3. The quality of the manufactureing process and Quality Assurance process is such that the brittleness and maliability of steel from these mini mills is much more uniform through the whole part than it was years ago.