John Deere 4300 complete rebuild

[kennyd]

The 2nd and third pix are of a JD FEL retrofit latch, which I imagine is
a response to problems with the front QA mechanism on the 4x0 loaders.
These came out a year or so after the 4x00 tractors did, based on the
date of the instructions manual. This is not a problem if you use the two
bolt holes to secure the loader plate (3rd photo). Anyone have one of
these? Was there a recall notice? Maybe they were just installed by
the dealer or mfgr on units sold after mid-2000?

D,
The latch on mine-but never use it, it's somewhere in the garage. I just don't see how the plate can flip forward if the locking handle on the left mast is engaged. I think it may be a lawyer engineered device.

 

[mjncad]

...underside armor, ...

The 2nd and third pix are of a JD FEL retrofit latch, which I imagine is
a response to problems with the front QA mechanism on the 4x0 loaders.
These came out a year or so after the 4x00 tractors did, based on the
date of the instructions manual. This is not a problem if you use the two
bolt holes to secure the loader plate (3rd photo). Anyone have one of
these? Was there a recall notice? Maybe they were just installed by
the dealer or mfgr on units sold after mid-2000?

If you get a chance, I'd like to see some decent pictures of the under-armor for the hydraulic lines. The one earlier in this thread was OK; but I'd like to see how it interfaces with the loader quick-connects.

I have the latch you are talking about, and it came that way when I bought the 4200 new. If there was a recall, I don't know about it.

I think it may be a lawyer engineered device.

That's my guess too.

 

[dfkrug]

Yeah, I suspect the latch was a response to some complaints. I notice
that the FEL on the 4300 I just got has a VERY sloppy fit. At first I
thought it was tweaked, but now I see that one of the vertical masts
has as much as 1/4" gap between the cast "claw" and the square
tubing it is clamped to. The cast part has as much wear as the tubing.
I will fix this.

I wonder if a 4x0 FEL got sloppy enough, would the front QA plate
possibly come loose? Maybe that's why they have the latch bandaid.
Piece of mind, I guess.....

I will take some more pix of the new (er) unit. First, I am cleaning off
9 years of grease and dirt....a big job.

 

[mjncad]

I think the 4x0 loaders are sloppy due to the design of the claw and tubing interface, plus maybe the claw casting uses too soft of steel.

I've always felt the design puts a lot of stress on that casting.

 

[dfkrug]

Here are some pix of the underarmor, which is part of a rental service
upgrade kit sold by Deere. I posted one photo of another unit that had
this option a while back.

The plate is about 1/8" steel, and is bolted to existing holes. It does
not connect to the hydraulic line supports at all. Since it is mostly
horizontal, it collects quite a bit of dirt (cleaned off in photo). You
can see how nice the hardlines look, compared to the unprotected ones
on my rebuild. The armor does not protect the large steel pump inlet
line on the left side, or the central suction filter cover, however.

Also notice the two HST control rods in the first photo: they are totally
different from the bar stock used in my older rebuild unit. The unit here
seems to be a 2001 model, based on the date stamp on the 3-pt cyl
housing. Many differences!

 

[arrabil]

I just don't see how the plate can flip forward if the locking handle on the left mast is engaged.

I'm with KennyD. I don't have the latch and after using the tractor for a while I can't see why I would add it.

 

[mjncad]

Thanks for the pictures Dave; the last one answered my question as to how they handled the area around the quick-connects. I can imagine that armor will be a big dirt collector; but it beats shelling out bucks to repair hardlines.

You're right about the suction line and main discharge line being vulnerable.

BTW, the under-armor piece is still available; but the kit isn't, which is no big deal since the kit consists of the main piece, and some off the shelf fasteners.

 

[RoyJackson]

BTW, the under-armor piece is still available; but the kit isn't, which is no big deal since the kit consists of the main piece, and some off the shelf fasteners.

You wouldn't happen tohave a list of the part numbers, would you?

 

[dfkrug]

BTW, the under-armor piece is still available; but the kit isn't, which is no big deal since the kit consists of the main piece, and some off the shelf fasteners.

I do not recall any drawings or parts lists in my PDF parts doc, but I have
seen references to the "rental kit". Did you contact a JD dealer to find
out about the parts? Or are they "whole goods"?

No question, some form(s) of underside armor is highly advisable on these
tractors!

 

[arrabil]

Roy, the part number is LVU10950. $132.