MT357 Loader flex

[Typhoon]

Ok so I have had my MT357 HC for a year now. 250 hours, no problems, I absolutely love it. My last tractor was a Kioti DK40. I had the Kioti for 10 years. I cannot find any weak points on the new LS, but there is 1 thing that has been bugging me. It's not necessarily a problem.. but it has my attention. I have a sawmill and I am constantly carrying logs on my forks. On the LS, I have noticed the loader mounts seem to flex more than I am used to. In other words, on my old Kioti, even with a heavy load on the forks, the loader seemed more "solid" with the tractor, if that makes sense... whereas with the LS, if I am driving with a load on the forks and steer to the left or right, the tractor moves independent of the loader for a split second.. the loader flexes more than on the kioti. Has anyone else noticed this with the LS? It seems to do it more to the left and right, as opposed to up and down.. which makes sense because the mounts are not made to handle side forces as well. But it's just a weird feeling to me, because the kioti loader didn't do this. I will say in the same breath though, it hasn't caused any problems. I have carried a lot of heavy loads through the woods and to the sawmill, and it's still perfectly straight and works well. The flexing just makes me feel uneasy. Anybody else???

 

[Cycledude]

I am a LS XR4155 owner, very similar tractor just the version built before the MT357 , I haven’t noticed any of the flexing you described but will be watching for it next time I use the loader for something heavy. Mine currently has 370 trouble free hours.
i wonder if maybe you have some loose or missing bolts somewhere that you haven’t noticed.

 

[RSR]

Like cycledude, I have an XR4145. I've never noticed any side to side play. I have, very infrequently, noticed some slight up/down bounce when carrying heavy loads. When I do, it's a signal to me that I need to slow down and go a little easier.

 

[m5guy]

I have 280hrs on my 357. If I carry a whole tree top in the grapple, like 20ish feet long, I see some flex like you speak of. I try to do things like that as infrequently as possible.
I have enjoyed 2 years trouble free as well.

 

[Typhoon]

I am a LS XR4155 owner, very similar tractor just the version built before the MT357 , I haven’t noticed any of the flexing you described but will be watching for it next time I use the loader for something heavy. Mine currently has 370 trouble free hours.
i wonder if maybe you have some loose or missing bolts somewhere that you haven’t noticed.

This isn't a loose bolt issue.. I frequently check my loader bolts with a torque wrench, they have never loosened at all. When I first got the tractor, I took the loader bolts out and put threadlocker on them and re-installed. They stay tight. Nothing is loose, this is the steel loader mounts flexing slightly from side to side. If you want to see what I am talking about, load your bucket or forks with about 1,000 lbs of anything.. then drive forward on a smooth surface and cycle your steering wheel back and forth to create a little side force on the loader. What I see is the loader moving side to side independently of the tractor. It's not much, maybe an inch. I can actually see the loader mounts flexing slightly. Like I said, I am probably worrying about nothing, it has not caused an issue.. it's just different from the Kioti. With the Kioti, the loader did not have this flex.

 

[Avenger]

I believe the newer MT3 models have lighter duty loaders than the XR41xx models. While looking at a new MT357 at the dealership a year (gosh, maybe more now) ago, that was one of the things that looked different from my current XR. The loader seemed smaller, thinner, weaker perhaps. Without measuring, it just appeared to be so. I honestly didn't think much more past that as I continued to scope out the newer tractor.

I have absolutely pushed my loader to its max on several occasions. Most recently was lifting my backhoe attachment off a trailer. I was concerned about the front axle being damaged. I had to put my tiller on the back for more counter weight, just to lift it. But once its off the ground, I can drive, very slowly. And because I'm driving, I'm turning. I never noticed any flexing in the loader or mounting brackets. But that is with a heavy load off the ground.

When I DO see the loader flex, as you describe, is when I am engaging something that is on the ground. Example: coming into a pile of dirt to take a scoop. If I turn while pushing into the pile, I see the loader flex. I avoid this. Another time I see the loader flex is when I am pulling a tree out of the forest or pushing through brush with my grapple. If I turn, or the tree pushes me around, the loader will flex. If my tines are in the ground, driving forwards, and I turn, the loader will flex.

This flexing is not good, as I'm sure the OP knows. It can cause bending, metal fatigue, and breakage. Avoid flexing anything as much as possible.

But what I suspect is the loader is simply weaker built or has more play in the pins perhaps.

 

[Typhoon]

From what I can see, it's not the actual loader that is flexing, it's the loader mounts. In other words, the heavy arms that bolted to the tractor that the loader actually sits on. There is basically no flex up and down, but there is some movement side to side. I am probably worrying about nothing. The loader mounts look heavy and no different than other mounts on other tractors. It must not be too much of a problem, because there are thousands of LS tractors out there, and if loader mounts were breaking, we would certainly be hearing about it.

 

[TimberFarm]

I own a MT573 and I noticed on my loader there is flex. If I am digging into a pile the arms seem to push back depending on which side is taking more force. Just seems weak to me.
I have not used my loader a whole lot. I have a tree shear hooked up to it now and for the foreseeable future. But it sure seemed noticeable for the amount I did use it.
I also have a small JD 3203 and the loader on that is solid as a rock. The only "play" is in the JDQA points on the bucket.