Some things about new Yanmars that could REALLY be better designed.

[TnAndy]

Came UPS this afternoon. I'll post pics as soon as I get a chance.

 

[Katahdin]

Its been 5 days. TnAndy must still be out in the bush trying to break his new LX stabilizers. :laughing:

 

[scoutcub]

Its been 5 days. TnAndy must still be out in the bush trying to break his new LX stabilizers. :laughing:

Guess that means they're holding up....?? :laughing:

 

[WoodChuckDad]

Came UPS this afternoon. I'll post pics as soon as I get a chance.

I am waiting to see what you came up with. I am getting closer to my tractor purchase and the LX4900 is in my list of finalists.

 

[TnAndy]

Sorry, been busy....they've been laying in the box until I put them on today, because I'm gonna bush hog some in a little while, and that is when I think I'm bending these.....they can't take backing up the bush hog if you hit anything that stops you.

Here's the new next to the old, new on the left. (one of the bent pcs on the far right) Seems a bit shorter adjusted about midway. To adjust, you pull the ring pin that is in one of the threaded ends, then turn the buckle, then put the pin back in. Not near as handy as the original version, but I guess if it holds up, it will do.

You'll also have to rig a tarp strap or something to keep them from swinging into the tires when nothing is mounted on the back...again, kind of un-handy....

Here's the part number IF you have to buy one:

And while I'm at it, here is my tool box mount. Piece of 2x2 angle welded between the ROPS, then mount an after market tool box on it so you can haul some TOOLS around with you.....like a BFH, a pipe wrench, and so on, you need from time to time and won't fit in that little fender box. (Is a handy place to keep some hand cleaner and shop rags though)

Oh yeah...the electrical tape on the signal lights ? Lost the lens 2-3 times until I did that.....yet ANOTHER thing they need to re-design. How hard is it to get a lamp assembly the dadgum LENS won't pop out of ?

 

[Katahdin]

Thanks for posting the pictures. I'm kind of ho-humm about the new design so I'll keep my existing stabilizers for now. Luckily I haven't broken any links this season, but I haven't tried to re-claim any overgrown ground either. I hope these hold up better for you!

 

[Raised on a Deere]

In a pinch I took my second set of broken links to a welding shop, not feeling good about the prospects of getting anything that would hold up, but to my delight he seems to have made a more sturdy link. All he did was take some flat stock that matched the thickness of the broken stock, cut it to length, rounded the edges by grinding so he could get maximum amount of material to slide up into the linkage and then he cut off the old loops and welded them onto the new piece. He drilled the holes, to match the old piece. It looks the same as the old except for finish, and it functions the same which I like. It is taking the beating much better than the stock ones did. It would be great if the whole thing was just a bit stockier for our size tractors but by being careful when hitching up to set the pins in such that the link under tension takes up all slack before the opposite link comes into compression, I have avoided any further troubles this past summer. Tractor saw heavy use by me and other drivers this summer and although this has been a nuisance, and a disappointment in the overall design it has not kept me from enjoying what has otherwise been a remarkable performer.

 

[TnAndy]

OK....more brake issues. Am I the only one that expects the parking brake to actually HOLD the tractor in place on a slope ??


Been having trouble with the parking brake locking good. I already knew what the problem was, just putting off fixing it. I could feel it slipping in the notches that engage the park brake. But today when I had a round bale on the FEL, and parked on a slope, got off to open the gate to the feeder I put my round bales in, and the tractor started to roll. NO GOOD....hate to be rolled over by my own tractor, so to the shop it went.

The problem is the notches in the brake 'pawl'. They were THAT deep to start with, and with some wear, there simply isn't enough metal to hold the brake pedals when you step down. So, off came the pawl again, along with that aggravating round spring, and I took a thin cutting wheel on a hand grinder and cut the notches deeper so the little tit on the left brake pedal will actually have SOMETHING to catch.

This is the pawl, modified. If you look at the right end, that is the original notches by Yanmar. I didn't bother to cut them deeper since the brake doesn't engage on that end anyway....it only starts about mid-way....where I did cut the notches deeper.

While I was under there, I also noticed the spring that is supposed to hold the left brake pedal up in the normal position (one spring on each pedal) was simply flopping around....because the L shaped piece of metal (still on the spring end) that was 'sorta' welded to the pedal shaft wasn't welded anymore.....and in looking at it when I got it off, you could see why. A little tack on each side, and one side had ZERO penetration, so the spring finally broke the other side, which was barely welded on to start with. Wow....some welding job.

See a little holding on the right side, nothing on the left...weld did nothing, no penetration of the pedal shaft.

The "L" piece itself. Again some penetration on the right, none to the shaft on the left. Weld simply popped off with the bracket.

Yeah....and to get TO the pedal shaft, you have to remove the hood cowling (instrument mounting), the fuel lever, all to get to one bolt that goes thru the top of the left pedal shaft. The right pedal simply comes off by removing a half moon clip on the end of the pedal shaft....but NOT the left one ! (which, of course, it the one the spring bracket broke on).

So, about 3 hours of disassembly, welding, painting the welds (went ahead and welded the right pedal bracket while it was off), reassembly.

Grrrrrrrrrr

 

[Raised on a Deere]

Thanks for posting TnAndy. No trouble with mine yet but I am now ready for trouble��

 

[redman135]

Just a comment on the turnbuckle. The MF 240 had a similar design and it was prone to seizing up after 6 months of use, particularly if it was covered in clay slurry during winter when feeding stock. It needed to be unwound and the threads wire brushed and greased and reassembled every 6months or you could wring it's neck(did 3 like that).
The best solution was a turnbuckle that had a solid tube central section that kept mud out and generously greasing the threaded section and reassembling, and giving it an annual grease