MX5100 Jerky 3pt hitch

[3boys865]

Purchased a new MX5100 a couple of weeks ago and want to know if any other MX5100 owners have experienced a jerky 3pt hitch? With a box blade on the 3pt, it is smooth when lowering and when raising quickly, but if you raise slowly, the hitch is pretty jerky. Jerky enough to bounce the tractor and make it very difficult to feather up the blade when grading.

Here is a link to a video showing what happens when raising the box blade slowly. MX5100 - YouTube

Is this typical for a MX5100?

 

[smweatherman]

Unfortunately, in my experience, yes. I have an MX4700 bought in Dec 2010. The 3pt acted just as you show on your video. Really annoying and even dangerous in some situations. Dealer tried to work with me and had tractor at shop for almost a month and even had BIG KUBOTA in to look at it. They tried adjusting the 3pt control valve, replaced the 3pt control valve and even tried a similar valve from a different tractor. Nothing improved the situation without causing other problems. The thinking was the output of the hydraulic pump, in gallons per minute is so high, and the volume of the single 3pt cylinder is so low, that it abruptly jerks the hitch up in increments instead of the nice, steady, slow rate you might expect when moving the control lever slowly. Instead of a steady, slow movement, it jerks up, then off, then up, then off.....

I finally installed a Pressure Compensating Flow Control Valve after the loader valve, but before the 3pt control valve. (Fluid goes to loader valve first, then 3pt, then rear remotes if installed.) I can reduce the amount of flow going to the 3pt (with excess dumping back to tank). So by adjusting the flow control valve I reduce the amount of fluid going to 3pt, it moves more slowly and much more smoothly. This also reduces flow to the rear remotes. I use that too when I have my snow blade on the FEL. The power angle is connected to rear remotes. By reducing the flow I can get the angle to change at a nice controlled rate instead of slamming back and forth or needing to be very delicate with the control lever. I really like the mod so far. It is a work around, not a fix, but has been more than sufficient for me. I only spent about $150 total, all bolt on, can be removed if needed. Also, this does not affect 3pt lift capacity, just speed, and if I set the flow control at the max setting none of the fluid bypasses and everything works like stock. The pressure drop across the valve I installed is less than 100psi at all flows and pressures so heat build up, pump wear, etc., should never be a problem.

Search for "Jeff's Homebrew Jerky Hitch" on this forum. I pretty much stole his idea that he used on a different tractor. If you are seriously interested I can give more specific info, pictures, etc....

Best of luck. The flow control valve and hydraulic top link are the best additions I have made to the tractor.

Wxman

 

[Peacock]

My personal MX5100 is very smooth in operation. Weird how one can be fine and another not, yet they can't diagnose the issue.

 

[case245]

i had an L3800 THAT DID THAT i traded it in on a 7040 that doesnt have the jerky hitch

 

[FatTire]

My MX5100 is jerky going up the first (and sometimes 2nd) time when it is below freezing outside. Once the warm fluid gets in there, no problem.

 

[Tomtint]

Don't get me going

 

[Herkypilot]

Yeah, my MX5100 has this "undocumented" feature also. It doesn't matter if the hydraulic fluid is cold or warmed up. I test drove a MX4700 HST and it did it also. Dealer said it wouldn't after the fluid warmed up, but we all know better don't we.

HP

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Mine seems fine. No problems so far, but only 6 hours on it. Ill be watching.

 

[k0ua]

Mine seems fine. No problems so far, but only 6 hours on it. Ill be watching.

If it was going to do it, it would have already done it. I used to own an L3400... it would almost jerk the front wheels off the ground with my ballast box on the rear and if you try to raise it slowly.. There are dozens of thread on the Kubota jerky 3pt hitch thing.. Here is my impression. the Older L3400/L2800 the majority of them have the jerky hitch thing to one extent or another.. the Newer L3200/L3800 seem maybe less than half have the problem.. Many owners report no problems. The L4700/L5100 seem to have even less incidence of the syndrome. You can read for days if you want to search for "jerky 3pt hitch". We have heard of a few people getting them fixed thru dealers but no one can explain how it was done. I messed around for months trying to get a couple of dealers to fix it, but long long story short.. no fix. Kubota Corporate called me after I traded it for a Kioti, and they said, well, since you don't own the tractor anymore... not much we can do..This is after months of trying to get the district manager thru the dealer to take an interest. Chilly807 and LD1, two good mechanics tried their best.. The fix is worse than what they were trying to cure. So bottom line if you have the problem, well you have a problem if it bothers you.. If you don't, your fine. Grand L's do not have the problem. Only some of the Standard L's.. as time goes on we see less and less complaints..But like yours it still rears its ugly head from time to time. Good luck

James K0UA

 

[Kyle241]

Mine is fine.

 

[Chilly807]

Yeah, pretty much what James said.. I spent a few weeks last winter working on mine. I initially cured the jerky upward motion by adjusting the valve to the specs in the service manual, but the side effects (implement settling/dropping a couple of inches when aux. hydraulics were used) were bad enough that I set it back to the original setting and have lived with it. I think SMweatherman had the same results with his dealer prior to installing the flow control valve.
If you think it's going to p*** you off long term, now's the time to act. Return the dam* thing while you still can, and tell them exactly why. Just thinking about it raises my blood pressure!!

Sean

 

[LD1]

Just thinking about it raises my blood pressure!!

Sean

:laughing:

Ditto what James and Sean said.

I have learned to just live with it, cause they are great tractor otherwise. But as Sean said, NOW is the time to act if you think you cannot live with it. Cause 5 years down the road, if you are unhappy still, its going to cost you a lot more then to trade up or trade out of that machine. But first I would get with the dealer. Some have been able to be fixed. Others not. Give them a chance. If they cant fix it, ditch it or live with it....your choice.

 

[3boys865]

Thanks for the input everyone. My dealer has been great and tried to fix the problem once already, but did not have much success. I really like the tractor otherwise, it it a great combination of power and size and is perfect for the grapple work I do. However, it is very difficult to spread gravel or dirt when grading because I can't feather up the box blade. I need to be able to maintain a 1000ft gravel driveway, so that was one of the reasons I needed the tractor.

It appears from the responses I have got that this is not a problem on every MX5100, some are smooth operating and some are not. My dealer has agreed to let me return the tractor and purchase another replacement. I could also let them try to fix it, but based on the stories I have seen here, the fix is not simple and not something that is guaranteed to work.

I would like to have the MX5100, but with a smooth 3pt hitch. What do you think the chances are of me getting another MX5100 with a smooth hitch? Or, should I look at investing in another model with the dual external cylinders like a M5140? I haven't seen any reports of jerky 3pt hitches from the M series or Grand L tractors.

All thoughts and opinions are welcome...

 

[pmhowe]

I ran into the problem with a new L4600. My dealer brought the district service rep from Kubota to look at it. Even with loaded tires and a modest load on the 3pt hitch the tractor hopped about. The service rep said he thought there was about one chance in ten of getting it fixed. I traded for an L4240. My advice would be to go for another MX series only if it is on a dealer's lot and you can test the lift before purchase. Good luck, and let us know how you make out.

 

[3boys865]

I ran into the problem with a new L4600. My dealer brought the district service rep from Kubota to look at it. Even with loaded tires and a modest load on the 3pt hitch the tractor hopped about. The service rep said he thought there was about one chance in ten of getting it fixed. I traded for an L4240. My advice would be to go for another MX series only if it is on a dealer's lot and you can test the lift before purchase. Good luck, and let us know how you make out.

I was also considering returning it for a L4240. How does the 3pt hitch operation compare? Is it smooth and can you easily feather up on it with a box blade? I test drove one before I bought the MX and really liked it. Only reservation I have about trading the MX for it is dropping the 8 hp. I think the loader is comparable and the 3pt capacity is actually higher though.

Overall are you happy with the move you made?

 

[k0ua]

I have not heard of any complaints about any of the grand L series of tractors ref the 3pt hitch.. Of course they are quite a bit more money, But they do offer some others advanced features, notably an advanced Hydrostatic transmission, that the owners all seem to really love when they figure it out. There are several other comfort and convenience features as well. I cannot for the life of me explain why some owners of the newer L series report no problems with their 3pt, and others (and my own experience) certainly do/did. Also the fact that not very many have reported a suitable "fix" is also somewhat unexplained in my mind. I can only relate my own experience. Good luck.

James K0UA

 

[3boys865]

I cannot for the life of me explain why some owners of the newer L series report no problems with their 3pt, and others (and my own experience) certainly do/did. Also the fact that not very many have reported a suitable "fix" is also somewhat unexplained in my mind. I can only relate my own experience. Good luck.

James K0UA

I can't explain it either....if it was a faulty design, seems like all the MX / L's would have the same problem. If it was faulty parts or workmanship, it would seem that replacing parts or identifying a fix would be possible. Only solutions I have seen are more of a work around instead of an actual identification of the problem and definitive fix. Hard to explain for a company like Kubota

 

[Chilly807]

I can't explain it either....if it was a faulty design, seems like all the MX / L's would have the same problem. If it was faulty parts or workmanship, it would seem that replacing parts or identifying a fix would be possible. Only solutions I have seen are more of a work around instead of an actual identification of the problem and definitive fix. Hard to explain for a company like Kubota

And that is the part that ticks me off the worst..

Anyway, like pmhowe said, I'd only get another MX5100 if you can try it first. Interesting odds, 1 in 10. Not something I'd bet $20K ++ on. No point in ordering one if it might be the same problem in my opinion.

I'm guessing they haven't given you the option to simply return your money, only the "buy a different Kubota tractor" avenue? At the risk of sounding like a conspiracy theorist, which I'm really not, it's like they're luring us in with the "cheap" tractors. Then when we discover there's a problem, the only way out is to spend more money on an upgrade. I'm not suggesting you do this, but I'd be interested to see what a good lawyer (is there such a thing?) could do with that in court.

Ok, enough spite from me.. if there's an explanation as to why some are better than others, I think a lot of it is the owner's expectations. What I consider jerky another owner might be happy with. Have you seen the Youtube videos I posted of mine?

I think some of the problem with them is the amount of free play/lost motion in the valve linkage under the transmission cover. If it was a simple hydraulic valve with no position control I think it'd be fine, but there is enough slop in the linkages that the 3pt can move quite a bit before the feedback linkage closes the valve again. I thought briefly about trying to spring load the linkage inside the tranny, but I had visions of a spring getting loose among the gears and decided it wasn't worth the risk.

You can probably smooth it out quite a bit by adding a flow control valve to the mix for about $100, like smweatherman did. They're on sale this week locally, it reminded me of this whole thing again.

Like the guys have said, I've not heard of any of the Grand L's having this problem to any degree at all. Good luck and keep us posted!

Sean

 

[scesnick]

I have 280 hours on mine and it is also fine.

 

[Herkypilot]

I have 280 hours on mine and it is also fine.

My understanding is it's not a problem that develops over time. Your tractor either has the problem from the factory or doesn't.