LS Tractor XR4046H Broken Tie Rod Flange

[350zmo]

Bought a XR4046H last December with loader and backhoe along with a few attachments brush cutter, box blade, and tiller. Have used it to clear ground for a 33x60 steel building on concrete pad, a 16 by 80 concrete pad, a 28 by 33 footer for an addition, put in a chirt road, moved and set several telephone poles, mowed etc and then after digging a 12 x12 concrete above ground storm shelter base and hauling crushed rock for the base KAPOW. The tie rod flange snapped. Very loud. Dealer - Haney Equipment in Athens repaired it under warranty and said this was the third broken hub he has seen. He said there was a batch of bad hubs. Of course he (Adam Haney) also said that it was only the left side.

I was so bummed. The tractor did a lot of work in that small amount of time, dug and moved a small mountain of earth, crushed stone, chirt etc and then KAPOW. Out of the blue. Level ground, didn't hit anything, nothing got wedged just KAPOW.

I think there was a problem in the hydraulics but can't prove it. If you see the massive cylinders in the picture compared to the tiny flange it sure makes you wonder. Anyhow when it broke I stopped and the cylinders drove the wheels out while just sitting there.

Also the tilt steering has been stripped it no longer locks in place.

Harsh ride even with seat tensioner fully cranked.

Had the engine warning light come on once while bush hogging, stopped turned off started didn't come back on.

With that said, still glad I got it. None of the others I looked at could come close to the price and it has a 4 cylinder engine and some standard stuff that the others charge you for like draft control, dual rear hydraulic hookups, rear light.

Just wanted to start this thread in case it happened to others.

 

[doxford jim]

Had the same thing happen on my Jinma 554 (2007). In fact I have gone through three so far and am not happy about it. They cost around $200 plus shipping. Seems there are a lot of these breaking on the Jinma tractors as well.
Design fault in my opinion - using cast iron for the parts. Much cheaper to produce of course, but doesn't do anything for safety should one be driving along a road when this happens. Kind of limits the actual FEL work a lot too as I believe this contributes to the steering knuckle failures.

 

[GManBart]

Also the tilt steering has been stripped it no longer locks in place.

Harsh ride even with seat tensioner fully cranked.

Had the engine warning light come on once while bush hogging, stopped turned off started didn't come back on.

They should fix the tilt steering as a warranty item. I've never moved mine since first setting it, but I guess some people could move their around a lot.

What tractor(s) are you comparing it to for ride quality?

When the engine light came on did you check the radiator screen and grill to make sure they weren't plugged? Brush hogging will frequently cause them to be covered with clippings, and when you shut the engine down, they fall out of the way...you restart, and everything is fine.

 

[350zmo]

Had the same thing happen on my Jinma 554 (2007). In fact I have gone through three so far and am not happy about it. They cost around $200 plus shipping. Seems there are a lot of these breaking on the Jinma tractors as well.
Design fault in my opinion - using cast iron for the parts. Much cheaper to produce of course, but doesn't do anything for safety should one be driving along a road when this happens. Kind of limits the actual FEL work a lot too as I believe this contributes to the steering knuckle failures.

Yes I believe it to be a design issue as well everything else on the hub looks a lot beefier than that flange. And cast iron...can't weld so yes expecting more failures I don't buy the bad batch or just the side BS.

 

[350zmo]

They should fix the tilt steering as a warranty item. I've never moved mine since first setting it, but I guess some people could move their around a lot.

What tractor(s) are you comparing it to for ride quality?

When the engine light came on did you check the radiator screen and grill to make sure they weren't plugged? Brush hogging will frequently cause them to be covered with clippings, and when you shut the engine down, they fall out of the way...you restart, and everything is fine.

Lol even the old 52 cockshutt has better seat springs youlda thought 60 years might see some improvement instead of going backwards.

They took two weeks to fix one hub and I needed it back to complete the several construction projects I have going on didn't want to wait another two for the steering I'll fix it myself someday.

Thanks yep I checked it and all fluid levels.

 

[350zmo]

Well guess what it happened again today less than 15 hours. Bucket load of dirt this time in a different place level ground same turn to the right POW.

 

[rwork]

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/ls-tractors/380937-ls-tractor-xr4046h-broken-tie-again-jpg"/>Well guess what it happened again today less than 15 hours. Bucket load of dirt this time in a different place level ground same turn to the right POW.

Are you saying both sides are now broke???

 

[mangus580]

I would wonder if something is binding? This is the tie rod that connects the 2 wheels, right?

 

[GManBart]

How much counterweight are you running on the 3pt? What sort of surface was is...loose dirt, pavement, etc?

The tie rod isn't stressed except when the tires are heavily loaded, and you're turning.

For a full bucket of dirt on a dry/hard surface, you'd provably need 1k on the 3pt to keep from overloading the front axle components.

 

[350zmo]

Something could be out of adjustment or there could be a hydraulics issue, look at the massive size of those cylinders compared to that wimpy tie rod and flange. I asked dealer about that last time but he said no it was a bad batch just that side LOL. I still believe it is a design issue, flange is cast and way too wimpy.

LOL this tractor, any tractor that is sold with a FEL should work on dirt with NO counterweight unless it is sold as such and then I wouldn't buy it if it did need it. As it is, it has been level ground ie dirt with the backhoe attached both times. And no mention from dealer or in manual about anything different as it should be. If it is sold with a FEL and with or without a backhoe then it should work either way. Used a friends old Kubota while waiting for my LS to be fixed AND IT DIDNT BREAK.

Out of everybody I've had look at it they all agree that flange is the weak point just not beefy enough. But we did agree we would see it again in about 200 hours not 20! That lends to be an adjustment, wear or some other part also being bad like a hydraulics issue. Either way there is a lemon law in Alabama I might have to check with the lawyer to see if it applies to tractors if LS doesn't get real. I can't have this is the shop for two weeks and only use it for one.