Kubota Quick attach bucket/forks problem

[rcbor187]

Hi So when I try to connect either the bucket or forks, it seems the quick attach pin doesn't quite make it in the slot. If i put pressure on the bucket I am able to get it into its slot(drive the bucket into a tree and then push the QA lever down) . I'm not sure when this happened, I am not the only operator of the tractor. The dealer said to drain the hydraulic system and it would reset the cylinder. I notice that the right cylinder is out of sync with the left cylinder.

Thanks for reading. any tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mathias NY]

In most cases the tilt and lift cylinders are plumbed in parallel and balanced by the loader. If you remove the pins from the forward pins on the tilt cylinders, you should be able compress one cylinder by hand and watch the other extend. The only way for them to get out of sync would be damage to the loader.

Based on your comments, I would suspect that quick attach frame has been tweaked and that is the source of your difficultly.

Let us know what you find.

 

[RickB]

In most cases the tilt and lift cylinders are plumbed in parallel and balanced by the loader. If you remove the pins from the forward pins on the tilt cylinders, you should be able compress one cylinder by hand and watch the other extend. The only way for them to get out of sync would be damage to the loader.

Based on your comments, I would suspect that quick attach frame has been tweaked and that is the source of your difficultly.

Let us know what you find.

All but a certainty that the QA device is twisted. The dealer comment about the hydraulics is based in ignorance.

 

[rcbor187]

In most cases the tilt and lift cylinders are plumbed in parallel and balanced by the loader. If you remove the pins from the forward pins on the tilt cylinders, you should be able compress one cylinder by hand and watch the other extend. The only way for them to get out of sync would be damage to the loader.

Based on your comments, I would suspect that quick attach frame has been tweaked and that is the source of your difficultly.

Let us know what you find.

thank you. It is indeed the whole QA plate that is slightly bent. going to put the left side on a tree and see if i cant bend it back to its original position.

 

[jcummins]

It's the torque tube that ties the two loader arms together. I put up with it got it aligned better by pushing against a tree on the plate on the arms without an attachment on. Eventually tired of the problem. Cut the torque tube, repositioned so the plates where square, welded back and problem gone.

 

[scaredychicken]

thank you. It is indeed the whole QA plate that is slightly bent. going to put the left side on a tree and see if i cant bend it back to its original position.

I am about to buy a Kubota BX23S with the Quick Attach system. Is the bent QA plate a manufacturing recall ? that sounds like serious damage, not a minor tweak ? Curious to follow this thread. Thanks

 

[jcummins]

No...that torque tube is designed to give up and twist before you do more serious damage to the loader. It happens when you catch the corner of the bucket as an example on a root and lift up. In my case I caught the quick attach handle on a limb using a grapple, lifted, grapple came loose on one side only and twisted the torque tube.

 

[DK35vince]

I am about to buy a Kubota BX23S with the Quick Attach system. Is the bent QA plate a manufacturing recall ? that sounds like serious damage, not a minor tweak ? Curious to follow this thread. Thanks

A twisted QA torque tube is not serious damage, it's a minor tweak.

 

[Oldoak]

Sometimes newer is not always better. I wanted a pin on bucket for the F.E.L. on my new L5060GST. But the quick attach mechanism, which I have no need or desire for, came as standard equipment on the LA1055 loader. I believe the original pin on system is a cleaner design with no levers to be caught by something nor latches not seating properly like mentioned in another thread.

I can see where the quick attach system is great for people who frequently change F.E.L. attachments, but I think it should be offered as an option.

On edit: My case in point is well documented with experiences by other people before and certainly several posts concerning problems with the quick attached mechanism following my comment.

 

[RickB]

No...that torque tube is designed to give up and twist before you do more serious damage to the loader. It happens when you catch the corner of the bucket as an example on a root and lift up. In my case I caught the quick attach handle on a limb using a grapple, lifted, grapple came loose on one side only and twisted the torque tube.

You catch the corner of a bucket hard enough to twist the QA device with both latches secured, you have twisted your bucket as well. QA devices commonly get twisted when one latch is unlatched. This is not a warrantable failure in most instances.

 

[4570Man]

The dealer is wrong about the hydraulics. The cylinders are plumbed together and and free to move separately if removed from the loader.

 

[rbtjr]

It is difficult to get the FEL QA pins to fit properly in the slots at the bottom of the QA frame on the back of the Construction Attachments 4N1 bucket we bought with our Kubota MX5800. We get the pins to fit by bouncing the bucket up and down some with the FEL. The FEL QA works fine with our other attachments for the FEL (forks and grapple). The FEL QA frame is not out of alignment. It appears that the slots at the top of the QA frame on the back of the bucket are a little smaller and therefore tighter than the corresponding slots on the other attachments. Bouncing the bucket some causes the fittings on the top of the FEL QA frame to fit snugly all the way up into the slots on the back of the bucket. The weight of the bucket alone is not sufficient to get the snug fit at the top of the QA that is required for the pins to fit into their slots.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

No...that torque tube is designed to give up and twist before you do more serious damage to the loader. It happens when you catch the corner of the bucket as an example on a root and lift up. In my case I caught the quick attach handle on a limb using a grapple, lifted, grapple came loose on one side only and twisted the torque tube.

It's the torque tube that ties the two loader arms together. I put up with it got it aligned better by pushing against a tree on the plate on the arms without an attachment on. Eventually tired of the problem. Cut the torque tube, repositioned so the plates where square, welded back and problem gone.

A twisted QA torque tube is not serious damage, it's a minor tweak.

The dealer is wrong about the hydraulics. The cylinders are plumbed together and and free to move separately if removed from the loader.

I have experienced this with a B2650 and now my L3910. Yep, if you let one of those levers lift and let one side pop off and don't notice and continue putting pressure on the FEL attachmnet then it will twist that metal tube between the two SSQA attachment plates and then they will not be on the same plane/angle and reattaching the FEL implement will be extremely difficult to impossible. I returned my Kubotas to Barlows who straightened the "tube" and back to quick attach. Steve Barlow told me to quit operating the FEL with one side not connected .I told him Kubota needed a stronger tube and he told me they would not be able to straighten a stronger tube and would have to replace it so more cost to reair when someone like me bends it. It is an issue to be aware of especially if you have a grapple where limbs and "stuff" can come thru and lift that lever so be aware and keep an eye on the lever and both attaching points and STOP if it come loose and reconnect both attachment plates.
I don't weld so cutting and welding back isn't an option for me.

 

[Tx Jim]

Dealer wants you to drain oil so he can sell you some more oil BUT that won't repair problem. Definitely the torque tube(timing rod) between the bucket/forks QA mounting pads is loose or twisted allowing 1 cyl rod to extend further than other rod. Placing long cyl rod QA pad against a tree to even up rods is a good idea

 

[DK35vince]

Pushing the QA against something to straighten it might work, but I'm betting it will be difficult to get them exactly even.
Easiest/fastest IMO would be to cut the tube, put the bucket on to align the QA plates. Re weld the tube

 

[skipperbrown]

I bent my loader when I didn't have the bucket racheted down on one side. It was impossible to lock down anything on the plate. I took it to the dealer and they twisted it back into alignment better than it ever was (and the reason the bucket wasn't properly locked down the first time). I asked how they did it and the service manager said they chained the ''low' corner to a stout post and used the loader hydraulics to bend it back.

 

[countrybumpkin]

Here is a good thread on one that was bent pretty bad, but you can really see what is wrong in these pics.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/parts-repairs/356289-crud-what-did-i-break.html

 

[jcummins]

Here's the thread I started back in 2015 on this issue.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...crewed-up-loader-arms-grapple.html?highlight=

 

[JWR]

All but a certainty that the QA device is twisted. The dealer comment about the hydraulics is based in ignorance.

RickB is exactly correct. The hydraulic comments by the dealer are just that -- ignorance. I had the same issue with a MF2660 larger tractor using a DL250 loader with an skid-steer adapter from the factory. I use a 4-in-1 bucket that weighs a little over 1000lbs. Can't see the lips from the drivers seat. So if you catch the lip of the bucket on one side, fail to catch it on the other side and then lift the bucket and go off trying to do things you bend the connector shaft between the left and right halves of the loader adapter. This is VERY common. In my case the connector cross bar was so badly twisted I simply replaced it. In your case I would EITHER straighten the connector bar or replace it. For heavens sake don't go doing exploratory welding !