Loader Protection of third function lines on L60

[mljenkins]

So finally got to cutting and about 4 hours in I hit a stump I didn’t see and didn’t hit with the loader. It snagged the third function lines. I knew this was inevitable when I got the tractor.

I dumped all the fluid getting back to the barn all up my driveway. Can you all share how you protect these lines? This system is laughable compared to the other ingenuity that went into this tractor’s engineering.

Thanks,

Matt

 

[mljenkins]

Ps: I have an L6060HSTC but it appears this issue occurs with all the L60s by various complaints on this forum. I did see one poster show an awesome plate he welded up but I’d like to see other solutions as well.

 

[Fallon]

Subscribed. I can see wire braid for about half an inch to an inch where hose connects to the pipe. Can't see it in the photo as the damage is on the bottom. Only noticed when I was underneath greasing the axle. Not that the fittings & what not are going to be that much more robust.

I do a decent amount of brush mowing & it's taking its toll on some of the soft low hanging bits. Was going to get replacement hoses at the dealer earlier this week for when they inevitably go, but they custom make all hoses & didnt have specs offhand. I wasnt in need enough to wory or wait.

 

[SDT]

So finally got to cutting and about 4 hours in I hit a stump I didn’t see and didn’t hit with the loader. It snagged the third function lines. I knew this was inevitable when I got the tractor.

I dumped all the fluid getting back to the barn all up my driveway. Can you all share how you protect these lines? This system is laughable compared to the other ingenuity that went into this tractor’s engineering.

Thanks,

Matt

I got mine also the first time that I took my L6060 into areas where I could not see all obstacles. This, even though I was aware of the vulnerability and was paying attention. Simply did not see the obstacle.

I shut mine down immediately and fixed it where it was, loosing less than a gallon of oil.

Later, I installed 90 degree elbows similar to those in Fallon's photo above. The 90s reduce the vulnerability but the lines are still vulnerable.

The third function system, though functionally excellent, is not well executed as the lines are much too vulnerable and the switch is a joke.

SDT

 

[bdhsfz6]

When I bought my L6060 HSTC with W&R Long 3rd function valve, I asked the mechanic who assembled the tractor about this vulnerability. He put the machine on the lift and showed me how he ran the hoses above the frame out of harms way. He made up custom length hoses and discarded the ones from the W&R Long kit. He says he does the same thing when installing the Kubota OEM 3rd function valve.

I'll post some pics next time I have the tractor up on the lift for maintenance. Of course this doesn't protect the plumbing up the right side of the FEL mount near the valve. I plan to make a shield out of diamond plate to protect that area.

It's a shame that Kubota doesn't take this obvious design flaw seriously especially on an expensive tractor like the L6060.

 

[mljenkins]

When I bought my L6060 HSTC with W&R Long 3rd function valve, I asked the mechanic who assembled the tractor about this vulnerability. He put the machine on the lift and showed me how he ran the hoses above the frame out of harms way. He made up custom length hoses and discarded the ones from the W&R Long kit. He says he does the same thing when installing the Kubota OEM 3rd function valve.

I'll post some pics next time I have the tractor up on the lift for maintenance. Of course this doesn't protect the plumbing up the right side of the FEL mount near the valve. I plan to make a shield out of diamond plate to protect that area.

It's a shame that Kubota doesn't take this obvious design flaw seriously especially on an expensive tractor like the L6060.

Thanks pictures would be appreciated. The hoses that run parallel to the underside don’t seem to be as much of an issue as where they go perpendicular to enter the third function box.

I agree about the flaw on such an expensive machine.

I wish I would have shut down but I was in thick grass in our bottom far from my house with rain pending. So far I’ve replaced 3.5 gallons and still nothing on the dipstick. At about $22/gallons that really sucks. I have 5 more gallon my wife picked up today for me to try again tomorrow.

Ended up I just tightened the nut going to the third function and it stopped the spray. If I would have had a wrench with me and not been so foolish I could have saved myself a lot of money. Expensive lesson learned. I’m honestly surprised the line wasn’t damaged. Would hitting something really cause the nut to come that loose? I almost wonder if it wasn’t tightened enough. The second one was really tight when I checked them both but the one closer to the front was very loose. In any case I’m still extremely concerned about the protection because I know it’s a matter of time before major damage happens.

Thanks for the replies thus far. I’ll try to get some pictures of what mine look like when they get it cleaned up. The rain season started again today

 

[JimP]

The third function is vulnerable but so are other areas under the cab. I had sticks get wedged into the right side steel lines by the filters when brush hogging. Kubota should offer a skid plate kit as an option. Subscribing to see what others have done. Jim

 

[SDT]

Thanks pictures would be appreciated. The hoses that run parallel to the underside don稚 seem to be as much of an issue as where they go perpendicular to enter the third function box.

I agree about the flaw on such an expensive machine.

I wish I would have shut down but I was in thick grass in our bottom far from my house with rain pending. So far I致e replaced 3.5 gallons and still nothing on the dipstick. At about $22/gallons that really sucks. I have 5 more gallon my wife picked up today for me to try again tomorrow.

Ended up I just tightened the nut going to the third function and it stopped the spray. If I would have had a wrench with me and not been so foolish I could have saved myself a lot of money. Expensive lesson learned. I知 honestly surprised the line wasn稚 damaged. Would hitting something really cause the nut to come that loose? I almost wonder if it wasn稚 tightened enough. The second one was really tight when I checked them both but the one closer to the front was very loose. In any case I知 still extremely concerned about the protection because I know it痴 a matter of time before major damage happens.

Thanks for the replies thus far. I値l try to get some pictures of what mine look like when they get it cleaned up. The rain season started again today

In my case, the obstacle broke the fitting where one of the lines passes through the bulkhead behind the front wheel. Oil sprayed beneath the tractor and I immediately noticed it spraying out beneath the tractor to the left.

I shut it down immediately and repaired it where it was, in thick brush/grass and over 1/4 mile from the barn. I lost nearly 4 hours doing so and making a couple of trips to my CNH/Kubota dealer, which, fortunately, is only five miles away.

Subsequently, I replaced the straight fittings with 90s and rerouted the hoses from the factory position to a less vulnerable location but the hoses behind the front wheel remain vulnerable, albeit, somewhat less so.

SDT

 

[mbu]

Matt,

Looking forward for your photos...

-Mike

 

[mljenkins]

Ok these are pictures I took before I had a chance to wash it but good enough.





I'm not sure why but the resolution was to simply tighten the nut and I had no issues finishing my mowing today. I lost 6 gallons of clear liquid gold known as Super UDT2 and had to take out a small loan to replace it. Thankfully my dealer has been pretty good and their prices on parts including the fluid have been right on par with everyone else including Messicks. I am very surprised tightening the nut resolved the issue unless the hose just vibrated loose and wasn't tightened down to start with. However, I did bottom out on a stump that somehow the loader grapple and axle missed but the support under the fuel tanks caught. I'm not sure if it hit the lines, because I would have thought if they would have been hit things would have been even worse.

In any case, I definitely need to get it protected before the hose gets ripped off the side and I see dollar bills start spraying out of the bottom of the tractor.

Edit: I should mention in the picture the black ties were from the dealer. The white ties I put on there before I started mowing to try to raise those lines a little so they would be less prone to catch.

 

[mbu]

mljenkins,

Thanks for the photos! For some reason I was thinking the hose was "torn" off near the front of the loader. Anyway, at that location, it will be an easy fix to protect them.

 

[Fallon]

Grabbed some photos cleaning things off today. Just over 200 hours & have the new filter & fluid to take care of the grey one. The steel the fittings are comming out of is plenty beefy, so we could mount something to it.

 

[mljenkins]

Grabbed some photos cleaning things off today. Just over 200 hours & have the new filter & fluid to take care of the grey one. The steel the fittings are comming out of is plenty beefy, so we could mount something to it.

There is a hole in that beefy plate that another poster used to mount his setup although I wasn’t sure how he supported it on be other side.

I do worry about mounting something just to that piece and whacking something to the point it bends everything there. But I think that’s probably the easiest thing to do at this point.

Has anyone ever made a skid plate for the bottom of these tractors that is easy to remove for service?

 

[mljenkins]

Well they guess the holes are in the plate under the tractor. I was thinking there was a smaller bolt hole on that plate. Seems it is sturdy enough to drill a new one though.

 

[oosik]

All I can think of when I look at those pictures - - WoW!!! I have WR Long third function installed by Kubota dealer to work the grapple. I have NOTHING anywhere close to what is shown in those pictures. All routed hoses are well protected and nothing - absolutely nothing - is on the underside of my tractor.

Those pictures show what we call - " A well engineered accident" just waiting to happen.

I can certainly see why additional protection is necessary.

 

[mljenkins]

All I can think of when I look at those pictures - - WoW!!! I have WR Long third function installed by Kubota dealer to work the grapple. I have NOTHING anywhere close to what is shown in those pictures. All routed hoses are well protected and nothing - absolutely nothing - is on the underside of my tractor.

Those pictures show what we call - " A well engineered accident" just waiting to happen.

I can certainly see why additional protection is necessary.

If you have a chance can you get pictures of your long setup? What tractor is that on? Did you go with the long after you purchased the tractor? Thanks!

 

[oosik]

mljenkins - - no problems. Its going to take a little while. Right now I'm sitting here sort of " 'el fresco" but I'll throw something on and get some pics for you.

 

[oosik]

View attachment 559714View attachment 559715View attachment 559716


OK - so the hydraulic lines start behind the fully enclose box in the middle picture. The only bad thing about the box - it does collect dirt and pine needles - box easily cleaned out with nozzle on garden hose.

The hydraulic lines move forward - up and out of the box as shown in the first picture. The WR Long electro-hydraulic valve is in the center of this picture.

Once thru the valving it moves on to the last picture - the lines go up the FEL arms and out to the grapple.

My tractor - 2009 Kubota M6040.

OK - bought the tractor new in 2009. Added the third function and grapple in 2014.

Land Pride GSC1560 grapple - - 3175.oo
WR Long 3rd function ----------- 1195oo

Total ----------------------------- $4370oo

Where the hydraulic lines come out of the tractor is six inches ABOVE the underside - the grey box entirely encloses this area. There is NOTHING involving this entire setup that is even remotely close to the underside of the tractor or exposed. Notice how the hydraulic lines exit the grey box and go BEHIND the large FEL tube for added protection.

 

[SDT]

View attachment 559714View attachment 559715View attachment 559716


OK - so the hydraulic lines start behind the fully enclose box in the middle picture. The only bad thing about the box - it does collect dirt and pine needles - box easily cleaned out with nozzle on garden hose.

The hydraulic lines move forward - up and out of the box as shown in the first picture. The WR Long electro-hydraulic valve is in the center of this picture.

Once thru the valving it moves on to the last picture - the lines go up the FEL arms and out to the grapple.

My tractor - 2009 Kubota M6040.

OK - bought the tractor new in 2009. Added the third function and grapple in 2014.

Land Pride GSC1560 grapple - - 3175.oo
WR Long 3rd function ----------- 1195oo

Total ----------------------------- $4370oo

The third function hose routing on the L6060 is much different. The third function hose routing on your M6040 is similar to that on my M9960 and the hoses are MUCH less vulnerable to damage.

SDT

 

[SDT]

There is a hole in that beefy plate that another poster used to mount his setup although I wasn稚 sure how he supported it on be other side.

I do worry about mounting something just to that piece and whacking something to the point it bends everything there. But I think that痴 probably the easiest thing to do at this point.

Has anyone ever made a skid plate for the bottom of these tractors that is easy to remove for service?

Actually, the "beefy plate" is itself vulnerable to damage. I bent mine the first season but the resulting leak was repaired by tightening the fittings.

To avoid down time, I bought a new one, swapped the units, repaired the damaged one and kept if as a spare.

SDT