New Tractor: Three Point Hitch Came Apart (see pictures)

[saxon11]

New tractor, with about 10 hours on it (not using the three point hitch). To my dismay when I walked up to it this morning, my 3-point hitch section must have rattled loose. Am I suppose to be checking and tightening this or some other issue?

 

[jyoutz]

Looks like a dealer prep issue. I haven’t ever had to tighten those parts. Whoever assembled your machine had the tilt adjustment rod barely threaded on the end and it worked loose.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Someone forgot to tighten the lock nut after leveling? Dealer prep should have caught it, but yes, you should also be looking for loose and missing nuts/bolts/pins. My loader to frame bracket bolts were loose after ~10hrs. Gotta check. Get your wrench set out and go over all the nuts and bolts.

 

[sea2summit]

Spent about two hours going over my last new tractor. Loose bolts, cotter pins not even spread let alone bent over, and no grease or lube were all over the unit. A lot I don't believe were dealer prep spots, parts seemed to be assembled at the factory, but still annoying. Glad I took the time...lesson learned from my last tractor with endless hydraulic leaks during the first ~10 hrs.

Sorry OP, I would absolutely go over the entire tractor with a fine tooth comb and mark all the nuts/bolts along with everything else you decided to do.

 

[bcs001]

You may want to move your lower bungee cord attachment point. A good wind and that tarp will pull the hitch pin clip on your upper link.

 

[amhicks21]

I could write a whole book on bad dealer prep. Literally all 4 of the Kubotas that ive received new at work had significant problems. Literally the last machine which was an LX3310 received last fall immediately had the 3rd function lines torn off because the dealer mounted the grille guard wrong and has a loader that is significantly twisted to where one side is 3/4" lower than the other. Otherwise, there are always lose bolts and leaking hydraulic lines on the dealer installed parts.

 

[jyoutz]

I could write a whole book on bad dealer prep. Literally all 4 of the Kubotas that ive received new at work had significant problems. Literally the last machine which was an LX3310 received last fall immediately had the 3rd function lines torn off because the dealer mounted the grille guard wrong and has a loader that is significantly twisted to where one side is 3/4" lower than the other. Otherwise, there are always lose bolts and leaking hydraulic lines on the dealer installed parts.

Wow, that’s terrible to hear. When my tractor was delivered back on n December, all the bolts had sharpie marks on the heads indicating they were tightened and an inspection check list. I checked the bolts at 10 hours and all were still tight.

 

[oosik]

In 40+ years I've had two tractors. Both from the same dealer. Everything was tight - all grease points had been greased - all oil & lube ports were completely full.

One added thing I have done. One at a time - remove each/every wheel nut - a daub of Blue Loktite - re torque each nut. For me, a half day job - 56 wheel nuts in total.

When we say - choose a dealer carefully - it's not that he has a great smile and handshake. It's that he knows his job and does it properly & completely. Best to ask the tough questions BEFORE you purchase the tractor than ask for an explanation later.

 

[oosik]

Owning a tractor is/can be considerably different than owning a car. With a car - drive it, take it in for service when called for. With a tractor - it's best to be quite familiar with most every aspect of the Owner Manual at the time of purchase. Know what routine maintenance is expected and when. Know what to expect - what are indicators of a problem - how to prevent or correct many conditions.

The Owner Manual is designed to enlighten the new owner. Not grace some dusty shelf and be pulled out only when a problem arises.

OK - I now step down off the soap box.

 

[Jims1025R]

This topic has a combination of dealer prep, and operator check, in this case, they were both missed. Low criticality, but a message none the less. Yes, the dealer should have checked the three point lift arm turnbuckle, and it's a worthwhile operator check too. There are many fasteners which the operator could not be expected see nor check pre-operation. Those are certainly manufacturer and dealer responsibility.

And there are some operator adjustable fasteners, which, yes, the dealer should assure, and the operator should be aware of for operation, as the operator could have adjusted them. For a loose turnbuckle on a brand new tractor, yes, I would think a thought about the dealer, and I would kick myself too. Yes, I would tell the dealer what I'd found, but I'd stop short of waving the ugly stick, it was partly my responsibility too. Later in ownership (at the first 50 hour check, or after first operator adjustment) that nut becomes the operator responsibility.

My dealer delivered and installed the mid mount mower on my new tractor last summer, as it was not available when he delivered the tractor. An hour after he'd left, he texted me to check two adjusting nuts for tightness, he didn't recall tightening them completely. I checked right away, they were tight. Not perfect, but adequate for me.

 

[Farmer495]

Jam nut was not used on the leveling sleeve. Your top link can do the same thing.

 

[3gunr]

I have basically the same tractor , and mine loosens up with use if you dont keep the jam nut tight. It looks like your 3 pt lift arm is bent also , these are very soft steel and bend easy , i know my neighbor has bent mine several times when borrowing my tractor.

 

[sea2summit]

I have basically the same tractor , and mine loosens up with use if you dont keep the jam nut tight. It looks like your 3 pt lift arm is bent also , these are very soft steel and bend easy , i know my neighbor has bent mine several times when borrowing my tractor.

You are way nicer than I am.

 

[3gunr]

I know but we grew up together and our wives are good friends , so i grin and bear it. Funny his family quit loaning him things years ago. I wonder why.

 

[5030]

One added thing I have done. One at a time - remove each/every wheel nut - a daub of Blue Loktite - re torque each nut. For me, a half day job - 56 wheel nuts in total.

Kind of made me think abut the gal that lives across the way, She cam down the road yesterday driving her golf cart and I listen to the unmistakable sound of loose lug nuts. Of course she paid no attention and frankly neither did I. She had the radio on full blast.

Looked this morning and there it sits in the side yard on 3 wheels. her hubby can fix it I guess.

 

[Rustyiron]

It's possible that the only dealership sin is that they didn't tighten the jam nut and during those 10 hours of use, you didn't notice that the right side was quite a bit lower than the (fixed) left side until it backed all the way out, hit the ground and after dragging it around for a while, you backed up still unaware.
Now I'm not pointing fingers and most certainly have my share of dumb mistakes and have done worse, but familiarity and understanding what does what and the "what if's" will serve you well.
It also may be the those parts are factory installed rather than the dealership. It is hard to imagine why those heavy items that don't really make the tractor a bigger "cube" for shipping would be shipped loose.

 

[repete]

All of the linkage should be checked frequently by the operator. I have found my equipment lasts much longer if I make no assumptions that all is well. Walk around your tractor frequently and get to know your tractor.

 

[AndyMA]

I've taken delivey of 5 tractors from the same dealer. On all everything was tight and well greased

Andy

 

[Cycledude]

Very sorry to see this on your new tractor but it Seems like a rather poor design, it should have been designed so it couldn’t work it’s way loose all by itself

 

[Jims1025R]

it should have been designed so it couldn’t work it’s way loose all by itself

All turnbuckles work the same way, and all are vulnerable to coming undone if not locked. It is very low operator burden to check that they're suitably locked, as compared to a potentially complex and expensive mechanism to lock them. I have often found that complex and expensive locking mechanisms (and I see a lot of them on airplanes) will wear/fail/seize, and not release when needed. You end up breaking it off, and replacing it with the more simple version that you wish you'd had from in the first place.

If, on a machine, particularly one which works outside in the dirt, a mechanism can be simple, operated with a wrench (or Visegrips), and is very low cost to repair if I let it seize, that's what I want, and I'm prepared to do daily checks to assure security, rather than suffer frustration and expense when the automatic complex thing fails.