Stump 1 - Kubota 5460 0

[JimP]

So, my son was brushing hogging a field yesterday with the 5460 Grand L and ran over a stump. It ripped off both of the 3rd function hoses in back of the right front tire; pushed up the fuel tank cross over line protection and dented one of the hydraulic filters. Tractor was blowing hydraulic fluid so we shut it down quick. One of the fittings cross threaded back on loosely. Threads in the other fitting were too far gone for it to go back on. Tractor couldn't be run without blowing gallons of hydraulic fluid everywhere and was dead in the field and needed to be towed back with the pickup.



Some of the fault is ours for not having the grapple down low enough to catch the stump before it went under. However, the 3rd function setup is poorly designed and more poorly protected. Other parts under the tractor are also soft if you work in anything but grass as I have previously pulled out sticks that had become wedged underneath. KUBOTA - ARE YOU LISTENING. THE THIRD FUNCTION NEEDS A REDESIGN AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A SKID PLATE OPTION FOR THESE MACHINES. Rant off.

Interestingly, I have not had any problems with the loader hoses or connections or fuel fill hose though other than the front wheel throwing slush on them in the winter.

So, has anyone made or bought a skid plate for a large frame Grand L? I will also be trying to reroute the hydraulic hoses to a more protected location.

Jim

 

[diesel85]

Interesting.

Since I'm looking to get a new (bigger) machine to replace my BX, this is one of the things I am interested in... ground clearance.

I've noticed that the B and L series seem like they are rather low to the ground for comfort.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

So, my son was brushing hogging a field yesterday with the 5460 Grand L and ran over a stump. It ripped off both of the 3rd function hoses in back of the right front tire; pushed up the fuel tank cross over line protection and dented one of the hydraulic filters. Tractor was blowing hydraulic fluid so we shut it down quick. One of the fittings cross threaded back on loosely. Threads in the other fitting were too far gone for it to go back on. Tractor couldn't be run without blowing gallons of hydraulic fluid everywhere and was dead in the field and needed to be towed back with the pickup.

View attachment 569406 View attachment 569407 View attachment 569408

Some of the fault is ours for not having the grapple down low enough to catch the stump before it went under. However, the 3rd function setup is poorly designed and more poorly protected. Other parts under the tractor are also soft if you work in anything but grass as I have previously pulled out sticks that had become wedged underneath. KUBOTA - ARE YOU LISTENING. THE THIRD FUNCTION NEEDS A REDESIGN AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A SKID PLATE OPTION FOR THESE MACHINES. Rant off.

Interestingly, I have not had any problems with the loader hoses or connections or fuel fill hose though other than the front wheel throwing slush on them in the winter.

So, has anyone made or bought a skid plate for a large frame Grand L? I will also be trying to reroute the hydraulic hoses to a more protected location.

Jim

Why blame Kubota for operator error? That could have happened to any machine.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Interesting.

Since I'm looking to get a new (bigger) machine to replace my BX, this is one of the things I am interested in... ground clearance.

I've noticed that the B and L series seem like they are rather low to the ground for comfort.

No... lower the machine the lower the center of gravity, thus more stable. I doubt comfort has anything to do with it.

 

[SDT]

So, my son was brushing hogging a field yesterday with the 5460 Grand L and ran over a stump. It ripped off both of the 3rd function hoses in back of the right front tire; pushed up the fuel tank cross over line protection and dented one of the hydraulic filters. Tractor was blowing hydraulic fluid so we shut it down quick. One of the fittings cross threaded back on loosely. Threads in the other fitting were too far gone for it to go back on. Tractor couldn't be run without blowing gallons of hydraulic fluid everywhere and was dead in the field and needed to be towed back with the pickup.

View attachment 569406 View attachment 569407 View attachment 569408

Some of the fault is ours for not having the grapple down low enough to catch the stump before it went under. However, the 3rd function setup is poorly designed and more poorly protected. Other parts under the tractor are also soft if you work in anything but grass as I have previously pulled out sticks that had become wedged underneath. KUBOTA - ARE YOU LISTENING. THE THIRD FUNCTION NEEDS A REDESIGN AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A SKID PLATE OPTION FOR THESE MACHINES. Rant off.

Interestingly, I have not had any problems with the loader hoses or connections or fuel fill hose though other than the front wheel throwing slush on them in the winter.

So, has anyone made or bought a skid plate for a large frame Grand L? I will also be trying to reroute the hydraulic hoses to a more protected location.

Jim

I have a GL6060 with third function system.

Though I was well aware of the vulnerability of the third function hoses, I too, damaged one the second time that I took my 6060 into a questionable area. In my case, I hit an obstacle that I well knew was there but thought I could drive over it as I had with other tractor/mower combinations in the past. Operator error as in your case.

That said, it is well known that the third function hoses are vulnerable on these tractors and I agree that the hose routing could and should be improved.

I stock a spare hose mounting bracket and both fittings to prevent down time in the future. I've also replaced the straight fittings just inside of the bulkhead with 90 degree fittings and rerouted the hoses from the OEM routing above the transaxle. They are still vulnerable but somewhat less so.

In your case, driving over something big enough to damage the HST filters would likely have caused damage to just about any similarly sized tractor.

SDT

 

[JimP]

Why blame Kubota for operator error? That could have happened to any machine.

I agree there is an element of operator error. However if the 3rd function connections and hoses were not run along the bottom of the machine with essentially no protection this would not have happened and the tractor would not have to be towed out of the woods. I ran a 5240 with factory 3rd function before this and never had this problem, but that setup didn't have unprotected fittings and hoses like the 60 series. I understand this is not a forestry machine but the 3rd function hose routing and connection is just a poor design for a tractor that ventures into less than manicured places.

I think ground clearance on the 5460 is more than adequate. But, no matter how much ground clearance you have you will eventually run into something thats higher. Even when brush hogging backwards there will be sticks and shattered trunks that spring back and brush the undercarriage.

Jim

 

[SDT]

I agree there is an element of operator error. However if the 3rd function connections and hoses were not run along the bottom of the machine with essentially no protection this would not have happened and the tractor would not have to be towed out of the woods. I ran a 5240 with factory 3rd function before this and never had this problem, but that setup didn't have unprotected fittings and hoses like the 60 series. I understand this is not a forestry machine but the 3rd function hose routing and connection is just a poor design for a tractor that ventures into less than manicured places.

I think ground clearance on the 5460 is more than adequate. But, no matter how much ground clearance you have you will eventually run into something thats higher. Even when brush hogging backwards there will be sticks and shattered trunks that spring back and brush the undercarriage.

Jim

I do not disagree that the third function system used on the grand L tractors is vulnerable to damage and should be improved. Yes, a skid plate would be nice.

Still, getting to the HST filters takes some doing.

SDT

 

[Fallon]

Ya, the 3rd function hoses are way to vulnerable. Brush as worn the outer layer of mine off where they come out of the fittings. It really needs a skid plate there. The rubber coated hose clamps further back even have most of the rubber torn off on mine.

Getting to the filters underneath takes a lot of work though. They are pretty well recessed in there. You have to drop on something pretty heavy & immobile to get to them to injure them.

 

[Tomtint]

Last year I was crossing over a trench with my L3700.. had a couple 2x10s for a bridge that were apparently to short and one flipped up and hit either my hydraulic filter or the housing itself, which is under my right floor board.. Ripped the filter right off and 1/2 the aluminum housing the filter spins onto as well. Repiai was a pita because it was a hard line sandwiched In between two other hard lines..and bolted to the frame of the tractor. All said and done with parts and hydro fluid, it was a 300-350.00 repair.

 

[Mike Madison]

To answer Diesel85's question about ground clearance. You can increase ground clearance by going to taller, skinnier tires, like you see in a lot of old row-crop tractors. If you're buying a new tractor you ought to be able to have the dealer order it for you set up however you like. Or if you're mowing in an orchard and want low overhead clearance, you can put on wide, smaller diameter tires.