1153 Loader Issue

keving · Mar 7, 2007

I'm currently having an issue with my 1153 Loader. The bucket will not dump without any weight in the bucket. The linkages are fine, the fluid is up, and everything else is working fine!

I contacted my dealer and spoke with the tech. He looked up and found out that the 1153 has had a hydraulic cylinder issue whereas the nut at the end of the cylinder strips or comes loose and the pressure cannot build to move the bucket. They are going to replace the cylinders with the new improved ones. Apparently the nut is a 24mm on the new vs. the originlal 22mm that came on the loader.

art · Mar 7, 2007

Could also be a cable adjustment.

Dirthog · Mar 8, 2007

The only thing is if the nut came off the piston the rod would come out of the tube and you would have no roll back bucket would dump by itself

keving · Mar 10, 2007

OK, as it turns out, after they got the QA off the loader and extended the cylinders, the cylinder rods were bent!!! I only have 20 hours on this tractor and have not stressed any part of the loader. This is really driving me nuts. I can see if I was bulldozing trees with the loader or doing something really crazy but I have barely scratched any paint on the bucket!

They are going to replace both cylinders with the new updated ones.

Glowplug · Mar 10, 2007

Apparently there were some pretty serious problems with the early M-series tractors with the LA1153 loader in terms of the cylinders. Did you read Muleskinner's thread on "IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR NEW M-SERIES OWNERS"? It covers this topic as well as some issues with the dash lights. It is full of useful information and is a 'must read' for anyone with a new M-series tractor. What is your serial number? That'll help tell if you had one of the loaders with the early faulty cylinders. Good luck and keep us posted.

art · Mar 12, 2007

They did have an early wiring harness issue but it has been taken care of.

optimus04 · Jun 22, 2010

Hey Keving,

I'm glad that I found this thread. My experience was very similar to yours. I thought I was the only one. In 2008, I bought a new M7040 with an LA1153 Loader. At about 120 hours, I noticed the bucket sagging and bleeding off quickly. I called the dealer, and they said it was no big deal. at about 200 hrs the nut slipped off the tilt cylinder, and I had to pay for it because there was no way I could prove that it wasn't "abuse".(Interestingly enough when I was in the dealer's shop there was a cylinder that looked like it had failed in the exact same way mine had, laying on the workbench) The nut slipped off three more times before my machinist buddy fixed it righty. Hopefully it holds. We have had a lot of problems with this tractor. Suffice it to say, I'm not satisfied. At around 50 hrs, one of the loader hydraulic lines blew while the loader wasn't even being used. (my dad was flail-mowing a field, and when it blew, he got sprayed with hot hydraulic fluid all over his face.) Today the joystick for the loader popped off the ball-and-socket joint. It looks like it was made out of pot-metal. The machine has about 700 hrs on it now. I think I need to get rid of it before it has major issues.

TractorMattMan · Aug 28, 2010

optimus04 said:
Hey Keving,

I'm glad that I found this thread. My experience was very similar to yours. I thought I was the only one. In 2008, I bought a new M7040 with an LA1153 Loader. At about 120 hours, I noticed the bucket sagging and bleeding off quickly. I called the dealer, and they said it was no big deal. at about 200 hrs the nut slipped off the tilt cylinder, and I had to pay for it because there was no way I could prove that it wasn't "abuse".(Interestingly enough when I was in the dealer's shop there was a cylinder that looked like it had failed in the exact same way mine had, laying on the workbench) The nut slipped off three more times before my machinist buddy fixed it righty. Hopefully it holds. We have had a lot of problems with this tractor. Suffice it to say, I'm not satisfied. At around 50 hrs, one of the loader hydraulic lines blew while the loader wasn't even being used. (my dad was flail-mowing a field, and when it blew, he got sprayed with hot hydraulic fluid all over his face.) Today the joystick for the loader popped off the ball-and-socket joint. It looks like it was made out of pot-metal. The machine has about 700 hrs on it now. I think I need to get rid of it before it has major issues.

Hello, I have a M5040 with the 1153 Loader and I too have had the same problem with the joystick coming off the ball sockets. Tried to order just the plate that the sockets fit in, it was $120.00 just for that, you have got to be kidding me! A piece of plastic I think. Ordered the whole box assembly, that was $320.00. My machine is a 2007. They will recall the step, in which they added another support underneath it. You think Kubota would recall the joystick control box by making it a little bit better quality.:confused2: