4300 repeatedly breaks turnbuckle,

   / 4300 repeatedly breaks turnbuckle, #61  
rancar:

My point was not that <font color="blue">these are inferior tractors </font>(your words). All brands can have problems with certain areas. He may have <font color="blue">bought in good faith thinking he was buying a quality product</font>(your words) but his intentions and what he thinks is not relevant. What is relevant are the facts. My point was simply that given his experiences with the tractor and the dealer it is silly to keep banging your head against the wall. If I recall in reading the additional postings, he was even thinking of giving JD & the dealer MORE money for extended warranty. Unbelievable. If everything he has said is true, and I have no reason to doubt it, JD has made a serious effort to get things right and simply can't do it for whatever reason. That was the point.

Yesterday I was at an antique power show and there was a JD dealer next door. Because of this thread went and carefully looked at a 4300 and a 4310. Chief may be correct that the breakage is being caused by lateral force vectors. However, I would make a small wager (say $1.00) that the problem is due to the geometry of his hitch set-up combined with the relief valve setting. He claims 10 (if I recall) replacements of fractured part. He also claims he doesn't allow much swing on the hitch. Can't believe that JD or even an incompetent dealer would be furnishing 10 faulty part-not likely? they all would have come from the same part run. Of course, the issue of bad turnbuckles could be resolved by replacing JD's turnbuckle with one of the same length/strength from another manufacturer-if it breaks we know the problem is not the turnbuckle; if it doesn't we know JDs turnbuckle is bad. Logically, although the set-up on the 43xx is weak, it isn't THAT weak. Since others don't seem to be having this problem, logically, it probably stems from his particular set-up on his particular tractor, i.e. particular, not generic. And, by reasoning, that leads to hitch geometry and pressure relief setting-unless there is some peculiarity with the implement. Assuming, of course, that he is keeping the hitch snugged up (limited lateral play) which was Chief's point.

Anyone care to take me up on my bet???

JEH

On reflection, and assuming he is not allowing much lateral play in the hitch, I will raise my bet to $5.00 that the problem is with his particular hitch geometry, pressure relief valve setting or the implement.

JEH
 
   / 4300 repeatedly breaks turnbuckle, #62  
Another option would be to take a turn buckle to a good machine shop and have them fabricate a turn buckle out of a much stronger type of steel and if possble larger/reinforced diameter or see if it is possible to utilize a class III or a heavier/stronger built built turn buckle from a larger tractor model. Not sure if this is possible but may be worth lookin into.
 
   / 4300 repeatedly breaks turnbuckle,
  • Thread Starter
#63  
Hi Grimreaper,
The part about the dealer doin his part is just not so. I had asked him/them several times about why it keeps breaking. His "salesman" best response Made out of cheap pot metal, LOL

I Have only moved, graded Florida dirt and sand for over the past year and it still breaks.

The salesman told me I could use the scarifers for clearing light brush and palmetto's, soon after stuff started breaking, I quit doin this type of work, and it hurt because I have alot of calls for this type of work and I was counting on the extra revenue to help pay off the balance of the machine. Again, I have only graded dirt and sand for over the past year and it still breaks.
And when I bring it to the dealers attention I actually stated" whats gonna happen when the warranty runs out? I need to figure out why it keeps breaking? I can't afford to fix it at this pace when the warranty runs out, what can we do? He hands me turnbuckle!!

As for the relief valve, you may be right. He had it adjusted so high it would stall the tractor when I raised the 3 point. I sent it in because of this, I had no idea what was wrong. They installed a new rockvalve and the new filter. When I went to pick it up it was still doing it. I had to argue with the service manager and prove it was still messed up! Finally, the mechanic came out with a wrench, and fixed it right there. I guess JD paid for a rockvalve that wasn't even needed.
As for the geometry, I have tried readjusting, and really, If you bring the drag links in, it creates more stress on the independent arms. I do have the pin on the stabilizers in the fixed hole, but it still allows for quite a bit of laterall movement. Im open to suggestions, and someone made an intersting point. There's a good chance most dont do as much work with theirs as I do mine, or under the same conditions. I sometimes have to work at odd angles in tight places etc. and I have had to move upwards of 100 yrds of dirt and grade it in a day, and within forms, This can be a grueling task for any machine, specially in this Florida heat. I have tried to re-edit certain parts of my original posts, as I really dont believe its all the fault of the machine "my frustration". Thanks Reaper, gott
 
   / 4300 repeatedly breaks turnbuckle,
  • Thread Starter
#64  
Oh, and I advise anyone to take the extended warranty, why you would think this is silly in my situation I cannot understand? You mean, ? I should have mercy on JD? or the dealer? I dont know what you mean by this statement. I may be stuck with this machine for awhile. I dont know if I can absorb the loss to upgrade at this point. So to me, the warranty would have been a wise investment.

Keep in mind, I dont know what they fixed and what they haven't. Sometimes I never got a repair ticket, sometimes I got one stating they fixed one thing when it was in for something tottally different. Trick to get paid for repeated warranty repair? I give up, it seems er'one's tryin to help, but I get the feeling some just dont understand whats transpired and its so lengthy almost no-one could invest the time to review it,,,,whew!! I say this because some seem to be supporting JD in saying they have done er'thing they could!!! I disagree, not once has anyone discussed this with me in an intelligent manner, period.

"they" just kept handing me turnbuckles, while I was pleading to know why and what to do to stop it!!

And I do apreciate your thought Grimreaper, thanks
 
   / 4300 repeatedly breaks turnbuckle, #65  
Re: Sorry Guys, no more Deere for me!!

Sure hope you're not a postal worker, (I'm in Fl. too), However I quit reading after seeing the picture of your split tractor. It appears you have the lift arm link attached in the extreme front hole in the lower lift arm, effectively doubling or tripling the weight and strain on the whole lift mech. Attaching in the rearmost hole will give a lot more mechanical leverage.
If that doesn't help, I would lift the blade to it's highest point and set it on a solid object, then remove the hitch pin clips and see if the link is under any strain in that position. Your tractor should easily handle a 6' blade and there is no way that 1/2" or 5/8" shaft should literally pull in two from the weight of 1/2 of the boxblade under normal cicumstances.
Your dealer is obviously incompetent, but you need to start, and should have been, doing your own troubleshooting if you hope to be a successful tractor owner.
 
   / 4300 repeatedly breaks turnbuckle,
  • Thread Starter
#66  
Actually, I just read one of your previous replies "Grimreaper". Hitting over the head? Take your losses? figure the cheapest way out? There is no answer for any of these questions. I wish I could just put you in my shoes for a few weeks, no, I would not wish it on anybody, forever. But, what? You feel I should take another $10,000.00 loss because someone sold me a machine and wont help resolve a problem? I took the neccesary steps to minimize my losses already, I try not to use the machine unless absolutely neccesary!! I dont know about you, but I cant just go out and dump 10 or 20 grand at the drop of a hat. The dillemma with this machine has me so far in the hole, I may have to go back into retirement. Maybe your comments were well meant, and I believe they were. But you really dont see it from where Im at. Im at the bottom of a big hole lookin up, and someone just threw me a shovel "LMAO!!"
If you were on this side of the fence, "Grimreaper" you would realize your comments are very strong, dont address the issue, and suggest that I do something, "but not exactly what" when in reality, my hands are somewhat tied. I am looking at some larger machines, but Im not sure if I can afford or justify goin that route. Depreciation is killer, at least on a trade in. I apreciate your thoughts Grimreaper, but they left me more confused than anything, I was almost in a whirlwind while reading it, lol. Take care,,,,,,,,,,,,,gott
 
   / 4300 repeatedly breaks turnbuckle,
  • Thread Starter
#67  
Re: Sorry Guys, no more Deere for me!!

Hey Norm, you sparked some interet, but Im not sure what hole your referring to. Are you referring to the stabilizer bracket? Help!!!

I have tried to troubleshoot it, and also had it in the presence of the dealership when I asked them for suggestions. Thats when " they sated: well, its just cheap pot metal!!"
Norm, I have done, thought tried er'thing I know. To say, its up to me to troubleshoot, sounds like you dont think I have. Its actually a painful remark, but trust me, I have run out of idea's, and Im still trying, thats why Im on this forum. Let me know what hole your referring to, thanks,,,,gott
 
   / 4300 repeatedly breaks turnbuckle, #68  
Re: Sorry Guys, no more Deere for me!!

I'm not familiar with JD's but on my Yanmar the lift arm link is attached to the lower lift arm much closer to the back end of the lift arm than yours is in the picture and it appears there is another hole further back, possibly for that purpose. The closer to the rear end of the lift arm that the link will attach the easier it is to lift.
 
   / 4300 repeatedly breaks turnbuckle, #69  
Grimreaper,

OK....let's see....the following are your words from your earlier post...

<font color="blue">"...Most manufacturers have problem models, problem parts, etc. But JD, more than many, is mainly a marketing company (and they're good at it). Don't forget, they have THREE divisions. You bought something from their "consumer" division. That ought to tell you something..." </font>

Then, you make the following point in your subsequent reply...

<font color="blue">"...My point was not that these are inferior tractors (your words)..."</font>

Yep, these are my words but THEY ARE YOUR INFERENCE and what you are clearly inferring is that John Deere's C&CE Division manufactures problem models since they are primarily "a marketing company" (your words). You didn't answer my primary question. What is it about John Deere's C&CE Division that you know that the rest of us JD 4x00 and 4x10 owners don't know? You are saying that since these models are manufactured by JD's C&CE Division, that 'ought to tell you something' (your words). And, so I ask again grimreaper, "What does it say?" Tell us and educate us. I'm interested in learning about all the problem models that JD's C&CE Division produces.
 
   / 4300 repeatedly breaks turnbuckle, #70  
I for one would like to see a pic of this tractor and blade hooked up from above and also behind. I am beginning to think that somehow the distance is too great between pins.
 

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