4300 wheel bolts (re-visited)

[RichS]

I recieved a new JD4300 HST a few weeks ago and this past sunday worked with the FEL pretty hard all day (approx. 5-6 hours machine hours). First sustained work. Previously only spurts of 1/2 to 1 hour. Total hours on machine 12.5 and checked the wheel bolts prior to the work and all were tight. Not with a torque wrench but with a 1/2" long handled rachet. They had the black mark on one bolt on each wheel, which generally indicates they had been torqued. By the end of the day they were loose enough to turn with my fingers and two holes had been egged out a little. My brother in-law was working with me on his JD990 and had no bolt loosening and he has 20+ hours on his. Is anyone else still having problems with the left rear wheel bolts? I read some of the past posts and saw that there were past problems but has anyone with recent purchases having this issue? Also did anyone get JD to acknowledge a problem? I have R-4 tires, not loaded but with cement loaded ballast box.
Thanks for your input.

Rich S.

 

[MJB]

I have about 20 hours on my new 4300 with R-4s. I have been mostly using the backhoe and loader so far. I checked the wheel lugs with a torque wrench last night and found that they all were tight. I have checked them several times since I received my machine and I have yet to find any loose lugs. Is your machine "new production" or did it sit on the dealers lot for a while? Mine came new from the factory when I ordered it and I suspect that the problem with the wheel lugs has been solved at the factory. If your lugs continue to loosen up I would put some loctite on them. Hope this helps.

Fugitive from the Cubicle Police

 

[RichS]

It is a new production model. Has the new HST pedals, etc. I was doing some heavy back and forth loader work for a sustained period. It was sloping as well so it would have put stress in many different directions but that still doesn't mean the bolts should have loosened up. I have already put loc-tite on the other 3 wheels. Haven't on this as yet, since it had egged out a couple of the bolt holes in the wheel and would like to have it replaced.

Rich S.

 

[ejb]

..this is not really much of a problem to "acknowledge" unlike scuffing problems etc that were the result of design issues...if the lugs are loose, tighten them up. It does say right in most manuals to check them after the first few hours....I have a JD5410 and had my left rear wheel fall right off while I was brush-hogging...luckily I didn't roll right over because the brush hog supported the rear-end...scary none-the-less.

Because of the way the wheel peeled off it stripped the holes in the rim pretty badly and I needed a new one...my dealer came out, relaced the wheel-disc, and helped me re-mount the tire, all for no charge. My guess is that when I had the tires filled, they didn't properly re-torque the wheels at the dealer. No harm done luckily.

 

[RichS]

ejb, Glad to hear everything worked out fine for you.

I did check the lug nuts in the morning. Granted not with a torque wrench but with a 1/2" long handled ratchet. If they don't move with that, then they shouldn't have just spontaneously loosened up. The tractor already had between 4 and 5 hours on it at that time. I understand that with the paint, etc. on the rim that it may not get a good seat. But I would have thought that it would have moved at least a little with the 1/2" wrench, if it was not getting a good seat.

As far as the JD "acknowledging" an issue. I believe that it is strange that as many posts both here and on jplan specify the left rear tire loosening up. Not the other tires, just that one. Something is causing this to happen. In one post, not sure which board it stated that the face of the hub on the axle had not been machined straight on some tractors.


Rich S.

 

[Branch]

My lugs, on a 4300, did need tightening for the first 20 hours or so, 100 hr later they've never loosened again. I spoke with the dealer about the lug problem after reading about it on the net, and he told me that at one time there was a problem with the machining on the hub face. As I remember he said you could see the lack of squareness if you stood back and watched as the tractor drove away from you. I believe he said you could see the wheel kind of wobble as it made a full revolution.
I painted a line on my lugs and a matching line on the rim. With each use,as it's warming up, I walk around the tractor and make sure all lines match, indicating the lugs haven't moved. I still check the lugs every 20 hours of use just in case.
Branch

 

[RichS]

Branch, thanks, I will check the tire rotation tonight. On painting the lugs what happens when/if you take the wheel off? Re-paint I assume. Glad to hear that after approx. 20 hours you haven't had them loosen.

Rich S.

 

[RichS]

Branch, Checked the tire rotation and didn't seem to wobble. Bolts must have just not been seated completely and with the heavy workout I should have been more diligent on checking/tightening. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif Thanks everyone for the help. I will use the marker on the bolt and hub for an easy read when performing the pre-work walk. Also will loc-tite the bolts after it gets replaced. Thanks again........

Rich S.