Bolts loose - why?

[Green Acres Homestead]

Having same problems. I already started a new thread to discuss this then found your post. I think mine are coming loose after several hours because I have a snow plow on an angle. I have ice grip tire chains. The chains dig in and want to go straight but the plow on an angle steers the tractor to either side when full of heavy snow. This put a high stress twist on the wheels and pops the bolts. This is only my theory but what does everyone thing? Is this possible.

 

[PILOON]

Bolts were loose because you never checked them.
LOL. should be standard procedure IMHO.
Mia Culpo, also guilty.
Had winter tires installed and front wheels wobbled fiercely only to discover one was about to part.
The garage's compressor was not up to par and torque was simply missing.
They did make good however. (cast them a new rim)

 

[oosik]

I bought my Kubota M6040 brand new in 2009. Every year, in the spring, check the wheel lug nut, check the bolts attaching the FEL frame. After five years - I removed all 56 wheel lug nuts - applied blue loktite and re-torqued. Not a single one had loosened - this was just for added safety. Completely removed the first big 'ol bolt on the FEL frame. Wow - Kubota uses some type of thread locker on these bolts. Good reason why these have never loosened up. Or, perhaps, the FEL was dealer installed. Whatever - somebody used a liberal amount of thread locker on the FEL bolts.

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

I torched them using a torch wrench set at 160. After about 2 hours of use they loosen again. I noticed the lug bolt holes are a bit worn. It might be time for a new inner rim. For now I am going to change the sideways angle of the snow blade so it doesn't have a tendency to steer the tractor sideways as much which should lessen the twisting pressure at the wheel.

Bolts were loose because you never checked them.
LOL. should be standard procedure IMHO.
Mia Culpo, also guilty.
Had winter tires installed and front wheels wobbled fiercely only to discover one was about to part.
The garage's compressor was not up to par and torque was simply missing.
They did make good however. (cast them a new rim)

 

[WranglerX]

I torched them using a torch wrench set at 160. After about 2 hours of use they loosen again. I noticed the lug bolt holes are a bit worn. It might be time for a new inner rim. For now I am going to change the sideways angle of the snow blade so it doesn't have a tendency to steer the tractor sideways as much which should lessen the twisting pressure at the wheel.

You think....

Dale

 

[crashz]

Ray - I use a plow mounted on my loader with no problems at all. In fact, the first year, it pushed a 9ft Western plow blade. Tons of side forces and no issues with lug nuts loosening. If this is on your L4740, I'd seriously look at the condition of the rims, lugnuts and wheel studs. Something is either worn out or damaged.

On new machines I feel like dealer prep is everything. I was advised by many that the dealer that I bought from overcharges people. They have a nice fancy store and sell a lot of equipment. However the after sale support has been great, they always have the maintenance parts I need in stock and best of all: an actual mechanic built and prepped my machine. I know because he was the one that performed the walk around with me at his station in the shop. Everything was tightened correctly (no loose fasteners even at nearly 300 hours), all fluids at the correct levels and every Zerk fitting greased. They even gave me a shackle and helped me load it on my trailer!

My truck was another story. When I bought that, every fluid was low. Nothing greased. A quick wash and they pulled the plastic off the seats. The buying experience was horrible and truly undignified. But I got a great price.

 

[grsthegreat]

I check my bolts once a year with torque wrench. Never loose.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I check my bolts once a year with torque wrench. Never loose.

Well engineered and correctly tightened joints. Those with other results have a different situation.​

 

[PILOON]

Last fall I had my local shop install my winter tires.
They wire brushed the rims and hubs B4 mounting and torqueing.
They explained that the aluminum oxide powder (corrosion) would cause torque values to change over time.
Made a lot of sense to me.
They also smeared a paste to deter corrosion on the surfaces.

 

[Texasmark]

I bought a different brand of a new Korean built tractor that had final assembly here in the US. Several of the bolts mounting the FEL frame to the tractor were loose. Since the tractors are crated (surely more densely packed in the shipping containers and cheaper to ship) and sold and shipped as "tractor parts" the inport duty must be cheaper. Final assembly includes adding tires and wheels and apparently loaders too. So, somebody here must have gotten side tracked while assembling and just overlooked the torquing step during assy....maybe had to have an emergency potty break or something.