BX23 muffler problem

racket407 · Nov 30, 2012

I have a BX23 8 years old with 950 hours. The muffler has broken out from the inlet end. I think there is too much weight for just three bolts. Has anyone come up with a home made clamp to help hold the muffler to avoid another break out?

Tommargarido · Apr 22, 2013

Yes, use a large diameter steel hose clamp to tie the outlet end to the frame. This stops removes the stress on the bolted end

ovals49 · Jan 22, 2017

I have a BX23 with under 800 hours which recently started burbling with intermittent loss of power. Seemed to be a loose connection at the muffler/manifold, but the three bolts were still tight. I removed it and this is what I found:

There was no rust or erosion (My BX lives a pampered life) but the metal mounting point that mates to the manifold had crumbled badly around the top half, almost certainly from metal fatigue. This is not an example of competent engineering, and almost looks like a designed to fail part. At almost $125 for a Kubota replacement, it smarts to see an otherwise sound muffler heading to recycling.

I don't suppose Kubota has addressed this issue, but it sure has left some tarnish on my opinion of Kubota engineers. I will be taking steps to somehow support the outboard end of the replacement, as the previous poster suggested, but feel like mounting to the frame of the tractor might also create a problem. The motor is mounted on rubber mounts and the frame is rigid. Connecting the two rigidly might actually end up stressing the joint more than leaving it unsupported.