BX24 diff lock disaster ... How many others have had this problem?

[Carl Stevenson]

What would you, the dealer, say to Kubota? I'd like to know, because I may prompt them to approach Kubota about this problem.

 

[dfkrug]

I would like to see a photo of the the failed diff lock and how it is
designed. All the owner's manuals I have read say to engage only
when stationary, BUT I think that a design that has shear-able pins
is a disaster waiting to happen.

I was disappointed in the design on my JD 4300's diff lock, too, but
at least it did not result in big pieces breaking off to be caught
in the gears. It had a hard steel side that engaged with a soft steel
side that wore excessively (photo). Maybe that was intentional....

 

[Carl Stevenson]

To dfkrug:

I don't have pics yet, as it hasn't been torn down yet. I will take pics when I can.

 

[BotaBigot]

To the best of my knowledge, I did NOT step in the diff lock pedal with the wheels spinning. however the pin broke. All I'm saying is that if there was a bit of space in the bottom of the case, rather than a space smaller than the pin, the damage would not have been so catastrophic. To me, a somewhat minor, but predictable, failure that can't help but turn into a catastrophic failure is a design flaw.

Can't say your wheel(s) were spinning...may be metallurgical flaw...but wheelspin most likely cause. Perhaps you weren't looking @ spinning wheel when engaging. As for space in case...there actually may be. Issue is broken piece(s) getting past rotating gears on way to bottom...it's a crapshoot...

 

[crazyal]

When the diff lock is engaged there's lots of stress. Just turning on solid ground with plenty of weight on the rear tires can damage it.

 

[LBrown59]

My point is that if I'm the 5th customer of one small dealer to have this issue this year
1*(how many hundreds or thousands more across all of the dealers and all of their production?),
2*Kubota has a problem that needs to be fixed and I think that they should make it right with those of us who have suffered from their problem.

1*I never heard of such an issue till i read your post .
I seriously doubt that there are even dozzens of such cases let alone hundreds or thousands of them .
2*I don't think they do .

I haven't broken anything on my BX24 except the plastic tail lens couple times. I use the Diff lock alot, but I never used it constantly. When I get stuck, I would use the diff lock with aid of 4wd if I felt it needed it or know I only need traction on spinning rear. Its always for a moment, never more then 5 mins at a time. The only time I EVER used diff lock more then 5 mins was during a snowstorm when I had over 6 inches of really wet snow plowing and needed to punch through.
3*The only problem specific on the BX24 compared to other models I think is the reverse issue, maybe plastic body.
4*Sorry to say, I dont see many diff lock failures on BX's posted here on TBN, other then not underestanding how to engage the diff lock. You never stand on the diff lever, just let it ease/slip in.

3*That's all i ever heard about.
4*You shouldn't be sorry to say that.

 

[mzamatt]

For what its worth, I recently worked at a dealership for seven years.
I never had a bx come in with that problem. Mostly linkage, hst, stuff, but rarely.
The dealer really can't give you an accurate quote BEFORE tearing down. If they really
are having that many problems, the dealer needs to get ahold of their
service rep. They will definitely do something.

 

[bird1968]

To dfkrug:

I don't have pics yet, as it hasn't been torn down yet. I will take pics when I can.

This photo of my BX24 with the pin shear off, I was lucky the case was not damage.
I understand & agree with Carl, that extra internl case clearence would make it a improve design.
The BX is still an amazing machine, but small design improvement is always welcome.

Richard

 

[dfkrug]

I understand & agree with Carl, that extra internl case clearence would make it a improve design.
The BX is still an amazing machine, but small design improvement is always welcome.

I see 3 small pins of about 1/4" diameter, maybe 7/8" long. I wonder
why Kubota did not build the diff lock more like their bigger bros (no
pins to shear off).....

 

[Carl Stevenson]

I see 3 small pins of about 1/4" diameter, maybe 7/8" long. I wonder
why Kubota did not build the diff lock more like their bigger bros (no
pins to shear off).....

While a more robust diff lock (stronger than the pins) would be nice in general, my gripe right now is the way the diff lock pin failure seems doomed to cause a more catastrophic failure. (punching a hole in the case)