Cracked bell housing in a 2006 110TLB

[hugho]

I went to look at a 226 110 TLB out of town today and went to this forum to see if any problems. I discovered cracked Bell Housings and the stratospheric repair costs but did not find the causes. Some people said they happened in the early models up to 2005. Some said it was a design flaw. Some said a manufacturing flaw like flawed castings. Some said loose bolts. I talked to a few JD service mgrs and they reflected what I read here. Some posts here said the bell housing was cast iron, some said cast steel. I know an ace welder who said welding cast iron especially if it is under stress is a waste of time and very difficult in any case. He said you can weld cast steel successfully. Are these bellhousing cast steel or iron?
Now back to my journey to Alpine WY. The model was a 2006 with under 1000 hours and belonged to a rental yard. Black mark #1. I crawled under to look at the repair and saw a 8-10" long weld bead running from the aft Loader support toward the backhoe. All bolts I saw looked tight. The welder used a high Ni content rod which cost over $100/lb. They did the welding on the tractor and did not pull the casting off. They V'd out the crack and filled it. Obviously they didn't weld it from inside . My question is: Is this an acceptable way to try to fix this problem? Is this Deere's fault? or the operator's fault? Is they any way to prevent this problem. Will it happen eventually to most 110's or just certain ones? Which ones? Is there a way to beef up the housing? Right now I am having second thoughts about these JD 110 TLB's and am thinking about fleeing from them like the plague perhaps toward those Orange tractors!! Any helpful advice would be appreciated, especially advice grounded in fact and reliable information and not grounded in brand loyalty and unsubstantiated opinion.

 

[beenthere]

Sounds like you have enough doubt to back away from the 110TLB.

But I notice the titles of the similar threads (cracked bell housing) that appear at the bottom of this thread.
One is a Massey Ferguson, one a New Holland, one a Yanmar, one a Toolcat, and another New Holland.
So take your pick.

 

[AKfish]

There a post on the Kubota forum right now discussing a broken sub-frame on a L48 TLB. Haven't read it but I think you can find related problems wherever you look.

No problem with my '08 model but I don't use like I "rented it", either.

Best of luck with your search.

AKfish

 

[hugho]

Thank you fellas. I appreciate the opinions and in general I agree that every make of car or tractor has its problems but some are more expensive to repair than others and if there is a way to prevent or abrogate the risk of a case fracture, I would like to find it. I did look at another 110 TLB and to my shock I found a faint almost invisible crack in the casing which the owner was completely unaware of.

 

[hugho]

Thank you akfish. I read the L48 post and it was not a structural failure. It was a hydro fracture from water migration into a closed tube and fracturing from freezing. Perhaps leaky welds, not an engineering failure.

 

[hugho]

While I was looking at the cracked bell housing on the 2006 JD110TLB which was just on one side incidentally, the thought occurred to me that perhaps it was torque that caused it, a twist to the frame perhaps from some cowboy who maybe worked it too hard with the bucket out perhaps. I phoned the owner and he said one rental guy managed to turn it over on its side probably by the outrigger diving into the soft mud. I just crawled under my Kubota 4850 and noticed an extremely heavy(about 1"thick) cross brace linking the frames . So I started to design a similar frame for another 110 I am looking at which has 2880 hours but no cracks. I also noticed that there is a whole network of steel hydraulic lines that are hanging out there in the open just ready to snag on a rock or tree limb and I think I could design a skid plate which might even double as a cross member frame brace. It looks to me that these Deeres should have had a skid plate from the factory. What do you boys think of this bright idea? I have a nice new lift in my garage which would make the job a lot easier.

 

[DocDryden]

Soon after I bought my 110, I ordered and installed the Skid Plate from G.M. Manufacturing (I had to order it through my JD dealer). The main reason I wanted the Skid Plate was to cover up the hydraulic lines and filters. I don't think the Skid Plate would help prevent a cracked bell housing.





704745 - Bottom Guard

 

[DocDryden]

Now that you have seen a few 110 tlb with the cracks. Can you post some photos so I would know where to look for the cracks

 

[arlen4720]

I know an ace welder who said welding cast iron especially if it is under stress is a waste of time and very difficult in any case. He said you can weld cast steel successfully. Are these bellhousing cast steel or iron?

I would be very, very, very, surprised if it were cast iron. I don't think that is done much these days.

 

[hugho]

I took quite a few pictures but it is a little hard to see. If I was good with deese compooter/phones I could put little red arrows. I will try to post a few however.

 

[hugho]

Doc that is a gorgeous skid plate. I would agree that a flat plate between two frame members would aid in racking forces but I will continue to research what design features might be feasible with torque forces.

 

[hugho]

Firefox keeps crashing when I try to add images but It looks like the best one made it through. This is a view of the crack which can be seen underneath that( hyd pump?) access plate on the Rt front side of the tractor. The yellow structure is the R rear loader base and you are seeing on the Rt a filter on the firewall I think. Hope this helps. Hugh

 

[hugho]

Did you mean to say cast steel? Cast steel is very expensive and I suspect it is cast iron. They welded it with high Ni rod which is more flexible than the cast housing of course. I will try to contact the welder and ask him but I would think if he attempted to repair a cast iron housing from the outside without taking it off the tractor, a refracture is probably in this poor 110's future. But what the hay. The welder only charged the rental yard $5K which probably saved $10 K by doing it the right way at the dealer.

 

[arlen4720]

I would think it is cast steel. The axle housings and tranny housings on my 4720 are nodular cast steel.

 

[beenthere]

hugho
Can you find that part in jdparts.com and point out which part it is that cracks?

 

[ultrarunner]

Soon after I bought my 110, I ordered and installed the Skid Plate from G.M. Manufacturing (I had to order it through my JD dealer). The main reason I wanted the Skid Plate was to cover up the hydraulic lines and filters. I don't think the Skid Plate would help prevent a cracked bell housing.

View attachment 410552 View attachment 410553



704745 - Bottom Guard

Sure looks clean under there and not much tire wear!

 

[DocDryden]

Sure looks clean under there and not much tire wear!

It had about 350 hr. It took me two years to find the right one and it cost me more then I intended to pay for a 110. After I took a look at this one I had to have it.

 

[ultrarunner]

And it's got the thumb option...

A friend bought a short sale property up in the Sierra Nevada mountains as a place to retire... it's 24 acres or so... have not seen it yet.

Anyway, he invited me anytime to come up... he also mentioned it came with a tractor... which got me asking a lot of questions... it really didn't come with it, but the guy said if you want the short sale... you have to buy the tractor... otherwise, wait to see if it gets foreclosed.

So the tractor turns out to be a one owner, 211 hour JD 110 with a 4 in one loader, thumb, three point arms, forks, etc... all the options... and garaged... the original owner always wanted a nice tractor and bought it for himself with all the options....

My friend knows nothing about tractors... said I should come up and put it through it's paces.

 

[DocDryden]

And it's got the thumb option...

A friend bought a short sale property up in the Sierra Nevada mountains as a place to retire... it's 24 acres or so... have not seen it yet.

Anyway, he invited me anytime to come up... he also mentioned it came with a tractor... which got me asking a lot of questions... it really didn't come with it, but the guy said if you want the short sale... you have to buy the tractor... otherwise, wait to see if it gets foreclosed.

So the tractor turns out to be a one owner, 211 hour JD 110 with a 4 in one loader, thumb, three point arms, forks, etc... all the options... and garaged... the original owner always wanted a nice tractor and bought it for himself with all the options....

My friend knows nothing about tractors... said I should come up and put it through it's paces.

Sounds like a fun weekend.... Don't forget to take photos

 

[AKfish]

Sounds like a fun weekend.... Don't forget to take photos

Speaking of photos... You probably have the best photo archive of a JD110 TLB of anyone on TBN!! Very helpful for everyone to better understand the discussion.

Thanks.

AKfish