Loader Don't let this happen to you.

[heviduty]

Was this the same dealer that sold it to your FIL with the wrong loader on it?
If so, hopefully, they will try to somehow take some of the sting out of this whole situation

No, different dealer. I don't think either of us will be doing any trading with the dealer he purchased it from.

 

[RG1]

I have enjoyed reading through this old thread, and was really happy you got the holes fixed and useable. Then, I keep reading and see this happened. Wow! I love tractors, and I hate to ever see any of them damaged. I really hope something good comes back in the report from the dealer for you guys.

I didn't see it mentioned in any post- did you guys ever design some sort of angle bracket for each side to take the stress off the 4 mounting bolts?

 

[heviduty]

The dealer called and said he had the tractor split, so we paid a visit Saturday. The service manager was not there, but we got a look at the tractor.

It is not as bad as we first thought.
The loader mounting brackets bolt to the hogshead. That appears to be the only broken casting (first picture). I thought the transmission case was broken, but it is only the hogshead.

The front drive shaft suffered collateral damage and I'm sure other parts will need replacing, like possibly the clutch and pressure plate, but most of what we saw appears to have gotten by unscathed.

The plan now is to repair the tractor and purchase a loader made for an L4310. I doubt being able to find an LA682 Kubota, so it will probably be an aftermarket ...possibly a Woods?

Anyone in need of a good used LB552 loader?

 

[jimpen]

Never even thought of checking mine but I got a 1/2" Milwaukee 18v impact wrench for Christmas so I went around checking everything. Nothing was loose but it's probably wise to check them every so often.

I know this is a reply to an old comment, but I feel the need to make it.

Frankly I wouldn't let you near a single piece of my equipment, be it a car, truck, bus, tractor or the dead MTD in my side yard.

Back in the 90's I had a flat on my Monte Carlo in the morning. Full size spare in the trunk and a warranty on the tire. So it was going to be a matter of taking off the flat and running it up to the tire place five miles away. I'm over 200 pounds bouncing on the lug nuts to get them off. They didn't f***ing budge so then I try PB Break Free overnight and try the next day. No luck.

I even got to the point of trying to chisel one of the lug nuts loose and had no luck.

So on the third day I finally went the Fix-A-Flat route and drove it up to the shop. The tech talked to me and said essentially that he didn't believe they were on that tight. He took a wrench out and tried the bad tire and the other four and couldn't break a single one loose by hand. They replaced the tire and repaired all the damage I had done to the lug for free.

A side note that the state of Ohio passed a law in between the time I got the tires and needed the repair. All lug nuts need to torqued and not done with an impact wrench.

So anybody who thinks an impact wrench is the answer is just as bad as the owner of a hammer in my view. :2cents:

 

[heviduty]

The dealer found a NOS LA682 loader. There are actually two of them available in the US; well, one now. Kubota recommended a different valve assembly, not sure why unless the flow rate is different, but the bucket on the LB552 will work on the LA682.

 

[rd_macgregor]

A few years back I had that problem with the wheels on a Forester. I managed to shear off three lug bolts (two on one and one on another) trying to get the tires changed over. I never thought a wimpy guy like me could exert that much force with a simple T lug wrench.

 

[john_bud]

So anybody who thinks an impact wrench is the answer is just as bad as the owner of a hammer in my view. :2cents:

That's funny and obvious you don't (yet) have a quality impact wrench.


By the way, laws on wheel torque are to ensure they are tight enough to stay tight, not loose enough to easily remove. I've had lugs loosen and ruin a $300 wheel center and 8 wheel studs. So, I'd rather spin them down hard. Just my opinion.

 

[graydog111]

That's funny and obvious you don't (yet) have a quality impact wrench.


By the way, laws on wheel torque are to ensure they are tight enough to stay tight, not loose enough to easily remove. I've had lugs loosen and ruin a $300 wheel center and 8 wheel studs. So, I'd rather spin them down hard. Just my opinion.

To each his own.....A friend bought a new pickup truck, took it to tire shop to have them install new aluminum wheels. They broke 5 lug bolts and he had to have a machine shop remove the rest of them and press in new lug bolts.

I bought a car and had to use an 8 foot cheater pipe to break the lug nuts loose. They popped like a shotgun, but I did get them loose. After that, I tighten to 80psi using 4 way & torque wrench. Never a problem getting them off after that, even for wife using 4 way.

I NEVER use an impact wrench to tighten.

 

[94BULLITT]

Wheel net torque can vary greatly from vehicle to vehicle. Some are as low as 65ftlb and some are as high as 350ftlb on some light duty trucks.. You need to follow the manufacturers spec and use a quality torque wrench. If you are using an impact you don't have an idea how tight they are.

 

[JRobyn]

...... If you are using an impact you don't have an idea how tight they are.

Maybe in some cases, but not universally true. When my dad ran a tire shop all wheels were reinstalled with an air-powered torque wrench with only an occasional check with a torque wrench. The shop air pressure was always the same within a narrow range. IR wrenches and CP wrenches did result in different torques, but operators that used them every single day quickly developed a feel for proper torque with each individual wrench and I would wager that final torques on any and all vehicles were within 5 ftlb of the correct values. Of course, one needed to be mindful of the wheel stud diameter and adjust the "feel" accordingly.

- Jay

 

[graydog111]

....... operators that used them every single day quickly developed a feel for proper torque with each individual wrench and I would wager that final torques on any and all vehicles were within 5 ftlb of the correct values. .....

- Jay

This was an ongoing argument when I was a teen ager in the early 1950's. An older long-time mechanic made a bet that he could correctly torque the head bolts on a flat head Ford with an air impact wrench. We checked his work with a torque wrench and they varied from a low of 25 psi to near 120 psi. He paid off on the bet.
.

 

[graydog111]

I have been delaying this, but I think it might help someone.

In 1987, I had a flat on the rear tire of my 4450 JD and had a tire repair shop come out to the farm to fix it. After they dismounted the tire and got the tube off, we discovered the wheel had a long crack right down the middle where the clamps are that hold the steel wheel to the casting. I had it welded and re-installed it. We torqued the bolts down to the recommended torque. I took it to the field to plow and re-torqued the bolts after about 1/4 mile. They were all loose. I did this for probably two days, and each time they were loose. I had marked the bolts and nuts and the nuts were not backing off. It was just the wheel and the wedges working into a position where they were not tight. After several times of tightening, they finally stayed tight. They had probably been loose causing the wheel to flex and crack. I never had any more trouble, but after that, I always carried a 350 lb. torque wrench and sockets on the tractor and used them on tractor and plow to check things daily.

 

[GManBart]

Maybe in some cases, but not universally true. When my dad ran a tire shop all wheels were reinstalled with an air-powered torque wrench with only an occasional check with a torque wrench. The shop air pressure was always the same within a narrow range. IR wrenches and CP wrenches did result in different torques, but operators that used them every single day quickly developed a feel for proper torque with each individual wrench and I would wager that final torques on any and all vehicles were within 5 ftlb of the correct values. Of course, one needed to be mindful of the wheel stud diameter and adjust the "feel" accordingly.

- Jay

Yeah, not buying it....no way. Maybe your Dad's tire shop was the exception, but most have guys putting lug nuts on with the impact gun set to the same setting they use to take lug nuts off....maxed out. There is no "feel" for torque with an impact wrench...just a wild guess, if that.

Ever wonder why brake rotors warp so often on cars and light trucks? Lug nuts cranked down way too tight is the most common culprit, not hard use.

 

[jimpen]

By the way, laws on wheel torque are to ensure they are tight enough to stay tight, not loose enough to easily remove. I've had lugs loosen and ruin a $300 wheel center and 8 wheel studs. So, I'd rather spin them down hard. Just my opinion.

As has since been said don't tighten with one.

I'm a shade tree mechanic (oil changes, antifreeze replacement, spark plugs). I've done things like a carb rebuild, brake replacements and the basic Chilton manual stuff, but I know my limits. I have a nice Craftsman ratchet/wrench set, and other assorted tools as needed. But I shouldn't need an impact wrench to get a tire off a car or just about anything else under normal circumstances. If it has sat in the field for five years, yeah, sure. But a daily driver on a regular vehicle -- I find it unacceptable.

Why should I need an impact wrench for it?

 

[grm61]

The dealer found a NOS LA682 loader. There are actually two of them available in the US; well, one now. Kubota recommended a different valve assembly, not sure why unless the flow rate is different, but the bucket on the LB552 will work on the LA682.

Good deal, glad to hear your going to get it going again

Let us know when her back is healed up:thumbsup:

 

[PILOON]

On topic of torquing and wheels;
We recycled an old camping trailer but needed to fix a flat.
On the left side the lugs were so tight we snapped one off using a long cheater and gave up.
The mechanic snapped another lug with his air gun.
Then we discovered that that side had left hand threads! Go figure.
Once we cleaned up the remaining lugs we discovered the letter 'L' stamped on the head.

 

[heviduty]

Tire stores around here use the color coded torque limiting extensions which flex when the correct torque is reached, preventing overtightening by the impact wrench.

 

[RaydaKub]

Then we discovered that that side had left hand threads! Go figure.
Once we cleaned up the remaining lugs we discovered the letter 'L' stamped on the head.

Geez those things were a pain...

 

[john_bud]

Wheel net torque can vary greatly from vehicle to vehicle. Some are as low as 65ftlb and some are as high as 350ftlb on some light duty trucks.. You need to follow the manufacturers spec and use a quality torque wrench. If you are using an impact you don't have an idea how tight they are.

Ratchets, Sockets & Wrenches | Sockets-Sets | Sunexｮ 1/2" Dr. Torque Limited Socket Set, 2880, 10-Piece, Alloy Steel | B982752 - GlobalIndustrial.com

Torque limiting extensions.

 

[clayhardock]

I have to say that as a Journeyman mechanic I have a VERY good feel for my air tools and where they stop at. My 1/2" gun on setting 3(of 4) will start to kick out around 80Ft/lbs and if I let hammer for a bit will go to almost 100. HOWEVER, after putting the wheel on with the impact gun I go over them again with a torque wrench and set the final torque. Its not worth my job to risk a wheel coming off. There's nothing wrong with putting a tire on with an impact provided the final torque is done with a torque wrench.