Don't use brush mower with trailer hitch kit installed on 3032e!

arlen4720 · May 9, 2015

If you have insurance, use it, and fix it right.

CalG · May 10, 2015

That tractor must not be very safe when pulling a loaded trailer.

A brush hog blade is moving fast, but it's not that massive. Three strikes and your out?

Is cast iron that expensive?

beenthere · May 10, 2015

Brush has a way of pulling pins out. I have removed all the spring locking pins in and around the 3 pt hitch and replaced with bolts and lock nuts.
They stay put.

And I would talk serious with your Deere dealer. It might be possible to get Deere to stand back of that failure. Have seen it many times before.
Once when an owner was trying to yank a stump out, and ripped the rear end apart on his Deere (4100 IIRC).

chevy · May 10, 2015

CalG said:
That tractor must not be very safe when pulling a loaded trailer.

A brush hog blade is moving fast, but it's not that massive. Three strikes and your out?

Is cast iron that expensive?

I agree with that. That would not support much tongue weight.

Gary Fowler · May 10, 2015

That casting looks to have thinned out in the middle for some reason. I would expect it to remain thickened across the entire area and then some to the sides. Very poor engineering. I don't think I would trust that to pull very much with. At least cast aluminum can be easily welded if it comes to it. You may have to turn the tractor up on edge to get a good job though. All the oil has to be completely cleaned from the repair area to start.

At least if you have insurance, let them deal with full replacement of that section of the tractor rather than half-assed repair attempt.

jenkinsph · May 10, 2015

Sad to see problems like this, hope you can get it fixed at a reasonable cost.

ovrszd · May 10, 2015

Those pictures hurt me, and it ain't even my tractor.....

I always remove the drawbar.

I'd use the insurance and fix it right as suggested before.

As to the strength of the hitch, it's not designed to be violently whacked like that. Such a blow shattered the brittle casting of the axle assembly.

Bummer. Let us know how this comes out.

jgayman · May 10, 2015

Ugh! That's bad. Certainly not a job for JB Weld. To TIG it up right it should really be removed from the tractor or at least remove the rear transmission housing cover so you could get in there and TIG both sides. That would also allow you to clean out any remaining fluid to avoid a fire.

Assuming it didn't do any damage to the rear cover, it looks like you will need a new transmission housing (LVU19030) which is $776 at GFP. I'm sure there will be other gaskets and seals which would need to be replaced anytime the housing the replaced. I suspect the larger portion of the repair expense will be labor as removing and replacing the housing and contents looks like a major undertaking.

ovrszd · May 10, 2015

Yeah, I'm guessing the labor will be 3 times the part cost.

idahofarmboy · May 10, 2015

Getting the tractor out of the field and on a trailer was a lot of work with no engine, no hydraulics, and no steering but my wife and I got it done. I pulled it with my neighbors little BX 2xxx kubota. Now he will always be able to brag about how his little Kubota dragged my dead Deere off the hillside.