FEL pins fall out

[patrickg]

I have a Kubota L-4610HSTC with a Kubota FEL that has the quick detach bucket to interchange with palet forks, hay spear, etc. I loose a lot of the pins that are used to secure the bucket or whatever. They have keepers that seem too easily opened by gravel, dirt, or whatever. I have never actually seen one of the retainers open up in use or seen a pin with a missing retainer B U T I have lost three of the pins. This count includes the ones someone picked up and returned to me and got lost again.

To make it worse, they are "SPECIAL KUBOTA PARTS" and there is no same diameter substitute at TSC, Atwoods, or wherever. My Kubota dealer happily orders more and says NO ONE ELSE reports a problem with them. I will use/devise a differeent retaining system so that I will not have this problem B U T wondered If anyone else had a similar experience or if I was truly unique in this rrespect.

Patrick

 

[CTyler]

Does it make a difference which way you insert the pin? If the keeper is on the bottom front side?? maybe dirt, rock etc.. can catch it easier to knock it off? Just guessing.

 

[thcri]

Patrick,

Isn't it funny on how your the only one having the problems. That really makes a person feel good. I own a HVAC business and I always here, Gee I don't know, your the only one having the problems.

Murph

 

[BillyP]

Patrick

Use some baling wire and wire the snap ring to the pin.

Billy

 

[normde2001]

If you are talking about the "locking lynch pin" with the spring loaded circular retainer, I have a 'Troy-Built sickle-bar mower that also uses those pins and the op's manual recommends installing the pins from the bottom with the retainer at the top to lessen likelyhood of retainer being hit. I didn't believe it and figured gravity would hold the pin in if installed from the top and something hit the retainer....wrong!

 

[ns_in_tex]

Patrick, I have same equipment, has 400 hrs now. I had to stop & think after reading your post, but mine lost out many hours ago, only I did not buy another one, Just drilled out the holes large enough for a standard linch pin to go in. I have not had any lost since.

Also something else I changed after greasing the fel about the second time was drill some more holes so the pins that stay in the quick disconnect ( & require greasing) could be put in with the grease zerts to the outside. Mine was made where you had to grease one side from the inside, which meant reaching over the loader or bucket to grease. Someone wasn't thinking when they designed that.