Grand L: problems with the tie rods?

[sevilla]

Hello everybody, I was just ready to buy a Kubota grand L3830 to clear some land and then work it, when I noticed that the tractor front axle, under a bent metal plate added for protection has a rubber "blister" which I suppose protects (from what?) a joint in the tie rod. This rubber thing is completely exposed in any position of the steering wheel. As I said I intend to use the tractor to clear a piece of land that is full of brambles which can punch the thing in no time. I went to see a JG 3520 and this tractor has the rubber hydraulic duct of the tie rods well exposed to anything that sticks out from the soil. I believe I cannot use a brush hog for the presence of too many rocks that I intended to remove with a back hoe. I have to add that I never owned a tractor and therefore I'm totally new to this. I will appreciate some advice on the matter. Thanks in advance for your expert advice.

 

[simonmeridew]

Hi Sevilla
You are correct about the relative exposure of this rubber boot to trauma. I tore my boot with 2 hours on my L4400 on a sharp stick when I was grubbing out some of my property with the FEL. The dealer, a large longstanding farm implement place that self proclaims itself a "full service" establishment, introduced me to the wonderful Kubota warranty by NOT honoring anything to do with this rubber thing, but were happy to sell me(@$10. a piece) a rubber boot. This un-named dealer, in Western New Hampshire, just south of Lebanon, in case anyone wants to know, told me before I bought the tractor that they didn't discount the sales price as much as some dealers because of their exemplary service after the sale. I bought in to this bogus BS, but it's really good that I learned about what it really meant early on. I wrapped the torn boot in duct tape and it was fine all winter, I haven't gotten around to put on the new boot yet.
simonmeridew

 

[Dargo]

Not to sound sarcastic, but it's called a "dust" boot. It's just that, a rubber boot to keep dust and dirt out of the CV joint. Look under any front wheel drive car, most 4X4 pickups (many do not even have the boot) and quite a few tractors. I've run through 10' tall briars for days at a time and have only managed to tear one boot. My dealer replaced it for me no charge and gave me two extra 'just in case'. They are about an $8 part and take all of 5 minutes to change.

 

[ShaneD]

I ripped one last week. Looking at the part number written on the pad on my desk..(Dust cover 3508044680) thats for a 3430DT. It appears to simply cover the hydraulic rod where it exits the cylinder.

To change this...Do I loosen the locknut and unscrew the rod from the wheel housing? Whats the easiest way?

 

[sevilla]

Hi Dargo, thank you for the information. I'm not sure what a CV joint is. It seems from your words that this dust boot is a non-essential piece of equipment; still I believe that a tractor should not have such a design. Thank you again.

 

[SkyPup]

I simply wrapped all of mine with duck tape,a bout five or six wraps will keep it from being punctured by debris.

Getting dirt and or water in the CV joints will be a real expensive problem.

So far the duck tape has performed well for the last four years of heavy clearing work with our L-3130 and L-39.

 

[_RaT_]

I thought those were more like tie rod ends, you know like swivels. I always thought of CV joints as being the linkage an a axle that allows the axle to move with the suspension and allow the wheels to pivot all the time while rotating.

 

[SnoFalls]

typically CV joints refer to a shaft that rotates, can extend in length , and also pivot. Some driveshafts are CV type (others typically just use ujoints and slip yoke), and most independent suspensions anymore have CV type axels.

I cant see why a tierod would be a CV (extending in length kinda disrupts the purpose!). It very wll may have a ujoint tho that could benefit from some dust protection.

 

[simonmeridew]

sevilla:
Posters are correct: we aren't talking about a CV joint, which is a drivetrain part. This is more like a joint in the middle of the tierod which allows for some flexibility throughout the range of side to side movement in the tierod, especially as it approaches the end of the range of movement; that is, "lock to lock" as they say.
There is a simple U-joint in there, which functions as a kind of pivot; very little rotation in involved, but since it is near the ground and exposed to the elements, it has a rubber boot on it. May I say a POS? Nonetheless, it's better there than not, and R & R is an easy job: remove the nut from underneath the tie rod end where it connects to the wheel assembly and lightly jack up, underneath the tie rod and "tap" (not pound)the part of the wheel where the tie rod fits into it. This is kind of a cast "loop". The tie rod has a sort of morse taper shape that fits into the loop, and all you're trying to do is get it started in an upward direction. DO NOT pound upward on the threaded part you took the nut off of. It'll booger up easily and anyway you don't need to. Just use the light upward jacking to maintain light upward pressure.
When this part pops up and out, count the number of turns as you unscrew the tie rod; once it's off you replace the boot, replace the screw in end the same number of turns, replace the tapered piece in the wheel mechanism, tighten the nut and you're done.
Or wrap it in duct tape.
simonmeridew

 

[sevilla]

Thank you all for the inputs. It may seems drastic but for the moment al least I'm not going to buy a new tractor that needs duct tape. Thank you again.