Grinding Sound !! - Dealer Says NORMAL

[RickB]

The most important detail about failing to make payments on an installment contract is that doing so will impact one's credit rating adversely. Doing so in this instance would be an incredibly poor choice.

 

[DieselMonk]

Is it possible for you to post a lil audio or video file or a link that we can actually hear the noise you are talking about. I am just curious as heck...

DM

 

[Doc_Bob]

Before you can get another tractor, I believe that you have to at least allow them to try the fix the machine. Dusty

Dusty is right.
Bob

 

[thcri]

Bob and Dusty are right, you have to give the dealer the opportunity to fix the problem. And also if the the tractor is financed even through New Holland Credit that is a totally different organization and stopping payments will only hurt your credit rating. I would though send them a letter threating that you are going to stop payments as you don't have a working tractor. They will give pressure to New Holland and the dealer.

murph

 

[Dusty]

The most important detail about failing to make payments on an installment contract is that doing so will impact one's credit rating adversely. Doing so in this instance would be an incredibly poor choice.

If you stop making payment as a result of defective equipment, I don't believe that they can report you as being delenquient. I will have to find the law or regulation to be certain. There is a differance between not making payments, and not making payments for a reason and notifying them in writing as to why you have stopped the payments. Possibly there is a banker on the site that can give us some information on this?

A Businessperson's Guide to Federal Warranty Law

 

[MoyockHeel]

A couple of caveats. The lifts work, but only after going through the warm up process of making the honk, vibrating, slowness, etc. The tractor's movement is fine, except for the grinding noise, so performance is not reduced, so far.

I understand that I need to give them a chance to fix it, but changing to a cold weather fluid does not sound like a real fix, only a masking. And as said by someone, what happens in the summer, another change? I suppose I would even have to allow the major re-work, but the simplest fix is to replace the tractor. I know how that sounds, but I don't believe it is an unreasonable position. The initial grinding noise started at 14.4 hours, and it only has 40 hours on it now. I consider that new.

I did finance about half of the tractor through NH, so I'm making payments. I'll look into whether I can stop making payments while the tractor is in it's current state. I will not stop making payments until I'm sure there are no repercussions to my credit rating, etc.

I have made a DVD copy of the video/audio tape. As the DVD would be digital, I assume I could post it on here, but it would take some instruction from someone a little more computer savvy than I.

The grinding noise is like lowering the blade on pavement, not gravel. My daughter describes it that way.

I have a couple of attorney friends. I'll ask them how to proceed, after researching the payment terms in the contract. Nothing was offered when the dealer held it for a full month, fixing the cruise control and hour meter (IP renewed). They did change my engine oil and filter, after me saying I felt they owed me some sort of compensation. There was absolutely no offer to make a payment for that lost month, no offer for a loaner, no call to update status (I had to call to ask if they'd lost it. It was sitting out in their yard the whole time. I keep it under a barn/shelter.)

Thanks for everyone's input. The weather was rainy today, so I haven't messed with the tractor, but I have been able to visit this site. It is really helpful. With my video camera still on the blitz, I 'd feel like I was missing something if I used the tractor without a camera around my neck. Warped...for sure.

 

[Dusty]

Every day that you don't have the tractor and it is in there care and custody for a warranty repair adds days to the warranty at the end.
Dusty

 

[Soundguy]

Any chance the noise may be a cavitation issue? If so.. the cold weather fluid/filter may be an option...

soundguy

 

[shvl73]

They did change my engine oil and filter, after me saying I felt they owed me some sort of compensation.

I'd have felt better if they provided oil and a filter for future use when the tractor actually had some hours on it. Changing the oil on a tractor that, to this day, only has 40 hours and, at the time surely had less, seems like a waste of oil.

 

[MoyockHeel]

Soundguy, The NH rep looked at the dipstick for the hyd system after running it for a while. He saw only minimal (~1-2 bubbles) on the stick. He ruled out cavitation in the system. He also said that cavitation would cause the lifts to be "spongy". I didn't know what his def of spongy was, but the slow reactions to control seemed spongy to me. I took it to mean that he was not seeing spongy. Or, maybe that he didn't see spongy like he didn't hear the noise on my tape.

I have suspected cavitation from the beginning. When they changed the fluid at the warranty visit, and didn't see metal fillings in the fluid or filter, I assumed it was cavitation, but with the experts continue to say no. I don't know the fix on a cavitation issue, but it is being discounted for whatever reason. (I know that changing hyd fluid is not cheap.) If changing to the lower temp hyd fluid "fixes" it (eliminates the grinding noise and the lifts work as designed) fine, but if there are future problems with the hyd system or HST, I want them to be covered by the warranty...essentially forever. If they can't guarantee that, I'd prefer to have the tractor replaced.

Shvl-the changing fluids idea came from the dealer. I was told by several people at the dealer to make sure I changed all the fluid on the tractor at 50 hours. I realize the owner's manual says differently, but was told to do so more than once, so I thought it was common practice (evidently is for Kubota?). According to them, it is to get out the break-in oils. It's supposed to cost ~$350, according to "them". I was going to do it. After complaining about the extended time they kept it at their shop, I mentioned that it looked like they should offer to make a payment, change my fluids, give me an ink pen, or something, in compensation. They offered to change my fluids, and I thought it meant the whole $350 worth. When the dealer took the tractor it had 22.4 hours on it, so I figured the break-in fluids could be changed and I'd be happy and we'd all move on. But the grinding noise persists, and the lift issues have arisen since it was in their shop. And I'm not too happy. They changed the engine oil and filter, after changing the hyd fluid and filter. I mentioned this to the NH rep and he said all that was left to change was the power steerng fluid and the front axle oil. I told him that I had expected all flluids to be changed, as advised by the dealer. A minor issue, but just another example of how this is going.