TerryinMD
Veteran Member
Yesterday,while I was mowing my neighbors lawn the hood on my JD 4100 started flapping up and down. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif
This is not a normal thing to happen. I had just changed the oil a couple of days previously and thought, well, maybe I didn't latch it properly or something got stuck to prevent it from properly latching. I looked around and found that nothing unusual was to be seen. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
So I closed the hood and it would not latch. Played around and saw that the latch release was just hanging around and flapping. No resistence. /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif So, I played with the latch and hood and was able to latch the hood. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Okay, let's get the lawn done - it's late afternoon and getting cooler. /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif
My neighbors lot is like driving on a car manufacturers test track. All the conditions necessary to test your vehicle. Smooth, rough, rutted, flat, hilly... you get the picture. /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif ... back to the point now.
After about a minute or two, the flapping hood syndrome returns! /w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif I stop the tractor on a level spot and pop open the hood to re-examine. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif Well, lo and behold, I find the problem!! /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif The spring that provides tension on the latching mechanism is just a-flapping around and to boot, touching a battery terminal!! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif/w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif
Luckily, it was the negative terminal and no shorts occured. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif After a few well chosen Naval exclaimations, I pulled off the offending spring and to my surprise the end of the spring had corroded completely off. [shock] It just so happens that the bottom part of the spring is very close to the battery and as you may imagine, some of those fine battery juices have taken their toll on the metal - a picture of the spring is attached for your viewing pleasure.
Those of you who own JD 4100's may want to look at that spring to see if yours is corroding. The tractor is less than two years old and the part should be covered under warranty. I've talked to my dealer and he is checking into the problem. I specifically asked if there is a service bulletin covering the issue and he is checking into that for me. The dealer offered to come down to install the part and I chose not to. Heck, a trip covering 60 miles for a $3.00 spring is silly. I'd rather put forth some good will and save them a trip for something more important.
So, again - JD 4100 owners, check the spring for the hood latch. You will find it attached near the front grill just above the battery on the left side of the tractor. It is attached to a bar and extends down to a small bar welded to a bracket for the radiator.
Terry
This is not a normal thing to happen. I had just changed the oil a couple of days previously and thought, well, maybe I didn't latch it properly or something got stuck to prevent it from properly latching. I looked around and found that nothing unusual was to be seen. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
So I closed the hood and it would not latch. Played around and saw that the latch release was just hanging around and flapping. No resistence. /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif So, I played with the latch and hood and was able to latch the hood. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Okay, let's get the lawn done - it's late afternoon and getting cooler. /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif
My neighbors lot is like driving on a car manufacturers test track. All the conditions necessary to test your vehicle. Smooth, rough, rutted, flat, hilly... you get the picture. /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif ... back to the point now.
After about a minute or two, the flapping hood syndrome returns! /w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif I stop the tractor on a level spot and pop open the hood to re-examine. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif Well, lo and behold, I find the problem!! /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif The spring that provides tension on the latching mechanism is just a-flapping around and to boot, touching a battery terminal!! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif/w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif
Luckily, it was the negative terminal and no shorts occured. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif After a few well chosen Naval exclaimations, I pulled off the offending spring and to my surprise the end of the spring had corroded completely off. [shock] It just so happens that the bottom part of the spring is very close to the battery and as you may imagine, some of those fine battery juices have taken their toll on the metal - a picture of the spring is attached for your viewing pleasure.
Those of you who own JD 4100's may want to look at that spring to see if yours is corroding. The tractor is less than two years old and the part should be covered under warranty. I've talked to my dealer and he is checking into the problem. I specifically asked if there is a service bulletin covering the issue and he is checking into that for me. The dealer offered to come down to install the part and I chose not to. Heck, a trip covering 60 miles for a $3.00 spring is silly. I'd rather put forth some good will and save them a trip for something more important.
So, again - JD 4100 owners, check the spring for the hood latch. You will find it attached near the front grill just above the battery on the left side of the tractor. It is attached to a bar and extends down to a small bar welded to a bracket for the radiator.
Terry
