Kubota 7040 uneven hydraulic cylindars on loader arm

[Rustyiron]

Straightening any metal with heat or not has (for me) usually ended with frustration and not so great results. I have to believe that heating it compromises the strength to some extent and you still gotta paint it . May as well make an improvement while you're at it is my attitude.

 

[RancherGuy]

Why not try pushing against a tree ?

I could be tried on a valueless tree - will remove or damage bark, but if anything but low force is required, there will not be enough leverage. The SSQA 'arms' are less than 2 feet long.

 

[RancherGuy]

Straightening any metal with heat or not has (for me) usually ended with frustration and not so great results. I have to believe that heating it compromises the strength to some extent and you still gotta paint it . May as well make an improvement while you're at it is my attitude.

As they say, YMMV. Some may like to consider different options, which was the point of my suggestions.

As for the function of that tube, its main function is not to be a torque tube for strength. It is merely to keep the arms aligned when there is no attachment in place. Otherwise the attachment itself provides the torque strength required. I have a Kubota with quick attachment features (not Skid Steer), and that uses a metal rod that might be 3/4". Could easily be bent if stressed.

I have a JD, much larger, with a similar torque rod that is also 3/4" but it has a shear bolt in one end. That bolt has been missing for years, so the two quick attach arms can and do move independently, when I don't want them to. I bump them or fiddle with the hydraulics until they are aligned when connecting to an attachment. It all works.

 

[Needville]

I had a similar issue with mine, but my tube wasn't bent, the loader frame had torqued slightly. I loosened all the bolts connecting the loader and pushed against a tree. I didn't get it perfect, but I got it 99%.

 

[Rustyiron]

As they say, YMMV. Some may like to consider different options, which was the point of my suggestions.

As for the function of that tube, its main function is not to be a torque tube for strength. It is merely to keep the arms aligned when there is no attachment in place. Otherwise the attachment itself provides the torque strength required. I have a Kubota with quick attachment features (not Skid Steer), and that uses a metal rod that might be 3/4". Could easily be bent if stressed.

I have a JD, much larger, with a similar torque rod that is also 3/4" but it has a shear bolt in one end. That bolt has been missing for years, so the two quick attach arms can and do move independently, when I don't want them to. I bump them or fiddle with the hydraulics until they are aligned when connecting to an attachment. It all works.

I wasn't arguing at all, more of a declaration of my limited straightening skills. I had a Deere 5400 with the same small "timing" pipe and smiled reading your "fiddling" around with the joystick. I know exactly what you mean and I think that may be a better approach to this whole issue. A much more user friendly design for sure.

 

[cjdRanch]

so the solution was fairly simple. The we put the forks back on and put the high side fork under the dumpster and slowly lifted it until the low side matched up. Basically the reverse of what the technician at Kubota suggested. He suggested pushing the low side against something solid and pushing it back up. That did not work but the other way did. Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

 

[cjdRanch]

Yup, torque tube is bent.

Other than you noticing it, is it causing any operational issues? IS it still easy to hook and unhook the bucket and its the bucket still level with the tractor? If so, Id just leave it alone no more twisted than it is.

If it is causing issues...you can either try some of the methods here for twisting it back to straight, or cut and reweld, or as a last resort buy a new SSQA adapter for your machine.

yes we could not get any attachments on. Fixed it by bending the other side to match.

 

[cjdRanch]

Why does every "fix the tube" solution use a cut? If going that route, I'd recommend just putting torque stress on the tube then heating until it gives enough to correct.

Otherwise I would suggest trying to cold-torque first by putting the cylinders into a 50% extension position and chaining the right side so it does not move (forward), then use the hydraulics to push the left side until the sides are parallel. It would require a measuring tape to measure the current position of left vs right, apply and remove hydraulic pressure, then measure again. Repeat until the desired change occurs.

tried that and it would not budge. ended up using the fork on one side and putting it under the dumpster to lift. Torqued the left side to match the right.

 

[cjdRanch]

Why not try pushing against a tree ?

I tried that and it would not budge. That is actually what the kubota dealer suggested. we did the opposite by lifting with the high side until it matched the low side.

 

[cjdRanch]

Good point about one side of SSQA becoming unlatched or possibly not latched correctly when mounting attachments

that is what the dealer said usually happens. I just got a new grappler and the connection is a little sloppy. I need to weld a piece onto it to tighten it up. But this time I think they did it when they were unrolling hay and caught something in the field with the right side of the forks.