Kubota Backhoe

[alabamatoy]

"There is nothing more exhilarating that being shot at without result." - Winston Churchill

Well, we were not shot at, but it was an exhilirating and infurating near miss anyway. 2014 Kubota L3901. I had a local Kubota dealership add a BH77 backhoe. When the backhoe is installed, there are 2 large pins which essentially hold the assembly in place on the mounting plates at the rear of the tractor. These pins each have a crosspin which is supposed to hold the big pin in place. Here's what mine looked like:

After a bit of vibration, you can guess what happens:

Now there's nothing holding the big pin in place. The manual is very clear about this:

The pins were installed by the dealer, but they put the keeper crosspin in the upper hole, not the lower hole as required by the manual. (I question why Kubota has this extremely dangerous design which makes such a mistake very likely to occur.) So after a few hours of operation, this happened: Backhoe accident (Sorry, I cannot post actual media here apparently. I hope linking to Rumble is not prohibited.) My friend's security camera just happened to record video of him as the entire backhoe came dis-attached from the mount, which launched him rearward towards the boom. The video shows him getting physically thrown onto the backhoe controls. Fortunately for him, he was running the machine at a fairly low RPM so he was able to get his body off the sticks and stop further movement of the boom. My buddy was not hurt (other than some temporary bruises and aches etc) but the outcome could have been MUUUUUCH worse.

My point in posting this is to urge everyone who has one of these to check and make sure the pins are properly installed. I am hopeful that our near disaster may be avoided by others.

 

[nyone]

The manual shows two holes. Looks like you had it in the wrong one to keep the pin in. Either way I would cut that little rod off and put a bolt through it with the threads that go through the hole and a nice steel lock nut holding the bolt into the pin.

 

[alabamatoy]

The dealership put it in the wrong hole....

 

[Jstpssng]

The dealership put it in the wrong hole....

Based on some of the posts here, it's worthwhile to check even a new tractor over to ensure that all of the bolts were tightened and everything else seems OK. Just because they sell them doesn't mean they are put together properly.

 

[hornett22]

There should be a warning label in that general area.

Seems like an odd design. I like the design on my mahindra better.

 

[Goose1776]

The dealership put it in the wrong hole....

That’s what she said…

 

[Notforhire]

Is there any reason to have the upper hole? I can't imagine what it would be used for.

My L47 uses a similar arrangement but the locking pin drops straight down. Much safer design IMHO.

 

[GeneV]

Strange design, don't like it.

 

[Smokeydog]

You’re right, that could have been much worse accident. The manual should show the correct way to insert the mounting pins and where the keeper pins go.

Both my Kubota B26 and M59 backhoes have similar pins but the keeper pins fit in a lower hole/slot so gravity holds the keeper pins in place. Well designed, simple and strong attachment. Mounting pins go in from one side so the keeper pins mate with the right hole/slot. Thinking they go from the inside out but need to check.

Glad your friend didn’t get hurt bad.

 

[mikester]

You’re right, that could have been much worse accident. The manual should show the correct way to insert the mounting pins and where the keeper pins go.

Both my Kubota B26 and M59 backhoes have similar pins but the keeper pins fit in a lower hole/slot so gravity holds the keeper pins in place. Well designed, simple and strong attachment. Mounting pins go in from one side so the keeper pins mate with the right hole/slot. Thinking they go from the inside out but need to check.

Glad your friend didn’t get hurt bad.

Poka-yoke - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Kubota is usually better on little things like this. Maybe it was the design engineer's first job. Or maybe K hired the engineer who designed the oil filter placement on some GM cars...

 

[Notforhire]

Poka-yoke - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Kubota is usually better on little things like this. Maybe it was the design engineer's first job. Or maybe K hired the engineer who designed the oil filter placement on some GM cars...

The difference may be that the backhoe is US made and the tractor Japan. So sad, if that's the case.

 

[Smokeydog]

The difference may be that the backhoe is US made and the tractor Japan. So sad, if that's the case.

Think all the Kubota loaders and backhoes are made in the USA. Canada does the same for its’ Kubota imports. All still made by Kubota. Global company.

Not sure if the OP’s problem was caused by human error or manufacturing flaw.

 

[5030]

Not sure if the OP’s problem was caused by human error or manufacturing flaw.

Or not going over it prior to operating it the first time which is probably the case.

 

[check]

Wow, how did you even get that first picture? I would have seen that right off, but then again I attach and remove my backhoe every spring and every fall, so I put that pin in and take it out frequently. And it is pretty obvious to me where that retainer part goes. And yes, the upper hole shouldn’t even exist! Very lucky that it did not result in a serious injury.

 

[GeneV]

Yeh, that just seems so stupid to put an upper hole there, like WHY?!!! Yes, common sense dictates using that hole for the pin means it will fall back out with gravity...but if you're fumbling around or distracted, whatever, crap happens.

 

[mikester]

Think all the Kubota loaders and backhoes are made in the USA. Canada does the same for its’ Kubota imports. All still made by Kubota. Global company.

Not sure if the OP’s problem was caused by human error or manufacturing flaw.

IMHO it's a design error on that model BH leading to possible incorrect assembly down the line and by operators. Maybe the top hole is used for locating the sub components during sub-assembly. Confusing to say the least.

On the M59 the pin retaining loop is down and obvious. No other holes to get confused by (that doesn't sound right )

 

[Vigo327]

We can all moralize about how this is why you should do everything yourself and check everything anyone else ever does for you and trust noone etc etc but if the hole wasn't there this likely wouldn't have happened. And none of us would like to let a friend borrow something and find out they killed themselves with it over something so easily avoided. Yeah we should all take ownership and be careful yadda yadda but Kubota should also get rid of that damn hole unless it has a reason for being there that is more important than the guy in the video we just watched. Long odds..

I would definitely make the dealer aware of what their technician did, and you may choose to want a lot more from them than just 'awareness' and i wouldn't judge you for it. Could be an honest misunderstanding, or it could be the last straw they need to convince them to get rid of someone who's a 'repeat offender' and is inserting danger into a lot of other peoples' lives too. I'm a mechanic and if i leave something critical loose or incorrectly installed and something terrible happens i am rightfully subject to some consequence and the shop's insurance has to make it right, to the extent that money can.. Insurance never brought anyone back to life. But it's not 'whoops my bad tough **** for you'. That's not just unprofessional and bad business, it's being an ethically bad person choosing to do things to others you would not wish done to you. So do what you think will be most effective at preventing the next guy from being less lucky than you, whether it's just a heads up to the dealership, a conversation with Kubota, etc. But at the very least that tech needs to be made aware of the mistake and the potential consequences, to avoid potentially repeating this.

 

[captainbars]

Yikes! Impresses me as a design destined to cause problems for someone. Glad your friend wasn't seriously hurt.
I have a BH76 hoe and will double check the mounting system. THanks!

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

I have the same BH77 and after many 100's of hours of use their design has never been a problem for me. Strong, easy on/off, etc...

as others have said wrong installation. Pin goes into lower hole so when vibration and gravity do their thing the pin stays where it should be.

Since you have yours in upper hole gravity / vibration moving it wrong way.

the upper hole is great place to attach a sling when using overhead crane / forks / etc... when you want to move around the BH when not attached to tractor.

 

[Chanceywd]

Mine was delivered that way too. I think the answer to why the 2 holes is the piece is flipped to be welded on the opposite side during manufacturing instead of left and rights they have one. I wonder if it would be good to put a short bolt and nut in the upper ones so I couldn't make that mistake by accident myself.

Bill