Kubota L3450 help needed please.

[Spikes]

Hi all, first post.

I just traded for the tractor above. I have located a manual for it, but it won't be here for a few days and as the PO repainted the tractor, the operation stickers are missing.

I have figured out the 540 / 1000 PTO settings as well as forward / backwards and the high / low side of the gear box. I also believe the little foot lever by my Right heel may be the diff lock.
I'm guessing that the front hand lever by my Left thigh is the 4x4 engagement lever, but it doesn't seem to do anything. It does have a good 'feel' like it's hooked up to something though.

I have also noticed the engine picks up a 'little' RPM if I turn the key off after I start the engine. Like something isn't using power any more, even though no lights are on. Can I assume the battery is no longer being charged when the key is off? (seems obvious, but I need to learn these things)

One more question (for now). What is the round knob in front of and under the seat? I didn't want to turn it without knowing.

Thanks for reading my silly questions, folks! My last tractor was a Fergie TO-20 and she didn't have all the goodies like this one.

Carl.

 

[gwdixon]

I had a L3650 so much is the same.

The lever on the left is the 4x4. There is no indication on the gauges that it is engaged.

The round knob between you knees and under the seat is an adjustment valve for the speed of drop of the 3PH. If it is too tight the 3PH won't go down. Too loose and it will drop the implement like a stone.

The lever by your right foot and up against the rear of the seating area is the differential lock as you observed.

Not sure about the "key off" issue. The key off is supposed to engage the electronic fuel shut off valve for about 15 seconds or so. How do you stop the tractor? Do you have to use the fuel shut off lever (the pull rod under and to the right of the key)? If so, you need a fuel stop solenoid - it is a common issue with these tractors.

 

[Spikes]

Awesome, thanks for the answers.

I do have to use the fuel shutoff lever (now that I know what that's called) to stop the engine. I'll look into a shut off valve.
I'll look into a way to test the 4x4. The guy I bought the tractor from put new tires all around as part of the deal and I wonder if there just isn't enough ratio difference between the back and front to tell if it's working. I was going to jack the back tire up and see if I could tell a difference between 2x and 4x that way, but as I have the EC (Ever Clutch) system I don't think that will work.

As far as the PTO rate knob, glad you mentioned that, mine is hard to lower gently, now I know why!

Thanks again!

 

[k0ua]

One simple way to test 4wd if you have a ditch that is not too deep (so as not to be dangerous) is to cross the ditch in 2wd at a diagonal so that one rear tire is unloaded or even suspended in mid air. do this slowly so that there is no momentum to carry you thru the ditch. If the one tire is in mid air it will rotate and the other one will be more or less motionless. or just shudder a bit. Congratulations you are now stuck. Observe your front wheels are not turning, only the one rear wheel in mid air.. Now engage 4wd, it will either pull you out of the ditch, or if one of the front wheels is in mid air too. it will turn now but you are still stuck perhaps.. let off the throttle, and engage the differential lock, you should now pull forward. Another way of course is to push into a dirt or gravel pile in 2wd until the rear or rears spin, engage 4wd, and note that you will have more push into the pile and eventual front (at least one) wheel spin. Happy testing

James K0UA

 

[Spikes]

Hey there you go. I do have an appropriate ditch and will try that tomorrow. Good thinking!

Edit:-

The aforementioned ditch is the whole reason I specifically wanted a 4x4 model this time. TO-20's are heavy and cumbersome on a tow rope!

 

[gwdixon]

Yeah, and have k0ua there to pull you out.:laughing:

Another way to check is to put it in 4wd (by pulling the lever up) and make a very tight turn on gravel or dirt. You should feel the resistance. Try the same thing in 2wd to compare. This will also work on asphalt or concrete but your tires will take a beating.

As far as the stop solenoid goes - take off the right engine cover and observe how the stop rod pulls a lever to shut off the gas. That same lever should have a cannister about the size of a very small cola can attached to it by a small rod coming off the cannister. It is simple to replace but runs around $60.

I went through 4 of those things. Do not, under any circumstance, get it wet. A power washer is instant death.

 

[Spikes]

put it in 4wd (by pulling the lever up)

I think you just hit on an important note. The lever was 'up' when I got the tractor so I (ahem) assumed that was 2x4. I'll check that tonight.

As for the fuel solenoid, doesn't it actuate the same thing the pull lever does? Why couldn't I continue using the lever and save $60?

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[gwdixon]

You can save your $60 but I wouldn't make turning the key all the way to off a habit when actually working the tractor.

 

[Spikes]

You can save your $60 but I wouldn't make turning the key all the way to off a habit when actually working the tractor.

I'm starting with good habits, so hopefully they will stick. So far so good.

The 4x4 does work! Good news. Glad I didn't damage it running around in 4x4 (at least I was on gravel and grass).

I also brush hogged for about 45 minutes in deep, thick brush today, tractor did great! I'm going to have to learn how to use the three point on this tractor though, the old tractor would let the brush hog rise and fall (by letting the implement lift it's lift arms up) but this one will dig the hog into the ground so I have to constantly adjust the lift to avoid straining and stalling the tractor.
Hopefully there is a way around that as there is barely a flat spot on my property.

 

[gwdixon]

I'm going to have to learn how to use the three point on this tractor though, the old tractor would let the brush hog rise and fall (by letting the implement lift it's lift arms up) but this one will dig the hog into the ground so I have to constantly adjust the lift to avoid straining and stalling the tractor.
Hopefully there is a way around that as there is barely a flat spot on my property.

Try shortening the 3PH top link so that the cutter is running on the back tire and the deck is level on level ground when the 3PH is all the way down (in float). The top link adjustment should raise the front of the mower several inches. That may require lowering the back tire so the cutter deck is a little higher in the rear. (The usual recommendation is for the cutter's deck to be on a slightly downward angle slanted toward the front.)

All of this is dependent on how the A-arm attachment on the cutter is set up. Some have a chain, others have a variety of swivel "U" attachment points for the top link. You'll have to experiment to get the correct alignment.

The above adjustments should allow the cutter to run comfortably over minor bumps and shallows. You may have to be satisfied with a bit longer cut.

One other possibility is to use higher holes on the tractor's vertical lift bars that attach to the lift arms on the bottom and the hydraulic lift levers on top. That will raise the lift arms' relationship to the ground and thus raise the front of the cutter. The previous owner may have changed the OEM settings. A photo of your 3PH and cutter would be a help in figuring it out.

Let us know what happens. There are folks on here that mow for a living that may give a better answer.

 

[Spikes]

I'll try to get some pictures tonight.

Thinking about this, I believe my old brush hog had a swiveling intermediate link between the top link and the mount at the top of the hog. This link allowed the mower to move more than the fixed top link on this Woods brand hog.
My finish mower has a similar link, like an upside down U shaped piece.

 

[k0ua]

I'll try to get some pictures tonight.

Thinking about this, I believe my old brush hog had a swiveling intermediate link between the top link and the mount at the top of the hog. This link allowed the mower to move more than the fixed top link on this Woods brand hog.
My finish mower has a similar link, like an upside down U shaped piece.

That is exactly what my King Kutter has on it. A good description is the Upside down U shaped piece.

James K0UA

 

[Spikes]

I think I'll make one and see if that helps. Adjusting the top link makes plenty of sense though, I'll try that this evening after I get done at this pesky day job.

 

[k0ua]

Hey Spikes, I am over here in Harrison. (at the pesky day job too)

James K0UA

 

[Spikes]

Glad to meet you, James. I work at a driveshaft shop in Lowell. Let me know if you need any PTO or driveshaft stuff!

Carl.

 

[k0ua]

Glad to meet you, James. I work at a driveshaft shop in Lowell. Let me know if you need any PTO or driveshaft stuff!

Carl.

Ha, I just bought one from Race Brothers.. because I could not find any cheap trilobe tube for a La Magdelana and I could not get the old tube pressed out anyway as I don't have a 20 ton press. It was a bit short for my new larger tractor. Oh well I bet you could have helped me, but I have spent my money and just bought a new one.

James K0UA

 

[Spikes]

Yea, we have the Bondoli Pavesi (triangle) parts as well as the American stuff. If we don't have it, we can get it - except some John Deere and other bastardized stuff. Most parts are in stock or a maximum of 2 days regular freight out.

By the way, it's easier to get the old tube out if you knock the u-joint out and make a slot in the end of the tube inside the yoke. A sawzall works well. The tube can be knocked out with a punch then.

Not much help now, but maybe it will help someone someday.

 

[k0ua]

Yea, we have the Bondoli Pavesi (triangle) parts as well as the American stuff. If we don't have it, we can get it - except some John Deere and other bastardized stuff. Most parts are in stock or a maximum of 2 days regular freight out.

By the way, it's easier to get the old tube out if you knock the u-joint out and make a slot in the end of the tube inside the yoke. A sawzall works well. The tube can be knocked out with a punch then.

Not much help now, but maybe it will help someone someday.

I thought about doing that, in fact I took the cross out, and was going to cut it, but decided since the tri-lobe tubes would have been close to what they wanted for the whole new complete PTO shaft, I just bought the shaft. and decided to keep the short one for if I ever traded off the rotary cutter it goes on it could go with it. It is only a 4 ft KK anyway, and more properly fits on a small tractor, but I just need it to trim a bit, and even though it looks a little funny on the back of my DK35se it is all I need.

James K0UA

 

[Spikes]

Adjusting the top link made things much better. The back wheel controls most of the digging in now, but the front isn't down more than the back any more. Works fine though. Now I sprung a hydraulic leak (well, the tractor did anyway) so no more mowing until I get parts to fix that.

I need a shop. With an air conditioner.