Kubota Quick Attach Loader Problems

[smgriffin]

I have a Kubota M125X with a LA1601 quick attach loader. Within a 6 month period I have twisted the front end loader mounting plate twice. The first time I was using a Kubota bucket and pushing dirt/limbs. The second time I had a set of pallet forks on the loader. It appears that the front end loader release handles are working their way loose and one side of the bucket comes out of the loader. When this happens, the other side that is still in the bucket will twist the mounting plate. The first time Kubota replaced the mounting plate. The loader is now out of warranty and I am waiting to see what Kubota will do. Has anyone else had this problem? On a previous tractor, we had a Bush loader and it never came off. When I put on the bucket or pallet, I always make sure the handles are all the way down and the bottom pins are in the bucket or pallet holes. This is my first experience with a quick attach loader and so far it has not been good. It is a bad feeling to be using a loader and having to worry about the bucket coming off.

 

[MrJimi]

I have adjustments on mine, when I flip the lever down it gets firm a little and thats where the tension springs take over and I have a push it down easy and a compress spring mode, the springs have to be compressed to stay locked in, I hope that was a help to you.
Jim

 

[smgriffin]

Thanks for your response Jim! The tension on the release handles on the Kubota are about the same regardless of the position of the handles. You would think that as the handles move to the down or locked position that the springs would pull the handles down. I wish there was a pin that could be inserted so the handles would not come up until the pin was removed. When the plate twisted the first time, some one said there was a "fix kit" available. I ask the dealer about this and he said it was already installed. Once the loader was fixed by the dealer, I could not tell any difference. I am now thinking about putting some tie downs on the handles to keep them in place. Just think a $6500 loader with a $10 tie down. I emailed Kubota 3 days ago and still have not got a response.

 

[MrJimi]

On mine, I can add more washers to make it tighter and I also have an adjustment nut for correct tension, you may be able to do something similar
Jim

 

[n8wrl]

My grapple came off one side once - luckily I noticed it right away and stopped. Since then I've cranked on the adjustment nuts and the latch-handles are much harder to move.

-Brian

 

[wushaw]

Interesting, on my QA the levers are cammed over and for them to work loose/up there would have to be something to pull up on the levers.
Yours may not be adjusted right or something is bent preventing full engagment.
Will the levers cam over with nothing on the QA plate?
Do they move freely?
Are the pins still in one piece?
Do they fully engage?
Does the QA plate even fit correctly?
Have you looked at other QA setups to see if there is any difference?

 

[Deerlope]

I have a Kubota M125X with a LA1601 quick attach loader. Within a 6 month period I have twisted the front end loader mounting plate twice. The first time I was using a Kubota bucket and pushing dirt/limbs. The second time I had a set of pallet forks on the loader. It appears that the front end loader release handles are working their way loose and one side of the bucket comes out of the loader. When this happens, the other side that is still in the bucket will twist the mounting plate. The first time Kubota replaced the mounting plate. The loader is now out of warranty and I am waiting to see what Kubota will do. Has anyone else had this problem? On a previous tractor, we had a Bush loader and it never came off. When I put on the bucket or pallet, I always make sure the handles are all the way down and the bottom pins are in the bucket or pallet holes. This is my first experience with a quick attach loader and so far it has not been good. It is a bad feeling to be using a loader and having to worry about the bucket coming off.

There is a reto-fit kit that will stop that. It consist of a sleeve that fits over the wedge pin and inside the spring on the quick connect. Kubota furnished my free of charge and I put them on. My bucket use to come off when back dragging but nor any more.

 

[DK35vince]

Your quick attach pins need adjusted or shimmed.
If the pins are adjusted properly you will NOT loose the bucket reguardless how hard you use it..

 

[smgriffin]

Thanks for the replys. I am going to ask the dealer about the "fix kit" again. Does anyone have a picture of the "fix kit"? I am surprised that no else has bent their quick attach plate. I am sure though push that plate around with a 125hp tractor does not help. I like the tractor but have been disappointed with the loader. Also, has anyone else ever emailed Kubota through their website and got a response?

 

[catmadni]

I know what you mean. I had my left side handle come up when I was digging brush and stumps. I didn't notice in time and I twisted the QA.

To repair, I cut the knuckle off completely and welded all new steel.

Be careful though, you need to allign the 2 knuckles precisely.

Unfortunately I had so much torque on the bucket, I twisted the right boom slightly too. Not enough to cause it inoperable, but its not perfect anymore.

 

[smgriffin]

Dealer has talked to Kubota and Kubota told him that the FEL issue has been fixed with a redesigned mounting plate. The dealer has order the new plate and Kubota is picking up the tab. I am eager to see the new plate and hope it works. I was getting a little concerned about the Kubota loader. But as long as Kubota is willing to stand by their product, I am willing to keep using it. I do like the M125X tractor. I just want to have confidence in the FEL.

 

[M105X]

Please tell me more. I bought a M105X a couple of months ago. I finally got all the adaptor plates welded onto my attachments.

Does your pins on your quick tach go down very far into the latch area? I have a 1 inch pin that is tappered and it only goes down into latch so about 1/8" to 1/4" of the pins thickness of the 1 inch pin is holding on all 3 attachments. I was concerned about this from the beggining but told that was the way they hooked up. I am not sure that the bottom of the QA seats into the plates to allow the pins to fully catch. Meaning as you attach the top goes in and you roll the bucket back. the top is real close but he bottom has about 1/4" or more gap between QA and plate on attachment.

The first day I hooked on my grapple and rolled the bucket forward or down I snapped the tips of the tappered locking pins off and dropped the grapple. My dealer called Kubota and the best I have heard back is Kubota hasn't had anyone break the pins off before.

I agree that the spring tension on the latch pins are important since I could see that with little pressure the pin will move up releasing attachment. So to remedy this till Kubota figures something out. ( I can't wait till they figure this out to use tractor I need it everyday). I welded a piece of 3/8" steel block 1"x1" to the plate on my attachments so now it catches higher up on the 1" tappered pin. Granted it could make it harder to hook up. I pushed block in a little so the tappered pins have some good pressure.

The only time this will be a problem is backdragging etc... However my tractor I traded off never came distached once in all the years I had it and I worked it pretty hard.

I am not sure that the skid steer quicktack can handle the larger tractor power.

I love my tractor but think the loader is the biggest dissappointment so far. Meaning the QA and the removing and installing the whole loader on tractor.

 

[smgriffin]

The pins on my M125X are the same as your M105X. But I have never broke a pin off. The first time I had a problem was when I had the bucket on pushing dirt/limbs etc. I figured that some how one of the limbs pushed one of the handles up causing the the right side of the bucket to come off of the mounting plate. This caused the left side of the mounting plate to get twisted. The second time it happened was when I had a set of pallet forks on the tractor picking up cross ties. This time I did bury one of the the forks in the ground a little. The next thing I know one of the sides came out of the FEL mounting plate and other side was twisted again. Two things concern me about my FEL. If you look at the top of the mounting plate it is triangular shaped and hollow in the middle. It just does not look heavy duty enough to handle this size tractor. The second thing is the handles are too easy to raise and lower. I plan on seeing if I can adjust the tension on the handles. The dealer is suppose to get the new mounting plate this week. The loader does a good job of handling round bales but I always feel I must be careful when putting it under a little stress. I did email Kubota about 10 days ago but never got a response. I guess my only hope is through my dealer. Let me know if you find out anything else.

 

[smgriffin]

Good news. I got the new FEL plate installed. I noticed the follow improvements: 1. The bottom pins are much larger and appear to made from a harden steel. 2. The handles now are much harder to lift up and some what lock when in the down position.

Now it is time to test the new FEL plate out. I plan on tearing down an old fence row next week.

 

[wushaw]

M105X, I don't have the size tractor you have but I do understand what your talking about when you hook up an implement to your QA, I will have to grab my bucket or forks and lift up an let it fall so it will seat correctly (lay flat on the QA plate) in the QA plate or I will get like what your getting...only 1/4" of pin engagement.

 

[LarryRB]

om my L 48 the front bucket was always loose and at times, flat fell off.. A call to the dealer, and next day I had a new spring pack... I forget now, it was 2 years or so ago, I think to remember the dealer saying several spring packs were weak from the beginning,. no cost to me and ten minutes or less and fixed.

 

[M105X]

Glad to hear you got a new updated QA. I was wondering with what you explain since my tractor is new if I have the new style or old style. I know my pins are 1" and they are hardened by the way the tips broke off. This might lead me to believe I already have the new style.

As for getting loader to attach better. I was out of town yesterday and drove by a lot that had a new 105S on the lot. I stopped and looked and the Quick tach fit much better than mine does. There was no gap near the bottom and the pins engaged much more. (mine will no go in more since I have put lip of bucket against something hard and pushed and it will not fit any tighter.) After looking more at mine I believe that without grinding or another type of aggressive modification that it will never fit into the quick attach any better. It is hard to explain but from the top angle (that fits under lip in bucket Quick attach) to the bottom angle (at bottom that is angled near where attach pins are) is to long. Not by much but enough to not let it seat into the QA plate. I have 3 plates that fit similar so I think it must be the QA part on the loader. This is my uneducated guess I will see if I can't get dealer to look at it.

 

[M105X]

I have my new updated QA for my loader on the way. They tell me the way to tell the difference is the new pins are chrome or chrome colored.


Thanks for the info.

 

[North GA]

I am having doubts about whether my new L3130 with LA723 FEL QA will perform. My wedge pins are black and they only extend about 3/4" beyond the slot. Should the latest pins be chrome?

My son bought a M9540 at the same time I bought my L3130. He has exactly the same set up on the loader pins as my little L3130. I just can't see how they will survive a 95 HP tractor.

Should I be asking my dealer to get us updated QA pins? Our units are only 2 weeks old.

 

[M105X]

I have my new QA. The new pins are chrome and I would guess 1 1/4" instead of 1 ". The black pins tappered down to a sharp point where the Chrome pin tappers down to about 1/4". I have alot more confidence in the new QA Plate. On my new plate the pins are 3/4 of the tapper down in the slot where the old plate only the tips of the pins held. I never thought my old plate fit the way it should. I also think there is more resistance on the arms that latch so they should be more secure.

I was told by my dealer that Kubota said that I was the smallest tractor that had trouble with the old style plate. Most of the tractors that was having the problem was the 125 size.

I was told that Kubota would only replace to the new style if the old QA was tweeked. I told my dealer to order mine and I would tweek the old one. Well my dealer just replaced it and told me not to take a chance on bending my loader arms or cylinders.