L Series owners

davobc · Nov 29, 2021

Thank you everyone for the suggestions! Common theme here with the safety switch. We will continue to diagnose and hopefully i can post a resolution soon.

Recoveryhill · Mar 6, 2022

L4700SU HST since 2010. Rock solid. Only two problems are range selector, I just leave it in Middle Range and PTO control cable which I have replaced twice, wouldn't go from PTO on to PTO off. I've found that if I shut the machine down with clutch depressed and let cutter spool down before releasing clutch, disconnect the PTO shaft and when I start back up with a non PTO implement, the PTO soon disengages.

IrishLoader · Mar 22, 2022

Pretty sure it's a 2000 model year, only had 1091 on the ticker so barley broke in.

GrumpyL5030 · Apr 21, 2022

Hagalaz14w said:
Seems most people here own a BX series Kubota.
Any L series owners here? I'm a first time tractor owner with a nearly new(13 hours when I bought it)L3200. Any advice or suggestions?

Looks like I'm a little late to this dance. I see this thread started about 12 years ago. Anyway, I just brought home an L5030 that was built in 2003. I look forward to learning some things about this machine as it's the newest tractor I've ever used. In particular, the 3 point hitch on it is different than any I've experienced before. I've never seen one with hydraulic rams sandwiching the top link connection bars on the tractor. It needed a new top link due to the one came with it is bent, so I grabbed one at TSC with some new pins. I found out the pins I bought are too long to install the top link due to the interference of the cylinders being there. I'd love some advice on which pins work the best on this design. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

sixdogs · Apr 22, 2022

I had that issue on my L4300 and others over the years and found that a shorter pin and lifting the arms during installation solved the problem. My factory OEM pins also fit and I feel safer with those stronger pins. More expensive, however. I can take pics of the different pins if you want.

A 12 year old thread is no big deal. Ask and ye shall generally receive.

GrumpyL5030 · Apr 23, 2022

sixdogs said:
I had that issue on my L4300 and others over the years and found that a shorter pin and lifting the arms during installation solved the problem. My factory OEM pins also fit and I feel safer with those stronger pins. More expensive, however. I can take pics of the different pins if you want.

A 12 year old thread is no big deal. Ask and ye shall generally receive.

Thank you sixdogs. Pictures would be a huge help. I stopped by the tractor store again tonight to try to find another option. I'm getting more confused every time I look at them. This tractor can use cat1 or cat2 size top link ends and pins. I found some shorter pins that are theaded on one end with jam nuts with the insert (smooth) end for a lynch pin. I tried a smaller diameter pin with a sleeve but that was too small and was loose in the top link. Other sleeve/pin combos wouldn't work due to sleeve O.D. being the same size as the link end. I'm ready to fab something myself if I don't find a solution. I appreciate your help sixdogs.

GrumpyL5030 · Apr 23, 2022

GrumpyL5030 said:
Thank you sixdogs. Pictures would be a huge help. I stopped by the tractor store again tonight to try to find another option. I'm getting more confused every time I look at them. This tractor can use cat1 or cat2 size top link ends and pins. I found some shorter pins that are theaded on one end with jam nuts with the insert (smooth) end for a lynch pin. I tried a smaller diameter pin with a sleeve but that was too small and was loose in the top link. Other sleeve/pin combos wouldn't work due to sleeve O.D. being the same size as the link end. I'm ready to fab something myself if I don't find a solution. I appreciate your help sixdogs.

Call off the dogs! I actually had a day off to look at the tractor in the daylight. The solution revealed itself instantly. Looking at the top link connection point at night didn't show the hydraulic cylinder covers are plastic and simple to remove with a 10mm wrench. Once that's done and with the lift arms up, a standard 3.5" pin goes right in. I feel like an idiot that I missed that detail, but at least I'm a happy idiot for now

. Thanks for the guidance sixdogs.

sixdogs · Apr 23, 2022

GrumpyL5030 said:
Call off the dogs! I actually had a day off to look at the tractor in the daylight. The solution revealed itself instantly. Looking at the top link connection point at night didn't show the hydraulic cylinder covers are plastic and simple to remove with a 10mm wrench. Once that's done and with the lift arms up, a standard 3.5" pin goes right in. I feel like an idiot that I missed that detail, but at least I'm a happy idiot for now . Thanks for the guidance sixdogs.

Glad it had a happy ending. For others that encounter this in the future and maybe even without the lift cylinders, the farm store Chinese toplink pin will usually not work. What always will work is the OEM pin. Messics has them in stock and pricy at $12 or $24, depending on model.I suspect they are that expensive because other pins often don't fit and you have to go OEM. I do in my L4300.
Here's pic of an OEM pin below.

Below is a farm store one that may or may not fit, usually not..

GrumpyL5030 · Apr 24, 2022

I used the one that's in your 2nd photo. Seems OK, but I'll check out the original type too.
Thanks!

sixdogs · Apr 24, 2022

GrumpyL5030 said:
I used the one that's in your 2nd photo. Seems OK, but I'll check out the original type too.
Thanks!

If it fits, it's OK.

Edit--not totally OK because I've had a cheap upper link pin break and nearly flip me over. Metal flaw.

If you ever use a backhoe with a toplink pin, it better be a super duty one of the grade the manufacturer calls for. If one of those breaks under load it could snap the backhoe back and squeeze you or your noggin against the ROPS frame. On my JD790 with a backhoe, Deere actually sells a ROPS height extender to double protect against a catastrophic pin failure.