L2800-L3400 PTO Making the right choice

[bandit67]

Hamer,

I thank you for your posts. I have since crossed the L3400 off my list of potential new machines, and have decided that an independant PTO is the only way I will go. When the exact same tiller as I have run on a little 24hp subcompact with no problems can take out a PTO on a machine the size of the L2800/3400, then something is very wrong. It's too bad, because otherwise, I really liked the L3400.

If I were you, I'd cut my losses now and try to come up with the difference in $$ and get the B3030. (I think your proposal to Kubota is reasonable, and think they should honor it based on all the problems you've had). You're only giving up 70 lbs of FEL capacity, but gaining 241 lbs of 3ph capacity by trading in for the B3030.

Good luck.

 

[MDM]

So, it doesn't look like there is much hope for us that have the racheting system in getting it replaced with the new one-way cam system. I guess those of us with the racheting system who use our PTO regularly just have to wait for the looming failure and pray that it happens under warranty, and even then it is not know if Kubota will or even can replace it with the new system. Even though my tractor has been great for its first 50 hours, I am quite a bit dissappointed in the fact that I am likely awaiting an eminent PTO failure that will occur if I plan on keeping the tractor for 20+ years. This whole situation makes me wish I had gotten a different tractor and probably a different brand. Or better yet, I wish the dealer had been upfront about the PTO. I too was the "first" to complain about the 3pt lift and ask about the PTO. Couldn''t the dealers just say that the PTO design is inferior to the PTO on later serial number models?

 

[Rockyridge]

Well said and my exact sentiment!

We may want to consider encouraging everyone reading this post, not just those with tractors in this group, to express their level of dissatisfaction with their resolution for this problem. That along with the fact that there have been over 2800 views of these posts may mean something to them.

Unless they step up to this problem, if I replace this tractor it will not be another Kubota.

Who wants to wonder every time they use their PTO if this will be the time that it fails? Or if you hit something with your rotary cutter whether the shear pin or the PTO will break?

Up to this point I have been proud to be an L3400 owner but now I suspect that everyone look at it as “oh poor guy, he’s got one of them”

We need information from other L2800-3400 owners as well. It looks like this whole thread is primarily about one person’s experience. We would have a better chance of getting results and supporting hammer if we have more information on other with this same problem.

Please encourage anyone else that has had problems with this tractor series to share their experience.

 

[IslandTractor]

We may want to consider encouraging everyone reading this post, not just those with tractors in this group, to express their level of dissatisfaction with their resolution for this problem. That along with the fact that there have been over 2800 views of these posts may mean something to them.

Unless they step up to this problem, if I replace this tractor it will not be another Kubota.

We have had a similar warranty problem on the Kioti forum with stress cracks in the torque tube of loaders on CK20/25/30 tractors. Kioti finally resolved the problem with a repair kit that was offered for free to all owners of affected tractors so long as they brought their tractors to the dealer. I would not give Kioti high marks for how they handled the problem but they did eventually make good.

Of interest, at least one very active Kubota dealer, Nei Messick, posted in several threads in the Kioti section regarding the cracked loaders and seemed quite clear on how Kioti should be responding to that warranty problem. He must be on vacation this month as he has not posted at all in this thread. I'm sure he will jump to your aid as soon as he returns. One thing he pointed out on the Kioti forum was that Kubota gives a transport allowance for returning tractors to the dealer for warranty fixes. That should help.

 

[Scott in IN]

I emailed Kubota and gave them a link to this discussion and I'll haven't heard anything back from them (insert sounds of crickets chirping). I'm getting kind of worried, as I dropped in excess of $15,500 on my used (year old) L3400. I find that far from being an "economy" tractor as some had mentioned.

I don't know if we need to look at doing a class action lawsuit if this is a problem or what?

 

[IslandTractor]

I don't know if we need to look at doing a class action lawsuit if this is a problem or what?

I think you'll have better success with firm but polite pressure at the dealer and customer service level. Keeping the issue alive on TBN will help too as I believe it did in the Kioti example.

 

[Goog]

Hello Shimin
I bought my tractor at J&I Power Equipment in Olympia. They have been really good to deal with but I seem to be the only who complains about the issues with these tractors.
I did a lot of research before picking the L3400HST comparing it to JD and MF tractors and went with the Kubota based on reputation and impression. This is my first tractor and I also would now probably pick something else.
I kind of get tired of the "It's an economy tractor" argument. It was not a cheap tractor and should have never come out with that unusable 3pt. and a pto that is weak.
Kubota needs to make good on these issues. I would really hate to trade it in and take it in the shorts for something different as it would probably be a different color tractor.
How has your machine been and what dealer did you use? Brian

 

[acresdozen]

I too, am very displeased about this issue since I did fork out $25500 with a number of implements requiring the PTO. I plan to till my acreage as intended without any reservations. But I will readdress this issue in person with my dealer in light of this thread and make sure my concern is registered...something I believe all of us should do. Let's remember that the "squeaky wheel gets the grease". And this is not only an operational issue, but a safety issue as well.
My message to Kubota, who I'm sure looks at this site, is to recall all models effected, correct the problem, and maintain your great reputation, which is why most of us selected Kubota over others in the first place. In fact why don't you just post something on this thread, or inform the dealers that the problem is being reviewed with corrective actions being considered. It's time to admit that the design needs to be corrected.

 

[8226hamer]

I offered a price difference of 2000.00$ which was what I thought was the price difference of an L2800 and a B3030. From reading posts in the Kubota buying and pricing section on this board 2000.00$ was close to the price I came up with and when pricing tractors before I got the L2800 I thought this was about the difference cost wise between the two. I must have figured wrong as I found out today.


The more I get to thinking about my situation and having to shell out more cash for a tractor with a reliable PTO system because Kubota sold me one that is prone to failure just ain't right, but I was willing to do this if I felt like I was being treated fairly. The deal Kubota came up with up with, would still be money out of my pocket that I wasn't planning to have to spend at this time. By me doing the trade I'm sure will be way cheaper for Kubota than for them to have to come up with a reliable PTO system and then pay the warranty claim for installing it. I was expecting to have the L2800 for 3000 hours of service and not having to upgrade to a tractor that will perform as it should and not fail.

Another thing that I don't feel good about is that if I do trade my L2800 in with a PTO system that will fail is that some poor boy is going to get taken on when it is sold to him. I wonder if the 1 year that is left on the tractors powertrain warranty will take care of this repair for him as I was told it would be for me. It took me calling and talking to the assistant head regional service manager to get this confirmed for me and he couldn't confirm this to me without checking first.

I got an answer this evening to the 2000.00$ offer that I thought was fair for the trade. I can't say what was offered at this time, but I will say I was expecting Kubota to be a little more generous than the price difference I was quoted by the salesman today, or I was several dollars off in the price difference of what I thought was between a 3030 and the 2800. If it was the best that they could come up with, then as far as I'm concerned they better put an engineer to work designing a PTO system that will not fail and then install it in my tractor, or provide a tractor that will. Was I asking for to much by the 2000.00$ offer? I was asked by the salesman what would make me happy and thought this was a fair offer. Kubota must no be to concerned about my happieness then.

I have done several hours of research and have had some very good advise from members here about what an implied warranty is and how they work . With the fact that twice now my PTO system has faild and with the less than 35 hours of PTO running time the problem still exists. There is a Federal law that was enacted in support of consumers when a producer makes and sells a product that does not work as it is intended to work and without failure. If the product cannot be repaired without repeated failures in a certian time frame, then a breech of contract has been committed and by law that producer is required to supply a working repair or a replacement product that will do its intended purpose. Google Magnusson-Moss Act it will explain it in pretty simple terms that even a dumb country boy like me half way understands. This Act was enacted for a means for a soultion to a problem between consumers and producers that will keep it from involving lawyers and our court systems. The soultion is simple, cure the problem or provide an alternate product that will. It would be far less troublesome and cheaper for them if they would.

I honestly am hoping that it will not come to option above, but now I feel I am committed to do what ever I have to do for Kubota to do the right thing and take care of this problem that these tractors have.

 

[MDM]

I'm just wondering how long it would take the PTO to fail if it was disengaged the way the manual says. The manual says to press the clutch and then disengage the PTO lever. If I do this, I will get the dreaded racheting every time and the racheting is one of the main factors that cause failure. Most of us can get around the racheting by pressing the clutch and disengaging the PTO lever in one swift motion.

It just so happens that my wife wanted to learn how to mow the grass last week. I explained the process of disengaging the PTO if she had to, but I just don't trust her ability to do so. Like some women, she has the coordination of a 2 year old and I had to tell her to not disengage the PTO unless she absolutely had too, and to yell for me when she needed to disengage.

I myself, elected to tape the PTO safety lever under the seat in the down position, to avoid the racheting. I often jump off the tractor real quick while mowing to move something and I usually forget about the PTO shutting down if I get off the seat -which caused the damaging "wheel o fortune" sound. I know, probably not safe, but I am an adult, and I feel this was necessary to insure absolutely no racheting.

I think all of us 2800/3400 owners who have the old system, should keep this thread going indefinately until someone takes notice. I'm just wondering how many units are out there with the old system. I would guess it is several thousand.