L2800 Position Control (Jerky?)

[canoetrpr]

Kubota is a bunch of dolts best I can tell. Penny wise and pound foolish is what my grandmother would have called it.

I suspect, as the other poster did, that they are really trying hard to create a differentiation between the L3400 and the GL 3240.

If you take the time to look the GL more than makes up for the difference in price IMHO. However, to Joe the tractor buyer, he's looking at HP more than anything else. I suspect they end up selling A LOT Of L3400s vs. the bottom GLs for this reason.

Again - what a bunch of dolts if they have gone back to the jerky valve.

Bigger dolts if they are now trying to stick to the economy tractor line Way to make someone who just dropped 20K on a tractor feel good.

 

[canoetrpr]

BTW. if it was me and I wanted to make a point, I would replace the valve with an improved valve - heck get the dealer to do it and pay for it and then take Kubota to small claims court.

If you lose - you lose. But that might be the quickest way to get it resolved. Pay for it but hope to get the money back.

 

[emmy71]

Here are some pages from the L2800 manual for the 3ph. Hope it helps.

Terry

 

[paulgwin]

After looking at a good population of malfunctioning valves on the L2800/3400 the operation appears to be a safety hazard which goes far beyond the functionality issue.

With that kind of violent shaking going it is a safety issue.

Kubota should be seriously concerned about this potential failure mode.

My old 8N has a better control that this tractor.

 

[MacTractor]

I agree with the others that there is a serious problem with your 3PT on your tractor. It doesn't suprise me with the response you have received from Kubota on the matter. This type of respose seems to be the norm within every large company today and I bet you will find simular posts on the Green/Red/Etc forums on this website. Talking lawsuit will do nothing for you as the only winner will be the lawyers and generally when you use the lawsuit word it will just harden their response.

If you are looking for real results, you need to reach the right people. Look under the Investor relations for Kubota Corp and you will find the names of the Board of Directors. You can assume that they have an e-mail address and all you have to do now is figure our the right combination. I have tried to find you that combination by searching for other e-mail addresses within Kubota.co.jp but I have not found any of yet. It could be First_Last@kubota.co.jp or First.Last@Kubota.co.jp You get the picture. Send a well worded e-mail to as many combinations of these as you can and hope you will hit the mark.

I have done this several times and each time, the response is stunning. Also include the people who have been telling you that there is nothing wrong and there is nothing they can do for you. I find this is key because most of the time thay may know who these directors are and they don't know if you were sucessfull in reaching them. This causes them to change their tune even if you did not get a response from them. No one wants to look like an idiot to their boss. I would aslo make sure you post your YouTube video.

We had a serious support issue with Dell in the past with one of our clients. We had an in warranty laptop fail and Dell informed us that the part will be 3 weeks away. The laptop had 7x24 support so this was a farce. We called our Rep and complained to a dozen people. Nothing. I send an well worded letter and tried the combinations of the Board of Directors with e-mail and I hit send and 10 mins later I received a phone call from some response team in Dell. We had the part the next day.

Here is what ther is on the name of the board of directors for Kubota JP. You may have issues with the language barrier but I would assume that most of these guys can read and write in English

http://www.kubota.co.jp/ir/english/sh_info/resolution/pdf/118e.pdf

I should not post this as now everyone will use this tactic until big corporations start changing the director e-mails to something cryptic. I will figure that out as well I guess.

Cheers and Good Luck!

 

[canoetrpr]

MacTractor makes some great points.

Instead of an email, you might want to send a snail mail registered letter to the Kubota USA executives and perhaps CC the Japanese folks.

 

[teg]

Make that a Certified letter...

I have not read every tread (on vacation) but I have to say that for kubota to swap out good valves and put BACK jerky valves - is criminal... maybe not with the letter of the law but for common decency... I will not recommend kutoba again.

Feel free to copy my signature to let everyone know who is coming to this site for information about the problem...

 

[Toy Camry]

Hi Everyone,

Just thought I would let you all know that I too have just purchased a new 2008 (I think ?) L3400 and am struggling with the jerky position control on my 3PH. The Kubota dealer who is working on my tractor has replaced my position control valve and it is still very jerky. He then setup another new L3400 and it too is doing the exact same thing so now he is saying that they are all this way and there is nothing wrong with my tractor

I would like to know what the actual solution to this problem is.

Question: Has anyone had their tractor "fixed" such that the 3PH is no longer jerky in operation (lifts like a normal tractor) ?

If yes, do you know or can you find out what the Kubota part number is that was used to replace your valve etc...

This whole experience has really shaken my confidence in Kubota. I have yet to return my "New Customer Satisfaction" questionaire. I really want to be a happy customer and good reference but Kubota needs to own up to the problem and resolve it soon.

Thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences, it is comforting knowing that we are not alone in this problem.

Toy

 

[jeconn]

I'm with you Toy Camry. I too would like to know what to do to fix my own tractor since Kubota won't.

 

[ccsial]

Hi Everyone,

Just thought I would let you all know that I too have just purchased a new 2008 (I think ?) L3400 and am struggling with the jerky position control on my 3PH. The Kubota dealer who is working on my tractor has replaced my position control valve and it is still very jerky. He then setup another new L3400 and it too is doing the exact same thing so now he is saying that they are all this way and there is nothing wrong with my tractor. Toy

At this point I wonder what jerky means to you. When I got my L3400 in August of 2005 the 3PH raised in increments of about 1 inch. Raising the woods RD7200 mower made the tractor jump quite violently. After the valve was replaced it raised in increments of about 1/4 inch. It still jerks a bit but not enough to feel like something is going to break like it did before.

It is NOT silky smooth like my old Ford 1910. I don't know that any L2800/L3400 is perfectly smooth. I'd be more unhappy if I had to grade with this tractor. I use the 1910 for that.

With no implements on the tractor try this test. Put the 3PH at mid point. Hold a ruler from the ground to the edge of the 3PH arm and make note of the scale. very, very slowly move the control lever to go up. when the arm jumps up look at the ruler again to see how much it jumped. If the jump is in the range of 1/4 inch you probably have the same valve I do which is not near as bad as the original valve mine shipped with. If it jumps an inch I'd not let go of the dealer until it was resolved.

 

[Harvest Moon]

One of the reasons I haven't aggressively pursued getting my valve replaced is descriptions like ccsial's. If I were to do the ruler test without an implement I'm pretty sure that I'd get 1/4 inch increments but throw an implement on and my tractor gets thrown around like the ones shown in the bad 3 pt videos that have been posted.

I know my valve is the original faulty old style but I'm not sure if pursuing replacement is worth the trouble. It really doesn't do 1" increments at the lift arms but the implement will jerk up and down in a range of at least one inch depending on it's projection.

I've read un clarified references referring to this problem and a "cushion valve", sometimes referring to the upgraded control valve and other times referring to something different all together... that no one seems to know about.

Thing is, it seems like my valve would be fine with a little "cushion" and it works pretty good without and implement but boy can it jerk my 4500 lbs. worth of tractor, filled tires and loader around with a 400 lb box blade on it.

I just don't understand how this can be soooo complicated, nor how Kubota can fight about it. I've seen, used and even owned tractors about 50 years old and older that have position control style hydraulic components that are butter smooth or close to it. It's not like this is ground breaking technology.

Why pick a fight with your customers, why produce something so non competitive that it's actually an embarrassment? And then fight some more?

Then fix it, then break it, then fight about it some more?

 

[canoetrpr]

Ditto with ccsial. My replaced valve is far from being silky smooth. It is WAAAY better than the original one though. The original one moved in 1" increments and the new one moves in 1/4".

Still somewhat jerky and noticeable when working the box blade perhaps. That said, no more jerky than what I found - say a CK30 - similar class of tractor - to be. My recollection is from just demoing a CK30 on a dealers lot with a finish mower attached to it.

Kubota has just been plain arrogant about the L3400. They make fine machines and have had a long history to prove that. They just can't seem to get past the 'economy tractor' rhetoric.

At this point, if I were a brand new owner with a few hours on the tractor, I would be trying to work out a deal to upgrade to a GL3240, rather than trying to work this valve thing out.

I would get the dealer and local rep involved and tell them how unsatisfied you are and get them to make it reasonable for you to move up to the GL with as little lost money as possible for the hours you have used the machine for.

 

[ccsial]

One of the reasons I haven't aggressively pursued getting my valve replaced is descriptions like ccsial's. If I were to do the ruler test without an implement I'm pretty sure that I'd get 1/4 inch increments but throw an implement on and my tractor gets thrown around like the ones shown in the bad 3 pt videos that have been posted.

Harvest. My 3PH jumps 1/4" with or without an implement. The only reason I suggested taking it off is so a ruler could be used with a ground reference. I can visually tell that the RD7200 does not jump more than 1/4" on my tractor.

I would agree with canoetrpr abut upgrading if a real smooth 3PH is needed. If I didn't have my 1910 I'd have done that long ago.

 

[jeconn]

Ditto with ccsial.
At this point, if I were a brand new owner with a few hours on the tractor, I would be trying to work out a deal to upgrade to a GL3240, rather than trying to work this valve thing out.

I would get the dealer and local rep involved and tell them how unsatisfied you are and get them to make it reasonable for you to move up to the GL with as little lost money as possible for the hours you have used the machine for.

I tried this already. My tractor had 5 hrs on it and they wanted $1815 more to trade. Not a bad price but if that money was in my budget I would have bought the 3240 in the first place. I tried to get the dealer and the regional rep involved and got nothing. I don't want to sound like I am bashing Kubota but every time I get on my tractor and raise the 3ph I get mad.

I found a list of the board of directors for Japan but no e-mail addresses for them. Does anybody know how to find their e-mail address? Maybe they are not aware that they have so many unhappy customers over here.

 

[Harvest Moon]

I found a list of the board of directors for Japan but no e-mail addresses for them. Does anybody know how to find their e-mail address? Maybe they are not aware that they have so many unhappy customers over here.

It's too bad that Kubotas decision makers seem so insulated. There is plenty of access to reps but they often appear to irritate as many people as they satisfy.

Overall, I'm AM a happy customer. My L3400 is great.

I am disappointed in my hitches performance but my biggest complaint is something I haven't experienced.... Kubotas often defensive and non accommodating response to these poorly performing hitches.

My hitch is usable but it's not what I'd expect from a base, no frills or ECONOMY model tractor... for that I'd expect a hitch that goes up like a hitch, not a jack hammer but maybe without numbers on the decal and no 50 cent plastic knob. (or is it a $5 knob?)

When I look at the big picture, the responses, the upgrade-downgrade, it really looks like Kubota made an extra effort to be sure that these hitches stink and they are still at it. Thats disappointing.

 

[Toy Camry]

Hi Everyone,

Just an update. My local dealer dropped off the tractor this morning and I must admit that I am confident he has tried his best to solve my problem. He just replaced my scratched valve with p/n YR90800102 (assembly control valve) and I have observed that my 3 point arms lift in closer to 1/4" increments than 1" increments so can I safely assume that the new "updated" valve is working as it should ?

When the tractor was being dropped off we did an informal test using a post hole auger mounted on the 3 point hitch and attached a 5 gallon pail of water to the auger gearbox. The Kubota sales representative raised and lowered the bucket of water as I recorded the video using his Blackberry. We performed the test using a John Deere 790 and then switched the auger to my L3400 and repeated the test.

Here's what the John Deere 790 looked like:

YouTube - John Deere 790 lifting with the 3 point hitch (3PH)

Here's what my repaired L3400 looks like:

YouTube - Kubota L3400 lifting with the 3 point hitch (3PH)

I agree, it does seem like Kubota is a huge corporation and we will have a difficult time getting the ear of their senior management but if (as a group) we are able to let them know of our dissatisfaction with the performance of our new tractors we may be able to get to the solution we are all looking for.

 

[Harvest Moon]

Wow, Thanks for posting those videos.

Mine works just like the L3400 and NOTHING like the 790! So that was the result after the repair?

 

[ccsial]

I have observed that my 3 point arms lift in closer to 1/4" increments than 1" increments so can I safely assume that the new "updated" valve is working as it should ?

The 1/4" is probably as good as your going to get. That is the new valve that I recieved.

The New Holland T1520 is probably as close as you'll get to an L3400 in price with a smooth lift. I am fortunate I only use my L3400 for mowing and snow blowing or It would have been traded for the L3430 on the first day.

 

[Harvest Moon]

How many valves are out there?

My tractor is supposed to have valve #31391-39002

That valve was supposedly upgraded after SN# 61730 to valve #31351-39604 which is the same valve that the L3010 was upgraded to after it hit SN# 74779, according to my reference.

Now, new L3400 owners are having inching problems and Toy Camry's valve was replaced with YR90800102 which is the one ccsial has?... with the 1/4 inch jerk?

Are there really four different valves out there? Does anyone have a better than 1/4 smoothness?

Or did they just switch the part numbers to keep us guessing like they did with the filters?

 

[teg]

Toy Camry, thanks for the videos... what a BIG difference between the two machines.