L2800 PTO and service problem.

[8226hamer]

I purchased a L2800 May 18 I had the new valve installed for the three point hitch and was very happy with the results. I was running a roto tiller the next day and the PTO started making a grinding sound and the PTO quit turning. I took it back to the dealer and its going on 4 weeks and still have not gotten my tractor back. I went to check on the problem and was shown what had happened. The PTO is engaged by two round plates with ramped notches that lock up by one of the plates being spring loaded. Me and the sales man both agreed that this is a poor set up and I don't see how it will ever hold up. Both locking notches on my tractor were rounded off and would not catch properly. This tractor has a total of 20 hours on it and when this problem happened I had used the tiller about 15 minutes. The dealer said they are waiting on parts. I have made two payments on this tractor and it has been in the shop more days than its been at my house. I have called the Northern division headquarters and left messages and they have not retuned my calls. I have emailed Kubota and gotten no response. Today I get in the mail a survey on the satisfaction of my new L2800. I have had three other Kubotas and have never had anything but good luck with them. I have never had anything negative to say about Kubota until now, but I am thinking seriously about a different brand of tractor. I use my tractor in my business and any down time cost me not only money, but unhappy customers as well. I was given my old tractor that I traded in to use, which was the only thing good about this situation, but what is going to happen when it happens again, and from what I have seen the way the PTO was designed, it will. I know it will be taken care of under warranty, but I can't be without a tractor for a month each time it does. I ask about trading for a B3030, but will lose over a 1,000.00 because of the 20 hour that I put on it. Whats a guy to do? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[KennyV]

Hi, I think I would be more interested in why it failed? If a part had a manufacturing defect, (it dose happen), you may never have this type problem again. If it is a poorly designed component, they may already have a fix for it. In any case someone should answer your questions. I’d keep after it until you are sure it’s an issue with this model, or just a failure of this particular one. $50.00 an hour is high rent to pay, just to move along to another tractor without finding out why this happened to yours. KennyV.

 

[ccsial]

I just got back and searched for the post on barbed wire. There is a fella that hit barbed wire with a roto-tiller on a L3400 and damaged the PTO. I hope the PTO's in these things are not too fragile. The PTO clutch makes a racket if you push the clutch in while it is engaged with an implement attached becase the attachment is over running the PTO. I avoid this by slowly bringing the throttle down to idle before pushing the clutch in. If I close the throttle quiclkly I get a racket too. I always engage it at idle and let the clutch out slowly to spool up the PTO. I wish they had not put this clutch in there at all. The gear 3400 does not have it. I guess time will tell. Keep us posted on your results.

Tell your dealer to make sure the clutch is adjusted to fully engage. The post from the L3400 operator and roto-tiller said something about that being a problem with his.

 

[ccsial]

I found a post on another board from a dealer name Messick that states that Kubota has held the release on the L2800 L3400 to fix a PTO clutch problem that slips under heavy load. You can search for it since this board will not allow a link to it.

 

[TonyV]

As an L3400 owner, I'd be interested in finding this also...but there should be no reason that you can't post a link to it here.

....Tony

 

[TonyV]

ooops....nevermind....after re-reading the thread, it looks like you're talking about the over running clutch on the hst models. I've got a gear drive 3400 so I guess I'm ok. Still a bummer though to be out a brand new tractor because of a design and/or adjustment problem. This is one of the main reasons I chose a gear drive model...simpler mechanics, simpler problems...knock on wood.

...Tony

 

[8226hamer]

I got a call today from the division rep in my area . I explained my problem and he said he would check into it.
Two hours later I got another call from him. He said that there have been problems with some of the PTO's on some of the L2800's with the Hydro transmissions. I was told that there is a "fix" for the problem. He did not go into detail of what it was that was going to fix this problem, but the new part was on its way and should be at my dealer with in a day or two and that I should have my tractor back by the first of next week. When I do get to pick up the tractor I will have the service manager go into detail of what was replaced and how it's going to stop this problem with the PTO from happening again. I will post what I find out then. I have been using my tiller on my old B2910 and it preforms flawlessly. I'm thinking seriously about trading the new back for the old. Without the use of my old B2910 for the last four weeks my business would not have survived.

 

[ccsial]

Hamer

I talked to my dealer today even though I don't have a problem (yet). He said that there was a clutch problem with HST's and Kubota located the tractors at dealers and fixed them with new parts. My dealer did not have any 2800/3400's at that time. The new ones are supposed to be fixed. I wonder if yours could have slipped between the cracks. If possible, find out if your tractor already had the new parts installed. I sure hope my 3400 has them.

Too bad your dealer didn't call the Kubota rep and get things moving 4 weeks ago. I think mine would have. They sure got a quick solution for my jumpy 3PH from Kubota.

Please keep us informed. Thanks.

 

[8226hamer]

Well, I called my dealer on Tuesday and was told I should have my tractor back by the next day. I didn't get the call. I have had about all I can take. I paid this months tractor payment to get to use my old tractor that I had paid off a year ago. This Friday will make 5 weeks they have had this tractor. If I don't have it by then, as far as I'm concerned they can keep it. I don't care if the part had to come from Japan, 5 weeks is ridiculous for a new tractor with 20 hours to be in the shop waiting repairs. As you can tell by this post, I'm not a happy new Kubota tractor owner. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[Ronster]

Sorry to hear of the problem with the new tractor. Did you have the dealer install a normal position control valve for the 3pt hitch? If so, could you tell us the cost of parts and labor? LOL with the new machine.