L3400 MAJOR breakage

[Jason_S]

Hello all I am new here, but had a MAJOR breakage today on our L3400 while running the backhoe.
Just wondered if anyone else had seen this before.
The entire rear portion of the differential housing broke off around the top link.

This machine only has 39.5 hours on it since brand new.
The backhoe is a Great Bend bought at the same time and from the same dealer.

This was quite a rid when it broke. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Anybody see this before?

I am going to call the dealer tomorrow morning to have it picked up.
This has got to be a defect as NOTHING else let go before this. The top link pin was not even bent so I cannot believe I put too much pressure on the hoe to cause this.
Just looking to see if this was an isolated incident or if the dealer sold us an implement that was not designed well for the tractor.

Thank
Jason

 

[JerryG]

Is the backhoe a three point attach or does it have a sub-frame?

 

[Jason_S]

3 PT. Attach.
That is what I think the problem is.
After the incident today I can see that the backhoe has been putting pretty much all of its digging force against this point on the tractor.
We have not used this hoe more than 10 hours on the unit. The rest of the run time has been between and 6' tiller, 6' rotary mower and a box scraper.
The dealer sold this to my parents as a good implement instead of the Kubota backhoe.
I am starting to think they got taken.
The good thing is the whole unit is still under warranty.
Bad thing is I could see cause for Kubota to not honor it so it will be back on the dealer to eat this one.
They are a reputable dealer and I am not saying anything bad about them.
This just happened today and they have not had a chance to even know about it yet.

 

[JerryG]

There has been quite a bit of discussion about this type of problem in the past here. I am a afraid that there will be some finger pointing going on between Great Bend and Kubota. It is generally recommended by most people in the compact tractor arena, that backhoes should have sub-frames when installed on compact tractors. This is not a wrote in stone rule though.

 

[Jason_S]

Thanks.
That confirms my suspicsions as to what I am going to hear tomorrow.

My end solution to this is going to push for them to take the Great Bend unit back and get us a subframed Kubota unit.

This is something I cannot live with in the future.

Anyway I can find some of those posts?
I did a quick search and turned up nothing. Maybe a key word suggestion or link to one of the previous posts?

 

[JerryG]

I don't know what to tell you about a keyword search. I would just try several different ones and see what hits you get. They are there. I will try to help find some of them.

 

[JerryG]

Jason,
Here's some reading for you. Some may help and some may not.
One
Two
Three
Four
Five

Six

I don't know why, but you have to scroll back to the top for the start. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[ronjhall]

There have been many discussions on TBN about 3PH BH's. One of the items that has been pointed out is that most <font color="orange"> Kubota </font> tractors require a Heavy Duty Top Link Bracket when installing a 3PH BH. My BH manual does not list the L3400 because it was published before that model came out.
Here is a link to one of the discussion on the HD bracket. Click Here
The pictures you have posted do not show the HD bracket.

 

[AntrimMan]

Suffering cats that's a bin job for sure.
That is a big repair to correct that breakage.
The dealer must have, in his own mind at least, thought forward enough to know what his course of action will be in this type of circumstance, in the event it has not happened before that is. If you have a single bill of sale with both items listed and no specific warranty exclusion noted, (and you probably took delivery with the hoe attached) rest assured he has no way out of this and must fix your tractor unless he can prove that unreasonable use caused the failure. Be sure to insist on a reasonable date to expect the tractor back, don't leave this open ended. The important thing is that you get the machine back in a reasonable time, he can fight it out with the manufacturers, thats a benefit to you of buying new from a recognized dealer. I'm sorry about your inconvienience.
A sub frame is a better mate with the tractor, the stress is spread over the axle in a much greater distribution and not concentrated in the area you saw fail. There may be limitations when it comes to implement compatibility so be sure to ask about this. Other manufacturers make subframe units for your tractor and their hoe's so you are not limited to only Kubota.
Again I'm sorry for your inconvienience, better times ahead for sure.

All the best,
Martin

 

[TonyV]

Welcome to the forum Jason. Sorry it couldn't be under happier circumstances. From what I've read, Kubota requires the heavy duty top link bracket when installing a back hoe, even though the Kubota back hoes have a subframe. Someone please correct me on this if I'm wrong. Seems to me that if your dealer is going to install an aftermarket backhoe on your machine, it should at least be installed to the specifications of the original equipment manufacturer. Who knows though if a HD toplink bracket would have saved you from catastrophic failure such as this...but it may have. Please do let us know how all of this turns out. In the meantime, fill out your user profile so we can answer future questions with a little more insight. I hope everything works out for you on this. its definately a major bummer.

...Tony