Loader hooks void the warranty?

[turkish]

I inquired at my dealer about welding hooks on the bucket of my L3400. He tells me that they would never consider such a thing, as it would void the warranty -- "an unbalanced load could wreck a hydraulic cylinder."

Has anyone ever heard anything like this? I know many of you get hooks welded on the buckets at delivery by the dealer. This dealer has been awesome, so I've no reason think they are feeding me a line of bull.

 

[RickB]

I've no reason think they are feeding me a line of bull.

But yet they are, and a long line at that. Just remember that the dealer's staff writes the warranty claims. How claims are written determines to a large degree how much if any gets paid.

Edit: I guess what I mean is, if your dealer has it in his head that the hooks will void your warranty, he can make that happen if you let him.

 

[Will_C]

My dealer did it, does it often, and did a fine job.

Will

 

[Chilly807]

I think a lot depends on the dealer, if they've been burned or gotten fed up with customers modifying equipment then expecting warranty regardless of what they've done.

Technically, your dealer is within their rights to void your warranty if you modify the tractor within the warranty period. Most will give you some leeway if what you've done hasn't caused any problems.

There are people who will attach the ground clamp for the welder to the dash brackets, so the current passes through the circuit boards and fries them. Others will add wheel spacers and then bend an axle. Some will weld a boom pole to the end of the bucket and twist a loader out of shape.

Most of us, yourself included I'm sure, are pretty careful to protect our investment.

I'd say your dealer has given you notice that they aren't supportive of any modifications you want to make. I doubt that Kubota corporate would be any different.

Not a hopeful response, I know, but I think I'm pretty close to the truth in this case.

Sean

 

[beenthere]

I inquired at my dealer about welding hooks on the bucket of my L3400. He tells me that they would never consider such a thing, as it would void the warranty -- "an unbalanced load could wreck a hydraulic cylinder."

Has anyone ever heard anything like this? I know many of you get hooks welded on the buckets at delivery by the dealer. This dealer has been awesome, so I've no reason think they are feeding me a line of bull.

Line of bull. I'd be suspicious of a bucket and FEL that could wreck a cylinder with hooks.
Maybe your dealer knows something that you don't about his FEL's.
Now if he is just trying to dodge you getting hooks installed free, that might explain the comeback you received.

Common sense when using the hooks to keep a balanced load should prevail however.

 

[Marveltone]

Good thing my bucket is homemade!

 

[SPYDERLK]

Line of bull. I'd be suspicious of a bucket and FEL that could wreck a cylinder with hooks.
Maybe your dealer knows something that you don't about his FEL's.
Now if he is just trying to dodge you getting hooks installed free, that might explain the comeback you received.

Common sense when using the hooks to keep a balanced load should prevail however.

+! ... Truly a line of bull. Without a doubt your dealer knows crap. You cannot put an unbalanced load on cylinders. They always have equal pressure in them. Because of this there is equal force on each cyl, and consequently an unbalanced load on the arms or on the bucket will stress the alignment of those in torsion as one side tries to droop.
larry

 

[dodge man]

Of course you can't use bucket hooks. The best thing to do for your warranty is to leave the thing in your garage and never use is it. :laughing:

On a more serious note, if you put a bucket hook way out on the corners of a bucket and lifted something really heavy, I can see it breaking something, but common sense will keep most people from doing something like that.

 

[broncorm]

My dealer adds three hooks on the FEL, one on the BH and loads the tires as part of the sale.

 

[smfcpacfp]

Dealer's and participants on tractor forums don't warranty tractors, manufacturers do. Before any warranty claim is processed by the dealer, the manufacturer's warranty people must sign off on the repair. If you have a question about your warranty that isn't clear from your warranty book, contact your manufacturer's warranty people.

I know that people on this forum are well meaning but none will stand behind their advice to you, so why even ask. Go to the horse's mouth on this question.