Looking for tips on replacing GR2100 glide steer cable

[NewEnglandCliff]

The right glide steer cable on my GR2100 just broke for the 2nd time in less than 350 hours. Has anybody replaced one of these themselves? It seems the dealers take about 2 hours to do this so it's probably more complicated than it looks. Does anyone have any tips for this job? Thanks.

 

[NewEnglandCliff]

Just finished doing this and 2 hours is too much time for a dealer. If I had to do it again it wouldn't take me more than maybe 75 minutes, and I'm no mechanic. Anybody who is somewhat mechanically inclined can take this on. The hardest part is getting them snaked through the small spaces you have along the front axle, but no special tools are required. You may even be able to position these better than Kubota or the dealer did since you have a little play in the cables to work with. My dealer replaced the first one of these that broke, and this one broke I think because he had it pinched too tightly under the oil pan area between some fittings. That's where it broke. Have a few zip ties with you. You'll definitely need one or two at the front or the cables could pop up and get caught by the teeth of the exposed front flywheel. Make sure you have the ends of the cables in the proper position, front or rear, as it only works one way.

 

[David_Kb7uns]

Why not do the upgrade to the rods?

David Kb7uns

 

[NewEnglandCliff]

Last week I contacted Kubota USA to see if they'd cover that. They responded that they'd look into it and my dealer would get back to me. In the meantime my house is for sale and the Kubota will be sold when that sells. I have to keep the grass mowed so I sprung for the cable which is $30.90. My GR actually only has 320 hours. Anyone interested in a good used GR2100? Only used to mow 1 acre throughout the summers. $4500? I bought it new from a Kubota dealer in 2005.

 

[NewEnglandCliff]

Jim Carroll of Kubota USA, phone #614-835-3809, got back to me saying they wouldn't help me at all with this. They wouldn't pay for the cable, wouldn't provide any upgrade parts, wouldn't offer any labor, or 50% of labor, or 25% off parts - nada. They say that even though I only have 320 hours the machine is too old, implying this cable could break with age and no usage. Not true. There wasn't a speck of rust on the cable. They know the design is flawed and have made parts to fix their design but will only let you have it if they make money. So one way or another you have to pay Kubota for their poor engineering.

The dealer, which is in Milford, NH, wouldn't kick in anything either. I was unclear above, but I had to pay for that first cable with labor that they replaced as well.

 

[Gator6x4]

Just finished doing this and 2 hours is too much time for a dealer. If I had to do it again it wouldn't take me more than maybe 75 minutes, and I'm no mechanic. Anybody who is somewhat mechanically inclined can take this on. The hardest part is getting them snaked through the small spaces you have along the front axle, but no special tools are required. You may even be able to position these better than Kubota or the dealer did since you have a little play in the cables to work with. My dealer replaced the first one of these that broke, and this one broke I think because he had it pinched too tightly under the oil pan area between some fittings. That's where it broke. Have a few zip ties with you. You'll definitely need one or two at the front or the cables could pop up and get caught by the teeth of the exposed front flywheel. Make sure you have the ends of the cables in the proper position, front or rear, as it only works one way.

Anyway to attach a "Guide Wire" prior to pulling the old cable out, or attaching the new cable to the new one so when the old is pulled out, the new is pulled in?

 

[NewEnglandCliff]

I don't think that would be of much use. You have to work the front end through the small openings by hand, moving around the washers so they'll fit through. The washers cannot be removed from the cable. It'd get hung up if you just tried to pull it through. You have to bend the cable around as you manually feed it through the openings and using a wire would tend to straighten the cable out. I saw somewhere that someone suggested jacking the front end up via the frame so that the front wheels are suspended in the air. This may allow the front axle to hang down a bit giving you more space to feed the cable through. I'd try that. Regardless, you'll be able to work the cable through and around the front axle and other components by hand and I think that's about the only way to do it. You can't use a guide wire running it out through the back since there are a few places where you have to bend it around and through by hand, and the washers and fittings would just get caught up if you tried to pull it through those, as well. It'd be an exercise in frustration and end up taking you longer. You'd still have to hand feed it to get it through everything. That's all actually pretty easy once you get the front done.

 

[David_Kb7uns]

Once again Kubota proves horrible support for a less then good designed GR2100, will not ever let my G2160 go.

Kubota support for the GR2100 series SUCKS

David Kb7uns