Major structural failure on L4610 - ouch !!

rbargeron · Jun 9, 2004

This is a L4610 with about 600 hours, that was skidding out some logs using a 3-pt hitch skidding winch. The 3-pt ram housing broke off taking the back of the main gear housing with it. This happened in past couple days - don't have complete information yet. This machine also has a Kubota subframe type backhoe. The subframe attaches in several places - including the section of the gearcase that is broken out. This is not good. I sure hope Kubota will give this guy some help - this is a pretty major failure.

rbargeron · Jun 9, 2004

Another viewing angle -

rbargeron · Jun 9, 2004

One more - the big chunks that broke out.

higgy · Jun 9, 2004

If your going to do it, do it right! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I wonder what types of stress are put on a machine when using a three point winch that may not have been engineered for in the design of the tractor.

Keep us up to date on this please.

Dane

rbargeron · Jun 9, 2004

I probably shouldn't have used up so much space with images in this post, but this is serious part breakage. There is a lot of discussion of Lxx10's here - and a lot of owners of these machines. When I look at the way this broke out, it makes me wonder whether the design needs review.

I'm a dedicated fan of Kubota. They are a great company making high end products. One reason I'm posting this for everyone to see is to encourage Kubota to take an interest in this too and perhaps help this guy fix his tractor. As tractors go, its nearly new. It may be past warrantee but this should not have happened.

om21braz · Jun 9, 2004

I sure hope Kubota can be of some help on his L, but just looking at what broke and where I got a bad feeling about what they may say.

beenthere · Jun 9, 2004

""One reason I'm posting this for everyone to see is to encourage Kubota to take an interest in this too and perhaps help this guy fix his tractor.""

Is there some reason you think that Kubota won't take responsibility and repair this tractor? I wouldn't think there would be any doubt that they would fix it, and it is what I would expect from any of the three major makers.

But there must be a reason you have some doubt. Your pictures will likely get downloaded and posted on many dealers posterboards for their customers to see what happens to the 'other' brand. I wonder if it was the back hoe or if it was the winch that caused the problem, even though failure occurred with the winch.

rbargeron · Jun 9, 2004

It just happened in the last few days - the owner said he thought the tractor might be out of warranty. I offered the idea that Kubota might get positively involved if the situation comes to their attention.

Cliff_Johns · Jun 9, 2004

Thanks for posting this, and I say this for a few reasons. First, that's some beefy casing that broke and it's useful to know that even with a well made tractor, you can still pull things apart. Second, I've never seen the inside on this part of a tractor and the pictures are very interesting. Finally, seeing failures tells everyone about the possible modes of failure -- it helps us form opinions about what is appropriate (what the tractor's made for) and what might cause problems.

Seeing detailed pictures of structural failures makes us think about the operations we do with our tractors and what affect those operations might have and how we might do that operation differently to avoid this type of failure.

Thanks again.

Cliff

_RaT_ · Jun 9, 2004

"Is there some reason you think that Kubota won't take responsibility and repair this tractor? I wouldn't think there would be any doubt that they would fix it, and it is what I would expect from any of the three major makers. "

Well, right off the top of my head I can think of three because they are stated in my manual more or less like this.

1. It's out of warranty
2. They may or may not consider log skidding an acceptable use for that tractor model that they will warrant.
3. Failure because of neglect.

All three COULD be possible scenario's for any manufactuer to disqualify a manufactuer repair.

I suspect that if it can be shown that there was a poor casting, it would be resolved. The amount of force necessary to do that certainly would raise many folks suspicions as to just what might have been done to make it happen. Since it is an internal ram (unlike the external rams on the L30's) and the ram will take an incredible shock if a load is allowed to bounce, the shock with an exceptionally heavy point load to the top link could forseeably create such a shock especially when amplified by the upper arms. Hard to imagine, but certainly possible.