MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises

   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises
  • Thread Starter
#21  
He either bought it new or almost new, and he now has 1970 or so hours on it. He uses it pretty hard and he uses it a LOT, mows, grades, digs, repeat. It lives outside most of the time and the Kubota Orange paint has faded almost to Mary Kay pink. I will say he does change the oil and filters regularly, so he does maintain it.

This is one of those "can't look away" things. The advantage of following this is that we can learn a lot about what to look for and what not to do on our own tractors. Don't pull on the rear propellor shaft, part X is a normal wear item and doesn't indicate that it is busted, don't be afraid to spend a few bucks and get the manual, and so on.

I think that is one of the most important functions of TBN and groups like it. Someone has a problem or a question, instead of reinventing the wheel on your own dime, ask the group because chances are good that someone, somewhere has already solved the problem for you or can advise you how to best proceed.

I join the appropriate users group for every vehicle I own. Sometimes they are a waste of time (No, you are not going to make your 1990 John Deere Gator go supersonic) and some, like TBN, are invaluable. I have learned a LOT being a member of TBN, have saved myself a LOT of money, learned how to better utilize my equipment and not break it (or myself), and more. TBN, by the way, is the ONLY group I've seen that doesn't have a thread about how can I pick up 30+ hp for $200 and go faster? . . . or maybe I just haven't found it yet ;-)

When he finally fixes it, and he will, I'll report what it was, how it was done, how much it cost, and how to prevent it in the future. Further, I will thank everyone who has freely contributed their knowledge and advice.

Best Regards,

Mike/Florida
 
   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises #22  
Oh I agree with you sunandsand -- all quite true and well said. So if my voyeurism comment was just a little too sarcastic, my apologies.
 
   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises
  • Thread Starter
#23  
No offense taken JWR ;-)

Problem with the internet is that all we get is the words, no context, no non-verbal cues, just the words, and it is very easy to misinterpret even an innocent statement, especially nowadays when just about everybody seems to be upset about something all the time.

My buddy's "adventure" with his tractor could be a cautionary tale (of woe), and it isn't over.

When he does get it fixed, I absolutely will NOT play Monday morning quarterback and say "Told ya so" although I do admit that I might think it . . .

Best Regards,

Mike/Florida
 
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Reactions: JWR
   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises #24  
I wonder if a good borescope could take a look at both those things - the front driveshaft coupling and the diff lock?
 
   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises
  • Thread Starter
#25  
Incremental progress. He was able to fish out the rear coupling with a "grabber" I lent him - four fingers on a flexible shaft (from Harbor Freight, I think), and using a length of welding rod, finagle the rear coupling back into place. He then re-inserted the rear half of the propeller shaft and it went correctly. (He did admit he learned something - "I never should have pulled that out in the first place.")

He was able to borrow a borescope but wound up not using it. (Yet.)

He's now waiting for some seals and a microswitch (PTO lockout or something) that Kubota is VERY proud of. The microswitch has a short pigtail and a connector, Kubota wants $34 for it. The switch itself might cost a whole buck at Mouser Electronics, but the two wires and the connector are obviously made of gold, as is the plastic bag it comes in.

Once the parts are in, he will button up the tractor, refill the hydraulic fluid and give it a whirl. I'll be overjoyed if the noise went away, but I won't be surprised if it didn't. I'm not going to spread doom and gloom . . .

Best Regards,

Mike/Florida
 
   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises #26  
Mike, were you ever a sports announcer? Or wannabe? I'm jealous!

Twenty years as a mechanic and nobody ever did a play by play for one of my jobs. So sad...

rScotty
 
   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises #27  
$34 dollars for a tractor part isn't worth complaining about, yall cheap!🤣🙃
 
   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises
  • Thread Starter
#28  
Mike, were you ever a sports announcer? Or wannabe? I'm jealous!

Twenty years as a mechanic and nobody ever did a play by play for one of my jobs. So sad...

rScotty

Actually I was a sports announcer ONE time . . . friend of mine worked at a radio station and did announcing for the bike races at Daytona Speedway. He asked me to take one race because he had something else to do which could not wait. I drove over to the speedway, found a place to park, and got to announce at the 125cc race. Amusing - one of the pit crews doused their rider in gasoline (accidentally, I'm sure) and managed to set him and the bike on fire. He had enough presence of mind to put it in gear (engine running at the pit stop) and drive away from the flames while his pit crew frantically searched for a fire extinguisher. He finished the race! (Talk about a hard-*** biker!) I also got a parking ticket from the speedway - thanks fer nuttin!

Best Regards,

Mike/Florida
 
   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises
  • Thread Starter
#29  
$34 dollars for a tractor part isn't worth complaining about, yall cheap!🤣🙃

Who me, cheap? Well frugal, maybe. I've been told that I can squeeze nickels so hard that *I* am the reason the buffalo on the nickel has only three legs . . .


$34 for a tractor part isn't worth complaining about if the tractor manufacturer made the part. Here, they didn't. Microswitches are cheap (maybe a buck each) and the other $33 is for Kubota to put them in a bag with orange lettering on it. Yes, I know they need to show a profit to stay in business, but this kind of markup on a pretty widely available part is a tad excessive. (Evidently the CEO needs a bigger yacht or something.)

They're not alone. Years ago (like in the mid-60s!) I worked for the BMW automobile importer for the east coast - Max Hoffman - which was before BMWNA took it away from him. I ran the warranty department for a while, then decided I'd really rather live in Florida and left.

The cars had a smog pump, and they failed - a lot. The replacement pump cost over $200 (remember we are talking the mid-60s when $200 wasn't exactly sofa money) and came in a pretty blue box with a BMW emblem and "Im Werk Gepruft" printed on it.

Inside the box was a gen-you-wine GM smog pump as used on a bazillion domestic cars, and sold for $30 retail, quantity one. BMW bought them from GM, shipped them to Bavaria, put them into the pretty cardboard boxes and shipped them back, with a HEFTY markup. Hey, that cardboard is expensive, ya know?

The factory could never understand why the crazy Americans wanted air conditioning, but eventually realized that it was hard to sell cars here without it. We started getting cars with "Kuhl-Meister" air conditioning, which after a cursory look, turned out to be an aftermarket unit kludged together and manufactured by a company in some obscure portion of the black forest known as "Houston, Texas", and again, with a hefty markup.

The 2002 was a lovely little car, but when the Kuhl-Meister AC was added, it knackered the car to the point that it could barely outun a Vespa. It also had a York piston compressor almost as big as the car's engine, and the compressor tended to grenade spectacularly.

I am ALWAYS willing to pay a fair price for what I need or want, but I confess I do get a bit cranky when someone puts a 900% markup on something that is widely and easily available at a far lower price.

Best Regards,

Mike/Florida
 
   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises #30  
Who me, cheap? Well frugal, maybe. I've been told that I can squeeze nickels so hard that *I* am the reason the buffalo on the nickel has only three legs . . .


$34 for a tractor part isn't worth complaining about if the tractor manufacturer made the part. Here, they didn't. Microswitches are cheap (maybe a buck each) and the other $33 is for Kubota to put them in a bag with orange lettering on it. Yes, I know they need to show a profit to stay in business, but this kind of markup on a pretty widely available part is a tad excessive. (Evidently the CEO needs a bigger yacht or something.)

They're not alone. Years ago (like in the mid-60s!) I worked for the BMW automobile importer for the east coast - Max Hoffman - which was before BMWNA took it away from him. I ran the warranty department for a while, then decided I'd really rather live in Florida and left.

The cars had a smog pump, and they failed - a lot. The replacement pump cost over $200 (remember we are talking the mid-60s when $200 wasn't exactly sofa money) and came in a pretty blue box with a BMW emblem and "Im Werk Gepruft" printed on it.

Inside the box was a gen-you-wine GM smog pump as used on a bazillion domestic cars, and sold for $30 retail, quantity one. BMW bought them from GM, shipped them to Bavaria, put them into the pretty cardboard boxes and shipped them back, with a HEFTY markup. Hey, that cardboard is expensive, ya know?

The factory could never understand why the crazy Americans wanted air conditioning, but eventually realized that it was hard to sell cars here without it. We started getting cars with "Kuhl-Meister" air conditioning, which after a cursory look, turned out to be an aftermarket unit kludged together and manufactured by a company in some obscure portion of the black forest known as "Houston, Texas", and again, with a hefty markup.

The 2002 was a lovely little car, but when the Kuhl-Meister AC was added, it knackered the car to the point that it could barely outun a Vespa. It also had a York piston compressor almost as big as the car's engine, and the compressor tended to grenade spectacularly.

I am ALWAYS willing to pay a fair price for what I need or want, but I confess I do get a bit cranky when someone puts a 900% markup on something that is widely and easily available at a far lower price.

Best Regards,

Mike/Florida
Then buy the microswitch for $1 and make the wiring work if it's so easy.
 
 
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