MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises

   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises
  • Thread Starter
#31  
Well it really and truly IS that easy, but he doesn't want to do it that way. His tractor, his decision. If it were mine, I'd buy the dollar special and solder the two wires - I even offered to solder them for him, nope, he isn't having any. He da boss.

Best Regards,

Mike/Florida
 
   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises
  • Thread Starter
#32  
He's stalled . . .

Putting the halves of the tractor back together isn't going real well. Something is blocking it from closing the last 7/8". The halves were not lined up properly either vertically or horizontally. He/we jiggled stuff around until they were. The bolts all line up now, the gaps on each side and top/bottom are the same, it just doesn't want to "click" in the last 7/8".

The mainshaft is in the clutch plate, the lower shafts turn freely. I've suggested that he engage the rear PTO and rotate the transmission from there by hand because that's easier than trying to rotate the engine. Last time he split the tractor, it went back together much more easily, this time it has been two days and no joy.

There's *something* blocking it from going back together. He's been wiggling it by putting his back against the rear tires and all he's done is get a sore back and blisters. He has miscellaneous jacks and blocks keeping everything in alignment (up/down, right/left) and has some of the bolts started to retain that alignment - but it just won't go the last bit.

Tightening the bolts to force it together is inadvisable, that is just going to break whatever is stopping it.

Open to suggestions from the collective!

Best Regards,

Mike/Florida
 
   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises #33  
Is there a pilot bearing? If so the small center shaft may not be lining up quite right with the hole in the pilot bearing. I have seen that issue on cars. The 7/8" would fit that thinking. Are there alignment 'pins' besides the bolts and holes? Man this is painful just visualizing it. A problem I suspect is that the two main assemblies involved are just too heavy to jiggle/move manually. I don't know how to deal with that. MAYBE you could gingerly approach the inadvisable -- tighten up one bolt on one side and when it encounters resistance THEN do whatever you can to wiggle/rotate the parts... ??

I guess back to the idea of endoscope. For about $14 you can buy an endoscope that mates to your smartphone.They have LED light on the end and are very small (like 1/4" diameter or another one I have is 3/8".) Then you could look up in there and try to see what the hold up is ...
 
   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises
  • Thread Starter
#34  
I agree, it really does sound like the pilot bearing. And oh, boy the halves of the tractor are WAY too heavy to horse around! There are alignment pins, but the halves are still too far apart to let them engage.

It sounds to me like he might have to un-align the halves slightly (up/down or right/left) and then start wiggling and shoving the halves while someone turns the PTO shaft - and hope it finally pops into place.

Once the halves are mated, he still has half a day hooking up all the plumbing, wiring, levers, whoosies, whatsies and watchamacallits so he can try it out.

And it is getting HOT, 90 degrees today, fortunately, he has shade (fabric arch roof) to work under. I do NOT envy him right about now.

Best Regards,

Mike/Florida
 
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Reactions: JWR
   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises #35  
When I saw your first post, it reminded me of my BIL’s L3000 several years ago. Acted the same way, okay in 2wd and 4wd going straight, but turn and the crunch began. I was sure it was in the rear end so another BIL and I tore it apart. No problem after examining everything. We had to go to the front. Kubota didn’t have lube fittings on the front pivot points and both wore - very bad - and the front axle rocked. It had worse most of the splines on both the couplings and drive shaft ruining them. BIL two found a machine shop that machines and sleeved the front axle trunions, also reworked the front and rear pivot caps - and installed grease zeros. It’s still running fine 9 years later. Darn noise was transmitted through the drive shaft to the rear housing fooling us.
 
   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises #36  
Then buy the microswitch for $1 and make the wiring work if it's so easy.
That's what I did. Kubota wanted way too much for their third function microswitch that I broke taking it out. With a magnifying glass, I found numbers printed on the switch and ordered it from Amazon using the ID number printed right on the switch. Instead of paying Kubota $80 for a switch, Amazon sent me three switches in different configurations for under $5.00 including shipping. One was a direct replacement.

There's been several threads on doing that with Kubota switches here on TBN. Including mine. A lot of Kubota parts are reasonable. Their electrical switches are not, but oddly enough their turn signals are.
rScotty
 
   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises #37  
I cross all the relays and other electrical items on both my Kubota's with the parts listings on Digi-Key or Dell Electronics.. Typically, a relay at the dealership will be 70 bucks plus and the same exact part, part number and manufacturer will be less than a 10 spot (shipping included) on either site. I have no issue buying OEM at the dealer but on electrical stuff Kubota markup is insane.
 
   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises
  • Thread Starter
#38  
Wellllll, here's the update. (Sunday evening, 5/8)

He was able to get it back together with a lot of cussing, wiggling, pounding and so forth from him and some help from people pushing and pulling on the wheels, wiggling the jacks and so forth. I guess the tractor realized it was outnumbered and gave up - it went "click" and slid together - it was hanging up on the pilot bearing as suspected.

It appears I was barking up the wrong tree and I was wrong about the diff lock pins, and quite frankly, I am glad that I was wrong. He doesn't need any more expensive problems. (I still would have looked inside the rear cover, just to be sure, but that's me, and it isn't my tractor.)

What seems to have been happening is that the front coupling was so worn as to be ratcheting under load, intermittently skipping teeth and grabbing, and the noise was transmitted to the rear end, making us think the problem was there, and it was not.

He replaced the front coupling and front drive shaft, an oil seal in the bell housing and the utterly worn out tie rod ends (and that expensive microswitch). He did disassemble and look at the front drive axles, some bearings and checked the front differential, and they are all fine. The steering components, as MHarryE mentioned above, were very dry and the seals were shot (replaced). Fortunately there were no metal "sparklies" or chips in the oil, and no water had entered to make the oil milky.

He's out mowing, and I *think* he's OK now. I'll keep my fingers crossed that my suspicions were unfounded and that he's back in business.

As the Bard said a long time ago, all's well that ends well, but I doubt he was talking about tractors ;-)

Best Regards,

Mike/Florida
 
   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises #39  
One thing I never buy is oem tie rod ends, always aftermarket. OEM ends have no grease fittings and are super expensive. Aftermarket are cheaper and come with grease fittings.
 
   / MX4700DT nasty, expensive noises #40  
Nice to see a thread end with a positive conclusion.
 
 
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