Need Help!!! JD 4310 transmission troubles

rockyridgefarm · Feb 4, 2004

Most recalls are safety issues, directly related to product liability. (can you spell lawyer?) A John Deere (CNH, GM) has a lot more at stake than Jinma. I doubt the trial attorneys are lining up to line their pockets from them.

CraigG · Feb 4, 2004

( Craig,
When did you decide that you wanted a different tractor? )

Jerry,
I decided I wanted a new tractor the day my tractor was returned from it's 4th visit to the service department. I went out to do some snowblowing and the tractor stopped on it's own and flashed some codes. I looked at the hour meter and it was still in the 30s.

I am very happy with K.C. Canary, I'm unhappy with the tractor itself. At this point I don't care if they fix the tractor, I don't want it. I want what I paid for and that is a new tractor. I will gladly trade tractors with any of the new 4310 owners out there that have not had major work done on their tractor. I don't think anyone will take me up on this. Why would they? This proves my point. A new tractor with no problems and a tractor that has major work done on it twice do not have the same value.

As far as the mower goes, there are others that have had this same issue. This is known to John Deere. All they have to do is revise their literature and dealer manuals to reflect that this mower will not fit the 4310 with turfs in the wide position. As far as trading it for a 3pt mower, it's not a straight trade. I had the mid pto installed which would be useless. I already have a rear snowblower and the JD 59 front blower that runs off the mid pto is too narrow. It will not cover the tracks of the turfs set to the wide position. Also since I went with the mid pto and MMM I got the 3rd scv to raise and lower the mower. This made the jump to the 4in1 bucket less expensive than it would have been. Based on all the lit by JD and the assurance that this mower would fit my tractor I bought it. This was a very expensive option that I have not been able to use. This is very poor engineering, it would take little effort to make sure this MMM fits the intended tractor no matter which tires or wheel position was chosen by the customer. The tires hit the guide wheels on the MMM when turned. It is simple to predict the arc made by the turning wheels and to mount the guide wheels so as to not rub the tires.

It is not possible to not let my emotions effect how I proceed with this problem. I am not an emotional person to begin with, but I made a major purchase that has not lived up to it's intended use. If I was to buy a new tractor today I would make sure that I did not buy one involved in the racall. Two 4310s sitting at the dealership one had a transmission swap the other did not. Which would your choose?

I understand the need for most to defend JD. I understand that recalls are a fact of life. If this was the only problem I would live with it. If the fact that my first transmission leaking was the only problem I would live with that. If the fact that now that my new problem was the only problem I would live with that too. The fact is, all these factors add up to a very unpleasant 5 months of ownership. I did not come to the forum and post every little problem I was having. I let each problem run it's course to a solution. However, I now feel it's been too much. I'm having a average of 1 major transmission problem per 10 hours of use. 10 hours of seat time is 2 work days to a contractor or farmer. It would be a hard sell to these guys that they need to get major service done to their tractors every other work day. And that the mower that they bought to mow and make money with cannot be used at all even though it was spec'ed by the manufactuer for the tractor they just bought. I use this example to show that all these problems and down time would cost the contractor/farmer alot of money in down time. Just because I do not count on my tractor to make a living does not mean that these down times and major repairs have less of an effect on me. The contractor I am using in this example would demand a new tractor by the end of the first week. This is unacceptable in todays world. I just want a tractor that works more than it does not and one that mows like it's original intended purchase.

Craig

del · Feb 4, 2004

Rockyridgefarm.

Good point.

By retorqueing the housings it might just have stopped the
leak, forever.

Note the operative word is "might". It also might shut the
leak off until sometime after the warranty is up. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif.

The bill to fix this later would be substantial /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gifDE L/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

CraigG · Feb 4, 2004

( Rockyridgefarm.

Good point.

By retorqueing the housings it might just have stopped the
leak, forever.

Note the operative word is "might". It also might shut the
leak off until sometime after the warranty is up. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif.

The bill to fix this later would be substantial /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gifDE L

)

I for one don't want that bill. Jason from K.C. Canary has been at my house all morning working on my tractor. He said there is no way for him to play back the codes I saw. He could not get the tractor to flash any codes today. He did however state that there is a delay in the pedal response. He does'nt know why but it is there. He drives many of these tractors every day and said mine does not feel right. There is a delay and as such you are not able to feather the pedal as you would when you are working in close proximity to something you dont want to hit. He is doing a calibration on the hydro to see if this helps.

Jason also stated that the bolts that held the transmission housing together were not backed out but rather were broken off. He said he's never seen or herd of this happening before.

Craig

CraigG · Feb 4, 2004

Also the reason K.C. Canary never came to get my tractor is because the day I called Jerry the service manager about my continued problem they were in the middle of a turning over the CUT service to a new manager (an actual Canary) and my service call must have been lost in the transition. Jerry will only be servicing the Ag stuff now.

Craig

shvl73 · Feb 4, 2004

It sounds like your dealer is trying to stay on top of the situation. Is there another customer or perhaps a TBN member w/ a 4310 in the vicinity that you could try to make a comparison, your machine vs. his, performance-wise?

CraigG · Feb 4, 2004

Well no comparison will happen now. My tractor sits unmovable on the side of my garage where Jason and I just pushed it. He did end up getting the tractor to flash the code I was seeing and turns out that code is not even in the code book. The tractor also starts hard but at least it starts. There just is no response at all from the pedals now. Or the delay is just really really long. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

He will be back tomorrow with a flat bed so he can use the winch to pull the tractor on.

It's going from bad to worse.

Craig

yellowsocks93 · Feb 4, 2004

I never noticed any balance problems with my 4300 but that's just me. For you guys with the ehydro is there anyway you can adjust the reaction time like the epower reverser transmission to suit your taste?

yellowsocks93 · Feb 4, 2004

CraigG,

I did not mean to bash you in anyway about your troubles or say that all JDs are having problems. I have just read about a lot of problems on this board about this series compared to others. I hope you get everything resolved with you machine soon. I know it's no fun to pay for something you don't really like anymore. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

del · Feb 4, 2004

They have "more" troubles because there are "more" tractors.
I notice that most of the posters on this TBN have new tractors.

I was totally paranoid abou the hydro trans, especially the
Ehydro. In my travels around the country on vacations etc I
made it a point to stop at JD dealers whereever I went and
ask the service depts, basically telling them I wanted a JD
but wanted a reliable unit. 90% or so said the hydro's were
the way to go. (Actually if I was going with a non hydro Kubota
would have been back in the mix)

Of course the e-hydro is only 2 years old at max. Who knows
what it will be like off warranty 5 years from now.

It's a cost I'm willing to accept if things turn sour down
the road as I feel it's worth it. Having my wife help me with
landscaping now and then when I'm on the bigger Kubota is a
blast. She wasn't sure she wanted it after being forced to
give up her beloved BX2200, now I have to fight for it.

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