High Compression
Platinum Member
That is what went through my head day before yesterday. I was plowing a private drive for a small community of 6 houses. This drive is like a goat trail. Kinda steep and narrow on a hillside that winds down into a little valley. Anyway, I was almost done, making one final pass back down the hill to get paid. My 9' blade started to catch and so I pulled back on the FEL control when it gave way and I had nothin! All the sudden my control just flopped back and forth like a wet noodle. Side to side control for the bucket cylinders was fine, but I couldn't lift the loader.
Here I was in a little panic. Knowing I couldn't get anything down to the tractor. I started to investigate, hoping for a simple solution. Removing the upper console where the FEL control comes through revealed everything normal there. So I called my dealer looking for maybe a quick fix. We came up short again. So I switched my loader and bucket hydro lines so I could at least pick the blade up off the ground. Went and apologized to my customer and told them I would be back to finish the last pass a.s.a.p.
Got back to the shop, pulled the access plate off the inner fender behind the right rear tire. Shined my flashlight in there and moved the joystick back in forth. Sh*t, that's not getting fixed tonight. Ended up that the cable that is controlled by the joystick runs down and is attached to a pivot arm that actuates the spool in the valve body. Well that arm snapped off at the weld.
Now for the good news. I got up the next morning and had my L5740 at the dealer at 08:00 when they opened. I went in and talked to Phil, the service manager. Showed him the problem. He began to recall a similar incident with another L. He looked it up and they definitely had ordered the part once before. He also noticed that the part number changed, meaning probably an upgrade. Matt in the parts department scoured the area within driving distance to see if any other dealer had the part, no luck. The best they could do is have it next day aired in.
The owner Daren McConnell, looked at the new tractor inventory and the serial numbers. They found one of their brand new L5240 sitting on the lot was new enough to have the upgraded part. They immediately cleared shop space to get mine and the L5240 into the shop. John tore down the 5240 and robbed the part off it installing the new upgraded part on mine! The new part was almost twice as thick. :cool2: Oh, BTW done by 10:00. Two hrs later and I was back up and running to take care of my customers.
Thank you to McConnell Machinery in Lawrence Kansas. I guy couldn't ask for a better dealer, better service or better equipment. Thanks again to Daren, Phil, Matt, and John and all the rest of the great staff. You guys are Awesome! :thumbsup:
Here I was in a little panic. Knowing I couldn't get anything down to the tractor. I started to investigate, hoping for a simple solution. Removing the upper console where the FEL control comes through revealed everything normal there. So I called my dealer looking for maybe a quick fix. We came up short again. So I switched my loader and bucket hydro lines so I could at least pick the blade up off the ground. Went and apologized to my customer and told them I would be back to finish the last pass a.s.a.p.
Got back to the shop, pulled the access plate off the inner fender behind the right rear tire. Shined my flashlight in there and moved the joystick back in forth. Sh*t, that's not getting fixed tonight. Ended up that the cable that is controlled by the joystick runs down and is attached to a pivot arm that actuates the spool in the valve body. Well that arm snapped off at the weld.
Now for the good news. I got up the next morning and had my L5740 at the dealer at 08:00 when they opened. I went in and talked to Phil, the service manager. Showed him the problem. He began to recall a similar incident with another L. He looked it up and they definitely had ordered the part once before. He also noticed that the part number changed, meaning probably an upgrade. Matt in the parts department scoured the area within driving distance to see if any other dealer had the part, no luck. The best they could do is have it next day aired in.
The owner Daren McConnell, looked at the new tractor inventory and the serial numbers. They found one of their brand new L5240 sitting on the lot was new enough to have the upgraded part. They immediately cleared shop space to get mine and the L5240 into the shop. John tore down the 5240 and robbed the part off it installing the new upgraded part on mine! The new part was almost twice as thick. :cool2: Oh, BTW done by 10:00. Two hrs later and I was back up and running to take care of my customers.
Thank you to McConnell Machinery in Lawrence Kansas. I guy couldn't ask for a better dealer, better service or better equipment. Thanks again to Daren, Phil, Matt, and John and all the rest of the great staff. You guys are Awesome! :thumbsup:
^)
