One more photo of the LA723 loader cracks

Egon · May 23, 2005

On my little Kubota B7100 the loader had many welds crack. After welding them again all is well.

From the one photo it looks as if the crack initiated at the reduced weld at the retaining bolt head.

As the dealer allready has the fix in the works I'm just ading a usless post.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

_RaT_ · May 23, 2005

Pat, I have no signs of any cracks on mine. It would appear that the weld is a means of keeping the bushing in place. The gusset has a hole drilled in it and the bushing placed in it and welded. From where the crack is, I think you are putting the stress on it when you drive forward hitting immovable objects. With the weight and momentum of the tractor, somethings going to start going. On some loaders, you would bend the grapple, but I know the AnBo is well made. I am not sure though what your grapple has. Perhaps you could post a picture.

Patk · May 25, 2005

Here's my assesment of what is happening in pictures...I have the 60 inch version of the AnBo grapple shown.

_RaT_ · May 25, 2005

Well done Pat. I suspect poor welds may really be whats at stake inspite of the bushing simply being inserted into the gusset as I figure it probably is. The weld should not only have locked it place, but also fused it to the back side of the gusset where the crack is in your picture. While it is a relatively simple fix with the right equipment, you really should be compensated for it. The loader is made in Georgia I understand.

Rick_Morrell · Jun 1, 2005

Pat:

Looks like you need to rent a D6 with an SU blade. 45k# @ 185hp does a decent job pioneering. I think your local Cat Rental store will deliver... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Good luck with your repair!

Rick

Patk · Jun 1, 2005

Yes I agree...the right equipment for the right job. We had a trackhoe and dozer in to clear for an orchard. It was mostly large (70x100ft) aged maples. When those things came down this winter, they left a mountain of shattered branches embedded into the ground. The dozer helped to clear the large stuff but it just ground most of the small stuff into the mud. I was using the tractor/grapple for the log hauling/stacking, the stump dragging and stacking, and cleanup of the small debre embedded into the mud.
I have to say that the detailed grooming with the grapple worked great. The field was smooth as glass with very little debre left. BUT...somewhere during all that I must have been getting too aggressive with the grapple. I didn't notice the cracks till afterwards.
The repair the dealer made was to add 1/4" plate on both sides of the gussets. It certianly won't crack _there_ next time, but I do have to seriously rethink how I'm using that grapple though.
I went to the dealer and took a long hard look at the LA853 loaders on the larger 43+hp LXX30's. The gusset is 1/4" there vs. 3/16th on the LA723. The cylinder rams are 1/4" larger in diameter as well. I think when I was shopping for the tractor I only considered lift capacity...my mistake.
I'm still considering selling the L3130 HST/LA723 and upgrading to the L4330 HST/LA853. Not just for the loader issue, but for the extra HP...the L4330 has the best torque/$$ value of the entier Grand-L series.....20/20 hindsight.

Don't get me wrong, the L3130 HST/LA723 is a fine rig, I just don't want to be on the ragged edge of it's designed usage and capacity all the time.

Rick_Morrell · Jun 3, 2005

Pat:

I think you may be in a similar situation with an L4330 and 853 loader. You're gaining a little bit with an increase in section on the plate, but you're also picking up more mass and horsepower. I think you'll see the same problem (heat-affected zone around the weld appears to be the weak link here), but you'll have more money wrapped up in your tractor. In all seriousness, a track-type tractor with an SU blade is designed to transfer load low, from the push arms through the pivot shaft and into the main frame. Even as I ramble here, maybe renting a track loader would also be a good compromise. They're more flexible than a track-type tractor, and they're much heavier than a loader tractor. I'd love to have an excuse to play with one...

Again, good luck.

Rick