Loader Problem mounting FEL

[whistlepig]

My tractor and loader is going to the shop if it ever does this. I pull the tractor under the loader, hook up the hoses, and lower the loader on to the mounts. Then I slide in the mounting pins. No tools. No hassle. Five minutes and I'm done. Kubota's quick attach loaders do work that well if they are working right.

 

[Grandad4]

It shouldn't be that way. Mounting my FEL is crisp and clean. It's easier to mount my FEL than any other attachment I have.

You're probably right about that. The FEL on the other Kubota, an L4610, is always completely even. The BX was delivered new with that mismatch, and after 500 hours, it hasn't changed or affected operation. In practice, it takes about 2 seconds to snug up the two sides, doesn't affect ease of mounting.

 

[BeezFun]

For re-attaching, I just retract the lift cyls. all the way in and then pull the tractor forward a few additional inches, so the FEL brackets on the tractor are snug up to the FEL mounting arms on both sides. That way the tractor prevents either mounting arm from extending out of synch with the other one and the FEL mounting arms can be adjusted to drop into proper position normally.

I think this is what I normally do, but in this particular case I had the loader off in an uneven spot on the floor so I actuated the boom cylinders as part of the process to try try to get in the right position. Good idea, I'll make sure I retract all the way.

 

[BeezFun]

Rare, but a loose piston inside the cylinder that lags is possible, but doubt it.

Is the amount of 'lag' always the same ?

Once the one that lags starts to move, does it move the same speed as the other the rest of the way ?

The amount of lag appears the same, but I didn't measure it, and I've only done this twice, so based on a vast statistical sample size of 2, it's always the same.

Once the one that lags starts to move, it moves the same speed as the other one the rest of the way.

 

[BeezFun]

2-3"

Is that actual cylinder movement ?

Yes it's actual cylinder movement, you can see it pretty well in the photo by comparing the amount of cylinder that is exposed on each side. I couldn't get up high enough to take the picture from above, it's easier to see from that angle.

 

[whistlepig]

This is a fairly new post. I can assure you the other Kubota owners are not putting up with this problem. Although I have never used a John Deere quick attach loader I understand that John Deere's quick attach is even easier to mount than the Kubota loader.

 

[rswyan]

This is a fairly new post. I can assure you the other Kubota owners are not putting up with this problem.

Really ? ..... the "other" Kubota owners eh ? .......

My LA402 didn't do this originally ..... but somewhere in the last 950 hours it picked it up as an occasional bad habit .....

Since it really poses no problem, I haven't bothered to spend any T&E on it ......

 

[brain55]

This is a fairly new post. I can assure you the other Kubota owners are not putting up with this problem. Although I have never used a John Deere quick attach loader I understand that John Deere's quick attach is even easier to mount than the Kubota loader.

I'm going to put another 2 cents in here. I'm quite sure my sample size is larger than many here. Having worked in Kubota dealers for 12 years and outside Kubota dealers for another 11 years. I have installed and repaired hundreds of Kubota loaders and many others too. As I said before, most will do this because the resistance side-to-side in the pivot points and internally in the cylinders is rarely the same. Hydraulic flow will always take the path of least resistance. It does not matter whether it is a Kubota, New Holland, John Deere, etc., the same laws of physics apply. Typically you can just push on the arm that is too high and the fluid will move to the other side and extend that cylinder. As soon as the operator figures this out, it does not change the ease or difficulty in installing the loader. If any operator were to take a machine to the dealer with this complaint, they would give the same explanation and send you home.

Brian

 

[Tom_H]

The two arms stayed parallel on mine for about 6 years. About 4 years ago they started drifting apart just a little. It is now common for them to be a good 30 degrees apart if the loader is off for more than a few days. There was quite a learning curve in being able to compensate for the problem. A few times, the FEL bucket got flipped all the way forward; that was a pain to reposition. I tacked some notes on the wall regarding what each position on the lever does with the loader off. It now takes about 2 minutes to get the arms aligned and the tractor just the right distance from them to make connection.

 

[Machold]

My B3030 has a L403 that uis supposed to be quick on/off; however, if you are not parked on completely level ground (concrete pad, for example), good luck with the "quick" part! The arms will not disengage from the bottom pins. It took me 35 minutes to detach the FEL, using methods not specified in the manual. I'm dreading the Fall when I have to put it back on. My tractor barn has a dirt floor, it's hard to park completely level. I have a feeling I'm going to be hoisting that FEL in order to get it back on.