PTO lever/cable recall - L3400/L2800

[teg]

I may be mistaken but I think the problem is only with L2800/L3400 HST models on the early years (04 & 05?) that have the ratcheting cams. I think sometime in 06 (not sure of serial #) the cams were improved to be beefier.

 

[JC-jetro]

Sorry with the issues you all have. Locking cam one way, slipping the other way to achive two functions (1.coupling a driving and a driven shaft and one way clutch) is absoloutly a wrong choice by a good manufacturer like Kubota. A sliding gear coupler is an old and field tested design for more than 1/2 century, Why isn't Kubota using it? A simple coupler and an external cheap ($60) one way clutch is much more reliable that what they designed. The problem on the surface seems to be the cable but it is more cam design than anything else. Cam engagement can be done with a fork and sliding rod totally eliminating bicycle brake cable but it can't solve the cam issue.


JC,

 

[Arky217]

I am considering the purchase of a new L3400HST.
Has this PTO problem and also the jerky 3ph problem that I've read about been corrected on the current L3400 tractors ?

When I've mentioned reading about these problems to my local Kubota dealers, they said they've never of them.

Thanks,
Arky

 

[ccsial]

I am considering the purchase of a new L3400HST.
Has this PTO problem and also the jerky 3ph problem that I've read about been corrected on the current L3400 tractors ?

When I've mentioned reading about these problems to my local Kubota dealers, they said they've never of them.

Thanks,
Arky

Arky,

Both of these issues are posted on the dealers web site. That is where my dealer found the fixes over three years ago. I hve a new 3PH valve but I still have the old PTO cams and at 240 hours they are still OK. I only mow and snow blow with the L3400. I think tilling and post hole diggers are harder on the PTO.

The only way to know if it has the upgrades for sure is to test it. There are a lot of new tractors that are still older out there.

Have them put on a bush hog mower. Try raising and lowering it. If it jerks up about an inch at a time and almost knocks you off the seat if has the old valve.

Then engage the PTO and rev the engine up to 540 PTO RPM. Press the clutch in (don't disengage the PTO). If you hear what sounds like gears grinding you have the old style cams.

I'd highly suggest you do these tests. If the dealer is unwilling I would not want to deal with him.

Al

 

[ccsial]

Sorry with the issues you all have. Locking cam one way, slipping the other way to achive two functions (1.coupling a driving and a driven shaft and one way clutch) is absoloutly a wrong choice by a good manufacturer like Kubota. A sliding gear coupler is an old and field tested design for more than 1/2 century, Why isn't Kubota using it? A simple coupler and an external cheap ($60) one way clutch is much more reliable that what they designed. The problem on the surface seems to be the cable but it is more cam design than anything else. Cam engagement can be done with a fork and sliding rod totally eliminating bicycle brake cable but it can't solve the cam issue.


JC,

I agree JC. The new cam eliminates the one way clutch feature and should be better.

 

[JC-jetro]

I agree JC. The new cam eliminates the one way clutch feature and should be better.

That is true, but the design the engagement is still herky-jerky. Too much torque applied to very small areas (two). In industrial application there is rubber coupling in between two cams which obviously is out of question inside the transmission. Sliding gear coupler distribute the torque much more uniformly and efficiently. Kubota is covering the noise by asking to raise the oil level to attenuate the sound within the oil. I'm really disappointed by Kubota as 3400 fits the bill for me minus the pto engagement. From ford 8N up to all the new tractors they use sliding gear coupler unless a wet clutch pack (much superior to sliding coupler) is used.

JC,

Old Cam

New Cam

 

[canoetrpr]

Arky - everyone has lots of different mileage to go around. After 3 years and 191 hours my L3400 is doing perfectly fine. I did notice the jerky 3PT in the dealer's lot and pointed it out to him. He agreed.

The valve was changed out after I noticed the jerkyness existed on my unit which was delivered.

FWIW, I've tested out the CK30 from Kioti which I think is in the same league as far as tractors from different makes go and I found my L3400 with the valve upgrade to be about the same as the CK30. Neither are silky smooth like the L3240.

I use my 3pt for bush hogging, snow blowing and I have dug about 50 post holes with it. I don't baby my tractor around. Of course with 191 hrs in 3 years, its not like it is used in an industrial application either. Actual failures of the PTO even with the old cams (which I have) have been few and far between on this site.

Nest year I will be doing another 100 or so post holes and I will be using my tractor for them. When the whole CAM thing came up on this site before I sweated and worried about it but touch wood my tractor has done everything I asked it to. If anything breaks, I'll get it fixed. Until then I'll enjoy the tractor and treat it like the tractor.

Others have had an issue with the PTO not disengaging. I have not. I engage/disengage like ccsial.

I cannot complain about my L3400. It has performed flawlessly for me. I was out planting 8-10 year old maple trees today and the thing works like a champ.

If I had to do it again, I probably would get a L3240 or a L3540. I think if you bargain hard, its not much more mone for some pretty good features. I probably don't NEED them. But it would nice to have that LA724 loader etc etc. Again - never encountered something my L3400 could not do. However now I am a tractor junkie and I would pay extra to get a higher fix.

On the up side with the L3400, there have been several cases where my tractor's size has just barely cleared it and I have caught myself saying "What would I have done with a slightly larger tractor now??"

If the L3400 fits your needs, go for it! Strongly consider the L3240 IMHO. You get lots more for very little extra $.

 

[veresjwv]

Arky - everyone has lots of different mileage to go around. After 3 years and 191 hours my L3400 is doing perfectly fine. I did notice the jerky 3PT in the dealer's lot and pointed it out to him. He agreed.

The valve was changed out after I noticed the jerkyness existed on my unit which was delivered.

FWIW, I've tested out the CK30 from Kioti which I think is in the same league as far as tractors from different makes go and I found my L3400 with the valve upgrade to be about the same as the CK30. Neither are silky smooth like the L3240.

I use my 3pt for bush hogging, snow blowing and I have dug about 50 post holes with it. I don't baby my tractor around. Of course with 191 hrs in 3 years, its not like it is used in an industrial application either. Actual failures of the PTO even with the old cams (which I have) have been few and far between on this site.

Nest year I will be doing another 100 or so post holes and I will be using my tractor for them. When the whole CAM thing came up on this site before I sweated and worried about it but touch wood my tractor has done everything I asked it to. If anything breaks, I'll get it fixed. Until then I'll enjoy the tractor and treat it like the tractor.

Others have had an issue with the PTO not disengaging. I have not. I engage/disengage like ccsial.

I cannot complain about my L3400. It has performed flawlessly for me. I was out planting 8-10 year old maple trees today and the thing works like a champ.

If I had to do it again, I probably would get a L3240 or a L3540. I think if you bargain hard, its not much more mone for some pretty good features. I probably don't NEED them. But it would nice to have that LA724 loader etc etc. Again - never encountered something my L3400 could not do. However now I am a tractor junkie and I would pay extra to get a higher fix.

On the up side with the L3400, there have been several cases where my tractor's size has just barely cleared it and I have caught myself saying "What would I have done with a slightly larger tractor now??"

If the L3400 fits your needs, go for it! Strongly consider the L3240 IMHO. You get lots more for very little extra $.

Well put Canoetrpr, I feel the same about my L3400 - Very happy with it! When I work it I work it hard and it has not let me down!!

 

[Hummer Guy]

I have a L3400 HST Serial # 54992, I have approximately 450 hrs, I use it for bush hogging, tilling ect. I have a very big dirt project going on currently. I was tilling in a pile of dirt and picked up a log. The PTO began making a very loud ratcheting noise, I shut down the PTO and stopped use. A few days later I got on the tractor again to start tilling again, as soon as I engaged the PTO and released the clutch the loud ratcheting sound was there again. When I pressed in the clutch in and released it slowly, the sound was not apparent, I back up to a pile of dirt and as soon as it touched the dirt, it began the loud ratcheting noise. After reading the posts on this site, sounds like its time for the new upgraded cam set. Has anyone one here done the change themselves? I am pretty mechanically inclined. Are there any written instruction on this site? I open to any instruction or suggestions.

 

[teg]

There was one guy that was tilling that had his replaced by the dealer. Have not heard anyone doing it them selves. I ask my dealer how much would it cost to replace them, about $900 was he's reply a couple years ago...

I might be right behind you since I can hear my CAM skipping when I till. It's in good soil but there are a couple of rocks You might want to start another post/thread about it... This one is old and tired

If you post a new thread in the kubota section with a title that mentions Replacing CAMS in a L3400/L2800, you'll get a better response...

PS Welcome to TBN... would love to hear how you make out.

EDIT: Here's the link to the new thread he started:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/223956-replacing-cams-l3400-l2800.html