Should this be covered under warranty?

[Charliebrn]

I'm with TC on this. It's a roll pin and something that shouldn't come out, even with brush poking about. I've used mine an plenty of 4 foot high brush and never had to touch the thing. This isn't something you would normally even think about maintaining outside of greasing every now and then. I know my dealer would handle such a thing under warranty, but then again, I have a truly excellent dealer.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Yes, it's the universal joint that's just in front of the main drive shaft bearing (under your feet) and connects to the small drive shaft that goes down into the front differential. Judging from the parts picture, it doesn't look like it should fall out, but the whole universal joint is missing, so I know teh universal didn't break or one half would still be attached with the pin, right? All that's there now are the two male splines that the universal would slip on to. Oh well, guess I'll try to argue my point to the dealer when the part comes in. BTW, I didn't ask him to repair it; I'll do that myself. All I wanted was to have the part covered under warranty. I don't think that's too much to ask.

 

[cpicton1]

Universal joints don't usually fall out until the dried up bearings from lack of grease have been chewed into dust. If the roll pin was loose and fell out I would think that Kubota would want to make it right for you. If you can't get satisfaction from the dealer you bought your Kubota from you can talk to another Kubota dealer if you have one in your area. They may want to help you out in hopes that you may do your business with them in the future. Here is what it says in the Kubota warranty about using authorized Kubota dealers.


How To Obtain Warranty Service
To obtain warranty service under the terms and conditions of the Kubota Limited Warranty, you must deliver the product to an authorized Kubota dealer, along with proof of purchase. Kubota recommends that you take your equipment to the dealer from whom it was purchased for the warranty repair. If that is inconvenient, it may be taken to any authorized Kubota dealer. However, the dealer’s own customers may have priority.


If you still can't get help you can follow the information below which is also from Kubotas warranty book. There are phone numbers and addresses on the back cover of your Operator's Manual. I would make a phone call before I accepted the dealers answer to your problem. Doesn't hurt to get a second opinion. Good luck.


Resolving Warranty Concerns
Normally, warranty concerns can be resolved by your dealer’s Service Dept. If the problem is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may want to speak with either the owner or general manager of the dealership.
You may also contact the Kubota office in your region for assistance. The addresses and the area of coverage of each region are shown on the back cover. Before writing, please have the following information ready:

1. Your name, address, and phone #
2. Model # and Serial #
3. Date of purchase
4. Hourmeter reading (or estimated hours)
5. Detailed description of the problem

 

[Anonymous Poster]

HI,

<font color=blue>I agree with Bird and the dealer. Since it wasn't a defect, it's not covered under warranty. </font color=blue>

Sorry, but I can't buy that at all. What if the bottom cap on one of your connecting rods fell off. Not a warrenty item? If something falls apart when it should not, it should be warrenty. If it is abused then that is a different story.

Now I know the poster mentioned lots of dirt...maybe that means it was somehow abused...Another reason for those belly pans! I wonder why Kubota does not offer belly pans as an accessory? I'd buy one, and already have made a small one to protect my front drive shaft.

If the thing fell apart without any sign of abuse...how can it be anything else but a warrenty issue? Now hitting something and breaking it...like the caster wheel on the mower...certainly not a warrenty item...but if the dealer takes care of you , so much the better, and you can reward him for doing so by give him more business.

Bird and others...what am I missing here? I have the utmost respect for the opinions of you guys! Are you really saying that if a drive shaft falls off, without abuse by the operator of the tractor, that it somehow should not be covered by warrenty?

Guess I better go back and read this thread again, just to be sure I did not misinterpret what I read.../w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bill in Pgh, PA

 

[DK35vince]

Should be warrenty.
How can dirt(or brush for that matter) knock out a roll pin ??

 

[MikePA]

<font color=blue>No brush...just alot of dirt!! Besides, it doesn't look like the kind of pin that can get 'hung up'. So if the pin 'broke' it would be covered, but it 'fell out' it wouldn't? Difficult to determine which without seeing the missing parts. I've looked all over, even used a metal detector...it must be buried somewhere.</font color=blue>
This is what caused me to conclude it wasn't a defect. I read this as PaJohn was out using the tractor, say in a field, something caught on the pin and yanked it out causing the u-joint to come out. Perhaps I was reading too much into this. Perhaps this is what the dealer thought, too. I agree with John as well. I'd visit the dealer, clearly explain what happened, explain why the pin in question couldn't be yanked out and ask for a fair resolution.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Hi again,

Let me share a recent warrenty repair I had on my b2910...that caused me to make that skid plate to protect the front drive shaft area...

On the B2910 there is a plastic driveshaft cover. I think it is to keep dirt and grit away from the u-joints.

I kept hearing some kind of whop-whop-whop sound occasionally as I ran the tractor. I wondered about it and though it sounded like it could be caused by the drive shaft, but could not see anything wrong. I posted a question here about that sound.

Kubmech [hope I got that handle right...can say it...just not spell it...] called it when he said look at the front drive shaft cover, sometimes they shift for some reason when a loader is attached. I said, next time I hear it I will get under and take a GOOD look. I heard it again, and looked good and found part of the cover, where there the two halves are glued together [I assume] folded in, and a hole worn in it as well. The hole was in the top half.

I pried out the parts that were folded in with a screwdriver. I took pictures of the damage and took my laptop to the dealers and showed the owner. He said that he thought it should be a warrantee repair. He also said for the first 90 days they would pick it up and return it for free.

It took a while for them to get to me, but they did. The tractor went out on a thursday...Friday I get a call from the new manager at the dealership, who was on vacation when I showed the owner the pictures. He says "Something poked a hole in that cover...we can't cover it by warantee..."

My reply is that sure something did, that was my screwdriver which I pried things out with, as you could not service the tractor immediately, and I wanted to use it and was afraid that the rubbing would cause damage to the u-joint.

He says OK, if that was the reason we will do it under warantee. Now I don't really know what hole he was thinking about, if it was the wear hole, or the way it looked after I pried the folder stuff back out...but the result was the right result. I really don't believe I was the cause of the damage, or I would have simply wrapped some rubber sheeting over the damage and not called them at all.

I guess what I am trying to say here that it is important to communicate with the dealer and make sure that you get your point across that there is no way that you caused the damage if you did not.

It gets into being a matter of what is right, a matter of principle really. More than money. If we damage something ourselves...we should expect to pay for the repair. But if it falls apart on its own...It should be covered by warrenty.

I think it is important to either convince the dealer that it was not your problem, or have the dealer convince you that it is your problem.

And if it gets down to it, don't forget "show me."

Show me how a stick could pull that pin...

Show me how I could have caused it myself by operating the tractor from the tractor's seat.

No, don't show me with a metal tool. Show me with a twig or stick...

Show me.../w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bill in Pgh, PA

 

[DK35vince]

Nothing short of a hammer and punch should knock out a roll pin!
Therefore a defect =warranty

 

[MikePA]

<font color=blue>I guess what I am trying to say here that it is important to communicate with the dealer and make sure that you get your point across that there is no way that you caused the damage if you did not. </font color=blue>

I couldn't agree more. Make the case to the dealer, if he replaces under warranty - great. If not, then PaJohn has another decision - whether or not to continue to do business with the dealer.

 

[kubmech]

If, in fact you are talking about the the front axle driveshaft, which by all indications you are. Then yes, by all means that roll pin should not drop out and warranty should cover it. I wonder if it was even there to begin with? Generally roll pins just don't fall out. It would suprise me, but not shock me if the dealer would give you a hard time over this...........