Spliting a L4200

[Kenonf]

Its seems like only September when I was doing this for the first time. I had a rusted input shaft that was sticking, I could not get it into and out of gear.
After using the loader on a burn pile. I went to the shed a few days later, and low and behold there was a bit of a puddle. Turns out to be about 1.5 gallons of UDT. Where did that come from.
When i pushed up the loose pin under the tractor I found out, it was also leaking out of the FWD (propeller) shaft opening also.
So off with the box blade and the loader. Park and remove the loader side mounts and then to pressure wash the whole thing.
I'll post more as I go along.

I did find it was easy to maneuver the frame pieces with the engine hoist.

Need to get the repair manual out of the bookcase at home also.
Ken

 

[KennyV]

Do take a LOT of pictures & post them...
I have an L4200, hope I never have to see the inside of mine... But I will like following you as you split... Thanks, KennyV

 

[rbargeron]

Unfortunately the front driveshaft comes forward from the transmission through the clutch housing on that model I think - maybe the seal there is leaking. On earlier models the front drive shaft and cover tube are external, driving from a gearbox on the bottom of the transmission - much easier to get to for service. But a lot changed when they went for flat operator platforms.

 

[Kenonf]

Okay here we go, removed the shroud around the dash panel, was easier to unplug the key switch and undo the stop engine pull, remove the shroud, then tip the dash panel forward and remove the 6 screws to open the dash panel up and unplug the dash.

 

[Kenonf]

I removed the brake adjustment rods, the floor throttle rod, the throttle rod that goes to IP.

 

[Kenonf]

My assistant and I then proceeded to remove the steering wheel and stuff, while my son removed the bolts, 10 total, I separated the 3 plugs in the little hole on the left side of the lower panel. I also undid the plug from the alternator and the ring terminals from the starter.

 

[Kenonf]

A little tricky part is coming up, I used and engine hoist to lift the dash/ steering console up, but to move it you have to undo the two bolts that attach the forward and reverse lever from the steering column. Once these two bolts are out you can tip the shift level away from the steering wheel and the console can come up about 2 inches. Then you need to drive out the roll pin to release the shift lever.

 

[Kenonf]

Undo the power steering hoses and up and away the console can go.
I have a small leak in the front of the tractor, also I hit it with some Card cleaner and ran it before beginning the teardown. I will check tomorrow ans see if i have any drips up near the steering cylinder. If so maybe a hose replacement is in order.... the PS hoses come up through a boot so it is not necessary to mark them if you are not removing the boot. two open end wrenches and a phillips screwdriver to remove hoses


Ah just figured out too to do this, multiple paragraphs and pictures....

So we have the console ready to pull....


And that leaves us with a tractor ready to separate.


I am about 3 hours into this, with the loader removal.
Previously I broke the safety switch, on the direction lever, I will replace it when I do my parts order this time. Of course it broke when I was assembling it last time, it had bullet connectors so I just cross plugged them and it worked.
Metric well nuts... I ordered a box from a company online, all the hood pieces are attached with them, so the one that separated on me this time is no big deal seems like i break one each time i work on it. I do not think the hood really has to come off but the right side lower grey panel has to, it covers the hydraulic connections.
I need to remember to drive a few wedges in the front axle this time before I separate it too.

Please feel free to ask questions or comment, not perfect but trying.
Ken

 

[skyhook]

Thanks for these pic's also, Ken,,
what year is your machine, and does it have the gst trans.

 

[Kenonf]

Probably a 1997-8 L4200 with Shuttle shift not GST.

I positioned the floor jacks and lifted a little. I removed the bolts and nuts, and added a little lift to the front jack. Gave the rear a little pull and apart she came.
No oil from the input shaft, it is leaking from the propeller shaft. I call it the propeller shaft because it is what Kubota calls it. Clutch pack is dry. And looking at the parts diagrams on Kubota's website there were two seals on that shaft.
Now a little carb cleaner and then ospho, wow it is a fast drip. Out come the jack stands and I am good to go.
Spray a little primer and a coat of some paint when I get back.
Off to Kubota I go. I ordered the seals and to o-rings. And need to replace the shaft cover that I bent, a few years back. I forgot the safety switch of course....
Spoke with a service tech and you can pull that shaft out but it drops internal the coupling in the tractor, then yank all the seals and bearings and then fish the coupling out.
Looks like I will just see if I can yank the seals out and leave the shaft in there when I get the new ones to see what they look like.
Anybody else done this?
Sound reasonable?
Ken

 

[KennyV]

GREAT pictures...
Hope I never "Get" to do this to My L4200.... KennyV

 

[Kenonf]

Repairs are done. It turns out that on a few of us early serial number grand L series (L2900 Serial numbers 00001-61866, L3300 00001-54019, L3600 00001-56733, L4200 00001-57185, DT and GST) tractors we need a sleeve and o rings to keep our propeller shaft from moving back and fourth and damaging the oil seals in the shaft. Service Bulletin # AG001-98. A good tug and the both came out, put in the new ones, tapped them home with a piece of 1" PVC pipe. Installed new o ring, steel spacer,and second o ring. The later serials numbers had this installed at factory. I found the thread on orange tractor talks, search for propeller shaft oil leak, for details. Replaced a dented propeller shaft cover since I was there, and put her back together. Dealer came through for me and got the o rings, sleeve, and safety switch next day shipping for free, I had already gotten the seals from them. A little early on the UDT oil change. I had trouble lining up the input shafts the first time I split the tractor, however now I have figured a few things out, two floor jacks, a little grease, and the haves lined up perfectly, I roll the back half right into the front, and keep pushing till the shafts rotate and mesh. Worked like a charm.
Ken

 

[rbargeron]

Great job Ken. Your description and pictures may well give someone else the courage to tackle a repair like this. And your young assistant is learning valuable life skills. Good doing !

 

[skyhook]

Thank you Ken.:thumbsup:

 

[woodh]

Hello Everyone. New here on tbn.
I have a kubota l4200 that has the same leak as kenonf. I may be misunderstanding it, but I've read elsewhere that it's possible to remove the prop shaft and replace the seal without splitting the tractor. Does anyone know if that's possible or am I misreading? Here are some brief instructions to I'm referring to:
"Basically you remove the bolt joining the pro shaft cover, remove the shaft by sliding the cover front then rear and removing the pins from the shaft couplers and the kit consist of an instruction sheet, 2 orings and a spacer that slide on the shaft and stop the oring from backing up."

Idk maybe this is referring to a different repair.

 

[skyhook]

woodh, for what year and serial number sequence are these instructions referring too?
That does sound allot simpler. And is this for the GST models?

 

[woodh]

I will have to look up serial# and year. Its the gst model though.

 

[woodh]

skyhook

I looked for the serial number today but I couldn't find it. I was told that it was a 99 model but that was the person selling it so I'm not sure. I spoke with one dealer and he said that the tractor had to be split and it run around 1000-$1500 to fix. I spoke with another dealer and he said there was a kit to fix it and looking at hour hour and half labor and cost of kit to fix it, so maybe around $150 to fix it. I think I'm going to take it to the second dealer and hopefully fix it with the kit.

Thanks for your response