SSQA spring life?

[jmc]

All,

Anybody else have issues with a SSQA releasing when pulling in reverse? It's not the sloppy fit problem where the seller apologizes and sends you shims. I've had this Kubota with a factory SSQA since about 2003 and never had a problem. Recently, with a grapple-backdragging a log with the upper tines, and backdragging leaves/sticks out of a clogged ditch with the tines, the grapple has come off. I wasn't pulling too hard. (And it doesn't reattach that easily, tethered by the hoses and angled relative to the tractor) Maybe after 10 or 15 years under full compression, those coil springs get soft and need replacement?

 

[nybirdman]

They may be weak but I always drive mine down with a heavy hammer and long (18") rod to seat them.
Back dragging with a grapple has a lot of leverage to pop them loose.

 

[Xfaxman]

Can you post some pictures of the SSQA?

The springs hold the pins down and they allow the linkage to go over center.

Was the lock down lever moved up a little when it came off?

 

[Z-Michigan]

Properly made springs don't fail from long time spent in one position, they fail from cycling between compressed and less-compressed. And good springs last anywhere from thousands of cycles to hundreds of thousands of cycles, depending on the degree of compression (severe compression shortens life).

Corrosion probably kills more springs than use or wear. Do they still look shiny?

Other than that, I've never heard of SSQA springs wearing out, but I'm sure it's possible.

 

[Fallon]

Those pins don't look tight. The springs should keep the pins tight up against the slot. The nice part of the SSQA design is the double wedging setup. The springs make it constantly tighten up as it vibrates & flex.

Some impliments, notably Titan pallet forks have off spec slots so the pins don't have the side of the slot close to grab onto & hold tight. If that's the case, you need to make the slot skinnier by welding some bar stock over the back side of the slot. The pin should hit that bar stock or the side of the slot well before the levers driving the pin down bottom out.