Warning-loose bolts on FEL

[dgood1]

I don't know if other people have had this happen. I put about 4 hrs on my new 3710 with the FEL and decided to check a few items as the bucket was starting to groan. I found 2 bolts on the front connector side frames about to loose their nuts. I also found that bottom connector for the main frame had 2 missing bolts the other 2 were ready to come out and it was installed upside down.

I figured that I had better not take the dealers assurance that the FEL had been greased as gospel. I went ahead and started greasing the FEL and found that it was dry. I had zirk fittings that had paint on them that hadn't been touched and one on the boom hydaulic that had to be turned 180` for access.

Needless to say the dealer was very displeased with the service dept. when I discussed this with them. They were prompt in picking up my "baby" and rectifying the problems. The grease that the dealer used was a different color than the grease that I used.

Two good things came from this, the dealer promised a free 50 service and my FEL pins come out easily now.

I am glad that I caught the problems before any damage to my machine and or myself occured.

Just a friendly warning!

 

[accordionman]

HI,
this proves that you cannot trust anybody but yourself.
sounds like you are a better mechanic than your dealers service
department.
accordionman

 

[frank_f15]

glad u were smart enough to check things out when u noticed something not right. shame that a dealer would let anything like that leave the shop, makes u wonder about anything that u might have done there! also it is a good idea to check the bolts on the fel and mountings from time to time as a fel gets a lot of different pressures applied to it. loose bolts and not being properly greased just adds to the stresses.

 

[dgood1]

william,

Thanks for the kudos. I think that the dealer has some good mechanics in thier shop. I think that they use the newbies for installing options.

Supposedly this was the second screwup for this particular one. The manager and service manager infered that this person was not going to be employed there any more.

I generally do my own mechanic work. I just finished refurbishing the manual disk brakes on my Leland tractor. Cost me about $ 200.00 for parts and machine work that could have cost about $1000.00.

Except for the initial problems I must say that I am pleased that I went Orange. I now have a little over 13 hrs. on my baby.

Don