What would cause this? Can it be fixed?

[texasjohn]

Just FYI... the more I think about it, the more convinced I become that you didn't cause the problem... some malfunction occured. So, I think it is a completely different thing than backing into something

Even if the QA wasn't quite latched and one side came loose, I don't think that you were lifting sufficient weight, etc. to have caused the bending that occured. I think that the grappel would have simply fallen off... I'm having a hard time seeing how such strong metal could have been bent unless hydraulic forces on one cylinder exceeded that on the other curl cylinder.

Your talk with the service manager leaves indications that it will be covered. That's such good news... Please post what the analysis and resolution is.. we're all extremely interested.

 

[EastTnFarmboy]

Just FYI... the more I think about it, the more convinced I become that you didn't cause the problem... some malfunction occured. So, I think it is a completely different thing than backing into something

Even if the QA wasn't quite latched and one side came loose, I don't think that you were lifting sufficient weight, etc. to have caused the bending that occured. I think that the grappel would have simply fallen off... I'm having a hard time seeing how such strong metal could have been bent unless hydraulic forces on one cylinder exceeded that on the other curl cylinder.

Your talk with the service manager leaves indications that it will be covered. That's such good news... Please post what the analysis and resolution is.. we're all extremely interested.

Thanks for the kind words!

I spoke with the service manager again this afternoon. They have ordered a new "quick attach bracket"--I assume this means they are replacing the entire quick attach, but that's what he said. They have also ordered the parts to repair the third function joystick.

I asked if they had any idea what caused it, and his response was that he had never seen one do that. He said that in theory I shouldn't have been able to lift anything heavy enough to cause that kind of bending/twisting. He added that they will check the hydraulic pressures before they bring it back. (I don't think that is the problem because the stump wasn't that big/heavy IMHO. I will try to post a picture at some point. It is only 13 feet around; green oak---KIDDING.)

I mentioned to him that "some friends of mine" had speculated that one of the cylinders had produced more force than the other, thus causing the problem. He rebutted that by stating that since they are in parallel that would be impossible--even with air in the system. I am not an expert on hydraulics, so I didn't offer a response.

When the serviceman came to pick it up, he remarked to my wife that it would take an awful lot of force to cause that.

Maybe my tractor was a test subject for BALCO.

Assuming one side of the QA came loose, perhaps it was all about leverage. It may have just been the perfect storm, so to speak, that caused the bending to occur.

I have to say that it makes me feel better about the strength of the QA to hear you and the servicemen stating that it shouldn't have bent that easily. I was really doubting how useful it would be in the future if that was all it could handle. I was trying to figure out how I was going to use it to plant tulips and transport pallets of tissue and lace around the place.

Unfortunately, I don't anticipate them giving me anything definitive for a reason/cause. While I am thankful that it appears it will be covered, I would really like to know what happened.

I will pass on information as it becomes available. Thanks to all.

 

[texasjohn]

The dealer response is ideal from my perspective... yes, a complete replacement to the QA... good deal... I'd think it kinda hard to bend the old one back into EXACTLY the right shape. Good deal that they are going to test the pressures.

Do you have the shop manual for your tractor? If so, look up what the relief valve pressure is supposed to be. In my case, the actual relief pressure was somewhat UNDER the range given in the spec... I needed more lift and asked the dealer to bring it to the high end of the spec... they added a shim and it ended up being just over the high end of the spec, and they left it that way... it made a HUGE difference in what I could lift with my FEL... pre adjustment, I had a 2800 lb concrete culvert that I could get .5 inches off the ground. Afterward, I could lift it 2 feet..... and, I REALLY needed that extra lift capability.

Sooo... you might seek to insure your tractor is as a minimum in the PSI range spec'd.... trust me, what happened to you was NOT because of a problem with the relief valve... I'm just suggesting that Kubota ships their tractor (there have been a number of such reports) with the relief valves set to under the spec PSI... and, that was my actual experience.

 

[EastTnFarmboy]

Thanks for the tip. I just don't want to annoy the service manager at this point. I will try to find a tactful way to approach it. I definitely don't want them to minimize my lift potential.

 

[Richard]

Hey EastTNFarmboy...

Just a hello from someone who lives in Greenback....

Ate dinner last night at Poncho's on 411.

 

[EastTnFarmboy]

Hey EastTNFarmboy...

Just a hello from someone who lives in Greenback....

Ate dinner last night at Poncho's on 411.

I don't eat out often because my wife is a wonderful cook. Although Panchos is always a good choice!

 

[EastTnFarmboy]

The dealership returned my tractor this evening after replacing the Quick Attach and the Third Function Joystick. They covered everything under warranty, for which I am very thankful and appreciative.

Everything appears to be working correctly at this point. My only frustration comes from the fact that there is still leakage around the third function valve even though they supposedly replaced all of the O-rings while they had it. I plan to see where that is coming from in the morning. Since they knew it was an issue and we discussed it a couple of times while they had it, I am somewhat annoyed that it isn't resolved at this point. I will contact them on Monday if I cannot resolve it myself. I hate to be a pest, but if it is leaking when it is brand new, it will only get worse! Arrghhhhh.....!

I am also attaching pictures of the stump I was lifting when the problem occured. I lifted it from where it fell and took it to where I was originally headed. I didn't have any problems.

Unfortunately, they never offered any ideas about the cause.

 

[texasjohn]

Well, you are making progress... and under warranty.
My opinion, the stump is well under the weight that you should be able to pickup... totally.
Try cleaning up all the oil... maybe it is just some residual... we can hope. Else, let them work on it again.. shouldn't leak.

 

[EastTnFarmboy]

This is probably a silly question, but is regular plumbing tape suitable for wrapping hydraulic fittings, etc., or do you need a special kind because of the petroleum?

 

[mark4Jesus]

Hey EastTnFarmboy, who is your dealer? I would like to know for future reference for myself or a friend. Thanks