hydraulic lift failure

D2Cat

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L305DT, B7100HST, TG1860, TG1860D, L4240
Mar 27, 2014
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40 miles south of Kansas City
ShaunRH, you mention a couple of items you can get service on in you area.

"I have two hunks of old iron I work on, Allis-Chalmers and Oliver and I could take either back to a dealership that now holds their certificates and those mechanics would be able to fix it. The older the unit is, the more likely it was designed for field repair and the easier to fix."

I've got a few pieces of old iron also, and I can get information on repairs, parts, schematics, diagrams online and quicker then in any implement dealer. That includes three Kubota dealers within 60 miles of my house.

I am not putting them down. They are excellent at what they do.

One of them handles other brands also. I needed some information on a 1978 Hesston 5800 baler. Now remember, they're a Hesston dealer (now AGCO). Parts doesn't know, sales doesn't know, service tech. tells me the baler is wore out and I need to torch off some of the springs to get the belts to tighten up. They even ask a patron who use to own one, he gives me an answer. I leave with opinions of several people, but no real information.

I buy a book, read, study and fix the problem with a few adjustments. No torch, no new parts, just adjust.

These are good dealerships. You have probably purchased parts from at least one of them! Point is, there's just too much for these guys to handle.

If you're going to own implements/tractors, at a certain point you become the service tech.(because the new guys are not going back that far). You analyze and fix the problem or you're going to be a very frustrated owner.

I would even venture to say, anyone who owns older equipment probably gets a great deal of satisfaction out of the problem solving process. And if you don't better buy newer hardware!!
 

ShaunRH

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May 14, 2014
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Well, there's a difference in level of dealerships willing to service old iron, so I get that point, but if they accept it, I expect them to fully service it.

So if I go to an AGCO dealer and say "Hey, can you do a clutch rebuild on my 1958 D-17" and they say 'sure' I expect it will be done right. If they say "Sorry, it's out of date and no longer supported" then I accept that and move on. I don't expect the dealer to have an expert on site, but if they accept the vehicle for work, then I do expect them to be able to handle what they say.

So, I fully understand what both you and Wolfman are saying, it's just where I'm drawing the line... at acceptance of the work.

Now, like I said before, old iron is easier to work on than the new stuff. You can have almost any part made at a machine shop if it's not easily available (which most still are). Also, you are usually dealing with mild steel so you can weld like crazy and you only need to be wary of cast iron. So they are perfect owner repair machines like you point out.

So in this case, the dealer took it in saying they could fix it, I would expect them to fix it in a reasonable time frame. No excuses allowed other than "Parts to repair are unavailable" and then the owner is allowed to go get them and have the dealer install them.

So I need to stop starting paragraphs with the word "So" so much... :rolleyes:
 
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Tooljunkie

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I like the old stuff, figuring work-arounds to make em run. Like converting a mag to utilize a coil and battery for spark.
Retrofitting a carb to replace a disintegrated one.
Rubber seals where felt ones once were.

I could go on forever, the point is being able to figure stuff out- thinking outside the box. And not giving up.
Breaking that rusty old plug in the chevy on monday didnt make me throw in the towel and shove it outside. Easy out with an impact wouldnt budge it. Had to grind a slot and pound with an air chisel. 5 hours later-plow truck running and customer thrilled.

Techs need to get back to basics. Like broken bolt school. Learning how to get them out teaches how to not break them. Still happens-but less often.
 

MagKarl

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L245DT
Aug 2, 2010
663
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Olympia, WA
I have to say I agree with ShaunRH. Dealer should not take on work they are incapable of, and owes the customer quick service or the honesty to pass on the job. Holding the tractor this long is flat out wrong.

I suspect a lot of newer techs don't really have much experience in troubleshooting, more likely just part swapping. I bet a non dealer tractor repair man would have it diagnosed in no time.
 

CaveCreekRay

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L3800 HST, KingKutter box scraper, KingKutter 66" rake, County Pride Subsoiler
Jul 11, 2014
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Cave Creek, AZ
RANT WARNING: For Owners Still Under Warranty:

My 2012, still under warranty, Kubota L3800 has been at the dealer for almost two weeks. The 3pt is malfunctioning and Kubota knows it is an issue with this tractor. But they don't want to allocate resources to figure out what is going on or how it can be repaired. And here's the kicker...

If the manufacturer doesn't have a malfunction/discrepancy log entry for the vehicle model in their computer database, THEY WILL NOT AUTHORIZE NOR PAY FOR REPAIRS. In other words, if they don't recognize the problem, it doesn't exist. Period. Dot. Same with Chevy or any other manufacturer.

The Kubota Western Regional Rep told my dealer, "3pt chatter is normal on this model." REALLY? Why would that be? What makes this acceptable?

My dealer sent a video of my tractor almost getting air under the rear tires while lifting a 400lb load, because it shudders so bad. And this is deemed "acceptable" for this model/brand?

Kubota USA had better get serious about taking care of customer issues or they are going to loose a shed load of sales in this country... I would send anyone who came to me about a tractor to any competing brand. My experience with Kubota is completely unsatisfactory and it makes a complete mockery of their published corporate beliefs about how to handle problems as well as how to handle customers. Is this the first 3pt they ever made? Hardly! Is newer always better? Evidently not.

I am lucky. My dealer is going to bat for me to try and get this resolved. But they are being rejected by the very manufacturer they represent and sell products for. All the cool TV ads in the world won't overcome bad customer experiences. And thanks to the Internet, reputation information travels very far and wide.

I met the young tech who is working the issue. He is a super experienced hydraulics guy who worked on the very largest machinery for years. He is awaiting approval to open up the valve housing to inspect seals and piston condition. The dealer has said they will open this up on their own if Kubota does not approve it.

I honestly don't think Kubota will deal with this defect until they are threatened with a lawsuit.

How's THAT for customer care?

Oh, and here is the knee-slapper: They want to sell me an extended warranty. For what? The dealer has verified I have a defect in my tractor which Kubota freely admits exists but they won't fix it under warranty. If this warranty doesn't solve my defects, why would I buy another one?

KUBOTA TRACTOR CORPORATION (310)-370-3370

Ask the receptionist to connect you to the Customer Care Hotline...

RANT OFF....
 
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Daren Todd

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Massey Ferguson 1825E, Kubota Z121S, Box blade, Rotary Cutter
May 18, 2014
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Vilonia, Arkansas
We had an issue with green not wanting to fix an issue with there 300hp motors. They had installed a harmonic balancer that was one groove short. So they would eat belts every 50 to 100 hrs. We had ten pieces of equipment in the yard, 200 in the fleet at the time with the same issue. Took fourteen different local dealers brow beating the hell out of corporate before they issued a recall on those engines and offered a fix for it. Took almost 2 months fighting before the equipment left my yard for the dealer
 

CaveCreekRay

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L3800 HST, KingKutter box scraper, KingKutter 66" rake, County Pride Subsoiler
Jul 11, 2014
2,631
93
48
Cave Creek, AZ
Interesting...

Did Deer manufacture these motors of did they contract them out to Yanmar or someone else? A lot gets lost in the process when you split manufacturing across factories or worse, continents.

At least the drive train comes from Kubota. Though they may try, they cannot duck responsibility for anything that comes on that drive line.

Build it. Test it. Do it right. And back it up after it leaves the factory.
 
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Daren Todd

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Massey Ferguson 1825E, Kubota Z121S, Box blade, Rotary Cutter
May 18, 2014
8,964
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Vilonia, Arkansas
Interesting...

Did Deer manufacture these motors of did they contract them out to Yanmar or someone else? A lot gets lost in the process when you split manufacturing across factories or worse, continents.

At least the drive train comes from Kubota. Though they may try, they cannot duck responsibility for anything that comes on that drive line.

Build it. Test it. Do it right. And back it up after it leaves the factory.
Contracted out to one of there local engine companies in the states. We just had the same issue with the canadian engine builder. They jumped through hoops and had all the parts swapped within 45 days. We happened to discuss it at last months service meeting, and I brought up the fact we had the same issue in the states 6 years ago and what to check. Deere sent the wrong specs to the canadian builder.
 

David Burger

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L 245
Oct 27, 2014
9
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Englewood, TN 37329
Well folks, my L245 3 pt lift is now working. Thank you all for your suggestions and help. I found a used chunk at Mid South Salvage in Decatur Al, drove down and got it and delivered it to the dealer. They called next day and said all was okay now. They will tear into the old chunk for diagnosis. The people, Chris, at Mid South were both price reasonable and good to work with . Their yard is huge with lots of orange everywhere. For less than $700. Santa gave me my tractor back. Merry Christmas to all! David B
 

coachgeo

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L225 w/woods Few Mowers & Back Blade, D722 in Motorcycle (Triumph Tiger), LMTV
Nov 16, 2012
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Southern OH
I have to say I agree with ShaunRH. Dealer should not take on work they are incapable of, and owes the customer quick service or the honesty to pass on the job. Holding the tractor this long is flat out wrong.

I suspect a lot of newer techs don't really have much experience in troubleshooting, more likely just part swapping. I bet a non dealer tractor repair man would have it diagnosed in no time.
I suspect several things.

. the person setting up when you bring in your tractor to start repair is just a appointment making desk jokey. You say the word kubota thus they assume the mechanics can fix it. They know no better.

and/or

. they are instructed to say we can fix anything... then when they can't (or pretend they can't) they got you there to try to sell you a new tractor.

. mechanics get commissions for passing folk to the new tractor sales.

EDIT: read you got it fix post after posting this.

Congrads you got it fixed finally and that you've found some peace
 
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North Idaho Wolfman

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Jun 9, 2013
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Sandpoint, ID
Had to sign up with one month membership to download. $9.95
Don't know what this is in regards to? :confused:
If it had to do with a L245 WSM, and it wasn't a one time fee, you sadly have been caught in a typical malware / spam trap, get your computer cleaned and put a stop to your CC or others will be having real fun with it!
There are plenty of free downloads available for that WSM, I even have one. ;)
 

Ryan Johnson

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Equipment
L245DT
Aug 7, 2016
2
0
0
Norwich, VT
Hey Dave Burger! Did you ever find out what was causing your issues? I have an L245 DT that seems to exhibit the same problems you originally had.