L245Dt FEL front hydraulic pump and shaft problem

North Idaho Wolfman

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There were mutiple versions of the front drive systems.
There are also cranks with long and short crank end splines.

Your joint and connection is a flex disc design green arrow is the flex disk, or rag joint.
It's a reinforced rubber joint. that connect the pump drive shaft to the crank.

1757966457839.png


The flex joint attaches to the adapter on the front of the pulley via 2 bolts, yellow arrows.

1757966941185.png


If you need help sourcing the flex disk just ask I might be able to find it or if you give me specs on the original I can make you a new one.
 
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Eaglenest

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Thank you the first disc that was on there did not last a half hour of use so I replaced it with heavy mining belt it did the same thing
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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It sounds like you have a pressure relief issue and the pump is dead heading.
 

Russell King

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Well I guess that I was seeing something that was not there! So that is good for you!

Where does the pump get fluid from? Can you get the pump output to the fill port of the sump where the pump suction is getting fluid?

If so, then you can get the pump flex disk hooked up again and see if the pump is freely moving fluid. I think you should be able to use the belting again as the flex coupling. You may want to add some flat washers to both sides so more area is clamped by the bolt force.
 

007kubotaguy

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The simple thing to do is to run the loader off the tractor hydraulics. It will be a little slower but will have just as much power. This loader was available originally either way. Unless you are using this tractor commercially I believe you will be happy with this performance. All you need is the aluminum adapter block to tap into the tractor hydraulics and two hoses. I have converted many of the older L series . No one has ever complained about the speed.
 
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Eaglenest

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The simple thing to do is to run the loader off the tractor hydraulics. It will be a little slower but will have just as much power. This loader was available originally either way. Unless you are using this tractor commercially I believe you will be happy with this performance. All you need is the aluminum adapter block to tap into the tractor hydraulics and two hoses. I have converted many of the older L series . No one has ever complained about the speed.
Where can I buy one of those blocks at thanks
 

Eaglenest

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Well I guess that I was seeing something that was not there! So that is good for you!

Where does the pump get fluid from? Can you get the pump output to the fill port of the sump where the pump suction is getting fluid?

If so, then you can get the pump flex disk hooked up again and see if the pump is freely moving fluid. I think you should be able to use the belting again as the flex coupling. You may want to add some flat washers to both sides so more area is clamped by the bolt force.
There is a separate tank
 

Eaglenest

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L245DT
Aug 18, 2025
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PA
Well I guess that I was seeing something that was not there! So that is good for you!

Where does the pump get fluid from? Can you get the pump output to the fill port of the sump where the pump suction is getting fluid?

If so, then you can get the pump flex disk hooked up again and see if the pump is freely moving fluid. I think you should be able to use the belting again as the flex coupling. You may want to add some flat washers to both sides so more area is clamped by the bolt force.
 

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Russell King

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Well there is no need to see if the pump was deadheading if you know it was and fixed that problem.

Just out of curiosity, what was wrong with it and how did you fix it?

The blocks may be available from @007kubotaguy from salvage, or @TheOldHokie (may not make them now but used SAE port hose connections). @torch makes them in Canada but uses NPT ports which are fine, I personally like other sealing methods for hydraulic equipment.

Have you replaced the rubber disk yet and it is operating correctly now?

Sorry for my confusion on what rubber part and coupling style you had.
 

Eaglenest

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Well there is no need to see if the pump was deadheading if you know it was and fixed that problem.

Just out of curiosity, what was wrong with it and how did you fix it?

The blocks may be available from @007kubotaguy from salvage, or @TheOldHokie (may not make them now but used SAE port hose connections). @torch makes them in Canada but uses NPT ports which are fine, I personally like other sealing methods for hydraulic equipment.

Have you replaced the rubber disk yet and it is operating correctly now?

Sorry for my confusion on what rubber part and coupling style you had.
I did not put a new disk on yet. I think that is a bad set up and I think it will keep happening. I would like to try something different. As far as the deadhead goes, I took the acorn nut off of the control valve, and there was a piece in their lodged, blocking the flow
 

TheOldHokie

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I did not put a new disk on yet. I think that is a bad set up and I think it will keep happening. I would like to try something different. As far as the deadhead goes, I took the acorn nut off of the control valve, and there was a piece in their lodged, blocking the flow
Nothong wrong with that setup - been used for 7+ decades on many different makes and models..

I can supply a outlet block for the tractor if you want to go that route.

Dan
 
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North Idaho Wolfman

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If you removed the blockage on the relief valve it should work fine and dandy.
If you want a tougher material than rubber for the flex disk you can use fiberglass sheets or better yet carbon fiber sheets, and you would use several layers.
 

Russell King

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I assume that setup was working fine before the deadhead problem. That just caused the coupling to fail due to the excessive amount of torque the pump was needing. The coupling failure actually saved the pump from failing.

But you certainly have some options that you may want to take. You can replace the flexible disk (there may be some commercially available parts but I can’t locate them easily), you can add some other machined shafts with a different type of coupling between the pump and crankshaft, or switch to the tractor hydraulic system.

If you do the last you will need to replace the current hoses with hoses routed to the tractor sump instead of the current sump on the FEL. I think I would cap off the FEL sump and keep it full of some sort of oil to keep rust from forming on the interior walls. There are some oils that off gas and coat the walls, I recall them being called triple phase oils.

You may need to add a tank return line or move it also. I think I can see a pipe elbow and a hose clamp on your FEL valve that I assume is a tank return line.
 

Eaglenest

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L245DT
Aug 18, 2025
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I assume that setup was working fine before the deadhead problem. That just caused the coupling to fail due to the excessive amount of torque the pump was needing. The coupling failure actually saved the pump from failing.

But you certainly have some options that you may want to take. You can replace the flexible disk (there may be some commercially available parts but I can’t locate them easily), you can add some other machined shafts with a different type of coupling between the pump and crankshaft, or switch to the tractor hydraulic system.

If you do the last you will need to replace the current hoses with hoses routed to the tractor sump instead of the current sump on the FEL. I think I would cap off the FEL sump and keep it full of some sort of oil to keep rust from forming on the interior walls. There are some oils that off gas and coat the walls, I recall them being called triple phase oils.

You may need to add a tank return line or move it also. I think I can see a pipe elbow and a hose clamp on your FEL valve that I assume is a tank return line.
I appreciate all the help from you guys. i’m still a novice at wrenching on equipment. If there is a different system that works better. I’m willing to try it. I don’t mind the shaft. I just think it is gonna break again. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.
 

PoTreeBoy

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I appreciate all the help from you guys. i’m still a novice at wrenching on equipment. If there is a different system that works better. I’m willing to try it. I don’t mind the shaft. I just think it is gonna break again. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.
I'm pretty hard-headed, so I'd try to make the existing system work. After all, a similar system works on my L35. As @North Idaho Wolfman says, you might want to use something other than the rubber. At ~3000 rpm I'd be concerned about the shaft whipping and the rubber being too soft to restrain it. The L35 uses thin fiberglas disks. Thin steel disks, think shim stock, is used on commercial couplings, several pieces clamped together.

First, check the alignment of the crankshaft and pump shaft. Has something maybe cocked the pump relative to the crank? Is the length such that it doesn't put too much tension or compression on the disks?

Consider a filter or strainer on the tank outlet/pump suction, especially since you've had a prior problem. Filters are available at TSC et al; they are usually used on the tank return, but I think one would work on the pump suction like Kubota does.
 
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