I am trying to finish assembling my l3240. The problem I have is a leak at the internal 4wd propeller shaft. With the propeller shaft to the front axle removed, I can pull the internal shaft an inch or so forward and out of the shaft seal and a fluid flow starts. . Push it back into the seal and the leak stops. My question is, does the length of the shaft and couplers to the front axle hold the internal shaft in place and in the seal or has something internal gone wrong causing the movement?
L3240 leak
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85Hokie
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Rent,
I do understand what you are saying - but without pictures (WSM) it would be hard to surmise what might be wrong.
Someone here ought to be able to help you given some more time.
There was a bulletin addressing this recently. Contact your Kubota dealer and ask them to review PSB-2015-060. If your tractor is still in warranty, Kubota will take care of it.
When you pull out on the propeller shaft, you are pulling the shaft out of the seals. On the shaft itself, back in the clutch housing, there are a pair of collars that the seal rides against. If you can pull it an inch forward, chances are that one of the collars has slipped, and allowed oil to leak past. This is not an "easy" fix as the tractor must be split to gain access to the shaft, seals, and collars. The bulletin describes the new part numbers, the sequence of which they should be installed, and the the actual procedures involved. Also, when removing the propeller shaft to replace with new parts, be advised that on the back side of that shaft, back inside the transmission, is another splined collar which sometimes falls off. If it does, it can be a bear to fish it out of the transmission. 90% of the time it just falls straight down and is accessible by mechanic's claw and then it can be reinstalled. Sometimes it disappears.
The only thing that keeps the propeller shaft from moving forward is the wear collars, and then the front part of the shaft that goes inside the sleeve, which has a collar on each end with a roll pin. I knew of a guy who didn't want to spend the money on a new spline collar (the easy one to get to, at the front differential pinion shaft) but instead chose to remove the front propeller shaft from the tractor and just run it as a 2wd. Great plan that could save some money, but the rear (long, internal) propeller shaft was able to slide forward and of course then the oil all leaked out. Clutch housing got wet with hydraulic fluid, the the clutch wet, etc. Ended up being expensive.
When you pull out on the propeller shaft, you are pulling the shaft out of the seals. On the shaft itself, back in the clutch housing, there are a pair of collars that the seal rides against. If you can pull it an inch forward, chances are that one of the collars has slipped, and allowed oil to leak past. This is not an "easy" fix as the tractor must be split to gain access to the shaft, seals, and collars. The bulletin describes the new part numbers, the sequence of which they should be installed, and the the actual procedures involved. Also, when removing the propeller shaft to replace with new parts, be advised that on the back side of that shaft, back inside the transmission, is another splined collar which sometimes falls off. If it does, it can be a bear to fish it out of the transmission. 90% of the time it just falls straight down and is accessible by mechanic's claw and then it can be reinstalled. Sometimes it disappears.
The only thing that keeps the propeller shaft from moving forward is the wear collars, and then the front part of the shaft that goes inside the sleeve, which has a collar on each end with a roll pin. I knew of a guy who didn't want to spend the money on a new spline collar (the easy one to get to, at the front differential pinion shaft) but instead chose to remove the front propeller shaft from the tractor and just run it as a 2wd. Great plan that could save some money, but the rear (long, internal) propeller shaft was able to slide forward and of course then the oil all leaked out. Clutch housing got wet with hydraulic fluid, the the clutch wet, etc. Ended up being expensive.
wow! thanks for the input. I put the from propeller shaft back in and I don't seem to have a leak. Before replacing the shaft covers, I tried to pry the shaft forward to see if it would move enough to leak.. It wouldn't move at all and doesn't leak. I will check on the bulletin to see if anything else is required. If I have to split the tractor again myself, it might be time to replace the tractor. Thanks again for your reply.
Mike
Mike
Lugbolt, you hit a home run. I talked to my dealer. The bulletin was posted October 2015. Kubota will do the repair on their dime. You just saved me a bunch. I promise to vote for you if you ever run for sheriff.
Thanks again, Mike
Thanks again, Mike
CountryBumkin
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@lugbolt, Is there a place (website, etc.) where one can see the Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) for the various Kubota models?
I used to keep up with the TSBs in the automotive world - But I'm new to tractor world. Is there a site like "alldata.com" for tractors?
85Hokie
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I too think that the info is outstanding - excellent post ! Great help to those that have that machine.
As it turns out, a bulletin is different from a campaign. A bulletin tells you about the problem and a campaign pays to fix it. My dealer is talking to Kubota about this being a known issue. What they normally do is replace parts less labor. The parts are around 50 bucks. The machine has to be split to install them. If they refuse to repair what they admit they did wrong, I will buy my second green tractor in 25 years and see what they do with known issues.
Not that I am aware of. If you're in good standing relationship with your dealer, you can ask them for bulletins that pertain to your tractor, which they can pull up on kubota-link. But as far as having to be published, I don't think they're required to. I remember years ago when I worked for a John Deere dealer, they had bulletins and recalls every other minute on some piece of equipment. It could have been a 2BV blower, or it could have been a 8300 tractor. Just before I quit, everything went electronic. I'd get an email about once a minute for something...it might have been "watch for a loose bolt", or it could have been "seat will fall off, recall all of them"....it was so often that I personally could not keep up. Sometimes someone would ask for bulletins pertaining to their model and I'd pull it up, to find a thousand (or more) bulletins and PIP's. I was so sick of green I could puke. I hear the new stuff is worse, friend of mine works for the local JD dealer (basically took my place). Glad I'm out of that business and their plastic tractors.
Lug bolt, you are right about having a good relationship with your dealer. I spoke with them re: this repair. They contacted KUBOTA . To their credit, KUBOTA said they would repair the tractor. I have had the machine 4 years and 890 hours. I should be ashamed of myself for getting aggravated before I got their reply.