QA heavier springs and shims

[SinNH]

Got the Kubota L3430 about a month ago, just puttered around with it to get the feel. Today using it to dump juniper bush stuff in my stump dump, bucket came off twice. Cool. The last time, I moved it up to a flat spot checked that the QA was flush against the back of the bucked and the bottom angle iron where the pins insert into was tight with the bottom of the QA, all looked good. Tried to back drag some brush, off again. Started the JD. I read that the black arms of the QA should push down with serious torque, some use their feet I read.
Mine I can move up or down with very little pressure. There are three shims ( washers about 3-4mm thick) on top of the vertical springs and just a couple of threads show above the nut. To be honest, I can't really see what that spring does. My steel dowels go into the cutout about 3/8 to 1/2 inch, approx. about half of the angle cut.
Is there a kit to rebuild the arm setups?
Has anyone eliminated the QA system for a more solid connection of the FEL and bucket?

 

[Jim L.]

This is one of those times when pictures are necessary.

Especially top back of the bucket that captures the quick attach plate.

 

[SidecarFlip]

The pins on a QA are tapered and the flat taper holds the lower mount secure. I'd sat you have an issue with how far the pins extend or the top mount isn't aligned.

 

[torch]

The spring should be at maximum compression as the lever is centred over the pin. Once past centre, the spring serves to resist movement of the lever, not the pin. So, you should feel steadily increasing resistance as you move the lever to engage the pins and then the levers should snap into the fully engaged position.

The nut on top of the spring can be tightened down to provide a firmer feel and more positive lock.

 

[SidecarFlip]

The spring should be at maximum compression as the lever is centred over the pin. Once past centre, the spring serves to resist movement of the lever, not the pin. So, you should feel steadily increasing resistance as you move the lever to engage the pins and then the levers should snap into the fully engaged position.

The nut on top of the spring can be tightened down to provide a firmer feel and more positive lock.

What Torch said. The insertion length of the flat tapered pin is controlled entirely by the cutout in the bottom section of the QA plate.

 

[SinNH]

Seems to me, that it all "looks" as it should. When backdragging with very little down pressure, the right side handle gets pushed up and the pin becomes disengaged. The handles move up and down with about 10 pounds of torque or less. I really do not feel any type of snapping pressure by the spring when moving the handle down. Does the dealer sell rebuild kits for these arms?

 

[Jim L.]

The pictures help.

Like torch said, the long springs, the ones going up-down in the pictures, are the force that lock the handles. Loosen the locking nut on the top, and turn the under nut to compress the spring some more. That will keep the handle from turning after being locked down.

 

[SinNH]

The pictures help.

Like torch said, the long springs, the ones going up-down in the pictures, are the force that lock the handles. Loosen the locking nut on the top, and turn the under nut to compress the spring some more. That will keep the handle from turning after being locked down.

Thanks, that is good information. I hadn't noticed an inner nut, I did tighten the top nut to try to compress the spring more, but noticed if the top nut is tightened it cuts back on the amount that the tip goes into the cutout, so I loosened the nut to just one thread above it. The PO installed three shims each side, or maybe from the factory it comes that way.

 

[Jim L.]

After taking another look at it...

We're assuming that the arm is the correct length and that the springs are not broken or weak. If adjusting the nut doesn't get you there, then I would look into replacing the spring if that's cheaper than the assembly.

 

[SinNH]

Well I decided to eliminate the adjustments as the tractor is 16 years but only 1050 hours, I got the new springs coming.
Question to the owners of a L3430 that they bought new; How many shims were above the springs?
Thanks a lot everybody, Steve NH

 

[SinNH]

Looks like this thread got hit, lost at least two posts of members trying to help me from 11-4 to 11-5. One that was lost was my post, saying replacing the vertical springs with new did nothing to stop the bucket from coming off the loader or change the tension or pressure it takes to engage or disengage the pins which on my loader is almost nil. The bucket, loader, QA frame all look straight and true, no tweeking or anything bent at all that I can see. When the upper angle iron is snug and centered into the bucket angle the QA pins are just about centered in the openings on the bucket. Seems to be hard to diagnose being this is my first SSQA.
Another post that was lost was a member saying to try tightening the engagement arm axle spring until the movement up and down feels the same as all the new tractors I messed with at the dealers. Going to do that today.
Any new ideas would be appreciated.