Bent.cyl. rod LA513

RustyW

New member

Equipment
L3430GST
Sep 20, 2016
12
0
0
Muldrow Oklahoma
I have seen others with this problem in the past. My dealer isn't too excited to help with the issue, understandable since I'm the 2nd owner & the tractor is 13 years old. I feel like Kubota/ the dealer has the responsibility to make it right since they're the one that sold it with the wrong part. Here's the story... I purchased a L3430 from a widow woman. Her husband worked at the Kubota dealer before he passed. He traded in a L2500 on the L3430. At the time the name of the dealer was Perrin & Gray Tractor. At some point the name changed to Gray Brothers equipment & that's what it is now. I've owned the tractor for about 4-5 years. I've used it to clear brush, brush hog, move dirt etc. Been/is a good tractor. I noticed the cyl leaking on the bucket the other day & thought no big deal, it has 1260hrs & I've used it fairly rough at times so I'll pull it off & get it fixed. $417 later the hydraulic shop says the rod was bent & before I install this cylinder be sure to check for binding. I check & sure enough it's hitting the loader arms. I call the dealer, tell them the issue, give them serial# & they verify it's the wrong quick attach on the tractor. They do some checking & say it should have a L2230, which is no longer available. It is now a L2230A, which won't work because of the serial# split on the La513. They're not admitting they/someone messed up when they sold it & since I wasn't the original owner I can't prove it wasn't installed after the original purchase. In the end I just want it to be right & not bend the rods again. If I spend a total of $1500 to fix the issue that Kubota installed incorrectly it sure puts a bad taste in my mouth. Here's pics. Anybody know what QA is needed to work?
 

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North Idaho Wolfman

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Jun 9, 2013
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Sandpoint, ID
I have seen others with this problem in the past. My dealer isn't too excited to help with the issue, understandable since I'm the 2nd owner & the tractor is 13 years old. I feel like Kubota/ the dealer has the responsibility to make it right since they're the one that sold it with the wrong part. Here's the story... I purchased a L3430 from a widow woman. Her husband worked at the Kubota dealer before he passed. He traded in a L2500 on the L3430. At the time the name of the dealer was Perrin & Gray Tractor. At some point the name changed to Gray Brothers equipment & that's what it is now. I've owned the tractor for about 4-5 years. I've used it to clear brush, brush hog, move dirt etc. Been/is a good tractor. I noticed the cyl leaking on the bucket the other day & thought no big deal, it has 1260hrs & I've used it fairly rough at times so I'll pull it off & get it fixed. $417 later the hydraulic shop says the rod was bent & before I install this cylinder be sure to check for binding. I check & sure enough it's hitting the loader arms. I call the dealer, tell them the issue, give them serial# & they verify it's the wrong quick attach on the tractor. They do some checking & say it should have a L2230, which is no longer available. It is now a L2230A, which won't work because of the serial# split on the La513. They're not admitting they/someone messed up when they sold it & since I wasn't the original owner I can't prove it wasn't installed after the original purchase. In the end I just want it to be right & not bend the rods again. If I spend a total of $1500 to fix the issue that Kubota installed incorrectly it sure puts a bad taste in my mouth. Here's pics. Anybody know what QA is needed to work?
First it's not Kubota Corp's fault or responsibility that the dealer or owner put the wrong adapter on it 13 some odd years ago or anytime after that.

If the dealership does not want to do anything about it, as I would think they wouldn't, you're 100% on your own.

Come on now, think about it:
You bought it used, you bought it 4-5 years ago, you have no documentation on the install. :cool:

That would be like buying a used car and telling the manufacture that they are at fault for someone putting the wrong tires on it 13 years ago.

Now complaining about it won't do any good, fixing it will, and it won't cost anywhere near $1500 to fix it properly.
It's a simple fix, weld a couple of blocks onto the loader stops so the SSQA stops before the rods hit the arms. ;)
 

D2Cat

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L305DT, B7100HST, TG1860, TG1860D, L4240
Mar 27, 2014
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40 miles south of Kansas City
Tell you what would put a bad taste in my mouth, is $417 for that hyd. cylinder repair!

Way too late to be trying to pick a bone for who ought to get your loader fixed, just do a North Idaho Wolfman suggested, and don't pay out the nose for it!! It's a $40 fix if you have to hire it out.
 

lugbolt

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ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
4,808
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Mid, South, USA
So the original owner worked at the dealer?

Is it possible that the original owner bought the SSQA bucket and attachment as a used part and installed it now knowing? Do you have documentation of the sale, what bucket was on it?

Why are the rods bent? I see bent rods all the time and a large majority of the time it's due to asking more of them than they're designed to do. It's not that hard to bend a 1 1/2" solid steel rod if they're fully extended-which is what I see a lot of. Some folks use the bucket for grading, curl the bucket all the way forward and back drag. Snag a rock or root and the rods are very likely to bend. Not saying that's the case here, but that's what I see a lot of.

Gray bros out of Fort Smith? I know of them. Good bunch of guys but like anyone else, you push enough buttons and you can wear out your welcome which is never a good thing. I've transferred some equipment to/from them a few times over the last 27 years.

Kubota doesn't install loaders unless it's ordered pre-assembled. I NEVER saw a pre-assembled L3430/LA513, I did a ton of assembly and loader installations on those. I remember quite a few subframe bolt hole threads having boogers in them and having to buy a M16-1.50 tap to clean up the threads. That's why I asked if the SSQA was installed at the time of tractor assembly & prep, or was it done afterwards. You may never know as the dealership's ownership changed, and when that happens...or if a business system changes....history files can go away. Kubota may have record of the contract, though but unless the dealer is willing to look that up for you, Kubota is not going to give it to you because you are not the original purchaser.
 
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RustyW

New member

Equipment
L3430GST
Sep 20, 2016
12
0
0
Muldrow Oklahoma
I have some AR400 I can weld as a stop. I just feel like the dealer screwed up & won't own up to it. I know/knew the original owner, he was a Kubota employee at the time of purchase. He is not here to say what he did or didn't do so we'll never know. I realize it's on me to fix. While not as common as the air bag issue in some vehicles, it is an issue because there are several instances of the same thing happening. My dealer isn't the only one to make the same mistake.
The shop that fixed the cylinder made a new rod..$150. It also busted the head cap..$130. New seal kit, labor & tax was the rest. I have to fix the other cylinder also because it's bent, it'll have to wait till next payday. Sooo, I'm out $800 plus for something that was installed incorrectly from the dealer...I just can't prove they were at fault. The stops would be the cheapest & quickest, since I am a redneck Okie they'll fit right in..lol
 

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RustyW

New member

Equipment
L3430GST
Sep 20, 2016
12
0
0
Muldrow Oklahoma
As a side story, my dad & I have done business with these guys off & on for over 20 years. A family member bought a bx series with loader & mower from them a few years ago...the widow in the original post.. I have had a few friends that I went to high school work there in the past but for various reasons aren't there any more, one of said friends got caught with his hand in the cookie jar,so he got the boot.
No problems with/from these guys & we've bought stuff from backhoe attachments to filters. The change of hands/attitude/aura of the place is different now. The person I talkedtoo on the phone was more concerned in telling me her daddy owned the company now than helping with the problem. I know who her daddy is....He signed the receipt of said tractor & I knew him before she did..lol Its rough getting old. He conveniently wasn't in so I haven't had a chance to ask him if he remembers the details of the sale.