BH92 Backhoe Leaking on MX5400

[lewgar]

I have a new MX5400 with 20 hours on it. Just under 10hrs the BH92 was leaking hydraulic fluid while using it all over the operator platform of the backhoe in the area you place your feet. The bucket curl was very slow at the time as well, indicating to me a leak. The dealer picked it up and said it was fixed. I tested it and the curl was much faster and operations all around no issues and no leaks after testing it for 5 or so minutes. I used it this weekend and same issue after 10-15 min of use, hydraulic fluid all over the operator platform of the backhoe where you feet go. It is now at 20 hours. I have reached back to the dealer, waiting to hear back.

Is this a known issue or any recall on it? Anyone else having this issue?

 

[jajiu]

I burst a hose on my BH92 after the first year. It was the left swing hose. I had my shoulder operated last year and it sat for just over a year when I used it again, this time the hyd. thumb valve blew out the O-rings. Cost of labor was way more than the O-ring kit!

 

[pokey1416]

I had leak in BH92 after 5 hours of use when new. It was the 90 degree fittings underneath the pivot, sprayed fluid in tiny droplets everywhere and left large amount underneath - killing grass.

Here's a pic from underneath. Dealer sent tech out and he tightened up and added gallon (of my) UDT2. Have not had a problem since.

 

[lugbolt]

I have a new MX5400 with 20 hours on it. Just under 10hrs the BH92 was leaking hydraulic fluid while using it all over the operator platform of the backhoe in the area you place your feet. The bucket curl was very slow at the time as well, indicating to me a leak. The dealer picked it up and said it was fixed. I tested it and the curl was much faster and operations all around no issues and no leaks after testing it for 5 or so minutes. I used it this weekend and same issue after 10-15 min of use, hydraulic fluid all over the operator platform of the backhoe where you feet go. It is now at 20 hours. I have reached back to the dealer, waiting to hear back.

Is this a known issue or any recall on it? Anyone else having this issue?

does it happen to have a third function valve installed on the tractor?

 

[lewgar]

Yes, the hydraulics were tapped for a lane shark, like a 3rd function valve. It is leaking there a bit too.

 

[lugbolt]

ok that's what I figured

u have to plumb the Third function valve (aka 3F) correctly, and a lot of dealers do not know the proper way. Since I am of the assumption that you do not have a 3F, how is it attached to the lane shark? Because you can't just "tap in" and make it work, needs a valve, and it MUST be plumbed properly, or high pressure oil will be returned to the BH, and will cause leaks

there was a publication on kubota's dealer only page about it, applied to the L series but the MX series uses almost the same system

also you do not touch your 3ph lever while the BH hoses are connected, also results in potential leaks, sometimes severe. The lever should be all the way "down" and locked into that position as long as the BH is connected. If you bump it "up" while BH is connected, there is a good chance of hurting the BH valve.

lastly, lane shark is a hydraulic motor, and hydrualic motors eat hydraulic fluid, then spit out hot junky hydraulic fluid. IIRC the Hyd fluid oil change interval is 400 hours, if you use the lane shark, you cut that in half because the oil will be DONE by 200 hours. Those hydraulic motors shear and heat the fluid dramatically, but lane shark will not ever tell you that because they have lane sharks to sell

I deal with it all the time, a lot lately actually

 

[lewgar]

ok that's what I figured

u have to plumb the Third function valve (aka 3F) correctly, and a lot of dealers do not know the proper way. Since I am of the assumption that you do not have a 3F, how is it attached to the lane shark? Because you can't just "tap in" and make it work, needs a valve, and it MUST be plumbed properly, or high pressure oil will be returned to the BH, and will cause leaks

there was a publication on kubota's dealer only page about it, applied to the L series but the MX series uses almost the same system

also you do not touch your 3ph lever while the BH hoses are connected, also results in potential leaks, sometimes severe. The lever should be all the way "down" and locked into that position as long as the BH is connected. If you bump it "up" while BH is connected, there is a good chance of hurting the BH valve.

lastly, lane shark is a hydraulic motor, and hydrualic motors eat hydraulic fluid, then spit out hot junky hydraulic fluid. IIRC the Hyd fluid oil change interval is 400 hours, if you use the lane shark, you cut that in half because the oil will be DONE by 200 hours. Those hydraulic motors shear and heat the fluid dramatically, but lane shark will not ever tell you that because they have lane sharks to sell

I deal with it all the time, a lot lately actually

3ph is set to position 1 which is all the way down. Attached is a picture of how the LaneShark is plumbed and where on the MX. The PowerBeyond and Return Labeled lines are what are plumbed to the LaneShark.

 

[lugbolt]

3ph is set to position 1 which is all the way down. Attached is a picture of how the LaneShark is plumbed and where on the MX. The PowerBeyond and Return Labeled lines are what are plumbed to the LaneShark.

I can't see where ur power beyond hose is going

does it go to a 3f valve? What kind of valve and how is it plumbed?

but i have a suspicion that your problem lies there

 

[lewgar]

I will have to look again, the pic I thought was clear where the lines ran but is not. The dealer has the tractor now, so I will look when they return it to me.

 

[lugbolt]

the photo quality was good but inconclusive

the one hose that is labeled power beyond, in the picture there is a hose labeled power beyond. Pic does nothing to show where it goes to, or any of the other hoses for that matter

hope the dealer knows of the publications and the proper sequencing of the components if not it'll leak again

 

[lewgar]

Just an update, local dealer and Kubota has a discussion and looks like the hydraulic pressure is too high based on how they are plumbing the LaneShark in. Causing the o-rings and plastic caps on the backhoe hydraulics to leak. I told them about the article multiple times, they got a lot of documents back from Kubota and were reviewing Friday.

I am tempted to tell them to put a third function valve on it and swap out the current LanShare control box for one that works with the exiting 3rd function valve. LanShark conformed they make a control box to work with the existing 3rd function valve. I am 99% sure there is no third function valve on there now as I was never charged for it and I could not find on on the loader anywhere.

 

[Fladogman]

Without thread jumping I would really like to hear your thoughts on the lane shark. I've been considering one for purchase in the future. I'm imagine others would be interested too

 

[lewgar]

Without thread jumping I would really like to hear your thoughts on the lane shark. I've been considering one for purchase in the future. I'm imagine others would be interested too

LaneShark is fantastic, 110% satisfied. It was able to clear about 5 miles of trails and did it cleanly and not throwing any material back at the operators station. Took about 6-7hrs as it was the first time using and I kept changing it from horizontal to vertical as needed. Brush hogging you have to constantly adjust it with the FEL controls on uneven ground. I would buy it again in a heartbeat, worth any penny.

 

[lewgar]

Seems that the plumbing issue Lugbolt pointed out was the issue. It was a pressure issue the way it was plumbed. The tractor is back and replumbed, I did not get a chance to get pictures. However, ran the backhoe for 20 minutes digging and not a drop of hydraulic leak. Also LaneShark is working great and no leaks anywhere. Kubota sent over a bunch of documentation to the dealer to follow to plumb it up.

Glad to get it back and working.

 

[lugbolt]

its not that the pressure is too high

it's that the pressure is being back fed to the wrong place, and it's not designed for it

it was installed incorrectly, out of sequence--per the bulletin

dealers are supposed to stay on top of bulletins and documents but most of them "don't have time"--until there's a problem, then they send a tech question to tech support center, tsc sends it right back with a bulletin or document number, and dealer gets an F grade (yeah they're graded on tech support). Stupid. Makes the dealers less likely to use tech support.

couple 3+ years ago they used to make every dealer review documents within 48 hours of their issuance. Worked great. Everyone knew. Then they did this stuff, nobody reads the bulletins now except maybe the service manager and the techs don't get a copy because "aint no time". but they got time to get an F grade....which affects warranty pay and other stuff (parts)

so for all you techs reading this if you have access, stay up to date on bulletins!! It makes you money in the long run and more importantly keeps your customers happy. Also, if you have access, get the kubota service app for your phone. You have to be a dealer and have access code to use it but as a former tech, I can tell you that it's a LOT easier to use the app than it is to walk 150' over to the shop office and wait 10-30 minutes for the service manager to pull up warranty history and/or any bulletins for the equipment youre working on, many times a day. Saves a ton of time (and walking)!! The latter was a big deal to me because mechanic'n is already a physical job kneeling, stooping, standing back up hundreds of times a day, then you gotta walk clear across the shop/building to do stuff that you should have easy access to (and sometimes don't because management/corporate doesn't trust you).

one thing I done when I was service manager was to review the bulletins myself and then give a copy to each tech (3 of them). That way when they had time they could read it. Then a year or two down the line when a tractor comes in with a leaking backhoe valve (for example) the tech would say hey wasn't there a bulletin for that? Then they could go into kubota's site, search for it, and there it is...fixed in 20 minutes rather than chasing their tail and sending it out without actually fixing the problem. Now there's no way they could ever remember all of the bulletins but at least the seed was planted, as long as the seed was in their brain they would at least somewhat remember something about that problem which led them to a solution quicker and more accurately.