Found some weird stripped bolts sitting on my new LX-2610
- Thread starter HowardTractor
- Start date
Ok I’ll say it...this is a dead giveaway
You are lucky if a tap was even run through the threads before the new bolts were run in, let alone a helicoil.
You are lucky if a tap was even run through the threads before the new bolts were run in, let alone a helicoil.
I guess I need to trust that the right things were done. (I really hope this doesn't leave me crushed under my tractor one day). I have more and more trouble trusting in people's work and with good evidence. This is why I do more and more things myself. The kicker is, I would have been happy to pay to have it done right (or at least split the difference with them). Maybe this was a blessing in disguise which allowed me to get the proper bolts in place. Anyway this will just have to wait until I have time to take the tractor apart and put it back together again 
If you get bored, pull one of the bolts out and inspect the hole. You may be able to see the helicoil. Or you might see that the new bolts have enough length and bite to be safe.
Jchonline
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
Kubota L6060, KX040-4, M7060, RTV X1100C, M62 (sold)
whitetiger
Moderator
Staff member
Equipment
Kubota tech..BX2370, RCK60, B7100HST, RTV900 w plow, Ford 1100 FWA
Your dealer screwed up assembling your tractor and now has cobbled a safety feature.I guess I need to trust that the right things were done. (I really hope this doesn't leave me crushed under my tractor one day). I have more and more trouble trusting in people's work and with good evidence. This is why I do more and more things myself. The kicker is, I would have been happy to pay to have it done right (or at least split the difference with them). Maybe this was a blessing in disguise which allowed me to get the proper bolts in place. Anyway this will just have to wait until I have time to take the tractor apart and put it back together again
The only proper repair is to replace the differential housing and install the correct bolts. If they have put larger bolts in, they probably had to drill out the ROPS to get the bolts in, so that needs replaced also.
Also, a call, email, or letter should be sent to Kubota Customer Care detailing what is happening.
I would remove both bolts and inspect the bolt holes. Then depending on what I found a call to the service manager/owner would be in order.
As others have said. I would remove the bolt and inspect the threaded hole. If you cant visible see a difference in the threads, You can probably thread the bolt in slowly and “feel” when the bolt engages good threads. If it takes about 3/8” to feel more secure, then you still have a good portion of your threads bad and only partial thread engagement. Basically the same amount of threads that already stripped out. All it will take is another small bump and the bolts will pop the threads out again.
The dealer said loose bolts and not stripped bolts in their summary. Anyone reading this would have no idea the bolts were actually stripped. It makes it look like they were only loose and no big deal.
if it were me, I would probably get in contact with a kubota representitive. At this point, the work has been done, you voice your concern and if they think all is ok, then I would let it go. But, at the very least, it should be documented through kubota the proper way. Right now, kubota would think you had a couple of loose bolts.
The main point in getting a representative involved is they knows this happens from time to time. As of right now, they think your bolts just needed tightening. I imagine they have a procedure for such an event. From the looks of things, your dealer is covering their tracks. Not a good look. But again, if kubota signs off on it, there is nothing more to do.
The dealer said loose bolts and not stripped bolts in their summary. Anyone reading this would have no idea the bolts were actually stripped. It makes it look like they were only loose and no big deal.
if it were me, I would probably get in contact with a kubota representitive. At this point, the work has been done, you voice your concern and if they think all is ok, then I would let it go. But, at the very least, it should be documented through kubota the proper way. Right now, kubota would think you had a couple of loose bolts.
The main point in getting a representative involved is they knows this happens from time to time. As of right now, they think your bolts just needed tightening. I imagine they have a procedure for such an event. From the looks of things, your dealer is covering their tracks. Not a good look. But again, if kubota signs off on it, there is nothing more to do.
I think it comes down to how much you value your life, and that of your potential heirs.
Chances are, you will be fine with the new bolts, but worst case who knows?
Sure looks like the bolts stripped out the threads in the housing.
Certainly the grip of the proper bolts in the housing will be less than if the thread were not stripped out over a portion of their length.
Probability is most likely that if you have an accident requiring the protection of the ROPS this will not affect the result. Those bolts only come into play with respect to the threads if the ROPS is pushed upon in a way that tends to pull them out.
That being said, why not contact KUBOTA with your concerns, if for no other reason than to lay the groundwork for a lawsuit to protect your heirs?
You should not bear the burden of possible negative consequences resulting from inferior performance of others.
I hate our lawsuit based society, but it is what it is. You should do what you can to protect yourself or your heirs in the future...you do not need to die, you could be crippled for life if the worst happens and the ROPS fails...
Chances are, you will be fine with the new bolts, but worst case who knows?
Sure looks like the bolts stripped out the threads in the housing.
Certainly the grip of the proper bolts in the housing will be less than if the thread were not stripped out over a portion of their length.
Probability is most likely that if you have an accident requiring the protection of the ROPS this will not affect the result. Those bolts only come into play with respect to the threads if the ROPS is pushed upon in a way that tends to pull them out.
That being said, why not contact KUBOTA with your concerns, if for no other reason than to lay the groundwork for a lawsuit to protect your heirs?
You should not bear the burden of possible negative consequences resulting from inferior performance of others.
I hate our lawsuit based society, but it is what it is. You should do what you can to protect yourself or your heirs in the future...you do not need to die, you could be crippled for life if the worst happens and the ROPS fails...
What really “gets my goat” is that line about “Misc Supply/Environ/Hzrd”. I NEVER PAY THAT. NEVER!
Shops started that BS about 30 years ago and when I questioned it I was told “it’s the shop towels, WD40, hand-cleaner, aerosol spray cleaners, etc that we use around the shop…things which are difficult to account-for”. It’s typically a “percentage” of the total invoice simply added-on because folks don’t know how to question it….and after we all ”accept it without question”…. it becomes “customary” ….. I call B.S. on it.
I replied., “IT’S BULL-SHIP! AND I WON’T PAY IT. DO YOU PAY THE RESTAURANT FOR SALT/PEPPER/KETCHUP DISH-SOAP AND NAPKINS? TAKE IT OFF MY INVOICE!”.
They sometimes reply “It’s standard on EVERY Invoice!”
I reply, “It’s NOT STANDARD ON MINE! Those items are tools-of-the-trade and the Cost of doing Business. Those are no different than the TOOLS you require your mechanics to own before you hire them or the. toilet paper you must supply your bathrooms. Those are YOUR costs of doing business and if you cannot account for the items you use on my machine then that’s YOUR accounting problem. Not Mine!”
When restaurants start charging for napkins and dish-soap I’ll stop eating at restaurants also.
I will NEVER pay a “Misc” charge.
I get where you’re coming from Geohorn and feel the same way. But I think it’s a game these places play. They’re going to get the money they need to keep in business regardless how they charge the customer. They must’ve found that miscellaneous charges like you mentioned are more easily accepted by the general population.
So at the end of the day I think we’re going to pay an amount that keeps them in business regardless how they charge it. So myself I just would pay it and move on. I don’t run into this often because I tend to do things as much as possible on my own, and probably use places that don’t stick these BS miscellaneous charges on the bill. But I seem pay enough to keep them in business when I use them...
If the threads stripped off the bolts into the holes in the housing, a simple chase with a tap should be good enough, assuming the tap is started into the original threads. No helicoils needed if the threads in the housing are intact. It would be rare for an aluminum housing to pull threads off the steel bolts, though, if that housing is aluminum. Helicoils are MUCH better in aluminum housings. I've put a bunch of 'em in VW engine blocks and heads to enlarge the stud sizes when building performance engines that I didn't want the increased compression pulling the studs out of the block. The originals are 6 mm studs, which I increased the size to 10mm with a drill, tap, helicoil, and lotsa sealant snot on the block. Can't count the number of exhaust header studs I've broken off in the heads. Drill 'em out, tap 'em, and put in helicoils (preferrably stainless ones to avoid future corrosion) and fill 'em up with graphite paste when putting the new (larger) studs in.
I've hit a couple tree limbs with my ROPS pretty hard. Nary a mark on it nor any broken bolts. Bolts too short will pull out, and you're lucky if it pulled the threads off the bolt instead of the housing. Is that housing cast steel, or cast aluminum? Don't even know.
I've hit a couple tree limbs with my ROPS pretty hard. Nary a mark on it nor any broken bolts. Bolts too short will pull out, and you're lucky if it pulled the threads off the bolt instead of the housing. Is that housing cast steel, or cast aluminum? Don't even know.
I did some work for NASA and they put inserts (Heli-Coils) in everything, they don't wait for a failure. It would be much better than original IF, I mean IF the inserts were installed correctly and IF the threads are deep enough and IF there is adequate material surrounding the now enlarged hole. It takes a skilled machinist to drill and tap for the inserts, but many mechanics will get them crooked or worse.
Based on the images and the assembly drawings I wouldn't be worried about hitting something with the ROPS moving in the forward direction and stripping out those bolts. Actually at that point those bolts wouldn't really be doing anything except holding the lower ROPS bracket in place as the bracket would be pushing against the diff. If you did it while backing up then the ROPS would be putting those bolts in tension and "could" cause a shorter bolt to strip out. Either way it's not your fault as the dealer put it together.
What I'd be more concerned with, and again just my interpretation of what's presented as I don't have this tractor, is the three point would definitely put those bolts in tension and could definitely strip out a shorter bolt.
I can't see for sure, but it looks like the bolts maybe only took out the first two threads in the housing. Based on the work order from the dealer they ran a tap down the threads to clean them up and then ran a longer bolt into it. I wouldn't assume they put a helicoil in there. I would politely ask them if they would put a helicoil in there and if Kubota would stand behind a helicoil in there. I'd want that piece of mind when doing 3-point work.
What I'd be more concerned with, and again just my interpretation of what's presented as I don't have this tractor, is the three point would definitely put those bolts in tension and could definitely strip out a shorter bolt.
I can't see for sure, but it looks like the bolts maybe only took out the first two threads in the housing. Based on the work order from the dealer they ran a tap down the threads to clean them up and then ran a longer bolt into it. I wouldn't assume they put a helicoil in there. I would politely ask them if they would put a helicoil in there and if Kubota would stand behind a helicoil in there. I'd want that piece of mind when doing 3-point work.
One of the most important moments in a ROPs life is when a tractor is Flipped-Backward…. and that is when the bolts in-question are critical.
My impression was that the bolts pulled the aluminum threads out of the housing...can not imagine the steel bolts being stripped by the aluminum housing, but I don't have the energy to reread the thread again!
I had Ford F-250 wheel bolts stripped by overzealous youth at Costo tire center with two big (for armatures) and powerful air impact wrenches.
I really couldn't tell from the photos whether the bolt was stripped or filled up with material from the housing. Either way, not a good thing to find on a new tractor.