Hi, i bought this L1-205 refurbished, in july, 2025 it has almost 20hrs on the clock. I use it mainly to mow grassland, but on this occasion i plowed a 15x2m bit of field, which had been pre-dug by hand and weeds/grass removed. I then wanted to put the mower back on, and as I was reversing the whole security bar + fell off.. Then I saw the whole housing was ripped off - Anyone seen this before? I would like to think the tractor can cope with ploughing? The seller (pro) says he's never seen this before and it is not covered by the guarantee.. Any ideas of what this could cost to repair, or should I bother getting it repaired? Thanks, Alex
Sunshine L1-205 housing ripped to bits
- Thread starter Alexva
- Start date
Exactly what did you have bolted to where your top link should be attached? Please show an overall photo of the tractor and attachments.
Your repair will require new castings. Probably cheaper to find another tractor and keep this one for parts.
Your repair will require new castings. Probably cheaper to find another tractor and keep this one for parts.
the photos show the mower and the rotovator - the mower is attached to a B50 on the photo. The security bar came off with part of the casing and the top link.. i put some plastic over the hole as it was left outside last night but it is in the garage now.. buying another one and keeping it for parts.. djeze..
ouch... I shed a little tear after seeing your loss.
you could look for experts in your area that make "cold cast cast iron repair" or "metal locking and stiching".
if me i call people like Herculoc Niagra for big equipment or Edmonton Cast Iron Repair Co Ltd for smaller and see where they may point you. But not sure in your area.
good luck and best wishes to get her up and running again.
you could look for experts in your area that make "cold cast cast iron repair" or "metal locking and stiching".
if me i call people like Herculoc Niagra for big equipment or Edmonton Cast Iron Repair Co Ltd for smaller and see where they may point you. But not sure in your area.
good luck and best wishes to get her up and running again.
Russell King
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Sorry to see that your tractor is so damaged.
That type of damage has been reported with using a three point mounted backhoe without installing the increased strength top link mount.
Now I don’t see that you were using that implement but it could have been damaged before you purchased it (case was cracked). I also see that a roll over protection system (ROPS) was attached. That bolts to the same points as the three point top link mount. I could see that hitting stout tree limbs with the top of the ROPS could also start to rip that part of the tractor off. Also what you called a plow would be called a tiller (or rotavator) in the USA. If that was trying to go through very rocky ground conditions, it would also be putting heavy stress on that same top link area. Then if the mower was being used and the rear of it or the tail wheel were forced too far up in a ditch or creek crossing that could damage the tractor in that area by forcing the top link upwards with significant force.
You can look at the surface area of the break and see if there is evidence of a long term crack. Look for dark colorings and old rust on the otherwise newly exposed material of the casting. This discoloration would probably be near the exterior surface of the casting.
Again sorry for your loss.
That type of damage has been reported with using a three point mounted backhoe without installing the increased strength top link mount.
Now I don’t see that you were using that implement but it could have been damaged before you purchased it (case was cracked). I also see that a roll over protection system (ROPS) was attached. That bolts to the same points as the three point top link mount. I could see that hitting stout tree limbs with the top of the ROPS could also start to rip that part of the tractor off. Also what you called a plow would be called a tiller (or rotavator) in the USA. If that was trying to go through very rocky ground conditions, it would also be putting heavy stress on that same top link area. Then if the mower was being used and the rear of it or the tail wheel were forced too far up in a ditch or creek crossing that could damage the tractor in that area by forcing the top link upwards with significant force.
You can look at the surface area of the break and see if there is evidence of a long term crack. Look for dark colorings and old rust on the otherwise newly exposed material of the casting. This discoloration would probably be near the exterior surface of the casting.
Again sorry for your loss.
Last edited:
North Idaho Wolfman
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I can 100% tell you what when wrong.
That "safety bar" or what we call a ROPS is a 100% complete hand made joke!
It's mounted completely wrong!
You are lucky it broke when it did and not when you really needed it in a roll over as it would have killed you.
I would push really hard on the company/person that refurbished" to replace the part as it's their fault.
They installed an aftermarket non conventional sub par part that caused the break!
Then have a local welder make you a real ROPS to keep you safe.
That "safety bar" or what we call a ROPS is a 100% complete hand made joke!
It's mounted completely wrong!
You are lucky it broke when it did and not when you really needed it in a roll over as it would have killed you.
I would push really hard on the company/person that refurbished" to replace the part as it's their fault.
They installed an aftermarket non conventional sub par part that caused the break!
Then have a local welder make you a real ROPS to keep you safe.
Thank you for your feedback - i will get in touch with Kubota and ask if they will confirm this as well, so that they can't BS themselves out of this one!
Gotta agree with Wolfman.
Searching the web I didn't find one picture of an L1-205 with a ROPS, so were they even sold with one?
Even if the person/company that refurbished the tractor got it with the cobbled ROPS already attached they should have never sold it that way and should have inspected the attachment point for stress. It's a big heavy vibrating lever attached to a cast metal part.
Searching the web I didn't find one picture of an L1-205 with a ROPS, so were they even sold with one?
Even if the person/company that refurbished the tractor got it with the cobbled ROPS already attached they should have never sold it that way and should have inspected the attachment point for stress. It's a big heavy vibrating lever attached to a cast metal part.
North Idaho Wolfman
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Kubota will more than likely will not confirm anything because that is a grey market tractor, even to you in France.
Also the L1-205 sunshine never had a ROPS from the factory.
Here is the place he got the ROPS from:
https://www.halle-au-tract.fr
Watch this video on how a proper aftermarket ROPS would be fitted.
Looks like that ROPS attachment is the root cause of overloading that casting. You could try welding that casting and hope for the best as long as you don’t put much load on the top link. Definitely throw away that ROPS, it should have been mounted to the axels at two points not the 3PH top link mount. Lucky you didn’t get hurt.