I am a new owner of a new L39. When I'm in high (12) gear running on the highway the transmission makes some loud and disturbing noises. This is my first hydraulic (GST) drive tractor and don't know if the noise is normal or if I need to take it in for service.
Any L39 owners? Have question?
- Thread starter sgrol
- Start date
Good day Sgrol:
I too am an owner of a new to me l39, it's a 2006
so I think our machines are pretty much the same.
It's so new to me that it hasn't arrived here at the farm yet.
When it does I'll give it a test as you describe and tell you what I hear.
Now I've got a wierd prob with the front end loader for you to test.
When I engage self levelling on the loader
and put the bucket flat on the ground, then raise it
the bucket adjusts to remain level in the same position as it started, as I would expect.
But when I then lower the fel, the bucket does not readjust itself to remain level but dumps it's load on the ground. I mean it stays in the same position as
when it was elevated.
Furthermore when I attempt to raise the fel a second time it flops down against the stops.
The thing is in the shop right now getting hocus pocus done on the fel but I'm not satisfied with the talk I'm getting from the salesman.
Does your fel hold the bucket in a level position when both raising and lowering as you would expect?
I would expect this to be kind of essential to keep your soil sampler oriented correctly.
Hari.K
I too am an owner of a new to me l39, it's a 2006
so I think our machines are pretty much the same.
It's so new to me that it hasn't arrived here at the farm yet.
When it does I'll give it a test as you describe and tell you what I hear.
Now I've got a wierd prob with the front end loader for you to test.
When I engage self levelling on the loader
and put the bucket flat on the ground, then raise it
the bucket adjusts to remain level in the same position as it started, as I would expect.
But when I then lower the fel, the bucket does not readjust itself to remain level but dumps it's load on the ground. I mean it stays in the same position as
when it was elevated.
Furthermore when I attempt to raise the fel a second time it flops down against the stops.
The thing is in the shop right now getting hocus pocus done on the fel but I'm not satisfied with the talk I'm getting from the salesman.
Does your fel hold the bucket in a level position when both raising and lowering as you would expect?
I would expect this to be kind of essential to keep your soil sampler oriented correctly.
Hari.K
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No, the bucket should stay level going up or coming down. In fact the factory tolerance is 0-3 degrees back tilt. In other words, there should never be any front tilt(dump) going up or down. If its at the shop tell them to fix it right. It definitely is not working correctly. And thanks for your reply. We wil have to stay in touch. I have a factory manual and it goes through an adjusting sequence for the auto level but I think you have a check valve failure somewhere.
Good day Sgrol:
Here’s my observations on driving the Kubota L39
It’s like a king size baby carriage on steroids.
With the short wheelbase, sensitive power steering and overhanging weight front and back
If I had to move it any distance I would trailer it, for which I have already prepared.
Gear noise in the first range of gears is minimal, you know they’re there but that’s it.
When you go into the second range of gears, which as I understand it is an overdrive,
there's an obvious increase in gear noise, but just gear noise, no grinding or chafing.
However when the gear train is not under load there’s a sympathetic vibration set up with something that cause an increase in noise level, not a grinding noise, but a vibration or rattle
Then if you forget to take it out of 4 wheel drive the noise level really increases, sounding sometimes like a turbo whine.
So that’s my observation I’ll see what I can find on this sympathetic vibration or rattle that seems to be the most annoying.
It doesn’t bother me though, mostly I am just jigging around the farm,
Speed and noise is not a limitation, the baby carriage effect on the rough ground however is.:=)
Hari.K
Here’s my observations on driving the Kubota L39
It’s like a king size baby carriage on steroids.
With the short wheelbase, sensitive power steering and overhanging weight front and back
If I had to move it any distance I would trailer it, for which I have already prepared.
Gear noise in the first range of gears is minimal, you know they’re there but that’s it.
When you go into the second range of gears, which as I understand it is an overdrive,
there's an obvious increase in gear noise, but just gear noise, no grinding or chafing.
However when the gear train is not under load there’s a sympathetic vibration set up with something that cause an increase in noise level, not a grinding noise, but a vibration or rattle
Then if you forget to take it out of 4 wheel drive the noise level really increases, sounding sometimes like a turbo whine.
So that’s my observation I’ll see what I can find on this sympathetic vibration or rattle that seems to be the most annoying.
It doesn’t bother me though, mostly I am just jigging around the farm,
Speed and noise is not a limitation, the baby carriage effect on the rough ground however is.:=)
Hari.K
That sounds about right. Especially the 4wd part. I understand, from speaking with my dealer, that all the drivetrain noise is normal and not to worry about it, so I won't. What did you find out about your fel and autolevel control?
Hi:
The sympathetic noise seems to be coming from the lower part of the right engine panel(left as you sit on the seat). I'll take it off and see what that sounds like, might be as simple as a rubber bumper.
On the FEL I've come to the opinion that the Shop Foreman and the regional KTech are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. The salesman has three L39s with the same prob as mine.
He was somewhat surprised at what you're using it for. I think I've got his attention , he's a sharp guy, lacks experience, but he will learn fast..
So my next step is a shop manual and parts book. which I was going to get anyway, to find out what the proper names of things are and specifically what the prob is. When I know enough to understand the answer, I'[ll start a thread on here. I'm sure the gurus here will have an idea.
Thanks
Hari.K
The sympathetic noise seems to be coming from the lower part of the right engine panel(left as you sit on the seat). I'll take it off and see what that sounds like, might be as simple as a rubber bumper.
On the FEL I've come to the opinion that the Shop Foreman and the regional KTech are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. The salesman has three L39s with the same prob as mine.
He was somewhat surprised at what you're using it for. I think I've got his attention , he's a sharp guy, lacks experience, but he will learn fast..
So my next step is a shop manual and parts book. which I was going to get anyway, to find out what the proper names of things are and specifically what the prob is. When I know enough to understand the answer, I'[ll start a thread on here. I'm sure the gurus here will have an idea.
Thanks
Hari.K
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Hari, for what its worth, my autolevel even works with the engine off. I can lower the arms by gravity pull and the bucket will stay level. Let me know what they find wrong.
Hi Sgrol:
Noticed today that the 4wd lever was also vibrating in time to the vibration I was hearing, even grabbed onto it to assure myself.
So I did some more searching and found this:
http://www.cornejo.net/rtv900/DriveShaftRattleFix.htm
Not sure I want to go to this length to shut the noise up.
Hari.K
Noticed today that the 4wd lever was also vibrating in time to the vibration I was hearing, even grabbed onto it to assure myself.
So I did some more searching and found this:
http://www.cornejo.net/rtv900/DriveShaftRattleFix.htm
Not sure I want to go to this length to shut the noise up.
Hari.K
Your L39 doesn't have u-joints in the front drive shaft like the RTV has so that wouldn't apply. Kubota supply a totally new drive shaft for the RTV now which completely eliminates the vibration problem.
Ed
Ed
Thanks Ed. I wont't go there.
Sgrol I think I'm getting closer.
The prob seems to be stupid operator.
My self levelling lever seems to have three positions
up is off
one down is the proper self levelling function, which I'm glad to have found at last.
third is this wierd half levelling function I've been describing.
I'm coming to think that the lever linkage is out of adjustment and that's what is giving me the third position which I don't think should be there.
Have a look at yours and see if you can detect a third position
Hari
Sgrol I think I'm getting closer.
The prob seems to be stupid operator.
My self levelling lever seems to have three positions
up is off
one down is the proper self levelling function, which I'm glad to have found at last.
third is this wierd half levelling function I've been describing.
I'm coming to think that the lever linkage is out of adjustment and that's what is giving me the third position which I don't think should be there.
Have a look at yours and see if you can detect a third position
Hari
One more quick question
At the bottom of the switch (auto level) travel there seems to be a stop
a small plate inside the box held in place by two screws
In the lower position does the switch touch the stop?
On mine there's about 1/4 in showing through the slot
in which the switch moves. same ?
If it were about 3/8 in higher
it would stop the switch travel at the correct position
Looks like I'll have to brave the mosquitoes and blackflies to
take this box off and see what's going on inside.
You can't believe how wet it's been ever since this thing arrived
Npthing's growing except grass and bugs
Hari
At the bottom of the switch (auto level) travel there seems to be a stop
a small plate inside the box held in place by two screws
In the lower position does the switch touch the stop?
On mine there's about 1/4 in showing through the slot
in which the switch moves. same ?
If it were about 3/8 in higher
it would stop the switch travel at the correct position
Looks like I'll have to brave the mosquitoes and blackflies to
take this box off and see what's going on inside.
You can't believe how wet it's been ever since this thing arrived
Npthing's growing except grass and bugs
Hari
Didn't notice the screws and plate before but it is there and when I move switch down it does hit the plate. Sounds like you zeroed in on it. Maybe a little adjustment will fix you up.
Send us some rain. Haven't had any rain north of Houston for over a month. Ground is like fine dust.