BH77 Leak

[BMOULAND]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the TLB world and this past weekend I noticed a few drips on the ground under my L2501 with BH77 Attachment. It seems to be coming from one of the swing arms on the backhoe where there's a Tee and the 2 hoses join to the ram. Are these known to loosen or vibrate loose over time as it didn't look like a leaking line but around the fittings.. There are 670 hours on the machine...I noticed at the end of the day and the tractor is at my cabin about 2.5 hour drive away so I'm just looking for ideas before I head out there again next weekend.

Thanks

 

[Njtool]

I’ve had a few fitting that leaked because it appears they weren’t tightened from the dealer. My machine has just over 120 hours and 2 weeks ago I had a fitting leak. When I put the wrench on it, I was able to spin the nut a lot!
some of the nuts (most of them) are hard to get to with a wrench. But it’s worth the time to try to check them all.

 

[bbxlr8]

I’ve had a few fitting that leaked because it appears they weren’t tightened from the dealer. My machine has just over 120 hours and 2 weeks ago I had a fitting leak. When I put the wrench on it, I was able to spin the nut a lot!
some of the nuts (most of them) are hard to get to with a wrench. But it’s worth the time to try to check them all.

Slightly off-topic but related, I found that the bottom two grease fittings on my new BH77 were painted over and no grease getting in on first 10H check - no idea how they were initially greased but there was grease in there - had to chip/scrape to get to function properly.

I will check the hyd, line fittings now as well. Thanks

 

[Jchonline]

I’ve had a few fitting that leaked because it appears they weren’t tightened from the dealer. My machine has just over 120 hours and 2 weeks ago I had a fitting leak. When I put the wrench on it, I was able to spin the nut a lot!
some of the nuts (most of them) are hard to get to with a wrench. But it’s worth the time to try to check them all.

I had about 2 gallons of hydraulic fluid leak from one of mine. I was using it in the field and just happened to look down at the ground and notice it looked wet. Turns out it was exactly the same thing as you. Loose hydraulic line fitting nut. I tightened it and checked every other aluminum fitting on the machine. That was the only one that was loose. That was at about 30 hours..no more issues and I am at over 200 now.

 

[Patent Guy]

Slightly off-topic but related, I found that the bottom two grease fittings on my new BH77 were painted over and no grease getting in on first 10H check - no idea how they were initially greased but there was grease in there - had to chip/scrape to get to function properly.

I will check the hyd, line fittings now as well. Thanks

My lower two grease fittings are also painted over on the BH77, no way to get grease in. Likely factory grease used during assembly - but guessing there. Thought I would just replace the two fittings, but may be harder than it sounds. Dealer made quite the mess completely filling the space around the fittings with grease, but getting none in. I also saw a youtube video where a guy was talking about this on his lower two grease fittings, so evidently a number of these units have the problem. Be sure to check the torque on the bolts that hold the BH and loader frames to the tractor as "what else did the dealer not properly attend to?". Two of my BH frame to differential case bolts were lose enough to matter, one had barely been tightened. Only one loader bolt was lose, and not by over a turn or two. Wheel bolts were fine.

All the best!

 

[lynnmor]

I said it before, Kubota needs to close the backhoe plant and move it to where there are people that deserve a job. My tractor is still tied up with the dealer and Kubota scratching their heads with no clue on a proper fix.

 

[BMOULAND]

Thanks for the replies guys... I'll check out those fittings this weekend and update with my findings.

 

[Chanceywd]

First time I greased my BH77 i had to replace several painted grease fittings too. One thing that bothers me is there appears to be no way to grease the swing cylinder pivots. I looked underneath and see some holes and thought the grease fitting had been left off but they appear to be blind unthreaded holes. Anyone else have this or is yours different?

 

[bbxlr8]

My lower two grease fittings are also painted over on the BH77, no way to get grease in. Likely factory grease used during assembly - but guessing there. Thought I would just replace the two fittings, but may be harder than it sounds. Dealer made quite the mess completely filling the space around the fittings with grease, but getting none in. I also saw a youtube video where a guy was talking about this on his lower two grease fittings, so evidently a number of these units have the problem. Be sure to check the torque on the bolts that hold the BH and loader frames to the tractor as "what else did the dealer not properly attend to?". Two of my BH frame to differential case bolts were lose enough to matter, one had barely been tightened. Only one loader bolt was lose, and not by over a turn or two. Wheel bolts were fine.

All the best!

So I got my face down there and used a combo of a nice snap-on screwdriver with good steel edge and a new blade on a utility knife and gently probed the ball fitting opening (I can't believe I am typing that).

It worked... but I spent more time than I should have - It's that stubborn streak but I didn't want to tie it up going into the shop and replacing looked to be more of a PIA due to the thickness of paint in and around the base of those fittings (+ location).

FWIW - I also treated myself to a LockNLube coupler and am using Lucas "Red" That I had gone to specifically for the spindles on an older ford 60" mmm that has been giving me issues.

That coupler is worth its weight in gold to me!

 

[Deleted member 47704]

You guys didn't go over the fittings before using the tractor?
While you are checking fittings check the wheel lugs/bolts.