Hood Latch Woes

[Magicman]

I went out this afternoon to take a look at my fuel injector wetness "problem" and the hood unlatching rod was disconnected from the latching mechanism.

Da wigglin' pin had come outta da wobblin' hole!

With the hood latched and no way to unlatch it, I was in a sorta situation. I didn't want to poke a hole in the grill mesh so I thought about the headlights. I removed both of them and gained the only access that was available. It was still too tight to reach in and unlatch the fastener so I proceeded to remove the U bolt that the fastener attaches to. Tight squeeze but I managed and with the two nuts removed from the U bolt the hood how opened. Yeah!

Reinstalled the latch rod into the latch, reattached the U bolt, headlights back into place and I now have a latching and unlatching hood again. What caused it? I think slamming the hood shut which is what I did last. Now it will be lowering the hood and turning the Mascot (hood latch /handle/knob) to unlatch and latch the hood.

The injector wetness will wait until another day.

 

[Roadworthy]

Sometimes bolts do come loose on their own. Try an application of blue Loctite or Vibritite VC-3 to keep things from shaking loose in the future.

 

[Magicman]

No bolts or anything shook loose.

The latching/unlatching rod is spring loaded which holds it inside of the latch. My thoughts are that slamming the hood closed caused the rod to jump free of the latch.

I have no idea whether this has ever happened to anyone before, but lowering the hood and turning the Mascot (hood latch /handle/knob) to unlatch and latch the hood will prevent this from ever happening again.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Happened to me on one of my M9000's about 3 months ago and you need midget hands to get in there to release the hood. Did a bunch of cussing. Finally got it. I don't slam / drop mine anymore either.

 

[Magicman]

I didn't know when I posted this whether it had ever happened to anyone before. Your response verifies that it has and could happen to others and justifies bringing it to everyone's attention.

 

[Roadworthy]

Thanks for pointing out the issue. Apparently it was a common enough problem that Kubota has redesigned the latching mechanism and in addition the hood now raises with a gas strut like a car hood or trunk.

 

[sheepfarmer]

Regrettably the new gas strut idea didn't make it to the B2650s. My hood is awkward and difficult to raise and lower, and I pretty much have to drop it the last few inches. The L tractor has a spring assist.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Regrettably the new gas strut idea didn't make it to the B2650s. My hood is awkward and difficult to raise and lower, and I pretty much have to drop it the last few inches. The L tractor has a spring assist.

You ought to try a M9000 hood. It's long and flexible like a wiggle worm. I lower mine with the Mascot turned sideways now and push it the last inch or so on the spring. Hood cost 900 bucks of I screw it up.

 

[D2Cat]

Hey Flip....big tractors = big bills!

 

[vic gerbasi]

my L3300 needed a battery boost only second battery in 20 years- pretty good so far. to get at the battery- climb on the loader bucket and frame, turn the mascot lift and remove the front grill. attach cables to charger booster and wait...start tractor and then reassemble.. after many attempts at this and never done in nice weather i decided to
1- replace the battery 2- install anderson connectors have the end of connector exposed for future use.. havent needed to use this yet, but it is slippery dangerous to be climbing on loader parts when cold snowy and slippery

with any luck the way i buy stuff ill never again have to use it

yah i know "raise the bucket stupid " great but have to get it started in order to do that have fun

 

[Magicman]

Yup, I wonder what one would do on a tractor without a loader. That would be a large Leatherman Tool with a fold-out stepladder.

 

[GeoHorn]

And working under a raised bucket is the MAIN way to qualify for the title of “bucket stupid”.