How common are broken SSQA pins?

[jcwren]

I had the lower left SSQA pin split in the center on my LA765 on a L4701HST. I found it when I went to do a 10 hour greasing. It was covered under warranty, but I'm curious about is this common, unusual, or totally unheard of? The service center guys weren't much help.

 

[lugbolt]

it happens on all brands and all types of equipment. not common but it does happen sometimes.

 

[notforhire]

Do you know what you were doing when it broke?

 

[jcwren]

Do you know what you were doing when it broke?

No. I did finally end up talking to the shop tech, and they think it was a manufacturing defect in the pin itself. I also haven't run the FEL very hard. I mostly use forks or a litter bucket for moving stuff around, and nothing so heavy that I've ever had the hydraulics go into bypass.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

As a 'manufacturing defect', I'd want the OTHER pins all replaced. it could be 100s were made from the same batch of 'bad' steel.

 

[jcwren]

As a 'manufacturing defect', I'd want the OTHER pins all replaced. it could be 100s were made from the same batch of 'bad' steel.

Why I don't disagree, there's no way Kubota will do that under warranty. Except for recall items, it's only warrantied when they actually fail.

This was the first time I've had any warranty work done on it. If another one fails, I'll replace it myself. They're about $24 online, and that's cheaper than having to pay even a discounted transport fee and have the tractor out of commission longer if they're busy. This time I was fortunate, they picked it up on a Monday and returned it Thursday. Driver said last year I'd have been waiting around 3 weeks.

 

[forky]

As a 'manufacturing defect', I'd want the OTHER pins all replaced. it could be 100s were made from the same batch of 'bad' steel.

That's not going to happen. Warranty is not going to replace parts that aren't broken. The dealer would not look forward to working with a customer that expects service like that....in my opinion.

 

[B737]

Neil at messicks mentioned this in one of his videos recently. I didnt know broken SSQA pins were thing until his video. Just one of those things that are so simple you cant really think of a way for them to break... I believe he mentioned it was most commonly caused by the pin not being fully engaged.

 

[Hue]

I've had one split in half, it looked like only one side was getting grease. I'm guessing the difference in resistance created a shearing force.

 

[jcwren]

I've had one split in half, it looked like only one side was getting grease. I'm guessing the difference in resistance created a shearing force.

Are you saying in split down the center long ways?

 

[Hue]

Are you saying in split down the center long ways?

No, it split in half at the grease groove, leaving 2 short cylinders.

 

[jcwren]

No, it split in half at the grease groove, leaving 2 short cylinders.

OK, it failed the same way mine did, shown in the first picture.

 

[FTG-05]

Andrew Camarata has had numerous failures of this type, mostly on exavators bucket pins. All have the same characteristic: a groove in the middle where it fractures. His fix is to install the grease fitting on the machine, not the pin itself and then replace the pin with a solid pin with no grooves.

 

[jcwren]

It looks like on the Kioti tractors that they put the grease fitting on the end of the pin. It's recessed to protect it. This seems like it should be less prone to breaking, and still leave the Zerk fitting protected.