Kubota B3350 Sold with Wrong Implement

[North Idaho Wolfman]

On Kubotas website......"The maximum weight allowed on the three point hitch of a B-Series tractor is 500 lbs. (227 kg)."........Therefore anything larger than 500 #'s voids the tractor warranty!

I think your mis-reading the info they give you!
In your defense they don't always write things very clearly.
The maximum weight on the 3 point ballast box is 500lbs!

Post where exactly you read that 500lbs is the max allowable at anytime on the three point???

This is the tractor specs, strait from Kubota!

Do you have a B3350 or a B3350SU ?

 

[sheepfarmer]

Not sure where you guys are looking on the website, but the table in the front of the owner's manual is probably more helpful. It gives specific and differing max weight values for each type of implement, eg for the 3560 it is 770 for a rotary cutter, 880 for a flail, and 1100 for a sickle bar, presumably taking into account the lever arm and or wheels. Also the website is prone to errors, but Kubota is obligated to stick to what is in writing in the owner's manual.

Now what we need is people with 3350's to find their owner's manuals!

 

[gelliott]

I think your mis-reading the info they give you!
In your defense they don't always write things very clearly.
The maximum weight on the 3 point ballast box is 500lbs!

Post where exactly you read that 500lbs is the max allowable at anytime on the three point???

This is the tractor specs, strait from Kubota!

Do you have a B3350 or a B3350SU ?

Its a B3350SU. I don't know how I can be mis-reading. The website says 500 max and so does my manual. See attached!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

This might be a twist for you, but stick you head under the mower deck and count the blades, 2 right! Specs backs it up.

So on blade count 72" is max width, but yes you would be 120lbs over weight.

Take it to a scale and weigh it, I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't less then they state in literature.

So if your issue is SPIN UP, then they should take care of it based on the Blade count!

 

[gelliott]

This might be a twist for you, but stick you head under the mower deck and count the blades, 2 right! Specs backs it up.

So on blade count 72" is max width, but yes you would be 120lbs over weight.

Take it to a scale and weigh it, I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't less then they state in literature.

So if your issue is SPIN UP, then they should take care of it based on the Blade count!

A Rear Mount Mower is different than a Rotary Cutter. You can use up to a 72" rear mount mower (finish mower) on a B3350 but only up to a 48" for a Rotary Cutter on a B3350.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Ok, I give in, I'm done.

Sorry You broke your tractor!

Good luck getting it fixed!

 

[gelliott]

Ok, I give in, I'm done.

Sorry You broke your tractor!

Good luck getting it fixed!

I truly appreciate your feedback regarding my issue. It has helped clarify a couple things. Just curious why you are giving in?

 

[Vraz]

Just received a new B2601 today and was reviewing the owners manual. Is very much as gelliot says. While page 3 (Specifications) clearly says that my 3pt max lift force is 1808lbs (at pins) and 1411lbs (24" beyond), page 6 clearly states the tractor is incapable of using any implement heavier than 705 lbs (the backhoe-- most are under 500 lbs) without risking tractor "failure" (that is not covered by warranty). It also says a 48" rotary cutter is the widest usable on my tractor.

Given its almost impossible to find a recent Kubota owners manual in electronic form for advance reading prior to tractor purchase, seems fair to hold the dealer accountable for selling an implement that could void the warranty (unless that was made clear and would expect a signed document to that effect).

This is partially on the Kubota marketing department who wants to advertise the highest possible specifications vs the Kubota support department who wants to limit their liability by derating those same specifications. Suspect you see similar situations with other tractor manufacturers and you see it when reading the fine print from the big-3 on their trucks.

Like other folks, I am still unclear what actually hppened. The specifications vs warranty restrictions are problematic and the dealer should not sell you an implement if they knew it could create a warranty issue. I run a 60" rotary cutter on my 8N which is way less than 33HP and it spins it up just fine. Will try my 48" rotary cutter tomorrow.

Best of luck.

 

[sheepfarmer]

Vraz, I am curious if your new 2601 has the idiosyncracy described by gelliot for the 3350 of requiring that you engage the pto at a fairly high rpm? That seemed to be at the heart of the problem that was causing shear bolts to break. I am not sure what engine is in yours or how any computer controls would compare. The 3350 has a "new" type of engine, triple vortex indirect inject etc, and who knows how the rest of the tractor was modified to accomodate it.

 

[Tooljunkie]

My old flail mower would do the dance at every startup,idle up slowly and the shake rattle and bangs would go away.

 

[Vraz]

Vraz, I am curious if your new 2601 has the idiosyncracy described by gelliot for the 3350 of requiring that you engage the pto at a fairly high rpm?

Nope-- just the opposite. The manual says: "To avoid shock loads to the PTO, reduce engine throttle from high idle to low idle by pushing up on engine throttle when engaging the PTO, then open the throttle to the recommended engine rpm." They follow that up with: "To avoid damage to PTO clutch and implement, shift the PTO clutch lever slowly, when engaging the PTO clutch. Do not keep the PTO clutch level half way."

The reference to "move the PTO clutch lever slowly" suggests it is an important aspect to avoiding shock loads. If you engage it really fast (seems kind of easy when using a lever), assume its equvilient to dropping the clutch. I have spun up my 60" rotary cutter on the 8N at fairly high revs, but of course, I use the clutch to avoid transferring the power all at once.

 

[tiredguy]

I'm not a rookie with tractors and PTO powered implements and I would never
dream of engaging one at anything except low idle. To me it sounds like there's
a "miss print" in the operations manual as anything more than idle puts a
massive ( insane! ) shock load on the PTO.
Either way regardless I'd work with the dealer I purchased it from including the
trade back in for a tractor that will do what you purchased it for that would do
the job.
Al

 

[1970cs]

I had a customer (different make) last year that was shearing bolts upon start up. That brand of tractor (different make) is notorious for PTO start up shock loads coming from the PTO engagement. Terrible modulation in the valve, not the implement. We cured the problem with the aforementioned PTO shaft slip clutch.

Pat

 

[Vraz]

Ran my new B2601 with the 48" rotary cutter today. It always easilycame up to speed at minimum revs when engaging the PTO. Will say the PTO clutch engagement does not have much "feel" to it. While I can easily feather the clutch on my 8N to compensate for the revs (gas motor, so you need more revs to have appropriate torque to spin up a big implement), the B2601 engages very quickly (regardless of the Kubota owners manual advise to move the level "slowly").

Completely agree with 1970cs-- if you are looking for a workaround for the underlying issue, a PTO slip clutch is the obvious thing to try. I have never used one as my 8N never needed one. They are normally only used on wider rotary cutters (larger blades carrying more energy that transfers back to the drivetrain if you hit something unmovable like a stump above grade).

Likewise, buy a pack of sheet bolts and experiment more. Start with low revs and then gently engage the PTO clutch and see what happens. Given I can easily spin up a 60" on my 8N without shearing bolts, sure seems like you have too much power going so some more methodical trial+error might help.

 

[vt05461]

I just took delivery on a B3350SU on Friday. First thing I did was read the manual, and skipping the text on the top of page 6 (white section), I was really disappointed to see the 4' RC limitation as I have a 5' RC that I was using on a JD950 (Yanmar 3T, 33hp). After reading pg 6 half a dozen times. I came to the conclusion that if the implement hasn't been mated / tested by Kubota, the table applies. I talked to the dealer today about that and pointed out that the ratings for the B2650 and the B3350 are identical. (strange given the hp difference) and that there was absolutely no possibility of finding an RFM at 72" or even 60" of any quality at 500 pounds. They assured me that that my warranty would be fine with my present 5' RC. I've asked for that in writing. We'll see what happens from here. I would love to see the approved list as well.

 

[Scoutman]

I just took delivery on a B3350SU on Friday. First thing I did was read the manual, and skipping the text on the top of page 6 (white section), I was really disappointed to see the 4' RC limitation as I have a 5' RC that I was using on a JD950 (Yanmar 3T, 33hp). After reading pg 6 half a dozen times. I came to the conclusion that if the implement hasn't been mated / tested by Kubota, the table applies. I talked to the dealer today about that and pointed out that the ratings for the B2650 and the B3350 are identical. (strange given the hp difference) and that there was absolutely no possibility of finding an RFM at 72" or even 60" of any quality at 500 pounds. They assured me that that my warranty would be fine with my present 5' RC. I've asked for that in writing. We'll see what happens from here. I would love to see the approved list as well.

Any chance you could scan that portion of the manual and post it here? I just purchased a new B3350 and the intended getting on a 72" brush hog, in fact the salesman recommended it over the 60". I'd like to take that page of the manual with me when I go to town later this week.

Thank you,
Phil

 

[nickelplated5s]

New tractor and you didn't get a manual?

 

[Scoutman]

New tractor and you didn't get a manual?

Haven't taken delivery of it yet as they are installing some rear remotes and a 3rd function. Will take a trip to town this weekend and wanted to show the sales guy this portion of the manual and make sure they are willing to put in writing that running the 72" mower won't void any warranty.

 

[vt05461]

Sorry Scoutman, I haven't been on the forum much lately. Too much computer time at work. I'll bring the manual to work tomorrow and give that page a scan.

btw, the dealer won't put what they told me on the phone in writing. no surprise. I'm now trying to get the approved list from them that the manual implies is there. Not a lot of luck there either. Mood is moving from disappointed to angry

 

[vt05461]

Here are the two relevant pages on implementation limitations from the B2650/B3350 manual.

More phone and email tag with my dealer on Friday. I've had my machine more than 1 month and still haven't connected up an impement to the PTO, at least I have the FEL but winter is coming and the field will not cut itself. He actually asked me to send him these two pages as well as he didn't have a spare manual for the machine either? ..... and still no hint of an approved implements list from Kuboda. Would have thought that would be readily available, even if it just contained the brands they owned / marketed with the size limitations. Starting to think Kuboda wrote this as an easy warranty trap door that most users would fall through