Kubota K Connect Snowblower problems explained.

[Runs With Scissors]

yes...

when you attach the snowblower or broom, you use the lever to mechanically connect the two dog clutch halves.
when you turn On the mid mount PTO, THAT spins all the shafts, ujoints clutch and of course sends power to the snowblower or broom

So when you engage the blower, what cushions those "ears"?

It cant be nothing? Can it?

Is it really 2 pieces of steel that slam together because of that "giant gap" between them?

 

[River19]

So when you engage the blower, what cushions those "ears"?

It cant be nothing? Can it?

Is it really 2 pieces of steel that slam together because of that "giant gap" between them?

It is exactly that as far as I can tell. There is nothing to cushion it other than the fact you engage the PTO at idle, but whatever force that PTO applies at idle when engaged is what those two dogs experience 100%.

Unless I am missing something significant. There is no clutch or slippage mechanism whatsoever.

EDIT: BTW, I have not heard back from Rad Tech regarding my email and pictures. I can't say I am surprised but it has also only been a day or so.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

It is exactly that as far as I can tell. There is nothing to cushion it other than the fact you engage the PTO at idle, but whatever force that PTO applies at idle when engaged is what those two dogs experience 100%.

Unless I am missing something significant. There is no clutch or slippage mechanism whatsoever.

OMG......thats nuts.

Kubota Engineers at the bar.......

 

[GreensvilleJay]

you're supposed to engage PTO at low RPM not at full throttle( that's written in a manual somewhere).
Last year when this 'reared it's ugly head', I suggested replacing the $700 parts with a 'Lovejoy' style coupling ,for about 1/3rd the cost and it'd last decades.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

you're supposed to engage PTO at low RPM not at full throttle( that's written in a manual somewhere).
Last year when this 'reared it's ugly head', I suggested replacing the $700 parts with a 'Lovejoy' style coupling ,for about 1/3rd the cost and it'd last decades.

Yea I agree.

maybe find a "Lovejoy" spacer/cushion that would fit?

 

[DustyRusty]

you're supposed to engage PTO at low RPM not at full throttle( that's written in a manual somewhere).
Last year when this 'reared it's ugly head', I suggested replacing the $700 parts with a 'Lovejoy' style coupling ,for about 1/3rd the cost and it'd last decades.

There is no way to install a Lovejoy coupling in the assembly.

 

[Mowbizz]

Crappy design for sure…I feel bad you guys are going through this BS and at the same time, grateful that I have the old style connections where you connect everything (still sometimes a pita reaching into the small blower-to quick hitch area) and it stays that way for the season. ( I stayed with my quick hitch connection for an hour and finally got it on the splined shaft with difficulty but once connected, done until Spring)
Your problem is very convenient but obviously, needs to be re-engineered.

 

[cthomas]

There is no way to install a Lovejoy coupling in the assembly.

When/If mine fails it will get a redesign. I'm thinking a splined shaft with a repenazze cv axle style or maybe a double Carden universal joint. Or more research into something like this https://www.huco.com/shop/couplings...kNpYTl5xPS1VrN7EJ9ExoCsoYQAvD_BwE&b1=22&b2=22

 

[Michford]

There is no way to install a Lovejoy coupling in the assembly.

I would sure be trying to modify and incorporate a lovejoy coupling into the poor design. Can't believe anyone could ever think metal to metal slamming together would not be a problem in this situation. Even if a guy had to modify the existing parts to add modified lovejoy parts, it seems like a better system could be done.
Lovejoy

 

[GreensvilleJay]

As I posted last winter,it is possible to install 'Lovejoy ' style couplings...seems 'Lovejoy' is a brand,like Xerox for photocopy... I know I saw some ( 2 halves and the 'rubber') and less than $200. Back then I was pretty sure the 'coupling' does NOT need to bend as there's a Ujoint before and after it,so Kubota saying to NOT raise the blower didn't make any sense.
I don't have that setup, neighbour does, so I'll probably see it in 2-3 months when his fails. I KNOW he won't want to spend $700 for the 3 parts, that WILL fail.

 

[DustyRusty]

Crappy design for sure…I feel bad you guys are going through this BS and at the same time, grateful that I have the old style connections where you connect everything (still sometimes a pita reaching into the small blower-to quick hitch area) and it stays that way for the season. ( I stayed with my quick hitch connection for an hour and finally got it on the splined shaft with difficulty but once connected, done until Spring)
Your problem is very convenient but obviously, needs to be re-engineered.

The shaft on the older units is not a perfect square, but a rectangle. What I did was to cut a small V in both mating parts, and when ti came time to mate them up, I just made sure to match the Vs that I had cut into the metal with a file. Another option would be paint, but that can get rubbed off.

 

[Donystoy]

So far my coupling is fine but I have only used it a couple of times last winter. If it starts to fail, my plan is to remove the spring loaded engage assembly and just weld the coupling together. That way it will be basically like the blower I had on the B7200 with the drive shaft just sliding apart or separating it from the mid pto when removing the blower from the tractor. The only issue I had with the blower was that the discharge impeller was seized onto the shaft. Would not have broken a shear bolt if it hit a boulder.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

If you can weld the coupling together ,that means it does NOT 'bend' as the blower is raised or lowered, so WHY does Kubota say 'not to raise too high, or while USING it '???

 

[River19]

so Kubota saying to NOT raise the blower didn't make any sense.

Did Kubota ever really say to not raise the blower? I know no where in my documentation

If you can weld the coupling together ,that means it does NOT 'bend' as the blower is raised or lowered, so WHY does Kubota say 'not to raise too high, or while USING it '???

Maybe I am experiencing missing time, where does Kubota say not to raise it while running the blower? I know if doesn't state that in the manual for the K-Connect or Blower......

 

[Donystoy]

There is no angular movement in this coupling when raising or lowering the blower. That is all taken care of with the drive shaft.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

last year there were several 'threads' about the Krappy Konnect system...many posted about K saying NOT to raise the blower when powered and while I'm 70 I do REMEMBER those posts, even somehow found manuals and yes, it's specifically states do NOT lifting/lowering the blower. Made no sense to me UNLESS that coupling is at the 'pivot' joint, but it's not according to Donystoy post above.
So it boils down to Kubota's K-maker did a LOUSY job engineering the K-connect system. $700 for 2 couplings is, well, highway robbery, plain and simple
If someone knows how much HP actually gets transferred to the blower, RPM, shaft sizes, it's not that hard to locate a 'Lovejoy' type coupling that could be 'bolt on simple' to install
What I love to know is WHY the fancy CNC machined couplings that do NOT mesh properly ! ?

 

[Bearcatrp]

Would think if it’s in the manual not to raise the snowblower, probably best to disengage pto before raising it. Still dumb but if that stops replacing this part every year at $700 a pop, then I would do this.

 

[ve9aa]

I raise and lower mine every time I go forward or backwards., My blower is the BX2830 (no, not a typo)

Out by the (very busy) road, I even backdrag with downpressure (like you would with a bucket)
Front wheels of BX sometimes right off the ground.

I probably have 35-40hrs on the blower itself.

No wear (or not much, afaict)

I cannot explain how mine seems to be in at least "good" shape. I never baby the thing and boy do we get snow here in NB, Canada.

I have not done extensive testing, but I don't believe there is measurable movement at this coupling when I raise/lower the blower. I could always be wrong.

 

[Michigankubota]

I picked up my LX 2980 in a crate, assembled and installed myself. The blower is made in Canada. the driveline crate had a big label “MADE IN CHINA”. Hope mine lasts .

 

[mikester]

last year there were several 'threads' about the Krappy Konnect system...many posted about K saying NOT to raise the blower when powered and while I'm 70 I do REMEMBER those posts, even somehow found manuals and yes, it's specifically states do NOT lifting/lowering the blower. Made no sense to me UNLESS that coupling is at the 'pivot' joint, but it's not according to Donystoy post above.
So it boils down to Kubota's K-maker did a LOUSY job engineering the K-connect system. $700 for 2 couplings is, well, highway robbery, plain and simple
If someone knows how much HP actually gets transferred to the blower, RPM, shaft sizes, it's not that hard to locate a 'Lovejoy' type coupling that could be 'bolt on simple' to install
What I love to know is WHY the fancy CNC machined couplings that do NOT mesh properly ! ?