Thanks for your advice. I really do appreciate all the replies. I think the knowledge from all the replies actually armed me with info that helped the situation.
Much appreciation to all!
Much appreciation to all!
L3901 HST 4WD making a rattling/roaring noise
- Thread starter jt040900
- Start date
The fact that a 2 year old tractor need ANYTHING done is Bull Crap...
Something smells fishy with this... I'm happy if you are happy paying $500 but I have basically the same tractor with a lot less HP and I don't lock my clutch down (or up ????) and it doesn't move for 4 months at times...
2017 tractor SHOULD not have a problem even remotely like this.
If you drove this under water, then I would agree that this could happen...
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whitetiger
Moderator
Staff member
Equipment
Kubota tech..BX2370, RCK60, B7100HST, RTV900 w plow, Ford 1100 FWA
The fact that condensation forms in the clutch housing has not changed in the last 100 years or so, just the material the clutch disc is made of.The fact that a 2 year old tractor need ANYTHING done is Bull Crap...
Something smells fishy with this... I'm happy if you are happy paying $500 but I have basically the same tractor with a lot less HP and I don't lock my clutch down (or up ????) and it doesn't move for 4 months at times...
2017 tractor SHOULD not have a problem even remotely like this.
If you drove this under water, then I would agree that this could happen...
warranty doesnt cover everything.
Look at your warranty booklets and the warranty statement online if you please.
There is a key word that is explained. "Limited". That means there are specific limits on the warranty coverage. People tend to forget that, myself even. Salespeople always "forget". It was once my job to "go over" a tractor with customers; meaning I was the last person that the buyer saw at the dealer before he left with his tractor (unless it was delivered). One of the things I learned (the hard way, BTW) was that placing the word "limited" in front of "warranty" when explaining how it works makes a huge difference in how things are handled if there was a future issue/claim.
the limitations are NOT designed to dupe the consumer out of money; far from it actually. The limitations are placed there to protect the consumer, also helps to explain to owners that when he runs it into a pond or sprays ether down it's throat, that is not a manufacturing defect; thus not part of the limited warranty. They (all manufacturers whether it be cars, tractors, mowers, atv's well anything that has a warranty) all have to protect their liabilities and the limitations are one way that they do it. Most if not all limited manufacturer warranties state the same or very similar things; some of them are longer periods of time, some are shorter.
Kubota almost never covers brakes, tires and clutch linings. The fact that they've stepped up speaks volumes, IMO. Yes it might cost you but it could have been worse.
Clutches sticking isn't very common anymore but it does, unfortunatly happen. Here's the thing, though. It's not like every one of them is going to have that problem. Some might sit 4 years between uses and they're fine. Some might be 2 months and it's stuck. Every case is different so one can't say that all L3901HST's are junk because they're not. Nobody knows the exact cause as to why some have the problem and some don't, thus Kubota suggest blocking the pedal down after each use, to prevent it from potentially happening.
If that was a L3901 DT with 2 stage clutch, it would have cost you a lot more than $500....I almost never do a clutch on any HST tractor, almost all of them are straight gear (DT) with loaders and/or ground engaging 3ph implements. The purchaser usually touts the fact that they paid less for the DT, up to $2000 less in some cases (depending on the tractor), but when they gotta fork over $3500 for a clutch job, they're re-thinking their decision of DT vs the HST. That dual stage clutch is NOT cheap; I want to say its somehwere around 2k once you get all the parts (including the flywheel if it's smoked). So question is why can't the flywheel be machined? Because machine shops that do that sort of thing aren't on every corner anymore and (2) some of the flywheels are "stepped" and traditional grinding machines can't grind them. Also Kubota has specific tolerances on the machining; and you can't take off a lot of material without going outside that spec in a lot of cases, so a really bad, heat-checked/smoked flywheel might cost $450 new (for example), or the owner can have it machined for a couple hundred bucks and it might go under or over the spec, which causes clutch engagement/disengagement issues. Lot of stuff that nobody thinks about on clutches; and of course nobody seems to want to listen anyway.
Look at your warranty booklets and the warranty statement online if you please.
There is a key word that is explained. "Limited". That means there are specific limits on the warranty coverage. People tend to forget that, myself even. Salespeople always "forget". It was once my job to "go over" a tractor with customers; meaning I was the last person that the buyer saw at the dealer before he left with his tractor (unless it was delivered). One of the things I learned (the hard way, BTW) was that placing the word "limited" in front of "warranty" when explaining how it works makes a huge difference in how things are handled if there was a future issue/claim.
the limitations are NOT designed to dupe the consumer out of money; far from it actually. The limitations are placed there to protect the consumer, also helps to explain to owners that when he runs it into a pond or sprays ether down it's throat, that is not a manufacturing defect; thus not part of the limited warranty. They (all manufacturers whether it be cars, tractors, mowers, atv's well anything that has a warranty) all have to protect their liabilities and the limitations are one way that they do it. Most if not all limited manufacturer warranties state the same or very similar things; some of them are longer periods of time, some are shorter.
Kubota almost never covers brakes, tires and clutch linings. The fact that they've stepped up speaks volumes, IMO. Yes it might cost you but it could have been worse.
Clutches sticking isn't very common anymore but it does, unfortunatly happen. Here's the thing, though. It's not like every one of them is going to have that problem. Some might sit 4 years between uses and they're fine. Some might be 2 months and it's stuck. Every case is different so one can't say that all L3901HST's are junk because they're not. Nobody knows the exact cause as to why some have the problem and some don't, thus Kubota suggest blocking the pedal down after each use, to prevent it from potentially happening.
If that was a L3901 DT with 2 stage clutch, it would have cost you a lot more than $500....I almost never do a clutch on any HST tractor, almost all of them are straight gear (DT) with loaders and/or ground engaging 3ph implements. The purchaser usually touts the fact that they paid less for the DT, up to $2000 less in some cases (depending on the tractor), but when they gotta fork over $3500 for a clutch job, they're re-thinking their decision of DT vs the HST. That dual stage clutch is NOT cheap; I want to say its somehwere around 2k once you get all the parts (including the flywheel if it's smoked). So question is why can't the flywheel be machined? Because machine shops that do that sort of thing aren't on every corner anymore and (2) some of the flywheels are "stepped" and traditional grinding machines can't grind them. Also Kubota has specific tolerances on the machining; and you can't take off a lot of material without going outside that spec in a lot of cases, so a really bad, heat-checked/smoked flywheel might cost $450 new (for example), or the owner can have it machined for a couple hundred bucks and it might go under or over the spec, which causes clutch engagement/disengagement issues. Lot of stuff that nobody thinks about on clutches; and of course nobody seems to want to listen anyway.
That sounds suspicious to me. Did they make you pay only for parts?
IE, how much was labor and how much was parts?
Im suspicious the dealer erred in diagnosis, and is hoping the owner will accept that explanation.
(Example: Its the throw-out bearing and they stuck a new clutch in there while fixing theIr bearing problem, so youre paying for a new clutch and theyre paying the rest? In that scenario Id probably let it be, but they should have asked if you wanted a new clutch-plate while theyre in there.)
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can you explain this a bit for me. I have a 3901 geared and have no idea what this refers to.
I have a 3901 HST...they (Kubota) recommend when parking your tractor for an extended period of time to press down the clutch and there is a pin that you slide over and it locks the clutch pedal in the pressed down position.
This is supposed to separate the clutch disc from the flywheel. They say that moisture builds up in that area and will cause corrosion when left long periods of time. This was not my case I ran mine once a week at least. I think this advice pertains to people that leave tractors inactive for months at a time.
This is supposed to separate the clutch disc from the flywheel. They say that moisture builds up in that area and will cause corrosion when left long periods of time. This was not my case I ran mine once a week at least. I think this advice pertains to people that leave tractors inactive for months at a time.
I don't know about how they billed it all I am waiting on the detailed bill. I know the total included pickup and delivery because I don't have a large enough truck to haul it. I will update when i get it.
They did replace the clutch plate or at least they say they did and replaced the clutch bearings while they had the tractor tore down. They said the clutch bearing were not bad but since the tractor was split it would be a good idea.
That explanation seems back-wards to me. My limited experience of replacing clutches in vehicles (about ten episodes over the years) the clutch throw-out bearings make roaring noises when they fail but is not a cause for clutch-plate failure.
However, if a clutch-plate/pressure-plate failure occurs (burned or scored beyond machining capability) and the clutch or press-plate needs replacement...then we would always replace the pilot and throw-out bearing because of the accessibility issues... not the reverse necessarily.
Which is why I won't buy a gear drive clutch anything, any brand. It's gonna either be an HST, an IVT or a hydraulic shuttle and Kubota (until very recently) didn't offer an IVT so my choice was limited to a hydraulic shuttle, IOW, NO clutch disc at all, just a damper plate in the bellhousing.
Every gear drive dry clutched tractor I have owned in the past (I've had a couple, notably a Massey / Perkins and a CNH both had the welded on hook by the clutch pedal for hooking the pedal down when not in use to keep the disc off the flywheel.
No clutch eliminates that wear and eventual replacement point entirely and fine with me. Keeps my bucks in my wallet for other stuff.
Yeah..those gear-tranny clutches are sooo troublesome. My 1939-40 9N Ford will probably need a clutch someday.... never has yet, tho’.
RCW
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
My ‘53 Moline has original clutch. Lord only knows how many hours that puppy has on it.
I attribute it to the hand-clutch.
While a little tongue-in-cheek, if parked on the level, it really is easier to just pull the clutch when parked/not in use. Don’t have to lock anything down, etc.
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I attribute it to the hand-clutch.
While a little tongue-in-cheek, if parked on the level, it really is easier to just pull the clutch when parked/not in use. Don’t have to lock anything down, etc.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Kubota even uses the "welded on hook" on some of their their newest HST models.
L3301/L3901's HST's from factory utilize same concept for storage / not in use periods. Depress pin - hook to lock - keep clutch disengaged when in storage or not in use.
B2620's HST's and similar came from factory with wooden block (spacer) to go between clutch pedal and frame. Push clutch down - insert wooden block - keep clutch disengaged.
etc...
good habit and recommended by Kubota for many of their HST's to do. Cheap and easy preventative maintenance for HST's https://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif
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That makes sense GeoHorn. I am not sure because i really don't know hope they wouldn't just flat out lie about it..maybe this is why there not hanging me with the full bill.
The large hunk of metal you found in your HSt filter says you have a transmission issue and not a clutch or bearing issue. As someone said, the clutch and bearing are dry. The bearing has a special metal that is permanently self lubricated, it does not see any fluid. A hunk of metal from the HSt filter points very strongly to a transmission issue. I have the l3800 and split the tractor about a year ago. PITA job but not impossible. Going the next step into the transmission is something I would not tackle.
I think you are correct. I ran it about an hour yesterday..still has a noise but its not doing it in intervals like it was before they worked on it. It just sounds louder than it should IMO when the clutch is not pressed in.Time will tell on this.
North Idaho Wolfman
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Staff member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Armchair advice... I'd be contacting the dealer ASAP and stating that they didn't fix it, as there is still noise!
And see what they intend to do about it!
Because now you've paid for a unneeded repair, and you still have an issue!
And sorry your still not fixed!
