Stupid Mistake

[WFM]

After I finished work today I wanted to ditch the side of my driveway which is 400' long and quite steep. The summer rains had filled one ditch with leaves and gravel and a trench had formed washing the driveway out. I had been using my pallet forks on my tractor so I unhooked the quick connect. Slide into the bucket and locked the quick connect arms down. I went up the driveway and tilted the bucket and started to dig. Suddenly I realized the right side of the bucket had come loose from the quick connect. I got off assessed the issue and then released the left side and back away from the bucket. The left QC arm plate was bent out , the right QC arm plate (the one which was not locked in place apperantly) was bent in. Dam. It would not lock back into the bucket. I drove to the pallet forks. Nope its bent won't slip onto the forks either. I drive up to a oak tree and push the left plate against it to bend it back. Then hook a strap on the oak and the right plate and yank it out. Back to the forks. I can slide in them now but need to apply my weight to them to lock the QC down. Now I try the bucket. It goes on. But something is bent. A word of advise, make SURE the QC is locked down completely when you switch from one to another.

 

[moondog933]

Hate to hear that WFM, I just purchased a new M7040 and it has the new QC on my FEL. I am a little concerned about back dragging my bucket , I don`t see enough iron to maybe prevent this from happening to me. I have already bent one of my forks down 6 inches due to the fork digging in the dirt and me not noticing the power of this 71 hp tractor...We live and learn I guess. Good luck with your repairs.

 

[78-79fordman]

Hate to hear that WFM, I just purchased a new M7040 and it has the new QC on my FEL. I am a little concerned about back dragging my bucket , I don`t see enough iron to maybe prevent this from happening to me. I have already bent one of my forks down 6 inches due to the fork digging in the dirt and me not noticing the power of this 71 hp tractor...We live and learn I guess. Good luck with your repairs.

Ya I'm worried about what I'm going to jack up with my m7040 with the front end loader since the first front end loader i every had . Done bent the tail wheel fork on the new cutter playing with the loader and not wacth'n behind me .

 

[Kingcreek]

That which can be bent, can usually be straightened. If you can't do it or don't have the equipment to do it, somebody else probably does. ($)

 

[skeets]

It might sound a bit course,, but if ya aint bent something up you aint been workin with it,,, don't ask

 

[Eric McCarthy]

It might sound a bit course,, but if ya aint bent something up you aint been workin with it,,, don't ask

Does that include broken arms in casts?!?!

 

[skeets]

I said don't ask,,,lol

 

[Stubbyie]

That which can be bent can be unbent is usually true, but...

One poster here mentions a fork tine bent 6-inches.

If you have a 'real' forklift tine that is forged and mill-stamped (the 'melt' and 'heat treat' ID number) you now have a permanently bent fork. Trying to straighten that thing won't work. And if it does it will likely break unexpectedly. Heating won't work, nor will a press.

If not 'forged', a good welder or hydraulic press might work to your benefit.

And if in a commercial setting, OSHA will have a conniption about trying to straighten a forged fork tine.

If your frame survives, you can poke around and obtain replacement forks. I've found it's usually cheaper to buy the whole lash-up and keep the frame for a spare or use it for some kind of weld-up-kit tool carrier.

Please advise any experiences so we can all learn.

 

[WFM]

Well I finally got my tractor to the dealer for the 50 hr check up. While it was there I told the service manger of my bending the quick connector on the FEL. He call to say it was bent to bad and needed to be replaced. The cost was $629. with labor. I called my Kubota insurance and run the claim through them. I have a $250. deductible. The process took one day to receive a email confirming a check had been issued to my dealer. I'm just waiting for the part to arrive and a call to pick up my tractor. I know most frown on financing , even 0%, but its nice to have the insurance if there ever is an issue. And the Kubota insurance was hassle free to use.

 

[Whiskey Papa]

Similar thing almost happened to me. Travelling over some rough ground the QC pin must've vibrated the small pin out of the little hole it is supposed to sit in. I didn't notice it right away. I put the bucket down to back-drag some gravel, the pin came loose and the right side of the FEL popped up. Luckily, I was just dropping the bucket to back drag and wasn't lifting a heavy load. I guess I got lucky.

But I got to thinking about drilling a hole in the small, sliding rod that is in the pin. It make be ridiculous over-kill, but I'd feel better if I put a cotter pin in it to keep it in place.

 

[WFM]

Whats the old saying "an ounce of prevention is better then a pound of cure"....I agree.