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3 M L & C

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You might want to closely examine your steering parts on your machines once in a while. On Sunday my dad was out on his coming back from my cousins house when the tie rod to the left front wheel broke. I'm sure he was going as fast as it will go 50-55. It imidiatly turned and rolled who knows how many times and threw him out of course no seat belt on. He's in Denver now with 11 fractured ribs. Luckily no other major injuries all the ribs messed up are on the one side so they watching that lung close. Looking at the wrecked vehicle the tie rod end was half broke for quite a while you could tell from half being dull color. We are far from being abusive to our equipment. May be just a freak accident but would hate for someone else to have it happen when maybe a close checkup could spot a problem.
 
Sorry to hear about your dad, 3 M L & C. Sending prayers for his quick and total recovery. Also sending prayers for you and the rest of your family, that you all will be able to get everything done in the absence of both your dad and the ranger.
 
Sorry to hear about your Dad,hopefully he makes a speedy recovery.I had exactly the same tie rod end brake on my machine,i was checking fence last year when mine broke so no real speed was involved.I keep a close eye on the steering componets now.
 
Just to clarify, the tie rod end broke because it was faulty, and not worn out? Bad deal. What model was it? Hope your dad has a speedy and full recovery.

Oddly, we had the gooseneck ball in the back end of a flat bed pickup break off a few days ago with an empty trailer hooked up. Could have been a disaster, but luckily it wasn't. The neck just broke and looked like it was cracked for a while. The pickup is actually a dog, and wasn't used to pull an awful lot or heavy loads.
 
Was a 900 model one year old 5500 miles. Looks like the silver cast piece that screws on the end of the tie rod had a crack and about half of the piece had been broke for a while. Not sure if a person could have seen it even if was looking. Maybe with a trouble light or something. Was real close to the boot that covers the joint out by the wheel. I have an 800 I got this spring looks the same as far as parts go. Most of the miles were going on county roads checking wells heifers and such. Our pastures are not really rough at all. It's never hit any washouts that would make one think something might be broke.
 
Mercy. My prayers for your Dad and your family. I can't imagine rolling in one of those things. I have a Gator and it covers some really rough ground. I think I'm pretty bullet proof in it. I truly hope your Dad recovers quickly.
 
3 M L & C said:
Was a 900 model one year old 5500 miles. Looks like the silver cast piece that screws on the end of the tie rod had a crack and about half of the piece had been broke for a while. Not sure if a person could have seen it even if was looking. Maybe with a trouble light or something. Was real close to the boot that covers the joint out by the wheel. I have an 800 I got this spring looks the same as far as parts go. Most of the miles were going on county roads checking wells heifers and such. Our pastures are not really rough at all. It's never hit any washouts that would make one think something might be broke.
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It seems like you'd almost need to put some pressure on the tie rod ends with a bar to make sure they're not ready to break, which is something I highly doubt the owners manual calls for. One would think the manufacturer would bear some responsibility for your dad's injuries.
 
Prayers for a speedy recovery.

My Honda Rancher was recalled for steering components. The technician replaced the parts even though he didn't find any problems with my machine.
 
The front end on the one side is totally mangled. After having a chance to look at it closely myself. It wasn't the tie rod but the joint at the end of the a arm that holds the hub and brake assembly. There's one on the top and bottom. The bottom one broke. Was discolored as if was cracked for a while. Anyway found that out so thought would clarify.
 
3 M L & C said:
The front end on the one side is totally mangled. After having a chance to look at it closely myself. It wasn't the tie rod but the joint at the end of the a arm that holds the hub and brake assembly. There's one on the top and bottom. The bottom one broke. Was discolored as if was cracked for a while. Anyway found that out so thought would clarify.
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The lower ball joint actually broke, it sounds like, but not where it wears? Any way to post a picture? I'm maybe overly concerned because the Ranger is the ladies vehicle of choice, and they might not survive a wreck like that.
 
Yes not the actual joint but above it, the round part that bolts to the hub part and moves with the hub/brake assembly.
 
Just an update. Dad is doing great going to heal up just fine. Still have to be careful for a while longer. They got paid from the insurance company. Now the insurance company has opened a something or other investigation. They are trying to get Polaris to pay them from faulty parts. I'm just ready to be done with the whole thing but seems every week somebody is calling me asking about this and that. My brother in law spends a lot of time on the computer and can find anything on there. Apparently there were 39 other Rangers in 2014 that had steering parts fail mostly tie rod ends leading to crashes that were being investigated. Not sure if that's really that many for how many are out there but there is an issue of some kind. Dad wanted to stop by the dealer and order a new one while he was still burgered up. Thought he could get a better deal this way ;) Mom wouldn't let him however and he has since ordered a kubota with cab heat and ac. Cost was about the same as new ranger but only goes 26 mph max. So we will see how long he can stand this thing. I still have my 800 ranger but dang sure drive it lot more careful than I used to. Just thought would share.
 
Glad to hear your Dad is healing up. :D

Hope he doesn't get rear ended going down the road in the Kubota :shock:

At least it's orange. :D

Maybe get him a SMV sign :lol2: :nod:
 
I was actually wondering about this. Glad he's healing well.

I think there's an override valve the Kubota dealer can get if you don't like the drive line locking up every time you take your foot off the accelerator. Let us know all about it. Go sort a cow off with it, and then ride it somewhere rough, see how it does. :wink:
 
If those joints are like on a polaris 4wheeler, there is a grease zerk on there i didn't know about until mine popped apart and i came to a sudden stop from a much slower speed.

Yall should check to see if one is there.
 
sandhiller said:
If those joints are like on a polaris 4wheeler, there is a grease zerk on there i didn't know about until mine popped apart and i came to a sudden stop from a much slower speed.

Yall should check to see if one is there.
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On dads machine the actual joint that does the work didn't break. All the pieces that broke were where the piece hooks on to metal parts. Such as the threads of the tie rod end where it screws onto the tie rod. Then one of the ball joints outside of the actual joint where was just metal. Not sure what order they broke but they did.
That's funny bmr I'm going to tell him about the smv sign. :D
Traveler I asume you already have had a kubota. I have never even looked at one. Once I heard 26 mph I lost interest. I guess we will see. :wink: To be honest chasing cows on it will probably not make the top 5 for uses of it with him driving. He really wanted to get a northstar edition ranger but I think it goes happy wife happy life. :lol2: Mom really put up with a lot while he was on the mend I sure couldn't have done it. They had him on about 10 times the pain meds he should have been on and after about three days at home he was helusinating. There was kids hanging on the ceiling fan and on the decorations on the wall. She came in the bedroom one day and he was pulling on the fan trying to get the kids off of it. Then one night mom woke up and dad was gone be came in the bedroom said he needed a flashlight his cows were out on the road and needed to get them in. Mom was trying to get dressed when he decided wasn't waiting anymore and got in the pickup cussing the whole time. He was driving around the yard honking and yelling. Mom went outside and he stopped to get her. He then remembered when he had a flashlight and stopped infront of the shop. Mom took the keys and he was rather unhappy about that so he said he was taking the good pickup. So then mom just went along and they drove through the field by our house and then through the ditch into neighbors field wandering around herding his "cows" or so he thought in. Finally got him to calm down and go back to bed. Next morning went to doc and figured out he had been high as a kite on pain killers. He remembers it plain as day and says it felt real as could be. There was couple inches of snow on the ground and the tracks next morning were just crazy. :lol2: So after that whole episode I think he is doing whatever mom wants for a while. :wink: lmao

Fh rarin to go is right. I thought maybe this would slow him down a bit but sitting in the house for two months just let him daydream up lots of unnecessary things that we just have to get done. :D
 
Kubotas have a direct drive system. When you let off the accelerator, it stops. I could probably count on one hand the number of times I have had to use the brake in Dad's Kubota. I have gotten used to the direct drive and actually prefer it. I never did like the winding up that had to happen with most UTVs. And 26 is plenty fast for a UTV. 50-55 is a wee bit fast.

Back on topic, glad to hear your dad is doing better.
 

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