Well as the title says.... We now have a 2012 Versatile 305 sitting at the end of our field that is broken in half.. Transmission/rear end split in half from the top down when my brother went to lift up the 3pt ripper at the end of the field. The way it sits now, only the bottom of the trans housing is keeping the front weights from touching the ground, and the back half of the tractor from resting on the 3 pt arms.. Tractor has under 600 hrs. Wondering if anyone has heard of this happening or experienced it themselves. Dealer came out immediatley even tho it was a saturday and looked at it but i havent heard anything more. Sorry for the quality and lack of pics. I was out of town yesterday when it happened and this is all i have for now. The first is of the cracked/ split trans housing.
Posted 11/11/2012 17:59 (#2691399 - in reply to #2691358) Subject: Re: Versatile 305 MFWD Broke in Half!!!
Central Iowa
A 2012 is cerainly under warranty yet, I hope. I believe I would demand an entirely new tractor, or a complete refund. There is gonna be stuff inside that driveline that will never line up right again, even with a new housing it seems to me.
Sorry for your bad luck, I am sure you are more than just disappointed.
Posted 11/11/2012 18:21 (#2691445 - in reply to #2691402) Subject: Re: get a lawyer
Michigan
deere_9600 - 11/11/2012 18:01
They will claim abuse and you will be out. Lawyer up.....
Thats what im worried about... If a tractor cant handle a 3pt implement they shouldnt put the arms on it. Glad this didnt happen while travleing down the road.
Posted 11/11/2012 18:19 (#2691440 - in reply to #2691399) Subject: Re: Versatile 305 MFWD Broke in Half!!!
Michigan
redline - 11/11/2012 17:59
A 2012 is cerainly under warranty yet, I hope. I believe I would demand an entirely new tractor, or a complete refund. There is gonna be stuff inside that driveline that will never line up right again, even with a new housing it seems to me.
Sorry for your bad luck, I am sure you are more than just disappointed.
We are expecting a new machine.. No way we want this one back.
Posted 11/11/2012 19:15 (#2691546 - in reply to #2691358) Subject: Re: Versatile 305 MFWD Broke in Half!!!
Wow, I've never seen such a thing! Not that I wouldn't want (and demand) a new tractor, but I would bet they put in a new transmission and call it a day. Either that or they offer to trade you out for a new one with a very reduced price on the 600 hours used... Let us know how it goes!
Posted 11/11/2012 21:19 (#2691876 - in reply to #2691810) Subject: Re: Versatile 305 MFWD Broke in Half!!!
Michigan
Not worried about dealer support, just hope Versatile warranties it. We are pretty set on never seeing this tractor again, be happy if they would just trade us for a good price for another 305. Tractor has never power hopped and only has less than 100 hrs of tillage use. Has 200 hrs of soybean planting, 300 of pulling a dump cart for seed corn harvest, and about 50- 75 of pulling a 3pt ripper.
Posted 11/11/2012 23:44 (#2692229 - in reply to #2691876) Subject: Re: Versatile 305 MFWD Broke in Half!!!
SE North Dakota
Versatile must have a casting issue. Our neighbors 305 did the same thing and it was a 2011 or 12 I think. Tractor was new anyways but I guess the transmission housing broke and it split in half like that too. It was like a $56000 job
Posted 11/12/2012 00:10 (#2692265 - in reply to #2692229) Subject: Re: Versatile 305 MFWD Broke in Half!!!
Black Hawk County, IA
My guess is Versatile's position will be fix it, warranty fixes not replaces. If this is not the only one to fail then you have a pretty good case for defective casting or design flaw. Now if you have a good dealer he may understand your not wanting to see that one ever again. But that will be between you and the dealer. Best of luck, pack a lunch, for you have a long road ahead. J
Posted 11/12/2012 01:10 (#2692302 - in reply to #2691358) Subject: RE: Versatile 305 MFWD Broke in Half!!!
Mid Michigan
I'm sure the dealer is going to take a really close look at the ripper that was on there. I hope it has spring loaded shanks because the ones that don't are probably the worst thing you can pull with a tractor. You hit a rock under the ground and it brings them to a dead hault and just about throws you out of the seat. And sometimes it breaks the tractor in two. I've seen pics of the three point ripped right out of the back of the rear end housing.
Posted 11/12/2012 02:27 (#2692338 - in reply to #2692302) Subject: Re: Versatile 305 MFWD Broke in Half!!!
Lone Wolf, Ok
Casting flaws are more common that expected -- Cooling process of the casting equates to the direction of the molecular structure. Learned this around 1985 -- had a Case 2290 (still have it) break the front axle support casting (2wd, no loader full weights) -- the tractor was about 5 yrs old -- fully out of warranty -- I took the parts and had them examined under an electron microscope -- proof was evident -- (to a structural engineer) -- Case Bought every part (Casting/Oil Pan/etc) (I did the Repair) - Was told by the structural engineer that looked at the electron microscope pictures that if the casting was not cooled properly this was the result --
Hence -- Stand your ground -- Versatile should stand behind the casting -- (as should any manufacturer!)
Posted 11/12/2012 08:17 (#2692503 - in reply to #2692302) Subject: RE: Versatile 305 MFWD Broke in Half!!!
davpal - 11/12/2012 00:10 I'm sure the dealer is going to take a really close look at the ripper that was on there. I hope it has spring loaded shanks because the ones that don't are probably the worst thing you can pull with a tractor. You hit a rock under the ground and it brings them to a dead hault and just about throws you out of the seat. And sometimes it breaks the tractor in two. I've seen pics of the three point ripped right out of the back of the rear end housing.
You don't have shear bolts on ripper shanks in Michigan?
Posted 11/12/2012 11:17 (#2692805 - in reply to #2691358) Subject: Re: Versatile 305 MFWD Broke in Half!!!
Ontario's West Coast , Huron County
Little early in the process for those who say get a lawyer . Talk to your dealer and see what happens .
I can see not wanting that tractor back but if you get another would there not be a possibilty of the same thing happening ?
Posted 11/12/2012 11:55 (#2692867 - in reply to #2691358) Subject: RE: Versatile 305 MFWD Broke in Half!!!
Michigan
Well tractors gone. Dealer came and got it today. Got it on the trailer without to much trouble really. Transmission housing is 100% broken all the way around. Thankfully between the 2 chains we ran from the front axel to the 3pt arms and the drive shaft the tractor stayed together enough for us to pull it around and onto the trailer.
To answer a few questions on here... Yes the ripper had spring resets. I dont kno of anyone in this area who would attemt to use a tillage implement with shear bolts. There are places where we raise better stone crops then grain crops.. And i guess my conclusion is if this tractor cant handle a ripper that we were pulling easily at 6.5 mph with the exception of super hard spots then they need to reevaluate their product. The fact that we arent the first to have this happen is kind of a good and bad in my mind. You never want to be the only one to have something like this happen... but on the other hand like a previous poster stated, you kind of start to scratch your head about the machines you are running. Whos to say a new one wont do the same thing or what about the 250 that we also have.
Im not ready or going to throw anyone under the bus. We have been happy with the tractors this far. We will just wait and see how it all turns out.
Posted 11/12/2012 19:15 (#2693571 - in reply to #2692867) Subject: Re: Versatile 305 MFWD Broke in Half!!!
Michigan
Trevor sorry to hear and see that happen to you guys, You guys have not had the best of luck with your tractors in 2012, you know what I am talking about hey. Well the new year is coming and 2013 soon will be hear and I think we all are looking to next spring. Look forward to see what happens with your deal. Best of luck to you guys and I will be looking for the new and improved and all attached 305. You are not kidding about ROCK farming in our area. LMAO.
Posted 11/12/2012 20:04 (#2693704 - in reply to #2691358) Subject: Re: Versatile 305 MFWD Broke in Half!!!
South Western Ontario, Canada
I'm surprised I'm the only that can see your problem!
Stop pulling the 305 with the quad track!!!
No in all seriousness, man I feel for you! I hope your dealer will go to bat for you and will keep you happy.
Just happy no one got hurt.
Machines can be replaced. Family members can't.
Posted 11/12/2012 20:23 (#2693746 - in reply to #2693704) Subject: Re: Versatile 305 MFWD Broke in Half!!!
Michigan
jcfarmboy - 11/12/2012 20:04
I'm surprised I'm the only that can see your problem!
Stop pulling the 305 with the quad track!!!
No in all seriousness, man I feel for you! I hope your dealer will go to bat for you and will keep you happy.
Just happy no one got hurt.
Machines can be replaced. Family members can't.
Lol i had the exact same thought when i took that picture!
Posted 11/19/2012 21:57 (#2706737 - in reply to #2704412) Subject: Re: Versatile 305 MFWD Broke in Half!!!
Michigan
jcfarmboy - 11/18/2012 18:21
How would you come up with driver abuse? Other than the quad chained to the front??
Well any updates?
My update is that the tractor is down at the dealership being repaired. They are going to analyze the casting and from what I understand the new one will be heavier. Apparently, weather permitting, the engineers are coming from versatile once it is repaired to get some data of the kind of loads we were putting on it....
Wasn't aware that using dirtbikes to check irrigations was such a big deal to some people lol
Versatile 305 MFWD Broke in Half!!!
