New Holland Skid LS170 - boom problems

[jerhutch]

I just purchased a 2005 LS170 and noticed that the grease zerk on the rear boom pivit point/joint/collar is missing on one side. I've also noted that the hydraulic ram is rubbing against the collar on that joint and it knocked the zerk off. I can not see any wear or bent arms and all of the bolts/nuts seem to be tight. The skid only has 539 hours. I do not know how to correct this problem or what caused it.
Any help with this would be appreciated.
Jerry

[cat]

is it under warrenty?

[jerhutch]

No :(

[NCSULandscaper]

sounds to me like the arm has been bent slightly out of square and forced the ram over, does the boom look bent when you look at it fron the front or back? check it in the down position as well as the up position first..........if its bent its a good chance it cant be fixed

[DIYDAVE]

or a half dozen, from different angles, and you'll get lots more responses. My $.02:l)

[jerhutch]

I've looked at it from every angle and there is no sign of bent or worn parts. I also took it to a dealer and he could not see anything either. However, he did acknowledge that there is some problems somewhere. I left the machine with the dealer and he's going to talk to New Holland engineers to see if they have some ideas as to what to measuer, etc.
Thanks
Jerry

[DIYDAVE]

Just a quick thought, having NO experience with this machine, is the gray colored hose retaining loop bent too far back, and rubbing at some point in the travel of the arm in question. Check the other side to see if its different, or see if you can find another machine on a job site, or at a dealer's lot, and snap the same picture, then compare.:~~)