B2650 snowthrower won't lift up or down.

Fototrekr

New member

Equipment
B2650 Tractor
Mar 8, 2025
4
6
3
Minneapolis, MN
OK...I have a snowthrower on my Kubota 2650 and when I parked it two years ago, it worked fine. Went out to use to day for the first time again in a long time. When I started it and the snowthrower wouldn't go up or down I stopped it to check the hydraulic fluid level and it was off the dipstick...have a small leak somewhere. Filled it up with about 2 pints of Kubota hydraulic fluid. The machine started just fine and will drive forward and backward but the showthrower won't lift up or down. I can hear the motor sound change slightly as I try to lift it up or down so it's trying to push pressure through. I've held the control level in the up and down position for 30 second internals for quite a few times thinking it may be air in the system from the fluid being low when I first started it. But that didn't change anything. Then I checked the hoses and disconnected and reconnected them but again, no change. I found it noteworthy that the compression fittings came off really easy....so there was no pressure in the hoses. I have times where theere wasn't released pressure and the quick-connect won't come off.

I thinking because the compression fitting came off so easily that it's not a problem with the hydraulic cylinder up front...does that seem right? Otherwise I thought next step would be to take the from lift cycler off and see if it operating. Could a cycliner just be stuck in one position as it has sat for so long? The drive piston is still silver...no corrosion or anything as I part it in a heated garage.

Any thoughts/ideas would be appreciated before I have it towed to the dealter.
 

Rcflyer330

Active member

Equipment
Kubota B2650 Cab, B2779 Broom, B2782B Snowblower, RB1672 rear blade
Oct 14, 2019
107
59
28
Traverse City, Michigan
Are you sure the hoses are connected to the correct ports? When you added fluid did it read on the dipstick?
I would doubt the cylinder would be stuck. It is possible the the piston seal is broken allowing all the fluid just to bypass it.
 

RCW

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
9,543
6,011
113
Chenango County, NY
A little more information would be helpful.

Has the tractor and blower been parked with the blower attached for 2 years without use?

2 pints is not enough to prevent the hydraulics from working.

Is the tractor equipped for a loader? If so, if you move the joystick left/right does it do anything.

The lift cylinder for the blower should work from the loader's yellow and white lift circuit.
 
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Fototrekr

New member

Equipment
B2650 Tractor
Mar 8, 2025
4
6
3
Minneapolis, MN
The tractor is equiped with a loader but I don't have it attached so the I don't know how to check if movng the joystick to the right or left does anything. HOWEVER....the blue pastic tabs on the connection to my blower are red and blue so I have been matching the hoses up to the red and blue lines. I'll try switching them around...that may be the answer for me! Thank you!
 

Dustball

Active member

Equipment
2016 B2650HSDC
Sep 15, 2023
356
232
43
Hudson, WI
The easiest way to tell if it's a hydraulic issue is to disconnect the hoses from the hydraulic lift cylinder itself and put the ends into a container. Activate the loader controls up and down to see if the fluid comes out of each hose. If you don't have fluid coming out of each hose, you need to inspect upstream.

If you have fluid coming out of both hoses, you need to inspect the lift cylinder- try lifting the blower manually (hoist, floor jack, etc...).
 

RCW

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
9,543
6,011
113
Chenango County, NY
Can you PLEASE come back to let us know how things work out?!?!

If the B2650 is equipped with a loader, I'm not sure how you can't test the "lefty/righty" thing with the joystick??!!?

Sounds like you have a White/Yellow option on your hydraulic connections and have switched them to the red/blue which operate the curl function of your loader!?

Don’t be a “one and done” member….😉
 
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Fototrekr

New member

Equipment
B2650 Tractor
Mar 8, 2025
4
6
3
Minneapolis, MN
The tractor is equiped with a loader but I don't have it attached so the I don't know how to check if movng the joystick to the right or left does anything. HOWEVER....the blue pastic tabs on the connection to my blower are red and blue so I have been matching the hoses up to the red and blue lines. I'll try switching them around...that may be the answer for me! Thank you!
Thanks for the mind-refresh. I switched the hydraulic cables around and it works great now. I should have tried moving the control arm from side to side when I had them on the blue and red quick fittings...feel a little like a dummy here but got the driveway cleared. Thanks again...much appreciated!
 
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