First 50 hour service overkill?

Tallahassee Kubota Man

New member

Equipment
M5140HD/LA1153/LandPride RCF2072/DirtDog disc/RakeMaster grapple/Caroni tiller
You didn't change the trans fluid did ya? That to me is very excessive at 50 hrs.
Haven't done it yet, but yes will change the tranny fluid out. Does seem a little premature, but the manual recommends it so I'll do it so as not to void the warranty. What gets me is some of the other models don't recommend it at 50....go figure.
 

Bluegill

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Equipment
L3750DT Shuttle, L3800DT FEL both
Jan 11, 2012
1,560
4
0
Success Missouri
Haven't done it yet, but yes will change the tranny fluid out. Does seem a little premature, but the manual recommends it so I'll do it so as not to void the warranty. What gets me is some of the other models don't recommend it at 50....go figure.
Yeah, manual on the L3800DT says just the trans filter at 50 hrs, oil at 400. Trans fluid in mine is still crystal clear at 180 hrs.
 

Jason G

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Equipment
2014 B2650 and 1981 T1400 (Mainly my back)
Sep 19, 2014
35
0
0
Monticello Fl
Just returned from parts store... Oil (15-40) and filter. HST, hydraulic, and fuel filter. Figured that's more than manual states. Thanks for all (mixed) opinions. I'm keeping hydraulic fluid in just so I have something to stress over... Probably end up changing it. More concerned with oil weight. They said that's what they've always used.
 

Tallahassee Kubota Man

New member

Equipment
M5140HD/LA1153/LandPride RCF2072/DirtDog disc/RakeMaster grapple/Caroni tiller
Just returned from parts store... Oil (15-40) and filter. HST, hydraulic, and fuel filter. Figured that's more than manual states. Thanks for all (mixed) opinions. I'm keeping hydraulic fluid in just so I have something to stress over... Probably end up changing it. More concerned with oil weight. They said that's what they've always used.
I've used 15w-40 for years in my diesel truck and tractors. I think it's a good choice especially for us folks that don't get that much cold weather. Come to think of it I did use Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5W-40 early on in the truck.
 

sheepfarmer

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L3560, B2650, Gator, Ingersoll mower
Nov 14, 2014
4,449
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113
MidMichigan
I waffled...on mine at 50 hrs manual says just change the one transmission oil filter. So I asked that if, when he pulled that filter, there was a lot of junk in it, to change the whole lot. It came back with both filters and the transmission fluid changed.:D I hope Kubbie knows she is being spoiled. The filters are mounted right together on my tractor, and I imagine that it might be faster easier to do both and dump the fluid, but I don't know. I had asked if I could come and watch so I'd know how it was done, but that was a non-starter. And I wanted to see what the screen thing looked like. I suggested they could hire me for the afternoon so the insurance company would be happy, but no luck. :(
 

Bluegill

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Equipment
L3750DT Shuttle, L3800DT FEL both
Jan 11, 2012
1,560
4
0
Success Missouri
Just returned from parts store... Oil (15-40) and filter. HST, hydraulic, and fuel filter. Figured that's more than manual states. Thanks for all (mixed) opinions. I'm keeping hydraulic fluid in just so I have something to stress over... Probably end up changing it. More concerned with oil weight. They said that's what they've always used.
15-40 is fine in north Florida. I run 5-40 here, but gets a lot colder.
 

chucky79

New member

Equipment
BX25D, B7100 Restoration project with a B219 loader and B670 backhoe
May 16, 2014
91
1
0
Ashland, KY
i changed engine oil and filter as well as HST fluid and filter. Changed oil in gear box on the deck, greased everything really well, topped off the coolant, tightened my coolant clamps, and cleaned my radiator screen. You CAN NOT over maintain our equipment. If you have the time, knowledge, and money its well spent. Glad I did mine because I had(and still have) large chunks of silicon RVT gasket in my HST fluid form manufacture process. I will be changing the HST fluid and filter again at 100 hrs for this reason. Attempting now to get Kubota to spring for the cost till my fluid and screen is free of debris.
 

momark

Member

Equipment
M5660 SUHD
May 14, 2017
36
1
8
Arnold, MO USA
So if I want to reuse my hydraulic oil (50qts) do you think a Mr. Filter would be a good way to filter it? Any tips or tricks are welcome.
Thanks, Mark

M5660 / gear tranny/ shuttle shift
 

Benhameen

Active member

Equipment
2012 Kubota L3800 HST W/FEL and 1963 JD 2010 row crop utility
Jan 27, 2013
692
116
43
Southern IL.
I think that’s what I did when I reused my hydro fluid. From what I recall not much of anything was filtered out. There was a little bit of metal on the magnetic filter but nothing I was concerned about. Personally, I feel replacing the hydro oil at 50 hours is excessive, especially since my manual said to only replace the filters. That’s just my opinion of course.
 

hagrid

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Equipment
K1600GTL, ZX-14R
Jun 11, 2018
932
1,205
93
Pittsburgh
On the BX series it's very tough to inspect the Xmission suction strainer without losing all the fluid. It IS vital to check the strainer after the first 50 hours.

Someone came up with the idea to use a shop vac to apply a vacuum to the Xmission case and give you time to place a stopper in the strainer cavity.
 

John T

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Equipment
2017 BX23S
May 5, 2017
824
297
63
under a rock
On the BX series it's very tough to inspect the Xmission suction strainer without losing all the fluid. It IS vital to check the strainer after the first 50 hours.

Someone came up with the idea to use a shop vac to apply a vacuum to the Xmission case and give you time to place a stopper in the strainer cavity.


I found it much easier to use a fluid extractor to remove 90% of the fluid.

Change the filter/clean the screen/put the fluid back in.
EZ-PZ

BTW,
When you are changing or cleaning your air filter don’t forget this little bugger....





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tiktock

New member
Jun 27, 2018
225
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Plaistow
Interesting debates on the trans fluid at 50. I stick to the manual and my BX1880 manual explicitly says to change both the filter and fluid at 50. Since I assume this is what the shop would do, its what I do. Even though what comes out "looks fine" there was a CLEAR reduction in noise and HST whine wonce I replaced mine so there's gotta be something in there that I just couldnt see.

Pg 69:
https://kubota.ca/getmedia/773c001c...1880-BX2380-BX2680-OPS-EN-K287171311?ext=.pdf

Manual specifies next change at 400 hours which based on my use would be 6-8 years and I can guarantee just out of pure habit I'll probably swap it out again sometime during that period.
 

John T

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Equipment
2017 BX23S
May 5, 2017
824
297
63
under a rock
Well maybe they do things different in Canada... LoL

I Do see where your manual says trans filter/oil at 50

However my bx23s says filter only at 50 ...

That said, I just replace the oil at 100
When I rechecked my screen... just for the heck off it.

I would have ended up reusing the oil except my helper dumped it out into a dirty oil pan.... duh

BTW,
I don’t have a helper.

But anyway on the subject of tranny oil

The dealer suggested I stick with the regular UDT

Until 400 hours...

Which is what I did.



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John T

Well-known member

Equipment
2017 BX23S
May 5, 2017
824
297
63
under a rock
I’d say it boils down to common sense and what you feel comfortable with.

My manual also says check tranny screen at 400 hours
That’s just ridiculous.

This is my screen at 50 hours.....

.



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William1

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Equipment
BX25D
Jul 28, 2015
1,118
310
83
Richmond, Virginia
I did the filter at 50. At 150 I changed the trans fluid and filter. The fluid came out clean. The screen was clean. I put in SUDT2, no change in sound though I do have tinnitus so...
Screen debris is 90% junk left from the manufacturing process. To confirm it, clean and run it another 50 hours, I'd wager the screen is clean. Unless you suffer a catastrophe or leave the dip stick out and working in a dusty environment, the fluid and screen should continue to look clean.
Age (time), heat/cold cycles and use is what kills the fluid. If you never ran your tractor and kept in a climate controlled environment, the fluid would last nearly forever.
Follow the manual, use good fluid and common sense. I'd rather waster a little money changing the fluid more than I should and use better quality fluid than pay for a repair that could of been prevented.
 

tiktock

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Jun 27, 2018
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Plaistow
My BX23s book...

.




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So interesting! I posted the canadian as its just one i could find online. My US manual for a BX I bought last August has tranny change at 50 and the service chart itself looks very different than what you posted.
 

John T

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Equipment
2017 BX23S
May 5, 2017
824
297
63
under a rock
At 150 I changed the trans fluid and filter. The fluid came out clean. The screen was clean. I put in SUDT2

I'd rather use better quality fluid than pay for a repair that could of been prevented.
Switching to UTD2 at 150 hours does nothing to help the tractor.

It only lightens your wallet.

400 or 500 hours would be more appropriate for UDT2 .... but to each his own. ;)
 

Pau7220

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Equipment
L3650 GST, Landpride TL250 FEL w/ Piranha, 6' King Kutter, GM1084R Finish
Aug 1, 2017
785
278
63
Scranton, PA
Switching to UTD2 at 150 hours does nothing to help the tractor.

It only lightens your wallet.

400 or 500 hours would be more appropriate for UDT2 .... but to each his own. ;)
I believe it has been said many times before by Kubota service techs that all new tractors come with SUDT2. And only SUDT2 should only be used in a HST.
 

tiktock

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Jun 27, 2018
225
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Plaistow
I’d say it boils down to common sense and what you feel comfortable with.

My manual also says check tranny screen at 400 hours
That’s just ridiculous.

This is my screen at 50 hours.....

.



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Wow! I had a tiny, single piece of that grey gasket stuff and other than that a tiny, tiny volume of metal fibers i blasted out. It was effectively clean. I wonder based on how hard you use the machine, this could vary.