Surprises from reading manual

[Raymo853]

Two days after getting my LX2610SU, I completely read all the manuals I got from the dealer. Almost all of it seemed self evident. I was surprised by one thing I found (page 56) is to advice to allow the tractor to idle for 5 full mins before doing anything, regardless of the outside temperature.

What is the biggest surprise you found in your manual or from another reliable source?

 

[Lil Foot]

Soon after I got mine, I ran into another B7100 owner who had to be in his 90s. We were discussing start up procedures and he informed me that after starting on those really cold mornings, that you could switch to the glow plug position and continue heating while it was running until it smoothed out. I was amazed, but it works great.

 

[85Hokie]

Soon after I got mine, I ran into another B7100 owner who had to be in his 90s. We were discussing start up procedures and he informed me that after starting on those really cold mornings, that you could switch to the glow plug position and continue heating while it was running until it smoothed out. I was amazed, but it works great.

Bill - that is a new one on me ........... gonna have to try that!

 

[pokey1416]

The grease points in the WSM that the operators manual didn’t list!

 

[Captain13]

Anything hydraulic equipment I use is run for at least 5 minutes at high idle. That includes tractor, zero turn and Timberwolf wood splitter. It gives the hydraulic fluid time to warm up before putting things under load. I believe Kubota recommends the 5 minute warmup on everything except maybe their little lawn tractors.

 

[torch]

Men are now so bored during lockdown they have started reading manuals?

We are truly living in unprecedented times.

 

[85Hokie]

Men are now so bored during lockdown they have started reading manuals?

We are truly living in unprecedented times.

The year of RTFM!

 

[Russell King]

I was surprised that they covered the battery in great detail about how a battery operates. There is more detail on that than how to drain and fill the engine oil.

 

[sheepfarmer]

I laughed at this statement in the safety section

”Never assume that children will remain where you last saw them”.

True!!!

 

[SDT]

Two days after getting my LX2610SU, I completely read all the manuals I got from the dealer. Almost all of it seemed self evident. I was surprised by one thing I found (page 56) is to advice to allow the tractor to idle for 5 full mins before doing anything, regardless of the outside temperature.

What is the biggest surprise you found in your manual or from another reliable source?

The operator's manual for the B2650/B3350 clearly states that 3 front weights can be attached to the front of the tractor without a weight bracket. Though this is true of earlier models, it is certainly not true of the B3350 or LX3310.

I checked this before buying my B3350 because I knew that I would need about 3 front weights, though not 5, and did not want to buy a front weight bracket that must be removed each time the FEL is installed.

I was both surprised and disappointed when I took possession of my B3350 and found out that the Operator's Manual is incorrect and I needed to buy a front weight bracket.

SDT

 

[aaluck]

Soon after I got mine, I ran into another B7100 owner who had to be in his 90s. We were discussing start up procedures and he informed me that after starting on those really cold mornings, that you could switch to the glow plug position and continue heating while it was running until it smoothed out. I was amazed, but it works great.

Interesting. Didn't know that. The one thing I found very interesting in my manual is it states not to even use the glow plugs until the weather is below 23*F-- under "COLD WEATHER STARTING". It also says a block heater in unnecessary unless starting below -4*F. For me in Alabama that means they are never used.

 

[85Hokie]

Interesting. Didn't know that. The one thing I found very interesting in my manual is it states not to even use the glow plugs until the weather is below 23*F-- under "COLD WEATHER STARTING". It also says a block heater in unnecessary unless starting below -4*F. For me in Alabama that means they are never used.

If I did NOT use the glow plugs on my 3 B7100's ..... even in summer - the engine LAUGHS at me ....

cough cough cough belch ..... smoke .... cough. .... or something like that ........

I glow them in summer and winter - more so winter - 99% time, little smoke and smooth!

 

[sheepfarmer]

Kubota over the years has changed what is needed to start their engines, I ran across the statement somewhere where they lauded their “new” easy start systems. No clue as to what they meant exactly. The B2650 leaves it up to the owner to turn the key against a spring and count 1 mississippi 2...etc. The L3560 will show a glow plug symbol on the dash, and you don’t crank until it goes out. You don’t even see the glow plug symbol until the temp is below about 18F. Both start on first crank.

Bottom line is best practice is very dependent on model.

 

[sheepfarmer]

While on the topic of tractor specific differences, ran across in the safety section on the L3560 (tier 4 dpf, high pressure common rail engine) the warning NOT to open fuel lines, sensors, etc between high pressure fuel pump and injectors. High pressure fluid in lines can cause serious injury.

There are innumerable posts where someone thinks they have to bleed the injectors and adjacent lines, and start “cracking” the lines. This is a bad idea on a common rail tractor, not only because they may make their problem worse, but they may get hurt. It is embedded in the tractor culture as something you have to do, but not on some of the newer engines.

 

[Lil Foot]

If I did NOT use the glow plugs on my 3 B7100's ..... even in summer - the engine LAUGHS at me ....

cough cough cough belch ..... smoke .... cough. .... or something like that ........

I glow them in summer and winter - more so winter - 99% time, little smoke and smooth!

Ain't that the truth! Mine is the same way.

 

[BruceP]

It is ALWAYS a good idea to read the manual several times. (I find more detail each time I read thru it.)

For example, one car I had would turn on the mirror heaters when the adjuster knob is in the center position. Leaving the mirror-adjuster knob in center position at all times will BURN OUT the heaters.

Another car had the ability to use the button for the rear hatch to unlock the car without key. (incase key gets locked in the car) You have to set up the code ahead-of-time BEFORE the key gets locked in the car.

VWs have the ability to close/open all the windows with just the key in the door.

Some cars, you can read the trouble-codes from the computer by using some button-pushes.

I am sure if I had a manual for my 1980's vintage tractor, it may contain some tidbits too....

 

[UpNorthMI]

I'm with BruceP I learn something every time I read the manual!

I'm embarrassed to say that I have a Kubota compact track loader with high flow, the joystick operation of the hydraulics is quite complicated, had to read the manual several times, my dealer showed me how to turn on the hydraulics (separate part of the manual), I operated it for several months which included a handful of hours running a couple of hi flow attachments, I was not impressed with the performance of the attachments! I requested my dealer to come and take a look and bring a flow meter. The service tech agreed there was a performance issue and eventually both he and I read the manual together and realized that no one had instructed me how to engage the hi flow hydraulic function correctly, he was not aware either! That was an embarrassing moment for both of us, wow what an improvement it made to the performance of my high flow attachments!!! There is a difference when you only put 16 GPM through a motor that is rated and sized for 30 GPM.

The secret was rocking the hydraulic switch to the right to turn on the aux hydraulics for regular flow (just like all the switches either side of this switch), then rocking to the left and holding it down for 5 seconds to engage high flow mode. I made myself take the time to read the complete manual while in the machine and actually trying everything out.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

well 'RTFM' wasn't very helpful last week when I needed to remove fueltank from by BX23s...
From the WSM...'remove knobs' , refers to the knobs on all the levers and such poking through the 'fender' tin....
OK.. most are straight forward..simply yank firmly and off they come..EXCEPT the PTO height 'locking' lever( the one,on right side,front of the 'fender). It's a hard plastic knob(others are 'firm rubbery stuff') so I figure it'll just twist off( threaded inside ?) .NOPE, turn enough times and the whole damn knob,shaft,clip and snapring all come out.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
Until you order and get ALL those parts and replace them.. you can't really run your tractor. So.. I bodge the stuff as I never use the 3PH. This week I get all the parts BUT I have to,yup, remove the WHOLE ROPS,my LEDS, dang HEAVY seat assembly, couple of brackets,'remove knobs', and fender, again just to repair the busted PTO lever...And the 'assembly is the reverse' proceedure as well.....
Pretty sure I'll wait until Spring, maybe Summer as I'll install the fuel filter/shutoff at the same time.
Good news is the busted knob (grip,K25613610) was only $5 out the door......

 

[Bulldog]

My manuals say to change everything, including the hyd fluid and the front axle @ 50hrs.

The surprise is that new manuals skip this step and I know the tractors are still full of metal filings just as they always have been.