New Guy with some questions.

[thehotrodpig]

Hello, Just picked up my first tractor. Used L2050 with tiller, brushhog, rake and front end loader. It has 600 hours on it. I was excite to see this forum while doing some research on it.

I have been cleaning it up and fixing little things that need attention but have a few questions that I would like to address. Before someone says it I am shopping for the manuals for it and will hopefully get them soon.

First question is regarding hydraulic fluid. Does this tractor use the same fluid for the transmission and hydraulic system? What fluid do I need to use? Is there a fluid that is not Kubota brand (cheaper and easier to get) that will work sufficiently? I found a fill plug on top of the transmission but there is no dipstick. There is a sight plug on the side of the trans but it has become cloudy from age. I was able to get a pretty good idea of the level looking down the fill plug.

Glow plugs. I understand that I need to turn the key to the left to operate the glow plugs but unlike my truck I do not see any lights that indicate they are on or when I turn them off. I have been just holding it for about 8-10 seconds which seems to work.

Everything works very well for the most part. The only issue I have had is when I brake and steer I sometimes do not have sufficient hydraulic pressure to do both. Similar to my Ford powerstroke under the same circumstance.

Lastly, the seat is missing the cover and padding and is just down to the old school steel shell. I would like to put a new seat on it. Does anybody know of a reasonably priced replacement?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[cabu]

Hello, Just picked up my first tractor...QUOTE]

Hello and welcome to our forum.

Maybe the next time you make some pics, we like tractor pics. Tractor-porn

I use normal hydraulic oil for the reservoir gearbox/hydraulictank.
My tractor also has no working light for the glowplugs. But I also count to 10 to get it started. And they are working when the counting helps starting the engine...

Actually you can change the seat to any kind you like. Here is somewhere a thread of wildfire, who cut and welded a new base to his tractor to get an "orthopedic chair" in. It sounds strange, but you should use a good seat if you are sitting there a lot, because you have only one backbone!!

 

[hodge]

I don't know about the 2050- my 7100 has a sight hole in the dash, with a coil inside it. That coil glows after holding the key for about 20 seconds or so.
How long have you had the tractor? If real cold weather, I doubt that 10 seconds of glow plugs will get you started- you will either have to cycle a few times, or hold it longer. For what it's worth, my skid steer has a kubota engine, and the instructions say to heat the plugs for at least 60 seconds in cold weather.

You can find factory replacement seats on ebay, and tractor supply carries an assortment of seats to choose from. Or, you could take the metal seat off and take it to an upholsterer- maybe they can make you a new cover.

Does the 2050 have power steering and power brakes? I don't know, but most tractors don't have power brakes. So, maybe if you would explain in more detail what you mean when you say "when I brake and steer I don't have sufficient pressure to do both". To be honest, that isn't making sense to me. The correlation to your truck is confusing me, too- the braking system and steering system are two different hydraulic systems- one doesn't affect the other- so I'm not understanding the condition that you are experiencing with both the tractor and truck.

Welcome to OTT!

 

[MagKarl]

Messick's online is a good source for manuals. Otherwise your local dealer can help you.

Is it a gear drive or hydrostatic? If it's gear drive AND the loader is plumbed into the tractor's hydraulic system, then you want to find universal tractor fluid. UTF will be labeled for use in hydraulilcs and transmissions. Rural Walmarts usually carry it.

Service Dept. Vic has a great YouTube video library with short segments that cover pretty much every aspect of new old Kubota ownership. They are very much worth your time.

 

[Stumpy]

Yep if you look up the specs of Kubota's UDT (what they recommend) it's almost identical to most blends of UTF. The Super UDT is the same weight just synthetic so it flows much better cold temperatures.

As to the seat I believe these guys will have what you need.

 

[gpreuss]

A couple of people on ebay are selling a CD of ALL the manuals for the L series tractors for about $7. I haqven't seen it, but it should be good.
The BIG R has tractor seats about 1/2 the price of Kubota. They also just have covers.
Welcome to OTT!!

 

[thehotrodpig]

I don't know about the 2050- my 7100 has a sight hole in the dash, with a coil inside it. That coil glows after holding the key for about 20 seconds or so.
How long have you had the tractor? If real cold weather, I doubt that 10 seconds of glow plugs will get you started- you will either have to cycle a few times, or hold it longer. For what it's worth, my skid steer has a kubota engine, and the instructions say to heat the plugs for at least 60 seconds in cold weather.

You can find factory replacement seats on ebay, and tractor supply carries an assortment of seats to choose from. Or, you could take the metal seat off and take it to an upholsterer- maybe they can make you a new cover.

Does the 2050 have power steering and power brakes? I don't know, but most tractors don't have power brakes. So, maybe if you would explain in more detail what you mean when you say "when I brake and steer I don't have sufficient pressure to do both". To be honest, that isn't making sense to me. The correlation to your truck is confusing me, too- the braking system and steering system are two different hydraulic systems- one doesn't affect the other- so I'm not understanding the condition that you are experiencing with both the tractor and truck.

Welcome to OTT!

I have had the tractor for less than a week. It will be stored under cover and plugged in during the winter months which should make starting it much easier when it it cold. Works wonders with my ford diesel.

My ford truck uses a hydroboost system (no vacuum boost to the brakes do to low vacuum of the diesel engine). Power steering pump assists the brakes and the steering. Use them both at the same time and they sometimes complain and the power assist stops working for both. Mine has been a problem since the day I bought it. Been replaced by the factory under warranty 2 or 3 times and again by me a couple months ago. Some of the fords seem to have the issue and some don't.

Thinking about it now, I am not sure if I was experiencing the issue when I was operating the bucket while braking and steering or not. I have not looked close enough to tell you if it has power brakes and steering. I am just going to replace all the fluid and filters and see if I have any more problems. Hopefully I will get all the manuals for it soon so I can learn a little more about this tractor.


Thank you folks for the help.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

I'd hate to tell you but the L2050 does not have power steering or power breaks. Your arms and legs are the power source.

 

[thehotrodpig]

I'd hate to tell you but the L2050 does not have power steering or power breaks. Your arms and legs are the power source.

I looked at it tonight. Don't know where the brakes actually are but there are hydraulic lines going in and out of the steering box. I am thinking it does....

 

[hodge]

My Dodge has a vacuum pump for the brakes- some later Dodges used a hyrdroboost system, which wasn't an improvement. I didn't know that Ford had used it, too.
You may have power steering, but probably not power brakes. With the braking systems on tractors, the size of the componenets, and the slow speeds, there isn't much need for power brakes. My dads NH 3930 (50 hp) doesn't have them.
The reason that I asked about time of ownership was in relation to having started it in colder, winter weather. You will need to use the glow plugs longer, unless you store it inside and/or heat the block.

 

[thehotrodpig]

My Dodge has a vacuum pump for the brakes- some later Dodges used a hyrdroboost system, which wasn't an improvement. I didn't know that Ford had used it, too.
You may have power steering, but probably not power brakes. With the braking systems on tractors, the size of the componenets, and the slow speeds, there isn't much need for power brakes. My dads NH 3930 (50 hp) doesn't have them.
The reason that I asked about time of ownership was in relation to having started it in colder, winter weather. You will need to use the glow plugs longer, unless you store it inside and/or heat the block.

A lot of the ford Diesels used vacuum pumps for the brakes. My superduty does not though I wish it did.

Regarding glow plugs, I know what you are talking about. I have to cycle my trucks glow plugs a few times when it is cold and I forget to leave it plugged in.

I do not even see where the brakes are on the tractor, must be inboard somewhere. I am starting to think that the hydraulic issue might have been when turning and operating he bucket. Either way, I will start with changing fluids and filters.

 

[thehotrodpig]

Messick's online is a good source for manuals. Otherwise your local dealer can help you.

Is it a gear drive or hydrostatic? If it's gear drive AND the loader is plumbed into the tractor's hydraulic system, then you want to find universal tractor fluid. UTF will be labeled for use in hydraulilcs and transmissions. Rural Walmarts usually carry it.

Service Dept. Vic has a great YouTube video library with short segments that cover pretty much every aspect of new old Kubota ownership. They are very much worth your time.

I recognize your handle from another forum I think. Do not know which one though.

The tractor is gear drive. I will check out those vids, thanks.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

The brakes on pretty much most tractors are automotive style brakes shoes. You have to peel the wheel off and the brakes are right behind a cover. I honestly didnt think you had power steering because when I looked up your model at Tractor Data it had it listed as being built from 89-90 which I figured was to old to have power steering from the factory.

 

[Stumpy]

Depends on the machine, some would be almost unusable without power steering. The Ford 4500 TBL I've used is about a '68 and it's got P\S. The Ford doesn't do what your tractor does because it's P\S has a separate pump (uses the main reservoir as a sump though). FELs use a lot of fluid, I'm not surprised it does that if they share the same pump.

I'm not sure most tractor use that style of brakes. Both my Cub Cadet garden tractor and the Ford use internal wet disc brakes than run in the transaxle lube. The L175 uses a dry sealed drum brake geared to the axle instead of out at the hub. Not the best system since a snapped axle leaves you without brakes but at low speeds and loads it's acceptable. Anyway I've never seen one with power brakes. The speeds are low enough and you've got enough pad surface area and leverage it's possible to stop a 6 ton tractor with one foot. I'd bet the heaviest machines and machines designed for high road speeds use power brakes though.

 

[gurn]

I've never thought about that Stumpy, I hope my axle never breaks when I'm going down my steep drive. If it does I hope I have my box on to slow it down. I use UDT from Sams club for my L175. Its @ $40 for 5 gal. cant beat that.

 

[thehotrodpig]

I looked again. I am thinking the front brakes might be outboard but the rears definitely are not. I have had a rear tire off and there is not brake on the outside of the axle.

 

[Stumpy]

It probably doesn't have front brakes either, over kill for something that only does 11mph.

Not much of a concern on a tractor but axle strength is the big reason nearly all high speed vehicles have their brakes directly attached to the hubs. The energy the brakes have to dissipate increases with the square of the speed and car and trucks decelerate much faster than they accelerate so the forces are much higher braking than accelerating. That lets designers use a smaller axle since they only have to handle acceleration. They're much easier to service as well but they can have cooling problems and are exposed to whatever you're driving through.

Wet brakes can be used hard far longer without worrying about heat (such as when brake steering with the FEL) and the pads last longer. Wet makes more sense for a tractor. The forces are low enough I wouldn't lose sleep over it unless you've been bahaing your tractor recently I can't really explain the L175's design gurn except perhaps they needed the room to get the track width in spec with those big turf tires.

Were way off topic though, we answer everything you had hotrod?