What fluids do you use and where do you get them?

[Bruh44]

I need to do my engine oil, hydraulic oil, and mower deck oil. On my BX2380. I picked up all the filters already. Planning to do it all this weekend.
I know you can get Kubota brand everything but that seems seriously overpriced. Any recommendations?
Thanks all.

 

[The Evil Twin]

There are a multitude of oil threads with various folks swearing by various products. One thing pretty much everyone agrees on is use the K hydro oil. Especially if you have HST.
Other than that, the world is your oyster. Pick a solid brand diesel oil in the vis for your climate.

 

[Mak65]

Well, I‘m guilty of overpriced. But, I know it meets spec. Buy them while getting the filters at the dealer. I have 3 Kubota dealers between my home and farm. None of which sold me the actual tractor. That dealer is 40 miles from my place in another direction. I make it a point to visit all of them from time.

 

[The Evil Twin]

Wait...I was just thinking....$25 a gallon is seriously overpriced?

 

[mikester]

I tend to get Rotella T4 engine oil at Canadian Tire when it's on sale in 5 gallon pails. They tend to have the best price on engine oils and they go on sale 40-60% off list.

Hydraulic oil I buy Kubota PremiumUDT in 5 gallon pails at the dealership. Cheap insurance and it works well in my two HST machines. For non-HST machines I've purchased bulk Shell or equivalent ISO/SAE grades in 50 gallon drums from my fuels+lubricants dealers. I won't buy mystery low cost fluids or filters.

If you are concerned about price then you should also be concerned about the cost or repairs and replacement machines. I use my equipment for work so there's a cost to downtime as well.

 

[DeepWoods]

All OEM from the dealer I bought the tractor from. Too much invested to second guess using anything else.

 

[SRRGC1]

I need to do my engine oil, hydraulic oil, and mower deck oil. On my BX2380. I picked up all the filters already. Planning to do it all this weekend.
I know you can get Kubota brand everything but that seems seriously overpriced. Any recommendations?
Thanks all.

Just like Evil suggested, important to use SUDT2 in your transmission. Good quality DIESEL oil. I personally use Rotella T6 5w-40 in both my bx's.

 

[Biker1mike]

I get all fluids at the dealer when I buy the oil filter.
My hours are getting lower every year so the fluids tend to last a long time.
Oil is changed by the calendar and not by engine hours.

 

[skeets]

Agreed on the SUDT, engine oil I use M1 5w30, why? cause I use it in the HD and stuck with it,, but any oil that is diesel rated is good to go

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

I buy Kubota fluids and filters from the Kubota dealer. After my pickup trucks, my tractor is the most necessary tool in the shed. I'll skimp on certain things, but not oil or branded filters.

Now, If I could be sure who makes Kubota's fluids, I'd buy that if it was A LOT cheaper.

 

[jyoutz]

I buy Kubota fluids and filters from the Kubota dealer. After my pickup trucks, my tractor is the most necessary tool in the shed. I'll skimp on certain things, but not oil or branded filters.

Now, If I could be sure who makes Kubota's fluids, I'd buy that if it was A LOT cheaper.

I use SUDT2 fluid for hydraulics and transmission, but Valvoline extreme synthetic diesel oil in the motor. Because I prefer synthetics, Cummins endorses it, and Kubota doesn’t sell a synthetic oil.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

I get all fluids at the dealer when I buy the oil filter.
My hours are getting lower every year so the fluids tend to last a long time.
Oil is changed by the calendar and not by engine hours.

I bought a high performance sports car back in 2017. Owner's manual says change the oil every 6 months regardless of the miles. Sometimes the car sits in the garage for 6 months. Not driven.

I changed it a few times every 6 months and watched clean new oil drain out. Now that the warranty has expired I change it every 3,000 miles, even though the dash guage says oil life is at 70 percent.

But, if you use your equipment all the time, a calender is an easy way to go. Definitely.

My motorcycles, ATV's, lawn mowers, walk behind snow blower and log splitter oil get changed by the calender. I reuse my car's oil in my cheaper mowers.

 

[jyoutz]

Wait...I was just thinking....$25 a gallon is seriously overpriced?

Overpriced for Dino oil, about average for synthetic.

 

[DDCD]

Rotella T6 5-40 in the Kubota.Synthetic.

Rotella T4 15-40 in the 60 year old tractor. Dino oil.

Really any name brand diesel oil will be fine. You can spend years reading on bob's the oil guy forums.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I prefer Goose Island and usually get it at the golf course. All of the Kubota products I have tried taste like petroleum.

Dan

 

[lmichael]

Only OEM filters from the local dealer, SUDT2 again from local dealer. Shell Rotella T-6 (which I also use in my walk behind Honda mower and my new Toro snow blower). Makes my life easier stocking one oil for outdoor equipment.
Coolant was interesting. Last trip to dealer I asked them about coolant. They did not have any on hand. But, the parts guy said it's the same coolant many Japanese cars use (specifically Honda and Toyota). I told him I keep Toyota "pink" premix on hand for my Toyota and he told me "perfect" use that. So last year that's what went in the Kubota. Seems to be fine. Not a chemist but I did the flush with distilled water until clear and clean, then emptied the rad and block, and filled with Toyota Pink Premix

 

[Dave Ogren]

I only use Wix filters on everything. I have read many times they are the best available.

 

[fried1765]

Only OEM filters from the local dealer, SUDT2 again from local dealer. Shell Rotella T-6 (which I also use in my walk behind Honda mower and my new Toro snow blower). Makes my life easier stocking one oil for outdoor equipment.
Coolant was interesting. Last trip to dealer I asked them about coolant. They did not have any on hand. But, the parts guy said it's the same coolant many Japanese cars use (specifically Honda and Toyota). I told him I keep Toyota "pink" premix on hand for my Toyota and he told me "perfect" use that. So last year that's what went in the Kubota. Seems to be fine. Not a chemist but I did the flush with distilled water until clear and clean, then emptied the rad and block, and filled with Toyota Pink Premix

82 years old.
Have owned multiple vehicles over past 66 years.
Have NEVER used distilled water to flush, or to run in a radiator.
Plain water from hose spigot has never been an issue.
Hoping my luck holds for the next 66 years.

 

[nbryan]

I need to do my engine oil, hydraulic oil, and mower deck oil. On my BX2380. I picked up all the filters already. Planning to do it all this weekend.
I know you can get Kubota brand everything but that seems seriously overpriced. Any recommendations?
Thanks all.

Kubota SUDT (or Premium UDT here in Canada) and all filters from Kubota dealer.

Don't even bother looking for a "suitable" replacement hyd oil of another brand. The stuff that apparently can do the job is just as expensive as the K brand.

Shell Rotella T6 5w-40 for engine oil from wherever it's cheapest at the time.

It takes some forethought but I found a good deal for the K branded items, hydraulic oil and filters, from an online parts store in New Brunswick, https://www.shopnovaintl.com if you're in Canada.

 

[skeets]

I buy Kubota fluids and filters from the Kubota dealer. After my pickup trucks, my tractor is the most necessary tool in the shed. I'll skimp on certain things, but not oil or branded filters.

Now, If I could be sure who makes Kubota's fluids, I'd buy that if it was A LOT cheaper.

I think I read on here long time back big K filters are made by WIX