Not so new here with a couple of B6000's

[trevoroni]

Hello,
My name is Trevor and I recently purchased a B6000 with FEL and rototiller.
It's got a couple of issues to sort out but it runs pretty good for it's age and size.

First of all is the brakes are weak, it looks like there is some adjustment left in the linkage so hopefully that will get a little more bite in them. The right side turnbuckle is seized up so I have it soaking in some penetrating oil.

The tires are pretty dry rotted and cracked too so they will need replacement coming up.

More of a concern is the 4wd doesn't work and it looks like something is broken in the front axle.
I lifted the front end up and spun one side and the other side didn't turn.
Also in High Range and in 5th or 6th gear I've had the front wheels lock up completely and bring the tractor to a stop while in 2wd so something is definitely broken and has come loose in there.

I've already got the workshop manual/parts manual/owners manual and looked at a couple of threads here and watched a Youtube video or 2 and it doesn't look like it'll be too hard to tear it down and find the problem.
New parts look expensive though so hopefully it isn't anything too major.

Speaking of parts I'm not sure if they are available here in Canada through the dealer with the possibility of it being a "Grey Market" one. I'm suspecting it's not but can one of you tell by the serial number stamped on the transmission housing? It's b6000-5621.

I've also got my eye out for a used front axle, is this axle the same as on the B6100 and maybe B7000/B7100?

I'm looking forward to giving this old girl a little love and getting some use out of it for many years to come. I've got new gear oil, engine oil and fuel filters ready to go. My progress might be slow since I'm usually chasing my 5 and 3 year old daughters around on the weekends but they like to help for a little bit before they get distracted.

 

[cuboodle]

Nice looking project you have their good luck with it. I wish I could be more help but Ive only been an orange owner for a few weeks now and am learning from this site every day.

 

[trevoroni]

Thanks!
Looks like this site will be really handy being a new Kubota owner.
I've gotten lots of help from other sites with some of my other equipment.
I've got an even older International Cub Cadet 122 garden tractor with a FEL.
And a Husqvarna R322T 4wd articulating rider that does mowing/snowblowing duty.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Your missing a number in the serial number, the last part should be 5 digits.
No other axle is a direct replacement for that axle, all the other axles have something completely different to them.
Is there English writing on any of the labels?

 

[trevoroni]

Oh ok, I'll have to have a closer look tonight, I must have missed a digit writing it down.
The only label other than the decals on the side of the hood is the engraved plate with the gear shift sequence. The numbers are about the only thing legible on it. There might be some Japanese characters on the bottom. I'll check this tonight too.
The safety label on the loader says "Caution" but that could have came from another tractor.

Thanks for the info on the axle, that'll narrow my search.

 

[trevoroni]

So had a closer look at the name plates and they do have Japanese characters on it... I'm guessing that's a good indication it's a grey market. The serial number is B6000-52631 and there's another tag below it with Japanese text on it.
Is it a big of deal in Canada and getting parts from a dealer being Grey market?
Not that it matters too much since I'd probably just order stuff from online anyways.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

If you need to go to a dealer and get parts it's a B6000, don't even mention the grey thing!
It's the only model that was both grey and non grey!
And yes that one's a grey!

 

[trevoroni]

Thanks North Idaho Wolfman! Hopefully it isn't an issue down the road.

Last night I got the left side brake adjusted all the way in and it feels like it might have some bite.
The right side turnbuckle is still seized on one end. Took the other end out and filled it full of PB Blaster so hopefully gravity will do the work. It feels like that small diameter rod will be really easy to twist in 2 pieces with too much force.

I also noticed that the diff lock pedal return spring was missing so I found one in my bucket of springs that was about the right length and felt like the correct K value so I put it in there. I have a few more to try if that one doesn't work.

 

[trevoroni]

Also, I guess this can be moved to the Gray Market section if that's where it belongs.

 

[ve9aa]

Welcome. Nice project !

 

[fried1765]

Thanks North Idaho Wolfman! Hopefully it isn't an issue down the road.

Last night I got the left side brake adjusted all the way in and it feels like it might have some bite.
The right side turnbuckle is still seized on one end. Took the other end out and filled it full of PB Blaster so hopefully gravity will do the work. It feels like that small diameter rod will be really easy to twist in 2 pieces with too much force.

I also noticed that the diff lock pedal return spring was missing so I found one in my bucket of springs that was about the right length and felt like the correct K value so I put it in there. I have a few more to try if that one doesn't work.
View attachment 103350 View attachment 103376 View attachment 103377

PB Blaster is sorta OK, but "Kroil" is the very best.
Lots of folks here on OTT will agree.
It is not easy to find in the USA, and likely nearly impossible in Canada.
If you do find it, (Home Hardware, or NAPA?) the price will drive you insane!

You can mix equal parts of transmission fluid and acetone, for a near substitute.
Acetone evaporates very rapidly, so lacquer thinner may be used as a substitute for that.

 

[trevoroni]

Thanks for the tip on Kroil. I've heard that brand mentioned before. And yes it is hard to find up here.
If the PB Blaster doesn't work I'll try the ATF and acetone mixture. I don't think it is *that* seized in there all the other ones turned fairly easily.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

It's fine here as there are as many B6000's Grey's as non greys and they are all the same, no real variations between the two that I've seen.

 

[trevoroni]

It feels like that small diameter rod will be really easy to twist in 2 pieces with too much force.

Should have listened to my own advice.
Got it turning a little bit. Got tight again so I turned it back in. Went to go back out again and she snapped.
Since it's the left hand thread side and pretty sure it's metric threads rather than getting a tap for it I had a welder at work stick it back together.
Hopefully there's enough adjustment in the other threads.
I'll just have to pull the pin from under the pedal to make the adjustments.

 

[trevoroni]

Also found this Tractor for sale that would come in handy for replacement parts I think.... But it is a 5 hour round trip from home.
I'm guessing I'll be up to around that price if new brakes are needed and something is majorly broken in the front axle on mine.
Plus is looks like this one has the 3 point hitch linkage and the tires might be in better shape then mine.

Speaking of brakes, it might be cheaper to have my shoes relined than purchasing new ones for over $250 a side. I'll have to inquire about it at the place in town here if it comes to that.
The price for the new brake shoes seems excessive when the ones for a Honda ATV that are about the same size can be had for under $30.
Speaking of which, I found some EBC brand ones that look to be about the same size and might be worth checking out.
EBC 302 shoes are for the same 95mm drum ID as on the Kubota and the width looks close at 20mm. The only measurement online that I could find for the Kubota ones is 25mm but that may be when they are packaged up. Other than that the only difference is the round pin on the top end vs the flat on the Kubota.

 

[ve9aa]

$2k for a parts machine with no implements, a broken PTO and maybe now it doesn't run?
(ad is a little bit confusing)

That's a lot of Loonies and Toonies.

 

[trevoroni]

I agree it's lots for what it is but it seems like that's what these things are going for these days around here.
A running one with little to no issues will go for 4 or 5k. If you're lucky it'll have a rototiller.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I don't think it's that bad of a price the engine alone is worth that.

 

[trevoroni]

I could probably swap over the better parts from it to mine or vice versa and get close to the same price back for the leftover parts machine.
It's the 5 hours of driving that I won't have time for in the next couple of weeks.

 

[trevoroni]

Success!
The brakes work after the adjustment.
It still takes a lot of pedal travel but there's enough to lock up each wheel and stop the tractor completely on my hills.
Also changed the engine oil and cleaned the filter screen. They both didn't look too bad. The oil seamed a little thin but I replaced it with Rotella T6 5w-40. I put that **** in everything.
Cleaned the oil bath air filter and put new oil in at as well.
Haven't had a chance to look at the front axle yet. But in an interesting development, one of the wheels was mounted backwards so I had one side jacked up and while tightening the bolts up I noticed that the wheel didn't just spin while it was in the air.
So I jacked up the whole front end and the 2 wheels rotated opposite as they should... Until I turned the wheels like turning a corner and then they turned individually again. This gives me hope that it's not the expensive differential bits that are broken.