B2601 Headlight bulb change

racerboy

Active member

Equipment
B2601
May 10, 2021
110
49
28
NJ
Neither of the headlights on my B2601 are working. At first I thought it might be a fuse because the tractor is only a year old, but the manual says the gauge panel and headlights are on same fuse, and I do have lights on panel. I popped the hood and figured the bulb socket would just twist out, but I had no luck. Is there a special truck? I tried pushing in and twisting, but that didn’t work. I was worried about twisting too hard. had visions of the plastic just snapping and blood running down my forearm.
 

Chanceywd

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
Kubota L2501DT BH77 VIRNIG URG60-CT 1950 8N
Mar 26, 2021
606
468
63
central ny
Neither of the headlights on my B2601 are working. At first I thought it might be a fuse because the tractor is only a year old, but the manual says the gauge panel and headlights are on same fuse, and I do have lights on panel. I popped the hood and figured the bulb socket would just twist out, but I had no luck. Is there a special truck? I tried pushing in and twisting, but that didn’t work. I was worried about twisting too hard. had visions of the plastic just snapping and blood running down my forearm.
I don't know if they are the same as my l2501 but i tried to get mine out last weekend to see what ones they were to order some. A real pain to get out and harder yet to get back in. First I had to get that large rubber boot rolled back and then you can get the socket out to release the bulb, The trick to the boot was a small pick to get it started off.. I found it hard to push and you need to push the metal of the socket not the wire bunch going into the back or you don't compress the spring, Real hard to get in a good position with the hood up and bend over back wards trying to see thru the bifocals.

Bill
 

lynnmor

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Equipment
B2601-1
May 3, 2021
1,444
1,159
113
Red Lion
Yes, they are rather difficult to remove, I was able to get mine out using more force than I wanted to but they didn't break. Perhaps you could feed some WD-40 in using the straw like an eye dropper.
 

dirtydeed

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B2650 BH77, U27-4R2, BX23TLBM, box blade, rear blade, flail mower, Stump Grinder
Dec 8, 2017
3,023
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113
Wind Gap, PA
if you do wind up replacing them...do it with LEDs.
 
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MapleLeafFarmer

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Equipment
Lots incl. B and L kubotas
Dec 2, 2019
633
493
63
E.
I remove the headlight assembly from cowl easy to do and makes rolling rubber boot back and pushing/twisting bulb plug easier. But I do not own the same model as yours so YMMV.

With headlight assembly on work bench I roll back the rubber boot.
Press down and twist the headlight plug and remove
Bulb is underneath so pop out, replace, and reverse installation.

I have almost no luck on tractors I have owned unless I remove headlight assemble and take to bench where I can get a good light on it, back straight and screwdriver or pick in hand to roll back the rubber boot.

good luck!!
 
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Chanceywd

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Equipment
Kubota L2501DT BH77 VIRNIG URG60-CT 1950 8N
Mar 26, 2021
606
468
63
central ny
if you do wind up replacing them...do it with LEDs.
That is what I was doing, I wanted to verify the type and then I ordered some LEDs. I was in the woods last week retrieving something as it was getting dark. It was the first time in 2 years I had it out in the dark woods. So I also have a LED light bar that came yesterday to mount too.

Bill
 
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GeoHorn

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M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
May 18, 2018
6,040
3,316
113
Texas
The headlights are misnamed. They are back-of-the-bucket lights.

I replaced mine with LEDs simply to reduce the electrical-load…. They do nothing to illuminate the terrain beyond the bucket.… A Lightbar on top of the grille (or the ROPs) does that much better.

D8C3ED7A-5B03-4B8F-8A91-61D67316D66E.jpeg
 
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GreensvilleJay

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Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
11,421
4,908
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
yeah BoB lights !!! accurate description !!
I may have had mine on 3-4 times in 950 hrs of use over 4 years.
3, 34W square LEDs on the sunshade light up the night . $20 for the LEDs, $10 for the 4 channel RF remote.
'A' controls the GDO, 'B' controls the LEDs.
 

Chanceywd

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
Kubota L2501DT BH77 VIRNIG URG60-CT 1950 8N
Mar 26, 2021
606
468
63
central ny
The headlights are misnamed. They are back-of-the-bucket lights.

I replaced mine with LEDs simply to reduce the electrical-load…. They do nothing to illuminate the terrain beyond the bucket.… A Lightbar on top of the grille (or the ROPs) does that much better.

View attachment 91589
That was my thought, to reduce the headlight draw so I could add something higher up.
I would work on the light bar install today but I have to drive to Connecticut to pick up a dog we are rescuing. About 4.5 hrs each way. Looks like rain all day but better than snow off the great lakes for a trip on the thruway.

Bill
 
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racerboy

Active member

Equipment
B2601
May 10, 2021
110
49
28
NJ
Thanks guys! I ordered a set of LEDs form Amazon and will also look for a ROPS LED light bar. The B2601 does not have the rubber boot. I'll snap a photo later. I'll also try the WD-40 trick
 

Stmar

Active member

Equipment
B2650HSDC
May 23, 2017
929
47
28
Buffalo, Wyoming
Rarely have had BoB lights on, practically useless. I have front and back work lights on cab, these work great when I need them. If I ever replace will buy LEDs, these are OEM.
 

racerboy

Active member

Equipment
B2601
May 10, 2021
110
49
28
NJ
I was able to get them out. They were just in there super-tight. I ran down to my local Advance Auto with one of the old bulbs. They sold me a pair of Sylvania bulbs that they said were exact duplicates of the Stanleys in the tractor, but they did not work. I'll just wait for the LEDs to come in that I ordered from Amazon and see how that goes. I did fine an LED bar for the ROPS. Any recommendations on where to pull power from for that?
 

ctfjr

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L3800HST
Dec 7, 2009
1,879
2,293
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central ct
Depends. If you want to be able to turn them on with the engine off then you need to go direct to the battery. You can use an inline fuse at the battery to protect the circuit. Those LED headlights draw very little. I'd bet ~ 3amps for both, if that.
I put a 6 position fuse block on the fender. It's powered by a 40amp relay. The relay has a 20amp wire pair running back to the battery and is wired to be actuated by the aux light connector in the rear. That circuit is only live when the key is on.
 
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GreensvilleJay

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Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
11,421
4,908
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
On my BX23S there's a wiring harness, back left by the 3PH, has BLUE tape on it. That tape hides the 3 bullet connectors. Black is ground, male bullet, 2 others are females, one is hot (+12) other is switched 12 v.
Might be similar setup ?
 

Daferris

Well-known member

Equipment
LX2610
Nov 23, 2021
483
403
63
Mid-Michigan
If your B2601 is like my LX26`0 there is a factory harness by the ROPS on the right side at the seat bottom lever for the factory optional lights.
Use that as your power feed for the lights it is a fused 10 amp circuit that is hot only when the key is in the on position. You can run wire from it to your switch to control the lights.
 

dirtydeed

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
B2650 BH77, U27-4R2, BX23TLBM, box blade, rear blade, flail mower, Stump Grinder
Dec 8, 2017
3,023
3,680
113
Wind Gap, PA
as ctfjr mentions, that's what I did. direct to battery with relay, fuse and switch. I wanted to be able to control the ROPS lights independent of factory lights and with or without the key on.

Here's a simple set up that I used... and the lights I got. I mounted the lights on magnets.

Nilight Wiring Kit.JPG


lights.JPG


ROPS Lights 1.JPG
 

ctfjr

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Equipment
L3800HST
Dec 7, 2009
1,879
2,293
113
central ct
I purchased several lights from Nilight. When one failed after a few months I went to their webstite to make a warranty claim. You have to fill out a form and include a pic of the defective light. I did it all. They never even responded.
 

racerboy

Active member

Equipment
B2601
May 10, 2021
110
49
28
NJ
The headlights are misnamed. They are back-of-the-bucket lights.

I replaced mine with LEDs simply to reduce the electrical-load…. They do nothing to illuminate the terrain beyond the bucket.… A Lightbar on top of the grille (or the ROPs) does that much better.

View attachment 91589
GeoHorn
Is your light bar mounted to piece of wood and then mounted to your grill? Or is that just the light in the photo?