I just purchased a new BX 1880 and when the dealer delivered the tractor the owners manual wasn't with the tractor. Being that I'm a little impatient, I downloaded an owners manual from Kubota's website. Then the regular paper owners manual arrived from the dealer in about 5 days. There seems to be a little discrepancy between the two manuals about what to do with the transmission fluid at the 50 hour service! The online manual says to only replace the filter and not the fluid at 50 hours. The paper manual says to replace the fluid, the filter and clean the transmission strainer. What do you guys think? This is my 4th BX Kubota and a dealer told me about 10 years ago that he wouldn't waste all of that transmission fluid at 50 hours and to just change the flilter. Also I have always checked the transmission strainer at 50 hours and it has always been perfectly clean. Also while checking the strainer a lot of fluid is lost...am I just better off to just change all of the fluid?
BX Transmission fluid change
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85Hokie
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BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
The older books had you changing it at 50 hours, the newer machines, wanna say around 2011 or so - say to change it at 200 hours.
Change the filter and clean the screen at 50 however.
When I changed the filter and cleaned the screen in my 1870 at 50 hrs I lost no trans fluid removing the filter and used a rubber plug while cleaning the screen. Total fluid to replace was maybe a pint. By the way the screen was clear.
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Thanks guys! I gues Kubota wants to sell super USD fluid because the paper manual that came with a 2017 machine says to change all of the fluid at 50 hours! I think I'll just do the filter and the screen being that the fluid is synthetic!
85Hokie
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Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
I think the 200 hour mark is fine. Unless you have submerged the tractor or abused it, the fluid will be good. A HST does not impart a lot of shearing force which is one of the most damaging forces that 'wear out' oils. Clean is what is critical. Short runs that do not fully heat up the fluid encourages condensate.
Fun fact, most 'garden tractors' have a sealed HST and you never replace the filter, check or change the fluid. My 18 YO Craftsman (over 1,000 hours on it) is running like a champ (watch, it'll blow up tomorrow) and I have towed over 1,000 pounds up hills, flipped the lever fwd to reverse while the tractor is still moving (swinging the tractor around like docking a boat!) and other bad things.
Fun fact, most 'garden tractors' have a sealed HST and you never replace the filter, check or change the fluid. My 18 YO Craftsman (over 1,000 hours on it) is running like a champ (watch, it'll blow up tomorrow) and I have towed over 1,000 pounds up hills, flipped the lever fwd to reverse while the tractor is still moving (swinging the tractor around like docking a boat!) and other bad things.
My dealer said same thing - no need to do complete transmission fluid change at 50 hours. He did say to change the transmission filter and of course do an oil change.I think the 200 hour mark is fine. Unless you have submerged the tractor or abused it, the fluid will be good. A HST does not impart a lot of shearing force which is one of the most damaging forces that 'wear out' oils. Clean is what is critical. Short runs that do not fully heat up the fluid encourages condensate.
Fun fact, most 'garden tractors' have a sealed HST and you never replace the filter, check or change the fluid. My 18 YO Craftsman (over 1,000 hours on it) is running like a champ (watch, it'll blow up tomorrow) and I have towed over 1,000 pounds up hills, flipped the lever fwd to reverse while the tractor is still moving (swinging the tractor around like docking a boat!) and other bad things.
Jeff
You may see if you can use the shop vac trick to keep from losing any fluid when you change filters. It is documented on some posts here and on YouTube. Most of the YouTube examples are oil changes but same principal. I am almost to my 50 on my B2650, my dealer said that 50 hours is nothing for the Hydro fluid and that at that point it is barely used.
P.S. I have a Husqavarna lawn tractor and it is a sealed unit with no way to service and it has been running strong for years now. That is one reason I took the chance on the Kubota B2650HSDC, figured they should have it figured out by now.
P.S. I have a Husqavarna lawn tractor and it is a sealed unit with no way to service and it has been running strong for years now. That is one reason I took the chance on the Kubota B2650HSDC, figured they should have it figured out by now.
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I guess I live in a different camp. All the fluids in my BX-2680 will be changed out at 50 hours. We just bought Diane a 2017 Dodge diesel truck and the rear end and engine oil were changed out at 3000 miles. Transmission will get serviced at 25k. Whatever floats your boat!
I changed my BX 1860 trans fluid at 50 hours and the stuff that came out looked just as good as the stuff I put in. I didn't bother with my BX 2370, although I did change the filter and clean the strainer (which was very clean anyway).
I appreciate the responses. I guess there are some different schools of thought! what has me confused is Kubota's own manuals have two different schedules for changing the fluid in the transmission. I will definitely change the engine oil and filter at 50 hours. Kubota has to definitely get there act together with their maintenance schedules and what they publish! They have been manufacturing BX tractors fo over 15 years!
I downloaded the 1870 user manual and it does not tell you to change the transmission fluid at 50 hr. However my 1880 manual does say to change at 50 hours.
I recently changed filter hydro fluid and o ring @ screen when I went to refill the reservoir I over filled it will this be a problem. I was able to take out enough to wear the the fluid is to the bottom of the filler neck. It's a be 2370
As much junk as I see in the screen, I generally recommend changing it at 50 hrs, if for no other reason but to keep fluid flow from becoming restricted with that junk that gets on the screen. A side benefit is that the HST tends to run quieter cooler and smoother after changing it and refilling with SUDT2.